The document discusses best practices for writing news stories for radio and television broadcasts. It provides guidance on structuring attribution, using quotes, and following specific formatting conventions. Key points covered include using action verbs and writing out numbers, dollars and percents for radio. The document also defines important terminology for radio scripts like "actuality", "outcue", and recommends using transitions and attributing sources as recommended for radio news. Students are asked to rewrite a sample story for radio using these techniques.

1. Writing for Broadcast

2.  Identify how writing for TV & radio differs from
other types of writing
 Explain the most important factors when
writing for TV & radio
 Identify how attribution and quotations are
different in TV & radio than print news
 Identify tips for preparing copy of a radio story
Lecture Objectives

3.  What are the techniques to improve your
accuracy?
 What are sources you can use to gather
information?
Writing for Radio – Let’s Discuss

4.  Read the template for writing and formatting
a radio script
 Be ready to discuss these questions:
 What style of writing do you use for radio?
 What are the guidelines for writing informally?
 How is attribution for radio different than for news
stories? How is it similar?
 What is one tip about transitions?
Attributes & Writing Structure

5.  Tell who said something before telling what was said
 Title precedes name on first reference (Professor
Jennifer Reeve says…) & use last name thereafter
(Reeve says…)
 Senator Broom of Hunstville will introduce a new rural
development bill…
 County horticultural agent Judy Drake says…
 Use action verbs (Avoid “there is” because weak verb)
Writing Techniques

6.  Introduce direct quotes
 In her words…
 The secretary put it this way…
 In the words of the secretary…
 He ends by saying…
 Reeves used these words…
 Write out symbols (dollars instead of $ or percent
instead of %)
 For decimals, write out word “point”
Writing Techniques

7. What is the rule for using abbreviations in
radio and television stories?
Let’s Discuss

8. Copy: written script
Slug: one or two word title on top left-hand
corner of each page, the running time, and date
story airs or when written
Actuality: exact words spoken by source in his or
her voice; usually 20 seconds or less
Outcue: last thing a reporter says (reporter’s
name and station name)
For AEC News, I’m Rick Wayne.
Identifying Terminology

9.  Rewrite this story for radio (10 points)
 60 seconds or close to 200 words
 Select the most important points for radio broadcast
 Show me you did your reading:
 Use attribution for radio news as recommended
 Use transitions
 Follow rule for using abbreviations, numbers,
In-Class Activity

10. Portion of livestock market report carried by radio
wire services:
HOGS: 1,700 ESTIMATED .95 CENTS LOWER. 190 TO
230 POUNDS 42.70 TO 43.65; SOWS 400 POUNDS
AND DOWN 38.20 TO 39.15.
Portion of grain market report for same day:
WHEAT: MAY 422, OFF 2 3/4; JULY 405 1/4 , DOWN 1
1/2…
Writing Market Reports

11.  Put slug on every page of story
 Typed, double-spaced & written in lowercase
& uppercase
 Have complete sentence at bottom of page
 Never split words or hyphenated phrases
from one line to the next
Copy Preparation

12.  Place (more) at end of page to let
reader know there’s another page
 Put ### or -30- after last sentence in
story to let reader know the story ended
 Write on one side of paper
 Number every page
Copy Preparation