4. Reading vs. Listening
Reading Listening
Reading is a primary activity; when we read, we only focus
on the text.
Listening is frequently a secondary activity; listeners often
do not fully concentrate on what is being said.
Readers can read an article at any time they like. Listening to radio depends on broadcast time or habits.
Readers can re-read information if they do not understand. Listeners only hear information once.
Readers can determine how fast they read and when to
take a break.
Listeners have to follow the speed of the speaker or radio
journalist; which tend to miss pieces of information.
Readers see how long the article is and can decide whether
they want to read the whole text (Selective)
Listeners never know what comes next in the report.
COM2128 – RADIO & PODCAST PRODUCTION
5. Writing for the Ear
As a broadcast writer, your challenge is to format that
information:
• for your listeners’ ears
• so that they can understand it
• the first time - and most likely only - time they will
hear it.
COM2128 – RADIO & PODCAST PRODUCTION
6. The Six “Cs” of Writing for Radio
• Write in a simple, understandable
style.
• Write to express an idea, not to
impress your audience.
• Basically limit sentences to one
main thought.
• Broadcast copy is short.
• Get to the main point.
• Use only essential words.
• Eliminate wordiness.
• Make your point and move on.
• We basically “converse” using
simple, common language.
• Write a story much the same way
you’d tell it to a friend.
CLEAR CONCISE CONVERSATIONAL
COM2128 – RADIO & PODCAST PRODUCTION
7. The Six “Cs” of Writing for Radio
• Your copy must answer the five
Ws (who, what, when, where, and
why)
• But don’t raise new questions or
leave old questions unanswered.
• Current copy is timely copy –
both in content and the way it
sounds.
• One way you can make your
copy sound much more timely
is by using (but not forcing) one
of the present verb tenses
whenever it’s possible (and
correct)
• The most important “C.”
• Your copy must be free of factual
errors. Double check for correct
names, dates, times, etc.
• Correct copy also means correct
use of spelling and grammar.
• Use a dictionary.
COMPLETE CURRENT CORRECT
COM2128 – RADIO & PODCAST PRODUCTION
8. Shrinking Attention – How to Connect with Your Listeners?
COM2128 – RADIO & PODCAST PRODUCTION
9. Radio Script Duration
• 130w/m: Slow pace
• 140w/m: Normal narration pace
• 150w/m or 160w/m: Up-tempo pace
• 170w/m or 180w/m (or higher): Fast, commercial pace.
COM2128 – RADIO & PODCAST PRODUCTION
10. Process of Composing a Radio Story
1. Research Your Story – Check other resources for relevance and factual accuracy
2. Gather Sound – Gather relevant interviews or sounds
3. Log Audio – Marking usable audio & sounds
4. Write – Draft Story
5. Check your Facts – Confirming the facts & figures
6. Re-Write – Refine Story
7. Record your Narration & Mix your Audio – Audio Production
COM2128 – RADIO & PODCAST PRODUCTION
12. Elements of News
Timeliness
News is what happens now, what
happens in the immediate present or
what may happen
Proximity
News is what happens close to us -
either geographically or emotionally - so
we can identify with the event. (Locality
or Regionally)
Significance
News is what affects us in some way,
whether financially (increase in gas
prices), physically (mad cow disease
detected), emotionally (school
shooting), or in some other way that has
a direct bearing on our lives.
Conflict
News is whatever happens between two
opposing forces - whether between
individuals, nations or as the result of
fateful occurrences.
Prominence
News is what happens to famous people,
places or things.
Human Interest
Ultimately, news is anything in which
people are interested. If you think a
story would interest a majority of your
audience, it is probably newsworthy.
COM2128 – RADIO & PODCAST PRODUCTION
13. • Radio is considered the “alerting” or “headline” medium
• newspapers the “informing” medium,
• and television (the dual-channel medium) the “involving” or “emotional” medium.
• Radio broadcast news writing uses a different structure than print journalism.
• Instead of the summary lead, including the who, what, when, where, and why of the story, you will focus
on the central fact – for your lead.
• Then, instead of using the print style of the facts in order of importance, you will round out your story by
completing the five “Ws.”
• While the newspaper reporter might take 700 words to tell the story, you will often have no more than 75
to 80.
Broadcast News Structure
COM2128 – RADIO & PODCAST PRODUCTION
14. Broadcast News Structure
• Stories must be written to fit the time designated
by the editor or news director.
• Getting listener’s attention is of top importance in
broadcast news! The first broadcast news story
sentence should be an attention getter.
• Broadcast news stories cannot go into detail and
explanation compared to print and web stories.
• Also, always remember that radio is single-
medium platform.
COM2128 – RADIO & PODCAST PRODUCTION
15. Writing Rules for Radio News
KISS - Keep It Short & Simple (Active vs Passive Sentences)
Do not use quotes on radio or in television scripts
Avoid unfamiliar words
Repeat important words
Keep punctuation simple
Simplify numbers
Avoid abbreviations
Show how to pronounce difficult words
COM2128 – RADIO & PODCAST PRODUCTION
19. Step 3: Be Conversational
COM2128 – RADIO & PODCAST PRODUCTION
20. Radio News: Samples
• Identify the total duration of each news clip?
• How many news items fit into the fixed
duration?
COM2128 – RADIO & PODCAST PRODUCTION
21. • VO: Voice Over
• M/VO: Male Voice Over
• F/VO: Female Voice Over
• ANNCR: Announcer
• SFX: Sound Effects
• Fade In / Fade Out
• Music
• B/G: Background
Script: Abbreviations
COM2128 – RADIO & PODCAST PRODUCTION
22. Basic Rules when Writing your Script
• Use Courier Font, 12 point, justify all copy flush left.
• Double-space copy for easier editing and reading.
• Spell difficult to pronounce names phonetically in parenthesis following the name.
e.g., Rio de Janeiro (Reeo-day-jen-AIR-oh), and put the emphasized syllable of the
name in ALL CAPS.
• Put all audio and technical cues in caps to avoid accidental on-air reading.
• Provide running times. (Duration for all segments)
• Give total time for the entire segment at TOP of the page by counting full lines and
totalling up each segment.
• Be aware that each radio news department has variations on the standard provided
here. You’ll have to adapt to the style and production differences of a station.
COM2128 – RADIO & PODCAST PRODUCTION
