talking heads
Shoulder-up broadcasters
Talking heads are television presenters or commentators shown from the shoulders up, typically speaking directly to camera.
The term often carries a dismissive tone, suggesting superficial analysis or predictable opinions: The talking heads on cable news argued about the scandal all week.
In video production, a talking head shot is any close-up of a person speaking. (Capitalized Talking Heads is the rock band.)
commentators
Those who analyze publicly
- analystsThose who dissect data
- newscastersTelevision news presenters
- expertsHighly skilled practitioners
panelists · anchors · broadcast · cable news · opinion · editorial · soundbite · spin · debate · discourse
- documentary typesdocumentaries, cinema verite, observational, fly on the wall, expository
- metonymsWall Street, Hollywood, the Kremlin, Capitol Hill, Downing Street
- MockumentariesThis Is Spinal Tap, The Office, Borat, mockumentary, Bruno
- opinion makerspundits, commentators, columnists, editorialists, op-ed writers
- political mediaCNN, MSNBC, NPR, PBS, Fox News
- writing flawstypos, spelling errors, plot hole, plot holes, cliche
talking headsfield reporters
Journalists covering events remotely
embedded journalists · investigative reporting · documentary footage · location shooting · cinéma vérité
talking headsinteractive media
Content responding to user input
live action · audience engagement · call-in shows · doers · practitioners
talk, talks, talking, talkative, talker, talkers, talkie, talking point, talkativeness