A news bulletin, sometimes known as a newscast, is a short radio or television programme consisting of the latest national and international news. It may include live rolling news, interviews with key figures involved in the story, and analysis from experts.
Effective radio bulletins require clarity, brevity, vividness and a strict sense of time. The first few sentences in a bulletin must be the most important, to grab listeners and keep them tuned in. Having a good balance of stories, with variations in pace between sections is also important, slower at times to allow the audience to catch their breath, and faster at others to pick up lagging interest.
The opening grab, which is usually a voice over reading the key essential facts of the story, should be clear and concise. It should give a brief description of the story and include a date and time where possible, in order to help listeners understand its importance.
If your bulletin is going to be quite long, it is advisable to have one or two ‘briefs’ at the end of the bulletin, to remind listeners of stories which they might have missed. These should be no longer than a few seconds each, and should not tell the full story.
For longer bulletins, you should consider the use of ‘announcer introductions’ at the beginning of each segment – a few lines read by the newsreader to introduce the segment. These should include the main news angle of the report and the name and location of the reporter. In addition, it is advisable to have a back announcement at the end of each segment which repeats this information.
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