Description
Book SynopsisThe fifth edition of this bestselling text instructs students on the basic styles, principles, and techniques of radio and TV newswriting. It makes an ideal supplement to basic newswriting texts or radio and TV industry texts.
- Offers clear instruction, examples and exercises to guide beginning students in correct radio and TV news style
- Fully updated and with even more examples, exercises and tests
- The author has extensive radio and TV news experience, both on-the-air and behind the scenes as a producer, news writer, videographer, newscaster, sportscaster, host and reporter
Table of ContentsPreface viii
Learning Objectives viii
Introduction ix
Radio-tv News Terminology x
Part 1: Writing the Story 1
Rewriting 1
Be Original 1
Short, Lean Sentences 1
Short but Sweet 1
Trim the Fat 2
Brevity 2
Make It Brief 2
Tight but Not Constricting 2
Helping Listeners and Viewers 3
One to a Customer 3
Nickel and Dime the Audience 3
Tell the Story 4
Talking It Out 4
Read the Story 4
Eyeing It Up 4
Summary 5
Part 2: Using Radio-tv News Style 6
Leads 6
Did You Hear the One About ? 6
Lead On 7
Emphasis Lead 7
Umbrella/Blanket Lead 7
Verbless Lead 8
Chronological/Narrative Lead 8
No Questions, Please 8
Choose a Lead #1 10
Choose a Lead #2 12
Choose a Lead #3 13
Choose a Lead #4 15
Names and Titles 18
What’s in a Name? 18
Who Was That? 18
Title Placement 19
Endless Titles 20
First Names First 20
Eliminate the Middleman 21
The Name Game 22
Answers to the Name Game 23
Identification 24
Identification Please 24
Addresses 24
Home Sweet Home 24
Ages 25
Age Gracefully 25
Attribution 25
Who Says So? 25
Attribution Test #1 27
Answers to Attribution Test #1 28
Say It with Says 29
Repetition 29
Repeat, Repeat, Repeat 29
Quotes 29
Quotable Quotes 29
Close but No Cigar 30
Quotations Test 31
Answers to Quotations Test 32
Facts or Opinions? 33
To Attribute or Not To Attribute 33
Attribution Test #2 34
Answers to Attribution Test #2 35
Aiding the Audience 36
Half-Listening Listeners 36
Contractions 36
Contractions Can’t Hurt 36
Pronouns 37
Who’s He? 37
You Is Us 37
Verb Tense 38
Now Is the Time 38
Time Elements 38
Timely Time 38
Natural Time 39
Verb Voice 39
Action Please 39
Rewriting Test 41
Answers to Rewriting Test 42
Abbreviations 43
What Does T-H-A-T Stand For? 43
Organized Organizations 43
A R-O-S-E Is Not a ROSE 43
Abbreviations Test #1 45
Abbreviations Test #2 47
Answers to Abbreviations Test #2 49
Numbers 50
By the Numbers 50
Ban the Symbols 50
Ordinary Ordinals 51
Bits and Pieces 51
Round Figures 51
Telling Time 52
Exceptions to Numbers Rules 52
Numbers Test #1 54
Numbers Test #2 56
Answers to Numbers Test #2 58
Approximation Test 59
Answers to Approximation Test 60
Punctuation 61
Practical Punctuation 61
Copyediting 61
Correctable Errors 61
Script Style 62
Putting It on Paper 62
Script Formats 63
Radio Reader Story 63
Radio Actuality Story 64
Radio Reporter Voicer/Wraparound Story 65
Television Reader Story 66
Television Picture/Graphics Story 67
Television Video Story 68
Television VO/SOT Story 69
Summary 70
The BIG Time 71
Exercises 72
Komodo Dragons Story 72
Komodo Dragons Story Model 73
Komodo Dragons Story Analysis 73
Traffic Deaths Story 74
Traffic Deaths Story Model 75
Traffic Deaths Story Analysis 75
Cancer Money Story 76
Cancer Money Story Model 77
Cancer Money Story Analysis 77
Sports Arena Story 78
Sports Arena Story Model 79
Sports Arena Story Analysis 79
Supervisor Controversy Story 80
Supervisor Controversy Story Model 81
Supervisor Controversy Story Analysis 81
USO Story 82
USO Story Model 83
USO Story Analysis 83
Part 3: Writing Introductions 84
Introducing Recorded Comments from Sources 84
Actualities and Soundbites 84
Introducing Reporter Packages 85
Voicers, Wraparounds and Packages 85
Exercises 88
Introductions for Actualities and Soundbites 88
Firefighters Pay Story 88
Firefighters Pay Story Model 1 89
Firefighters Pay Story Model 2 90
Firefighters Pay Story Analysis 91
Actuality Introduction Sentences 91
Actuality Introduction Sentences Models 92
Actuality Introduction Sentences Analysis 92
Salmonella Outbreak Story 93
Salmonella Outbreak Story Model 94
Salmonella Outbreak Story Analysis 95
Introductions for Pre-Recorded Stories from Reporters 96
Traffic Deaths Story 96
Traffic Deaths Story Reporter Introduction Models 97
Traffic Deaths Story Reporter Introduction Analysis 98
Killer Whale Story 99
Killer Whale Story Reporter Introduction Models 100
Killer Whale Story Reporter Introduction Analysis 101
Introductions for Live Reports 102
Warehouse Fire Story 102
Warehouse Fire Story Reporter Introduction Models 103
Warehouse Fire Story Reporter Introduction Analysis 104
Squirrel Jet Story 105
Squirrel Jet Story Reporter Introduction Models 106
Squirrel Jet Story Reporter Introduction Analysis 107
Part 4: Adding Visuals 108
Writing for Television 108
Turn on the TV 108
Split Screen 110
Exercises 111
Westlake High School Story 111
Westlake High School Story Model 112
Westlake High School Story Analysis 112
SAT Scores Story 113
SAT Scores Story Model 114
SAT Scores Story Analysis 115
Golden Dollar Story 116
Golden Dollar Story Model 117
Golden Dollar Story Analysis 118
Measles Shots Story 119
Measles Shots Story Model 120
Measles Shots Story Analysis 121
Delayed Debate Story 122
Delayed Debate Story Model 123
Delayed Debate Story Analysis 124
Parking Lot Fire Story 125
Parking Lot Fire Story Model 126
Parking Lot Fire Story Analysis 127
Tree Clean-Up Story 128
Tree Clean-Up Story Model 129
Tree Clean-Up Story Analysis 130
Car Auction Story 131
Car Auction Story Model 132
Car Auction Story Analysis 133
Summary 134
Congratulations 134
Appendix: United Press International Pronunciation Guide 135
