This how-to guide is designed to help journalists write radio news scripts that weave in audio seamlessly and are easier to follow and understand.
It’s based on the MHM article ‘Writing scripts for radio news‘, which we recommend you read before applying the checklist below.
To ensure your radio scripts are professional, clear, and easy to understand follow this step-by-step guide:
- [ ] Write for the ear – Keep in mind that your audience might only hear the story once. Use simple words and short sentences so the meaning is clear immediately. See: ‘Clarity is as important as accuracy‘.
- [ ] Keep it conversational – Use a tone that sounds like you are talking to a friend. Avoid formal language that you might find in a printed newspaper. See: Language and style‘.
- [ ] Put the most important news first – Your first sentence, known as the lead, must grab the attention of the listener and tell them exactly what the story is about. See: ‘Essential elements of a news story‘.
- [ ] Use the active voice – Say ‘the police arrested the man’ instead of ‘the man was arrested by the police’. This makes your writing more energetic and easier to understand. See: ‘The active and passive voices in news‘.
- [ ] Simplify numbers – Do not use long, exact figures. Instead of saying ‘1,988 people’, say ‘nearly two thousand people’. This is much easier for a listener to process.
- [ ] Give titles before names – Always say ‘Prime Minister xxx’ rather than ‘xxx, the Prime Minister’. This prepares the listener for who is about to be mentioned.
- [ ] Avoid difficult punctuation – Use only commas and full stops. Do not use semicolons or colons, as they can confuse the flow of your reading.
- [ ] Read your script aloud – Before you finish, read your work out loud to check for any tongue-twisters or sentences that are too long to say in one breath.
- [ ] Provide phonetic spellings – If a name or place is difficult to pronounce, write it out phonetically in brackets so the newsreader does not stumble.
Essentially, keep your sentences short and your message clear, and you will soon find your voice in the world of broadcasting.
