writing for broadcast slideshow

8/12/2019 Writing for Broadcast slideshow

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Writing for BroadcastBroadcasting

Thursday, March 8, 2012


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Writing for the Ear

As a broadcast writer, your challenge is to format thatinformation for your listeners ear so they can understandit the first and most likely only time theyll hear it.



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The Six Cs

Clear

ConciseConversational

Complete

Current

Correct



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Clear

Work at writing in a simple, understandable style

Write to express an idea, not to impress youraudience

Basically limit sentences to one main thought.

Dont make your listener work to understand yourcopy. Most wont bother.



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Concise

Get to the main point.Use only essential words.

Eliminate wordiness.

Make your point and move on.



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Conversational

We basically converse using simple, commonlanguage.

Why not writefor the ear in the same style?

Write a story much the same way youd tell it to afriend.



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Complete

Your copy must answer the five Ws:

WhoWhat

When

Where

Why



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Current

Current copy is timely copy both in content and theway it sounds.

Last weeks events, accidents, and incidents are nottodays news.

One way you can make your copy soundmuch moretimely is by using (but not forcing) one of the presentverb tenses whenever its possible (and correct).



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Correct

You must ensure your copy is correct. One mistake

could potentially ruin a career.Your copymustbe free of factual errors.

Double check for correct names, dates, times, etc.

Dont forget that correct copy also means correct useof spelling and grammar.



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Broadcast News Structure

Broadcast news writing uses the upright pyramid style.

Focus on the central fact or news peg for your lead.

Round out your story by completing the five Ws.

Broadcast news will often have no more than 75 to 80words per story.



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Constructing the

Broadcasting Sentence

Learn to write in a more direct, conversational style.

Do NOT starting a sentence with a long phrase orsubordinate clause especially your lead.



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Word Choice

Mark Twain once said, There is as much difference

between the right word and the almost-right word asbetween lightning and the lightning bug.

Always an important process, choosing the right word

becomes even more critical when youre writing for theear.



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Verbs

The single most important word in a sentence is theverb.

A verb is a word that expresses action, state, orcondition.

It provides the muscle in your sentence.

Your main concern is using the verb correctly asdictated by considering tense, person, number, voice,and mood.



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Person

Person refers to changes in the verb form according toits use in the first, second, or third person. Forexample:

I run every morning. (1st person)

You run every morning. (2nd person)

He/she/it runs every morning. (3rd person)Note that the verb form changes in the third personwhen compared to the first or second person.



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Number

Number indicates whether the subject is singular orplural. For instance:

We run on the track. (1st person plural)You run on the track. (2nd person plural)

They run on the track. (3rd person plural)

Note that form remains the same as we conjugate theplural form of the verb, but also note that third personplural differs from third person singular.



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Voice

Is the subject performing the verbs action or is it beingacted upon?

Active:THE THIEF STOLE THE HANDBAG.

Passive:THE HANDBAG WAS STOLEN BY THE THIEF.



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Active Voice Advantages

For instance, active voice is more concise and moreconversational.

Active voice is stronger and clearer in meaning.

Passive voice generally results in wordy, dull sentences.



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Word Choice

Choose words that are conversational and easilyunderstood.

For example, would you ask to utilize or use thecomputer?

Do YOU ask someone to consummate a form orcomplete it?

Writing for the ear means using those same simplewords when you write for your audience.



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CLICHS

How many times have we heard a newscaster use the

phrase autopsy to determine the cause of death?

How many wasted words are in the phrase in themonth of February?

Is it really necessary to say in the city of.?



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Jargon and Slang

To you R and R might mean rest and relaxation, butto someone else it might be the name of theirhometown bowling alley.

And which term sounds more professional, re-up orre-enlistment?

Would the civilians in your audience more easilyunderstand 2100 hours or this evening at 9:00?

Avoid using jargon, slang, and military time.

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