News bulletin (also called newscast or news programme(me)s) differ in content, tone and presentation style depending on the format of the radio station and its timeslot. A news bulletin should be concise and focused, avoiding filler material which isn’t relevant to the audience. It should also avoid sensationalising events or presenting stories which would cause listeners to lose faith in your broadcasting integrity and credibility. Preparing a bulletin isn’t difficult, but there are some practical techniques which will make the job easier and more professional.
The main factor in determining whether or not listeners will stay tuned to your bulletin is the lead story. The headline should tease the listener but not give away too much information, to keep the interest of the audience. It’s also important to include short recorded sound, often known as actuality, such as the sounds of speeches or interviews with people who are involved in a particular story. This makes a bulletin more interesting, credible and breaks up the monotony of reading long passages of text.
A good lead story is the most important feature of a bulletin, but it’s also vital to consider how the whole bulletin will flow and pace. If you have to decide between a dramatic and a dull story, try to put the dramatic one at the beginning of your bulletin. This will inject some pace into your bulletin and may force your party argument story to move back into third place, which might be better for it.
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