This document provides guidelines for writing broadcast news stories. It recommends that stories have a beginning, middle, and end, with the lead capturing attention in 12 words or less. The body should answer who, what, when, where, and why in a logical order. The ending can offer additional context or preview next steps. Broadcast writing should use everyday language, spell out all words, and add phonetic pronunciations for names to aid listening comprehension.

1. Writing Broadcast NewsWriting Broadcast News
StoriesStories
The Beginning (lead)The Beginning (lead)
The Middle (body)The Middle (body)
The EndThe End

2. How it’s different from printHow it’s different from print
 Friendly and conversationalFriendly and conversational
 Short. Simple. Easy to follow.Short. Simple. Easy to follow.
 Use present tense.Use present tense.

3. Attributions come before quotesAttributions come before quotes
or paraphrased comments.or paraphrased comments.

4. Add phonetic pronunciationAdd phonetic pronunciation
 Joseph Pulitzer (PULL-it-zehr)Joseph Pulitzer (PULL-it-zehr)
 Mahmoud AhmadinejadMahmoud Ahmadinejad
 (mah-MOOD ah-mah-din-uh-ZHAD)(mah-MOOD ah-mah-din-uh-ZHAD)

5. No abbreviatingNo abbreviating
 Spell everything out with letters. PeopleSpell everything out with letters. People
are going to read this out loud while beingare going to read this out loud while being
recorded. Like this:recorded. Like this:
 The forty-seven-year-old man lived onThe forty-seven-year-old man lived on
three-twenty-three Fourth Street. He wasthree-twenty-three Fourth Street. He was
arrested on twelve counts last Sunday,arrested on twelve counts last Sunday,
October thirteenth.October thirteenth.

6. The LeadThe Lead
 Better broadcast leads are concise– 12Better broadcast leads are concise– 12
words or so, not much morewords or so, not much more
 Engage listenerEngage listener
 Keep sentences short.Keep sentences short.
 Be clear.Be clear.
 Express complicated ideas simply.Express complicated ideas simply.

7. LeadsLeads
 You have a variety of types of leads fromYou have a variety of types of leads from
which to choose:which to choose:
 Summary/hard news leads—stress keySummary/hard news leads—stress key
newsworthiness of the storynewsworthiness of the story
 ““SoftSoft”” feature leads using irony, color, humor,feature leads using irony, color, humor,
anecdote, questions, quotesanecdote, questions, quotes

8. The Body of the StoryThe Body of the Story
 Continue in a natural, logical mannerContinue in a natural, logical manner
 Weave together main points and supportingWeave together main points and supporting
evidenceevidence
 ““Inverted pyramidInverted pyramid”” can be employed: follow leadcan be employed: follow lead
with facts in descending order of importancewith facts in descending order of importance
 Answer obvious questions (who, what, when,Answer obvious questions (who, what, when,
where, and, if possible, why)where, and, if possible, why)
 Include unique, unusual and surprising elementsInclude unique, unusual and surprising elements
of a storyof a story

9. EndingsEndings
 You can finish with the last bit of supportingYou can finish with the last bit of supporting
evidence for your final main pointevidence for your final main point
 OfferOffer ““backgroundbackground”” information about someoneinformation about someone
or something in the storyor something in the story
 What is next going to happen or is likely toWhat is next going to happen or is likely to
happen nexthappen next
 How can viewers/listeners obtain moreHow can viewers/listeners obtain more
information?information?
 AA““circle techniquecircle technique”” ties the story up byties the story up by
connecting it back to the beginning.connecting it back to the beginning.
######

10. EndingsEndings
 You can finish with the last bit of supportingYou can finish with the last bit of supporting
evidence for your final main pointevidence for your final main point
 OfferOffer ““backgroundbackground”” information about someoneinformation about someone
or something in the storyor something in the story
 What is next going to happen or is likely toWhat is next going to happen or is likely to
happen nexthappen next
 How can viewers/listeners obtain moreHow can viewers/listeners obtain more
information?information?
 AA““circle techniquecircle technique”” ties the story up byties the story up by
connecting it back to the beginning.connecting it back to the beginning.
######