Broadcasting
Structure:
Sequential
--Lead-in tells who or what
happened
--Current situation
--Background
--Ending with current or
future developments
Chronological
--Lead-in focuses on a person
who exemplifies the problem
--General idea: statement of
the problem or situation (equivalent to the nut graph in print writing)
--Background or past issues
that led to the current situation
--Return to current or future
developments*
Lead:
--Captures the
viewer’s/listener’s attention
--Is conversational
--Uses active voice
--Moves the story forward
Attribution: Always first in
broadcast
Active voice: Necessary for
broadcasting
Present tense: Use whenever
possible for broadcast
Update leads: Use the latest
information
Subject-object-verb: Who did what
Conversational: Talking with
audience
Simple: Keep sentences short
Put a human face on the story
whenever possible
Use the “you voice” whenever
possible and appropriate
Types:
Impact – What is the effect
on audience?
If you took your car to Sears for repairs during the
past two years, you may get a refund?
Advance – What is the next
step?
Two people remain in serious condition after a accident this afternoon.
Focus on a person – Goes from
specific to general
Judy and Joe Westbrook spent the morning cleaning up the
furniture in their front yard. The
Mystery-teaser – Builds
curiosity
In some ways it looks like an ordinary camp. It has
hiking trails, a swimming pool and tennis courts.
But you don’t have to worry about clothes to wear. In
fact, this is one of the few places where you’ll feel out of place wearing
clothes.*
Questions:
Why should audience care?
What’s the story? (in two or three words)
What’s the issue?
What’s new information for
the audience?
Tips:
Don’t duplicate audio or
video?
Avoid jargon
Build to a strong finish for
video
News Values
--prominence—well-known
people or institutions
--proximity—what are local
effects, if any?
--currency—what’s the buzz?
--timeliness—what’s the
latest?
--conflict—what’s the battle?
--impact—who’s affected and
how?
--human interest—appeals to
the heart?
--odd or unusual—what’s
unexpected?
Guidelines
--Titles usually come before
names
--Avoid abbreviations, even
on second reference
--Avoid direct quotations if
possible; paraphrase; designate direct quote
--Use teasers to get reader’s
attention
--Attribution should come
before a quote, not after it
--Use as little punctuation
as possible
--Round off numbers and
statistics
--Personalize the news when
possible and appropriate
--Avoid extended description
--Avoid using symbols when
you write
--Use phonetic spelling for
unfamiliar and hard-to-pronounce names and words
--Avoid third person pronouns
--Avoid apposition
--Write in the present context
when it is appropriate
--Avoid dependent clauses at
the beginning of sentences
*Carole Rich. “Writing and
Reporting News: A Coaching Method.”