FUNDAMENTALS OF WRITING NEWS FOR RADIO I:Language

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Radio News, Reporting and Production MCM515

LESSON 28

FUNDAMENTALS OF WRITING NEWS FOR RADIO I

Writing news for radio is a different task; different from the way employed for writing news for newspaper

or television. While writing for radio following fundamentals must be kept in mind.

1. News for Once only

Since newspaper can be read for many times a day and it is something that can be picked up for confirming

or re-reading news stories whenever one feels like. But this is not the case with radio news. Radio news

bulletin goes on air once only. That is why the radio news must be written in such a way that the listener

may be able to understand and grasp the contents of the news when he/she listens to it.

2. Language

It has been mentioned time and again that the radio is a medium that is meant for ears and not for eyes.

Radio is a verbal communication medium and the language to be used for knitting radio content must be

spoken, easy and colloquial.

3. Avoid Written Expression

Though what is put on air on radio is first, in most of cases, written on paper and then put on air by the

newscaster, but the way the message is written must not be in written expression. The example given below

will explain the difference between written and spoken expressions.

Written Expression

``The government,'' said the opposition leader, ``had created the problems.''

The same sentence when read out may take the following shape conveying altogether opposite sense.

The government said, "The opposition leader had created problems."

Expression for Radio

The opposition leader said that the government had created the problems.

4. Avoid Literary Expression

Literary expression has its own tone and style and is different from journalistic language so must not be

used for print or electronic media.

Literary Expression

Sweet are the fruits of adversity.

Expression for Radio

The fruits of adversity are sweet.

Literary Expression

Kuchh huvaa yoon k donon kaideen ki mulakat Karachi mein hui.

Expression for Radio

Dono kaideen ki mulakat Karachi mein hui.

5. Avoid Inverted Sentences

Because of heavy rainfall, which came yesterday, the city life was jammed.

Radio Expression

Yesterday it rained heavily and it jammed the city life.

Radio News, Reporting and Production MCM515

6. Avoid Parenthesis

A man, basically a taxi driver, overran a pedestrian.

Radio Expression

A taxi driver overran a pedestrian.

7. Avoid Jargons

Jargons, as has been explained, are specific terms and terminologies which only the experts or the related

people of a field can understand. Since radio addresses an ordinary person as well so chances are there that

an ordinary person may not get the meaning of the word. These kinds of terms must be communicated

through there colloquial equivalents.

For instance;

Spinal chord=back bone

Inflation=price hike

Jargons, if necessary, then must be simplified.

For instance;

Hydrophobia = extreme fear of water

Kleptomania = a mental illness in which somebody has a strong desire to steal things.

Schizophrenia= a mental illness in which a person becomes unable to link thought, emotion and behavior

that leads to withdrawal from reality and personal relationships.

8. Use familiar words

Heavy vocabulary is not encouraged even in written or literary styles. A good news writer, especially when

writing for radio, must avoid using difficult words and replace them with easy ones.

Some example difficult words with their respective substitutes are as under:

Difficult words

Substitutes

Remonstrate

Argue

To be in Jeopardy

To be in danger

Obliterate

Destroy

Plausible

Understandable

Antagonistic

Against

Loquacious

Talkative

Veracious

Truthful

Abrogate

Cancel

Penury

Poverty

9. Use of Contractions

Since while reading out news bulletin, the news caster gives an impression as if he/she is talking to the

listeners, and in conversational style, the contractions of the following expressions are used unless stress is

needed to be given, the news must be written by using the contractions.

Is not

Isn't

Are not

Aren't

Was not

Wasn't

Were not

Weren't

Will not

Won't

Would not

Wouldn't

Should not

Shouldn't

Radio News, Reporting and Production MCM515

May not

Mayn't

Might not

Mightn't

Can not

Can't

Could not

Couldn't

Has not

Hasn't

Have not

Haven't

Had not

Hadn't

10. Abbreviations

Avoid abbreviations especially names of the states, countries, religious titles, months, military

designations, holy books etc. For instance, LHR (Lahore), PUN (Punjab), C-in-C (Commander in

Chief)

If necessary write with hyphens. F-B-I , Y-M-C-A, U-N, C-N-N, B-B-C

Don't use symbols. For example "#" for number, "&" for and, "@" for at, etc.

11. Capitalization

Capitalize generously especially all proper nouns, anything that is important.

12. Avoid Quotations

The exact statements of newsmakers can go in newspaper but should be avoided in radio news bulletin. The

reason behind is, since the news written for radio is to be read out by a newscaster, he can not readout

commas or columns. Commas and columns are used in written expressions and a reader after looking at a

sentence within commas instantly comes to know that what is given between the commas is an exact

statement of the person, the news is about. As far as radio is concerned, a news caster can not read out a

sentence in this way.

Written sentence

President said, "New dams are inevitable for the prosperity of Pakistan".

When spoken, becomes

President said commas begin new dams are inevitable for the prosperity of Pakistan commas close.

Prefer indirect speech

The above sentence, when written in indirect speech, will be like this:

The president said that the new dams are inevitable for the prosperity of Pakistan.

13. Avoid Punctuations

In written expressions comma denotes a pause and full stop denotes the end of the sentence, where as

when you are writing for radio you must avoid supplying the sentence with commas and full stops.

In radio scripts, where there a comma is needed, a slash (/) is supplied and where there a full stop is needed

two slashes (//) are inserted.

(/) one slash denotes a pause.

(//) two slashes denote full stop.

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