Unit 5 – Writing

Unit 5 – Writing

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Broadcast News• NPR serves as the example of radio broadcast

journalism.• -Television is tends to be the primary news

source for most people• -The 6:00pm and 11:00pm are the

most important for local TV stations• -News magazines are starting to

diminish• -Internet is emerging as the primary news

outlet• -Many examples of convergence

News Stories• -The newscaster is someone employed to deliver the news

(suggests all they do is read)• -The politically correct term is broadcast journalist

(they gather, write, edit, and arrange news)• -News is an acronym for north, east, west, south and

applies to happenings all around us• -Local, National, International, Sports, Weather• -Hard news – traditional, breaking or on-going stories that

have impact, and that they audience should know• -Soft News – feature news that is interesting or enjoyable,

but has less impact on listener• -With so many happenings, how do we determine what is

newsworthy?

Newsworthy Elements• Proximity – geographical closeness, or the relevance of the issue to

the listeners• Timeliness – what is happening right now, most recent aspect of

the event, immediacy• Currency – latest aspect of an issue, or an update on an event that

used to be timely• Human Interest – emotional impact a story may have, affects

feelings and sensibilities• Significance/Impact – how many people are affected, how seriously

they are affected• Oddity – events that are unusual and out of the ordinary,

interruptions of everyday events• Conflict – clash of opposing sides, • Prominence – people of authority, celebrity, popularity, names

make news

News Values• Accuracy – attention to details, do not miss your target• Brevity – brief, SVO style, single themed stories• Clarity – precise, clear, and simple language• Relevance – select most important/meaningful material for your

audience• Attribution – provide credit to the source of the information• Identification – document names, titles, and other descriptions

correctly• Fairness and Balance – give both sides the opportunity to give

their say• Objectivity – write in 3rd person, avoid subjective opinion (color)• Truth – strive for truth amidst numerous opinions, statements,

facts, etc.

Newscaster Criteria• Credible – professional, accurate, reliable,

trustworthy• Authoritative – serious, free of accents• Unobtrusive – sincerity, proper inflection, proper

articulation and pronunciation• Educated – knowledgeable on a wide range of

news issues, geography, history, politics, current affairs

• .

News Sources• Wire Service / Affiliates (Network Indiana)• -Have reporters around the state and distribute

stories to all member stations (affiliates)• -Usually broadcast-ready, but many local stations will

re-write for style, corrections, angle, or length• Local Newspapers• -Utilize this for story ideas and actual stories• -Proper news technique would require rewriting the

newspaper story and giving credit to the paper• Press Releases• -Often produced by a public relations firms• -Ethical concern of news value vs. promotional value

Radio Newscast• 2-5 minute report, broadcasts every hour• -Stories range from 10 seconds to 2 minutes, but

usually less than 30 seconds long• -Usually stack all local news stories first unless

there is a national or international story of major significance

• -Kicker story is used at the end (humorous or human interest report)

Radio Newscast• Employs as many actualities as possible• -Sound of the news event or voice of a

newsmaker• -Ambient noise or nat sound can also be used to

add interest and immediacy to the report• -Voicers can be used to air a live report from the

scene of the event• -Must use a tag line

Writing Process• 1. Find a story• 2. Read the story • 3. Put the story away • 4. Identify essential information (5W/1H) • 5. Identify why it is important to audience • 6. Write a lead that captures attention/prioritizes

information • 7. Write other information in bite sized chunks • 8. Check for accuracy of information using original

story • 9. Read out loud for grammar, spelling, style, format

errors • 10. Revise, save, print

Leads• The lead tells the listener what the story is about

and usually only contains a few facts• Hard Lead • -Tells what the story is about in absolutely

straight-forward manner• -Simple stories that are important to the audience

work well for this type of lead• “The state legislature voted overwhelmingly

today to cut back school funding by 20 percent”

Leads• Soft Lead • -Starts with what the story is generally about, or

the general impact of the story• -Complicated stories work well, makes the easier

for audience to follow• “School systems throughout the state may have a

tough time getting by. The state legislature today voted . . .”

Leads• Throwaway Lead• -Introduce a subject using a short sentence or a

sentence fragment• -Good for varying the pace, and provide a short

bridge between related stories• “Trouble for state school systems. The state

legislature today voted . . .”

Leads• Umbrella Lead• -Sets up the audience for different aspects of a

single story• -If a subject has taken several significance actions• “The state legislature today passed bills that will

raise taxes, lower some salaries and change school funding”

Leads• -Delayed or Suspense Lead• -Entire story is told chronologically, and the

punch line or point of story comes at end• -Question Lead• -Question that is intriguing or that the

audience will want to answer in the affirmative• -Can become annoying, use it sparingly

Leads• Figuring Out the Lead• -What is the story about?• -Say something meaningful• -Keep it simple• -Start with news• -Focus on people, focus on local• -Put location in the lead• -Be direct and to the point• -Save the name, day, and date for later• -Update leads• -Never go wrong with a main point lead

Writing Broadcast News

• Stories should be appropriate and written in a conversational style

• -Write the way you talk• -Write for the ear and not the eye• -Slightly more formal and precise than an

everyday conversation• -Avoid slang, and incorrect grammar


• Word choice should be simple and clear• Sentences should be short and precise• Numbers should be rounded off• Abbreviations and acronyms should be avoided

unless they are well known• Unnecessary words should be edited out• Contractions can be used to make the copy short

and conversational• Accuracy should never be compromised, if you

don’t understand it, then don’t write it


• Attribution should be used at beginning of the sentence to reference the source of a story or statement

• -“says”, “told”, “reported” – indirect quotes• -“in his words” – direct quotes• “Alleged” or “accused” should be used to avoid convicting

someone before the courts have done so.• Quotes should be used only if there is concern over the

exact source of the quote• -Otherwise, quotes are awkward• -Use the term “quote”, but avoid using “unquote”• The reporter should remember that he knows more about

the story than the audience• -The audience only gets to hear your story once


• Ages and titles should be given before the name• Present tense should be used• Active voice should be used• Time references should be kept close to the verb


• Slugs should always be used to begin a story• -LAST NAME• -DATE• -TIME• -STORY IDENTIFICATION• -STORY LENGTH/WORD COUNT• Documentation of actualities should include the

length and an outcue (last few words)• News should be written to time• -Read the newscast out loud• -4 lines (40 words) = 15 seconds


• Pyramid organization should be utilized• -Most important points of the story are given in a

concise lead, then remaining details follow in descending order of importance

• -Give who, what, when, where, why, and how in short simple sentences that are easy to read aloud

Ending News• Figuring Out the End• -Future ramifications – tells us where the story

goes from here• -Summary point close – restates what the

story was about• -Information close – provides a new, related

but of information• -Opposition point of view close – provide a

counter argument• -Punch Line – if you used a delayed or

suspense lead, must now provide unexpected twist

Radio Commercial Forms

• Straight-Read• -Copy is presented with no music or other

effects• -Depend on quality of one’s voice• -Emphasis, Pausing, Inflection, and Rate• -Chosen based on tone of voice and

enthusiasm


• Fact Sheet Commercial• -Listing of basic information and

characteristics• -Announcer must ad-lib the spots• -Sounds natural

• Straight Read and Fact Sheet are difficult because the only tool you have is your voice


• Music Bed Commercial• -Punches up straight read commercial• -Appropriate mood• -Not distracting or too loud• -Could also use SFX to create a “natural”

environment


• Donut Commercial• -Combination of recorded message and

local live copy• -Jingle is at beginning and end, local

announcer is inserted in the middle• -Timing is essential• Live Tag• -Recorded info comes first and announcer

adds a bit of information that connects message at the end


• Spokesperson Commercial• -Well-known person, owner or manager• High Production Value (Dramatization/Slice of

Life)• -Collection of voices, music, sound effects,

singers• -Present everyday scenes and insert

commercial message• -Mini dramas with characters, settings,

Structure of Commercial

• 1. Get Attention• -Ask a question• -Make an unusual statement• -Use a sound effect• 2. Create Need• 3. Satisfy Need• 4. Demand Action

Analyzing Commericals

• Goal• -Selling is not the only goal• -Also interested in image• -What are they trying to accomplish?• • Mood/Tone• -Read it to yourself first• -Tone of voice must be appropriate• -Understate the tone, don’t be too obvious• -Identify changes in the mood

Analyzing Commericals

• Sincerity/Energy• -Must attract and hold attention• -How should this sound?• -Be cautious when using humor• • Message• -What is advertiser trying to get across?• -Action, Idea, Urging• -Identify key information and emphasize it

Analyzing Commercials

• Intended Audience• -Demographics• -Listen to everyday conversations• -Helps with dramatized commercials• • -Emphasis• -Key words• -Mark your copy

Analyzing Commercials

• Timing• -+/- 1 sec on target• -Pause, Tempo variation, Clarity, Phrasing• • • Hard Sell v Soft Sell• Hard Sell – tension and excitement• Soft Sell – relaxation and conversational

Homework AssignmentDue Tuesday

• You must use the internet or newspapers to find 7 different up to date news articles. Print them off.o Don’t “Google search” for the element. Actually gather updated news.

• Each article should be a good example of a different newsworthy element (except timeliness)

• Use the “News Article Log” to document the source and topic of the article. You must also identify any other newsworthy elements present and rank them o For example, if you think the article is prominence then write a 1 in that box,

but if it is also oddity then write a 2 in that box, and so on for all other elements if they exist

• Then on the “News Article Explanation” give a brief explanation as to how the article is a good example of that specific newsworthy element

Unit 5 – Writing

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