The news bulletin is the mainstay of any radio station’s schedule. Listeners expect it to provide a balance of stories, some heavy and some light, about national events and about everyday people. They also expect the bulletin to be interesting, informative and fair.
A good news bulletin begins with a dramatic, enticing headline, which hints at the story to come. It is important to keep the headline short, because a long headline can be confusing and may encourage listeners to turn away from the bulletin.
It is essential to have the most important and significant story in the lead position. This will attract listeners and set the tone for the rest of the bulletin. It is also important to write the story well, with clear ideas and concise sentences. It is also important to avoid making any major announcements in the headline, because if you give the game away your audience will either already know what it is or be disappointed when they tune in to hear it.
Some stories can be presented in different ways – as a straight read, as a voice report or as an audio clip. This makes a bulletin more attractive for the audience and increases its credibility because it gives first-hand evidence of what has happened.
A newsroom should have a number of copies of the bulletin, to be kept in case the teleprompter fails or the audio is interrupted. The copies should be clearly typed and double-spaced, so that it is easy to move a story from one sheet to another without leaving any word or phrase out. They should be on quality paper which will not rustle when moved.
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