The news output of any radio station doesn’t exist in isolation. It has to fit in with the overall programming. News is constantly changing and the news output for each radio station and each format will tend to reflect the way the listeners to that station, prefer to have their news delivered. This can vary from in-depth analysis of news, to short ‘bite size chunks’ of the main headlines.
Sources and Types of News
Consider first the various places news can emanate from before it is reported to the station’s listeners and in what format. Possible sources and types of news are:
- News Agencies and News Conferences
- Reporters and News Contacts
- Press Releases and Politicians
- Freelancer Contributors
- Pressure Groups and Letters to the Editor
- Tip Offs including hoaxes.
- Events and the Emergency Services
- Local, National and International News
- Anniversaries and Follow-ups of existing and previous news stories
The smaller the transmission area of the station, the more likely it is that more localised stories will feature. This may be largely because the advantage a local station has over its bigger rivals is that it is able to report news, of particular interest to that community, as well as noting the larger stories covered by the networks. The larger networks will focus on news that affects a larger area and the style of each delivery for both type of station will also vary.
Ways to Tell the News Story
Broadcasting the news in a short “One Minute News,” features demands a totally different style of news broadcasting to the more rounded rolling news or in-depth news format say of a Talk Station. The kind of station and the format it is following, will dictate varying styles for each, and how it is broadcast. Every radio stations’ listeners many argue, get the style of news and the news reporting they want.
The style of a news bulletin is often arrived at by focus groups or other forms of research to determine what’s important in news output to the listeners and delivering it. Radio News may be delivered in a number of ways, and is dependent on the type of radio station, the style of the news reporting in the overall context of the station’s programming and the intended audience:
Newsreaders and People who Read the News
- A solo news reader can read the headlines effectively, and introduce stories from contributors. Good for short, quick news breaks, and being the anchor “Voice of the station’s news. “
- Two news readers, frequently male and female newsreaders, provide contrast and can break up longer news pieces effectively.
- Reports either live or pre-recorded from the scene of the news story, or reportage adds radio pictures.
- Interviews either by the anchor person or collectively by the joint two anchor newsreaders in the studio or remotely from a reporter on the ground at the scene of the story with the main participants provides interest and often great audio.
- Spokespersons from organisations involved give the official line and the necessary balance, but they obviously seldom give their own but rather the organisation’s opinions.
- Vox Pops, add local colour and interest to the news. They’re quick (or should be) and are a chance for the station’s own listeners to get involved, depending of course on the station and the story.
There are various other types of contributors available to add colour and interest to the audio of a news bulletins. These range from professional broadcasters nearer the scene either freelance or as part of a bigger news broadcaster or organisation, (Wire services often provide these as pre-recorded items), to the station’s own reporters on the scene for a more local interest story.
Music in the News Bulletin
As news reports and the bulletins themselves become quicker and shorter, especially in music driven format stations, some stations feel it necessary to add a music bed running underneath and throughout the news. Perhaps the best that can be said at this time is that opinion is divided on how short news can be yet still be effective.
Radio listeners get their news from a variety of sources and some turn to their radio station for in-depth coverage whilst other listeners are content with the headlines. The listeners as always will probably decide what type of news they want from their station.
Dan McCurdy - Dan McCurdy is a freelance writer producer creative and lecturer. Dan is one of the UK's most experienced radio writers and producers. ...
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