Writing Broadcast News Writing Broadcast News Stories

The Beginning (lead)The Beginning (lead)The Middle (body)The Middle (body)

The EndThe End

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.

Attributions come before Attributions come before quotes or paraphrased quotes or paraphrased

comments.comments.

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)

No abbreviatingNo abbreviating Spell everything out with letters. Spell everything out with letters.

People are going to read this out loud People are going to read this out loud while being recorded. Like this:while being recorded. Like this:

The forty-seven-year-old man lived on The forty-seven-year-old man lived on three-twenty-three Fourth Street. He three-twenty-three Fourth Street. He was arrested on twelve counts last was arrested on twelve counts last Sunday, October thirteenth.Sunday, October thirteenth.

The LeadThe Lead Better broadcast leads are concise– Better broadcast leads are concise–

12 words or so, not much more12 words 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.

LeadsLeads You have a variety of types of leads You have a variety of types of leads

from which to choose:from which to choose: Summary/hard news leads—stress key Summary/hard news leads—stress key

newsworthiness of the storynewsworthiness of the story ““SoftSoft”” feature leads using irony, color, feature leads using irony, color,

humor, anecdote, questions, quoteshumor, anecdote, questions, quotes

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 supporting Weave together main points and supporting

evidenceevidence ““Inverted pyramidInverted pyramid”” can be employed: follow can be employed: follow

lead with facts in descending order of lead with facts in descending order of importanceimportance

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 Include unique, unusual and surprising elements of a storyelements of a story

EndingsEndings You can finish with the last bit of supporting You can finish with the last bit of supporting

evidence for your final main pointevidence for your final main point Offer Offer ““backgroundbackground”” information about information about

someone or something in the storysomeone or something in the story What is next going to happen or is likely to What is next going to happen or is likely to

happen nexthappen next How can viewers/listeners obtain more How can viewers/listeners obtain more

information?information? AA ““circle techniquecircle technique”” ties the story up by ties the story up by

connecting it back to the beginning.connecting it back to the beginning.######