TV NEWS

Title: The fastest way to get “whiter”

Link: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oMTUtn6EWU4

Topics ● Negativity:
(Newtsworthiness) The news is centered around the consequences of using bleach cream, and
how women tend to fall for the advertisements. Moreover, it pointed out the
lack of transparent ingredients in bleaching cream and how bleaching cream
can affect the cosmetics market. In general, the news serves as a warning to
consumers, advising them to be cautious when purchasing whitening
creams and to opt for authentic products from trusted sources.
● Recency:
This ongoing issue of purchasing bleaching cream for skin toning is
worsened by the presence of "ambiguous" sellers, who promote their
products with exaggerated claims of effectiveness.
- According to a study conducted at Can Tho Dermatology Hospital
(2009), more than 74% of patients with acne vulgaris had a history of
using bleaching cream and similar products containing corticosteroids
-> Almost 15 years passed, but the popularity of using bleaching
cream remains popular. This is 2023 now, however; we can still see
bleaching cream is sold widely, and even advertised by some
influencers. This news remains relevant and updated due to the daily
occurrence of these incidents.
● Proximity:
The news itself took place in Vietnam and pointed out how women can be
affected by bleaching cream. The initial intention was to give a warning on
how detrimental bleaching cream could be for Vietnamese consumers,
especially cosmetics ones. However, consumers in general from all around
the world also need to be aware of those products to avoid any unwanted
consequences.
● Consonance:
This news is generated by UE16, a channel that focuses on health and
beauty. In the video, they questioned the magical effectiveness of bleaching
cream which was related to beauty, and reported its adverse effects which
were about health. The content was also supported by a dermatologist - an
expert in the field of skin. Therefore, this news is concerned about the health
of consumers when using cosmetics from different viewpoints, which is
compatible with UE16’s preconceptions
● Unambiguity:
The news is unambiguous as it provides a clear overview of the situation,
includes interviews and testimonials, presents information from sources
such as research and medical professionals, and concludes with a warning
and advice for consumers. The news covers various aspects related to the
use of bleaching cream, including its popularity, pricing, effects on the skin,
and potential dangers. Moreover, it offers recommendations, making the
message clear and straightforward for viewers.
● Unexpectedness:
The news contains three points that could be surprising for readers:
- [...] Vietnamese women tend to spend 140.000 VND per month to
purchase beauty products, and the two methods of searching for
information to buy and sell cosmetics are friends (70%) and websites
(58%)
=> This indicated the fact that Vietnamese women easily trust unreliable
sources, which would create an environment for bleaching cream to be
widespread
- The hidden camera investigation where the reporter disguises herself
as a customer and reveals the seller's claims about the cream's quick
skin lightening and additional benefits.
- The victim's testimonial about initially positive results and subsequent
negative effects, including the appearance of red spots and the need
for expensive medical treatment.
● Superlativeness:
- "The fastest way to get 'whiter' - This statement suggests that the
method being discussed is the quickest or most efficient way to
achieve a lighter skin tone.
- "It’s the best price ever." - This statement indicates that the price
being offered for the bleaching cream is the lowest or most favorable
price available.
● Relevance:
The news touches upon topics that are relevant to the audience's daily lives,
such as beauty products, consumer trust, health concerns, and personal
experiences. Therefore, not only Vietnamese people but also people from
other regions can raise their awareness about using bleaching cream to
whiten up their skin.
● Personalization:
- A hidden camera where the reporter disguises herself
=> Provides a firsthand experience of interacting with the seller and
discussing the product
- A story from a victim of bleaching cream
=> Allows the audience to empathize with the victim’s experience
- A sharing from a dermatologist, doctor Linh
=> Adds a personal perspective from a credible source in the field of
dermatology
● Eliteness:
The news does not emphasize any exclusive or privileged aspects that
would suggest eliteness. It focuses on the widespread availability of
bleaching cream, the experiences of buyers and victims, and advice from a
dermatologist.
● Attribution:
First, this news comes from UE16, a local channel that has been famous for
providing credible news with strict censorship. Moreover, the source
mentioned a dermatologist named Doctor Linh adds attribution and provides
credibility to the information presented.
● Facticity:
The news contains factual information such as the amount of money
Vietnamese women tend to spend on beauty products (140.000 VND per
 month), the methods they use to search for information about cosmetics
(70% from friends and 58% from the Internet), the price and quantity of the
bleaching cream (250.000 VND for a 400-gram container of cream), the
experiences of a victim, and the advice given by the dermatologist.
=> These factual details provide a basis of truth and accuracy to the news
report

TV news narrative
structure ● Introduction: In the introduction, MC Thanh Mai provides information
to 4 Wh-questions:
1. Who is involved?

In the very first part of the news, MC Thanh Mai mentioned the statistics
about the cosmetic consumption of Vietnamese women and the appearance
of bleaching cream in the market so it was clear that the targeted subjects in
this news were Vietnamese women and bleaching cream sellers.

2. When did it happen?

Although the date of publication was not mentioned in the introduction, it

was shown in the description of the news that it was published on July 2nd,
2023. In addition, the introduction was delivered in the present tense. For
that reason, the news stayed updated and recent.

3. Where did it happen?

The statistics the MC mentioned shown that this sale happened in daily life
and in cyberspace.

4. Why did it happen?

It was stated that the information about the cosmetic product that the
consumers get mostly came from the Internet and hearsay which were not
reliable sources so the reason why the situation of buying and selling bleach
cream happened was related to the poor shopping habit of consumers.

● Body: Because the introduction hasn’t stated thoroughly what

happened, the body is to answer this question.
- The first interview was related to the first targeted subject which was
the bleaching cream seller. The main content of this interview was to
show the untrustworthiness of bleaching cream advertisements from
sellers in general. The reporter disguised herself to ask a bleaching
seller so the point of view is set in the position of a buyer. This helps
to improve the understanding level of viewers because it is put in their
shoes as well as raise awareness among consumers when they are
in the same situation, and listen to the same commercials.
- The second interview was about a victim of bleaching cream with the
aim of mentioning the second targeted subject – consumers. This part
showed viewers the consequences of bleaching cream in reality.
While the previous interview showed the effectiveness advertised by
the seller, this one showed the exact opposite effect shared by a
 buyer. This provides authentic evidence from a normal cosmetic
consumer who may be one of the viewers. Therefore, they may see
the need to be vigilant when shopping online.
- The last interview mentioned another subject involved in this news
who was a dermatologist. An expert in dermatology can provide
reliable information to the viewers about bleaching cream in the
aspect of science. Therefore, it creases the credibility of this news
and provides a deeper understanding of the viewers about this kind of
cream.

● Conclusion: MC Thanh Mai gave caution about buying cosmetic

products and advised to go to the medical department if experiencing
any dermatological problems.

→ The structure of this news is organized quite logically with 2

main points of view: general consumer and scientific approach,
providing a comprehensive knowledge of this situation.

Pronunciation - Overall pronunciation is clear and easy to comprehend

- The speaking speed of the news reporter is rather slow at the
beginning and the end of the news => Fluency limitation
- Words are spoken clearly and simply
- The intonation of some words and phrases is stronger in order to
emphasize the key points that the reporters are trying to take: “This
can lead to subsequent skin conditions such as dryness, rashes,
or discomfort” ; “It is clear that this cream could bring harm to our
skin despite the advertisements of the seller about its functions…”
- Accents, regionally distinct jargon, and other personal characteristics
of the reporter(s) are not included in the news.
=> Overall, pronunciation is quite effective in this TV news.

Sentence structure
● Types of sentence structure: Most sentences are declarative. There
are various types of sentence structure:
- Simple: one independent clause and no subordinate clause.
“Therefore, it is a great chance for bleaching cream to be widespread in the
market.” …
=> Simple sentences were used most frequently in the news.

- Compound: at least two independent clauses but no subordinate

clause.
“According to research about the cosmetics market, Vietnamese women
tend to spend 140.000 VND per month to purchase beauty products, and
the two methods of searching for information to buy and sell cosmetics are
friends (70%) and websites (58%)”
=> Compound sentences occurred very often with linking words:” and, so,
but,..). It’s effective as this helped the information delivered to the listeners
be more detailed, avoiding being too brief or lackluster.

- Complex: one independent clause and at least one subordinate

clause
“The price is affordable for most people at 250,000 VND, allowing them to
purchase a 400-gram container of cream, which becomes a favorable
choice for women.”
“It was advertised that this was a special kind of cream that helped the skin
tone become brighter after the first use, regardless of skin condition”
“Therefore, Doctor Linh, a dermatologist, will give us some advice”...
=> This specified in more detailed what the news was mentioning. Some
sentences should be shortened with fewer subordinate clauses as the more
complex the spoken information, the easier the listeners tend to forget
relevant details.
- Compound-Complex: at least two independent clauses and at least
one subordinate clause.

“The consequence is that treatment takes a lot of time and the chances of
recovery are low, only about 20%-30% according to Hanoi Medical
University.”

=> This TV news used the full range of sentence structure, which increased
the length of a sentence and could transmit detailed content. Both the simple
sentences and complex sentences appeared very often, but the simple
sentences seemed to be utilized more. This is effective as using too many
complex or compound clauses could result in overwhelming information to
the listeners. Compound sentences appeared appropriately to specify the
problem.

=> Information density: The information the TV news brought was quite
informative, and well-organized with clear main points. However, complex
sentences provided very dense information continuously so it sometimes
prevented listeners from keeping up with the pace. Simple sentences were
utilized to grasp the listeners’ attention but in some sentences, the
information they provided was quite not enough. Merits > Drawbacks

● Modifiers:
+Appositional noun phrases: Doctor Linh, a dermatologist…=> Sources
are introduced or referred to before reporting information, showing credibility
+Attributive adjectives: unreliable sources, favorable choice, subsequent
 skin conditions,..
=> These specified in more detail the identity of people and things that
appeared in the news.
● Active voice appears more compared to passive voice.
- Poor-quality bleaching cream also directly affects the cosmetic
market.
- According to research about the cosmetics market,
Vietnamese women tend to spend 140.000 VND per month to
purchase beauty products,...
=> Both active voice and passive voice used diversely here emphasized the
problems bleaching cream brings. The passive voice made the news sound
more informal (Effective)
● Tenses:
- Present tenses are used predominantly throughout to show the
recency of the news ( Present Simple)
- Past tenses are used to narrate the story of experiencing
bleaching cream more vividly (Simple Past)
=> These are up-to-date tenses. The present tense tells the listener that the
problem is still happening, and the news is updated. => Effective

Word choice - Words used are mostly formal, there are some informal words in the
dialogue between the buyer and seller: "It’s the best price ever”;
“Can you give me some advice?”
- Nearly all of the phrases are known, although "dermatologist"—a
specialist who focuses on the diagnosis and treatment of skin
problems, according to Cambridge Dictionary—can be regarded as a
specialized term.
- Avoiding the use of synonyms helps to make the language more
vivid.
- The word choice in this news article leans towards a negative and
cautionary tone: "unreliable sources"; "bleaching cream to be
widespread"; "hidden camera"; "disguising herself"; "not a problem";
"seems" (regarding the authenticity of the product)
=> These word choices successfully emphasize the potential dangers
and negative consequences associated with the use of bleaching
creams and highlight the need for caution and proper research when
purchasing beauty products.

REFERENCE LIST
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