A news bulletin is a short summary of a number of different stories which are broadcast to a radio or television audience. This is a crucial part of the broadcasting business, and can often make or break a station’s reputation as an impartial source of current affairs. News bulletins are usually a combination of hard and soft news stories that will appeal to a large cross section of the public.
Putting together a news bulletin is like preparing a satisfying meal that leaves the audience feeling nourished and ready for the day ahead; it must be balanced and digestible. Ideally, it should stimulate the daily conversation about what is important in people’s lives. The best way to do this is to put the most significant stories first and make sure they are heard by any listeners tuning in at the start of the bulletin.
It is also important to avoid over-sensationalising news; your audience will quickly lose respect for you if you report facts that are impossible for them to believe. It is also a good idea to give the same story several formats throughout the bulletin; this could include a straight read of the information in one bulletin, a voice report in another and audio clips inserted in a text or spoken report in yet another.
Writing news for broadcast is challenging because it is difficult to write in a way that will catch the attention of your listener or viewer. The main tip is to write in short sentences and keep the words simple. This will help prevent them from becoming background noise. It is also important to pronounce foreign names clearly, as this can be particularly distracting for a listener.