BJMC 05 Block 03

Bachelor of Arts (Honors) in
Journalism& Mass Communication

(BJMC)
BJMC-5
INTRODUCTION TO
BROADCAST MEDIA
Block - 3
WRITING AND EDITING RADIO NEWS
UNIT-1 ELEMENTS OF A RADIO NEWS BULLETIN –

INFORMATION GATHERING AND REPORTING
UNIT-2 INTRODUCTION TO RECORDING AND EDITING

SOUND
UNIT-3 WORKING IN A RADIO NEWS ROOM

The Course follows the UGC prescribed syllabus for BA(Honors)
Journalism under Choice Based Credit System (CBCS).
Course Writer Course Editor

Dr. Dipak Samantarai Itishree Singh Rathaur
Retired Director News Editor
National Academy of Broadcasting All India Radio
and Multimedia (NABM) Cuttack
Bhubaneswar
Material Production
Dr. Manas Ranjan Pujari
Registrar
Odisha State Open University, Sambalpur
(CC) OSOU, JUNE 2020. WRITING AND EDITING RADIO NEWS is made
available under a Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0
http://creativecommons.org/licences/by-sa/4.0
Printed by:
UNIT-1 ELEMENTS OF A RADIO NEWS BULLETIN:
INFORMATION GATHERING AND REPORTING
Unit Structure
1.1 Learning Objectives

1.2 Introduction
1.3 Radio News
1.4 Elements of Radio News
1.5 Characteristics of News
1.6 News Reporting for Radio
1.7 Radio Newsroom
1.8 Radio Broadcasting
1.9 Check Your Progress
1.1 LEARNING OBJECTIVE

After Completion of this unit you would able to understand;
 About Radio News

 Reporting for Radio
 Working on Newsroom
1.2 INTRODUCTIONS
Radio is known as the theatre of mind. Radio has occupied a top position as the only
mass medium. We are living in the Information Age. Information empowers us
facilitates our activities. That is the reason why News has become an integral part of
contemporary life. We watch the news on television, listen to the news over the radio,
read newspapers and periodicals to keep ourselves informed regarding the happenings
around us. Here the radio is the only medium can accommodate a large number of
individual at a same time. Radio stands one of the effective medium for transmitting
news at the shortest period of time. At the period of natural calamities radio is most
effective comparable to any other medium.
1.3 RADIO NEWS

Radio is mostly an audio medium, so the news is for the listeners. It attracts every
individual attention with a qualitative voice. Radio news is scripted in such a way that,
a illiterate person can be able to understand from the spoken words. Radio was popular
for its personalities of and familiar voices which are listen by every household. For
Many years radio programme and news coverage was dominating in Indian houses. The
radio becomes the asset of speech for larger audience both literate and illiterate.
Another way of describing News is “anything timely that interests a large number of
people and the best news has the greatest interest for the greatest number”. News is a
Odisha State Open University, Sambalpur Page 1

timely report of events, facts, opinions that interest the majority of people. News is a
piece of information regarding the significant and recent event or development that
affects the listeners and is of interest to them. As is evident, the news is relative in the
sense that what may interest one person may not interest another.
A radio news item depends on A) The size of the community of listeners or target
audience, B) The periodicity of the news broadcast i.e. once, twice or thrice every day
or hourly, etc, C) The social character and economic status of the community of
listeners, D) The focus of attention or the information needs of the listeners.
John B. Bogart famously said, “When a dog bites a man that is not news; but when a
man bites a dog that is news.” Bogart was right when he pointed out that unusual events
invariably make interesting news. Joseph Pulitzer described news as “original,
distinctive, romantic, thrilling, unique, curious, quaint, humorous, odd and apt-to-be
talked about.”
There are many more definitions of news but we have talked about the essential
qualities of news only. We noticed that news is
A) Perishable – it has a very short lifespan and must be served fast.
B) Is of interest to a large group of people.
C) It is regarding unusual events or happenings.
D) It must be new for the public.
E) Must have been reported by a reporter.
These are the universally recognised ingredients of the news.
1.4 ELEMENTS OF RADIO NEWS

Timeliness: News must be timely and new. No one will be interested in something
which is already known or reported long after it‟s happening. A bus accident that
happens on Sunday will not be news on Tuesday. Current news has more impact than
something that happened yesterday or last week.
Nearness/Proximity: Listeners are interested in what happens in their locality, town,

and country rather than distant places. Say, for instance, an accident that occurs in the
vicinity of where they stay will be of more interest to them than the same kind of
accident occurring at a foreign location. Unless the intensity or magnitude of the event
is significant like any natural calamity, the collapse of the economy, or terrorist attacks.
Listeners more interested in the news which has an immediate impact on them.

Conflict: Conflicts of all types make news. It may be clash between two rival gangs or
groups of people in a street or conflict between two countries, they are news. That is
why news regarding wars is lapped up by listeners with great interest.
Prominence: What happens to celebrities makes news. The value of the news increases
with the prominence of the personality involved. What the prominent people say is also
important for a reporter, especially when they make some announcements which affect
the common people.
Human Interest: Listeners are interested in what is happening to other people. The
humour, tragedy, triumph over handicaps, stories involving children, animals, oddities
– all these make good human interest stories.
Government Action: A government action or announcement makes news. Passing of

laws, rules, and regulations concerning the general public, cabinet meetings, parliament
and assembly sessions, and other notifications are newsworthy.
Development projects and issues: News related to development issues such as

environment, ecology, gender, health, population control, agriculture, and industries
need to be reported and disseminated.
Weather and Sports: Weather and sports have great news value. News regarding
monsoon, cyclone, drought, and flood invariably makes important news.
Follow –Up: Most of the important news stories require a follow –up. Follow – up
keeps the listeners updated regarding the latest developments about an event or issue.
1.5 CHARACTERISTICS OF NEWS

News has certain characteristics which are universal.
Accuracy: Accuracy means correctness. If you fail to be accurate, your credibility

becomes questionable. So, it is very important to cross-check your facts and figures.
Check how names are spelt and pronounced. People are generally offended by misspelt
names. While preparing a speech from a text received by you, ensure the meaning or
quotes are not out of context and ambiguous. Speculation and rumours need to be
avoided as a thumb rule. Listeners should have a feeling that whatever they are being
presented is the outcome of an honest and dedicated effort.
Balance: Giving both sides of a story is of paramount importance. When reporting an

agitation, for instance, give the name of the authorities as well as that of the workers.
Never give too much importance to the government‟s views or the affected party‟s
view. You have to strike a balance because that is as important as being accurate.
Objectivity: You should not mix your opinion in the story as you are required to report
only facts and other people‟s opinions. Your role should be that of a disinterested

observer. You are not supposed to take sides. News should not be allied to any selfish
interest and must be presented objectively in an unbiased manner.
Clarity: Radio news is listened to once only usually. So there should not be any
confusion in your story. It should be clear, concise, and simple. Your listeners cannot
reread sentences they did not understand the first time; they have to understand the
information in a broadcast story as they hear it.
1.6 NEWS REPORTING FOR RADIO

The Radio Reporter must have all the qualities of a reporter of any other media like
newspapers or television and more. Radio is an audio medium. The style of content for
radio is different. The job of the reporter is not only to get the information but also to
get audio for the radio. The reporter must get it right and get it fast. Invariably with a
“nose for news”, the reporter for radio asks a lot of questions and is always enthusiastic
and persistent.
A reporter needs a touch of skepticism and suspicion. He should not accept information
at face value and should immediately realize what is there behind the surface. As
discussed earlier, a reporter must do his homework before going out on a story.
Background information is always necessary and essential. The newsroom can help him
by providing background from its archive. In case it doesn‟t happen, he has to manage
on his own to dig up the background and developments behind a particular story. For a
radio reporter, it is desirable to multitask. They are supposed to combine the skills of
gathering news with editing, writing, and news presenting skills.
Normally, there are two different types of reporting jobs. The first one is a diary
assignment. An event, a function or interview already notified to the news desk in
advance. For covering such an assignment, the reporters need to do a bit of researching
and should be ready with the questions they were supposed to ask the organisers or
others involved in that event. A radio reporter is also asked to respond and cover
sudden happenings like a bomb explosion or a fire accident. There, the challenge is to
reach the spot as soon as possible, collect the details, and prepare for a big story for
possible live coverage.
Sticking to deadlines is very important for a reporter. They should know when the news
desk needs a particular story. These days, voice dispatches have become the new
normal. So, the reporters should develop a pleasant style of presentation which will
make their stories sound convincing and pleasant. For doing this, one needs to do a bit
of voice culture and should be careful about pronunciations especially the names of
people and places.
Apart from the newsreaders, reporters of radio enjoy enviable familiarity with the
listeners. Though challenging, reporting for radio is an enviable, mostly satisfying
career option.
1.7 RADIO NEWSROOM
A newsroom is a central place where reporters, copy editors, editors along with other
staffs work to gather news to be published or broadcast. It is the hub of all the activities
concerning news. To put it simply, the news is collected, selected, edited and the News
Bulletin is compiled for presentation in the newsroom itself. In the radio generally, you
have less space and time to present news information. Therefore, you must prioritize
and summarize the information carefully. Second, your listeners cannot reread
sentences they did not understand the first time; they have to understand the
information in a broadcast story as they hear it. As a result, you have to keep your
writing simple and clear.
If you are writing a bulletin for radio you must select, check, write, and rank or order
stories. A 10-minute summary normally has about 14-18 stories with two to three audio
clips. Who is listening? Chose stories to target those people. Your stories must be very
selective as on radio as you get less space than other mediums. Once you‟ve decided
what stories you want to run, make sure you really understand them. If you need to ask
more questions, then do so. Double-check the facts in your stories for truth and
accuracy. Make sure people‟s names and job titles are correct.
The first step involved in the process of the compilation of a news bulletin is
information gathering. The many sources from which news for radio is gathered are:
A) News agency and monitored reports
B) Reporters and Correspondents
C) Foreign Correspondents
D) Interviews
E) Press Releases
F) Audio clip
F) The Public
A) News Agency and Monitored Reports
A news agency is an organisation which collects news and provides the same to
different newspapers, magazines, radio stations, and television stations subscribing to
its service. Usually, news agencies have a well organised network which ensures a
continuous flow of information through electronic teleprinters earlier and now through
computers. In India, the PTI and UNI are the two major news agencies. Bhasha and
Univarta are the Hindi wings of these agencies. At the international level, we have
Associated Press (AP), Agence France Presse (AFP), Reuters. Newsrooms of radio and
television centres usually monitor the broadcast of foreign radio and television
channels. Sometimes, that becomes a very important source of information. And these
reports are known as monitored reports.
B) Reporters and Correspondents
Newsrooms usually depend upon a team of trained reporters and correspondents. This
team covers the national capital, the state capitals, and other important areas. The
reporters and correspondents report international and national events, activities of
government departments and political parties, etc. They also are required to cover
parliamentary and assembly proceedings. Radio correspondents are required to cater to
national bulletins broadcast from Delhi and regional bulletins broadcast from regional
stations.
A correspondent has to prepare two versions of the same story in two different
languages. AIR (All India Radio) correspondents also cover the visits of the Prime
Minister, President, and other dignitaries. Correspondents at the district level are
generally part-time correspondents (PTCs). They might be working for some
newspapers, television or are stringers.
A reporter‟s main armoury is reliable and well-placed contacts. He uses these contacts
to get exclusive information. Contacts may be placed in the government offices, private
sector industries, and business or might just a commoner. The dilemma often faced by
the reporters is to whether cite the source or not. For routine coverage, he/she need not
cite the source but while reporting a fire accident, they have to cite the sources like the
specific fire brigade involved to add credibility to casualty figures.
But when the source makes it clear that they would not like to be quoted, care should be
taken to protect their identity. Protecting the source is a cardinal principle of
journalism.
C) Foreign Correspondents
Foreign correspondents placed in different countries of the world usually get some help
from the Indian Missions there. They must be in constant touch with various sources of
news in their respective countries. Keeping in view the Indian interest first, the
correspondents must report regarding the major developments. Command over English
as well the Hindi language is an asset for a foreign correspondent. If they have the
knowledge of the language spoken in the country of their posting that is considered as
an added asset.
D) Interviews
Quite often, interviews lead to exclusive stories and scoops. For producing a good
interview, homework and planning are essential. The interviewer should know the areas
in which probing is needed. They should build up a rapport with the interviewee so that

the conversations are done in a relaxed atmosphere. They should also be conversant
with the handling of digital recorders and microphones.
E) Press Releases
Both government and private organisations issue press releases and handouts quite
often. These basically exercise in public relations. One has to be very careful while
using the information contained in such material because very often, the content is not
well organised, logical, and is exaggerated.
F) Audio Clip
Audio Clips are the most important source of information for a radio bulletin. The
audio clips are mostly bytes. The script should offer the audience introductions to the
audio you are including. It should tell the listener what‟s coming up without repeating
the words they are about to hear.
G) The Public
Sometimes a citizen, a taxi driver, a member of some NGO, etc can be a useful source
of information. Sometimes on their own, or else when contacted they provide very
useful information. For example something untoward happening in a city or the
outbreak of diarrhea in a remote, inaccessible area.
1.8 RADIO BROADCASTING

Radio broadcasting is a one-way wireless transmission over radio waves intended to
reach a wide audience. Radio stations have transmitters connected to tall structured
antenna to transmit the sound signal/radio wave to the transistor (radio set). Stations
can be linked in radio networks to broadcast a common radio format, radio receives the
wave, it recreates the sound send by the transmitter.
The broadcasting also can be done via cable radio, local wire television networks,
satellite radio, and internet radio via streaming media on the Internet.
The signal types can be either analog audio or digital audio.
Radio broadcasting is done through AM (Amplitude Modulation) and FM (Frequency

Modulation) stations. There are several subtypes, namely commercial broadcasting,
non-commercial educational (NCE) public broadcasting and non-profit varieties as well
as community radio, student-run campus radio stations and hospital radio stations can
be found throughout the world.

1.9 CHECK YOUR PROGRESS
1. Define radio news, how it is different from any other medium?

2. What are the basic elements of radio news. Explain.
3. Define the character of radio news.
4. What are the sources of radio news?

UNIT-2 INTRODUCTION TO RECORDING AND EDITING
SOUND
Unit Structure

2.2 Introduction
2.3 Radio Programme Production
2.4 Requirements for Recording
2.5 Recording
2.6 Studio Production
2.7 Voice Editing
2.1 LEARNING OBJECTIVES

After completion of this unit learner would able to understand;
 Radio Programme Production

 Requirement for Recording
 Studio Production
 Voice editing
2.2 INTRODUCTION
Radio has played an important role in the communication industry. Radio creates a
picture in our mind when we listen any news and programme. It is an affordable mass
communication device comparable to any other medium. It has a greater reach among
the audiences with a persuasive approach of messages. The cost of production is pretty
less than the other media. In this unit we will learn about radio production in different
angle.
2.3 RADIO PROGRAMME PRODUCTION

Radio is an audio/aural medium. Producing audio programmes on the surface may
appear to be easy but it is not so because the producer of a radio programme has to use
only audio for conveying their ideas/message. They create pictures through words,
music and sound effects in the minds of the listeners. That is perhaps the reason why a
celebrity once said, “I prefer radio for it gives clear pictures”.
Ideas:
Radio Programmes like most of the creative things begins with ideas. Ideas can come
from anywhere while meeting people, travelling, reading, talking, watching a movie,
etc. That is the reason why a producer has to be always observant. The biggest
challenge so far ideas are concerned is holding onto ideas or retaining ideas. Because
ideas like dreams appear and disappear fast. After experiencing a dream in detail, it is

very difficult to recollect the exact details when one wakes up. So, to retain an idea, one
must make a note of the idea immediately. Previously, people used to have a small pad
and a pen with them always for jotting it down. These days, one can easily use digital
devices for the same purpose. Considering the limitations of our medium, one has to be
judicious enough to know which idea can be transferred into a radio/audio programme.
So, distilling or filtering the ideas before going ahead is essential.
Concept:
The producer of a programme is required to turn the idea into a concept. It requires
creativity because the programme once produced must appeal to the listeners and
should hold their attention for the entire duration of the programme.
The producer must have very good command over the language they are going to use
for a particular programme. Who is going to listen to their programme or for whom the
programme is meant for is extremely important. They must know whether the
programme is going to be heard by children, homemakers, youth, senior citizens or the
general audience. Because, as we can easily guess, the vocabulary of each group varies
from the other one, it needs to arrange the comprehension or understanding
accordingly.
Programme Formats:
There are several radio programme formats. The producer has to decide and choose the
format best suited for conveying their ideas.
Let us briefly touch upon the major programme formats for radio. Broadly speaking,
these can be divided into spoken word formats and musical formats.
Spoken Word Formats:
a) The talk
b) Talk shows
c) Interviews
d) Discussions: Panel Discussion, Symposium, Debate, Mixed
e) Poetry Reading
f) Novel Reading
g) Commentaries: Live OB (Outside Broadcasting) Commentaries. News
Commentaries
h) Quiz Shows
i) Book Reviews

j) Lectures and Literary Discourses
k) Interactive Programmes ( Phone-In, Radio Bridge, Voice Mail)
Music Programmes
A major component of radio broadcast constitutes of music. Music is not only used in
the production of programmes but is also broadcast directly. There is vocal music and
instrumental music in all the major schools of music. In India, music programmes
include Classical Music, Hindustani and Carnatic Light Music, Light Classical Music,
Folk and Tribal Music, Choral Music and Film Music. Besides these, we have
instrumental/orchestral music. The formats of musical broadcasts include musical
concerts (classical and light), independent songs, musical operas, music magazines and
music features. Film songs in different regional languages and Hindi, Western Music
including classical and pop are part of radio broadcasts.
Scope:
Radio has time constraints like the newspapers have space constraint. Usually, the
producers are allowed a time slot or chunk. It can be anything between 5 mins - 30
mins or more. This is the reason why a producer must define the scope of his
programme. About any issue, or subject, a lot of things can be said but because of the
time factor the producer must decide what to say and what not to say. Keeping the
target audience in mind, they have to also decide how to say whatever he/she wants to
communicate.
Research:
For making a successful programme, it is mandatory on the part of the producer to

know as much as they can about the subject of his/her choice for a programme.
Research, as a result is a necessity. Research can be broadly divided into two
categories: In-house research and Field Research or outsourcing.
In house research is accessing the library/archives of the institute, talking to the

knowledgeable colleagues working in the same establishment, etc.
Field research involves contacting the people who are outside the institution, accessing
libraries and archives located outside and gathering information from resource persons.
Elements/Tools:
We have seen earlier that the producer of a radio programme has to use audio only.
They don‟t have the luxury of using visuals in any form. The producer has only four
elements or tools at their disposal:

a) Human Speech (Spoken Word): Conversations, discussions, dialogues, narrations,
readings, commentaries, all come under this category. This is the most vital input for an
audio programme.
b) Music: Music is used for creating an ambience or mood. It is also used to indicate
change of place or time. Music can also be used to enhance human speech.
c) Sound Effects (FX): Sound effects build up the ambience. It recreates the scene of
action in the minds of the audience. Every place has got a typical soundscape. For
example, a railway station, a bus stand, a classroom, a stadium, each place has a typical
soundscape. The producer, through judicious choice uses available are made to order
sound effects in their programmes.
d) Silence: Silence is also a very powerful element if used creatively by an imaginative

producer. In our normal conversations, pauses are there which can be termed as silence.
But, when something serious is communicated, silence of a few seconds allows the
producer to highlight the intensity of it and the audience gets the required time to
register or comprehend it. An obvious example is death news or a natural calamity of
gigantic magnitude.
Script:
Radio Programmes invariably depend upon scripts. Scripting for radio is an art. It
requires certain skills. Whether it‟s a talk, or a radio play or feature, script plays a very
vital role in the production of a radio programme. Scripts can be done by the producer
or any other member of the staff or it can be outsourced. Writers familiar with radio
can do the scripts after discussions with the producer. Usually, in case of radio feature
or documentary, the scripts are done by the producers themselves because they know
their requirements best.
As already hinted at, there are a few things which are specific to the medium of radio
because of its unique nature:
 Unlike print, radio listeners can‟t go back to the part they‟ve missed. It has to be clear
the first time, because there is no second chance.
 Unlike TV, there are no pictures to reinforce your words. That means your script has
to do all the describing. It also has to grab the listener‟s attention. You can‟t come
back to the main point – you have to get to it quickly without a long preamble.
 Unlike Internet, it is not available for weeks at a time. You have one, and only one
opportunity to make an impact.
 Radio is conversational. Avoid jargons and long-winded sentences. Does anybody
really talk like that?

 Radio is personal – you‟re talking to one person at a time. That‟s why your writing
has to sound like it is being „talked‟, not read. Your script can‟t be just read. It has to
be performed.
Radio writing has to be tight and clear, and above all, interesting. Over-the-air radio
has been called the theatre of the mind, because good writers can conjure up images
for listeners. But most radio news is heavily formatted into tiny story slots, so you
need to be as clear, descriptive, and direct.
a) You must be descriptive: Obviously, the visuals aren‟t there, so you have to use
words that speak of sights, sounds, aromas, and whatever else contributes to setting
the scene. Ambient sound is often a big help to accomplishing word pictures.
b) You must write tightly. Scripts are short. Commercial radio network newscasts are
brutal, with stories ranging from 10 to 30 seconds. This demands that you winnow out
the excess material and include only what is necessary to tell the story. Non-
commercial newscast are longer, but are often also formatted into tight patterns.
c) You can write with more style. Your vocal presentation must be gracious and
authoritative, and your personal warmth must come through in your reports.
2.4 REQUIREMENTS FOR RECORDING

For producing a radio programme or an audio programme, a properly equipped,
acoustically designed Studio is required. Depending on the nature of the production, the
requirements of the equipment will vary but certain basic equipments like microphones,
audio console, audio workstations, audio production software are a must. Every
production involves certain expenditures. Those expenditures necessary for booking of
artists, going to different places, and transport are to be estimated and projected as a
budget. Logistics also should be taken care of.
Let us briefly look at the equipments required for seamless production of a radio
programme
Studio: A Radio studio is a room which houses equipments to record voice, sound and
music. It should be sound proof so that the result is high quality recording.
Microphone: This is a technology that amplifies and regulates the sound output in a
programme. It is a device which converts the variation of sound pressure in a sound
wave into corresponding electrical variation in an electric circuit. It is very sensitive:
can catch the minutest sigh, the subtle variations in the voice. Based on structure and
capacity, microphones can be divided into two categories:
(1) By the pickup pattern
(2) By the materials they are made with

(1) Pick-up Pattern: Microphones are classified on their abilities of pick-up pattern
and are of three categories.
 Uni-directional microphone: This device can record sound from only one
direction. The advantage it has is that it discriminates unwanted sounds. Such
microphones are used for recording crystal clear sound.
 Bi-directional microphone: It can record sound from only two directions and not
from sides.
 Omni directional microphone: It can record sound from all directions.
(2) Materials they are made with: Other microphones can be identified with the
material they are made up with.
They are broadly classified into two:
 The Pressure Microphone: contains a thin metal diaphragm structured somewhat

like the head of a drum inside a rigid frame. This diaphragm is part of the
electric circuit so that when sound waves strikes the diaphragm, it vibrates. This
vibration produces corresponding signals that flow into the circuit system.
 The Velocity Microphone: Has a very tight ribbons of aluminum foil loosely
suspended in a strong magnetic circuit so that when sound waves touch the
ribbon, it vibrates, generating different amount of current inside the ribbon. The
condenser and dynamic microphones are examples. They can give very high
sound quality though a bit expensive. They can be used for outside recording or
broadcasting.
There are many microphones designed for special purposes like the lapel microphones
which can be clipped into the shirt‟s collar and is of uni-directional type. It is normally
used in TV programmes and not radio. Then there are noise cancelling microphones
used in noisy places, e.g. sporting events where the time of the loudest noise may
coincide with the greatest need for explanation by the commentator. One way of
dealing with this is to give him an omni directional microphone and allow him to
control the ratio of voice and background noise himself. These microphones are often
omni directional ones. These days the Commentators use lip microphones which
cancels out ambience noise to a great extent. There are also cordless microphones used
mainly on stage shows. They have a small transmitter in them which can send the
sounds to an amplifier.
Audio Console: The audio console, which is a complex network of faders, equalizers,
various buttons and switches, plays an important function in every radio broadcast
production. Also called the control board, it is the primary piece of equipment in the
production facility. It is used for the amplification of sound and is used to regulate and
modulate signals. The mixing console has a lot of input and output, which are these
days digitally operated.
Sound Effects: These effects serve to make a programme lively. Sound effects help
listeners to vividly visualize a program in their mind. They are usually of two kinds.
They are as follows:
(1) Spot effects
(2) Recorded sound effects
Spot sound effects are recorded during the recording of a program. During recording,
some sound effects which have been decided earlier, are recorded along with the
recording of the voice/s. Sometimes, the necessary sound effects are recorded prior to
the voice recording. They are used after accounting for the time, ease and applicability.
Keeping the requirements of today‟s times in view, sound effects of almost all kinds are
readily available like animals, rain, thunder, hailstorm, water, floods, etc.
Music: The soul of an audio medium like Radio is its music. Music is used in many
ways in Radio. It is sometimes put as background music or music preceding the
program. It makes talk shows lively. Adding music to a dull program will enliven it and
make it entertaining. Music can convey a wide array of emotions such as happiness,
sadness, anger, pride, hatred, etc. It can also depict place and timings. Signature Tunes
create an identity for regular programmes including news.
Artificial Echo: If you say something inside a cave or on a mountain or in a large hall,
the resulting sound reaches a short distance and can be heard again in a milder Hertz.
The sound bounces back and is heard is called an echo. Usually, different types of
echoes are copiously used in music based programs and Radio dramas.
Filter: Many kinds of sounds are used for varied situations, places, timings and
subjects. The audio filter function in audio software is used to apply different kinds of
sounds. By using this filter, any kind of sound effect can be created. It can then be
mixed into the audio of the programme.
Voice: The chief component of Radio production is the voice. It has been stated earlier
that Radio is a blind and audio medium. A Radio announcer uses only the power of
her/his voice to entice listeners in this medium of zero visuals. Usually, voice is used to
read news, make announcements, read the screenplay of various characters in a drama,
sing in a musical programme, etc.
2.5 RECORDING
When recordings are done in a studio called Studio Recordings which is very common
and normal. But certain recordings are done outside the studio with resource persons,
common people, players, and sportspersons outside the studio using equipments like

portable digital tape recorders. These recordings are known as OB (Outside Broadcast)
recordings. Bytes, voice dispatches, sometimes interviews are recorded outside the
studio and form an integral part of programme production.
The role of the presenter is of utmost importance because the listeners will be listening
to the programme through his/her voice(s). Listeners usually tend to identify the
programmes with the presenters. That is the reason why the producers rarely
compromise on the quality of the presenter. Let us look at some of the qualities that
make a successful radio programme presenter.
Good Voice
Professional
Aware of local issues
Talent
Personality
Trustworthy
Friendly Attitude
You must imbibe the aforementioned character traits to be an endearing news presenter.
Take a look at more points mentioned here to become a successful presenter:
First of all you must bear in mind that you are working for an audio medium. This
means that you can only be heard, not seen. Hence, your focus should be on your voice
at all times.
Gather as much information about the place and its surroundings you are going to talk
about.
If the script of the news is long, you must take advertising breaks in between the news
bulletin.
It is extremely important that you read, understand and rehearse the script before
presenting it on air. You should read the entire script thoroughly.
Always include the updated information if you are presenting a weather report.
You must read and familiarize yourself with the run order before broadcasting it.
You must forget your personal feelings such as anger, sadness, pride, etc upon entering
the studio. While speaking in front of the microphone, present as if you are the
listener‟s best friend.

Do not blindly trust information from sources such as newspapers, television and
especially, social media. Onus lies on you to cross-check data and modify them, before
presenting it on the air.
2.6 STUDIO PRODUCTION

Studio production means the producer has with him the script, studio recordings, OB
recordings, and they are ready to produce the final programme. These days, most of the
radio programmes are being produced on what is known as Audio Workstation. It is
basically a computer with standard configuration having audio production software.
There are several software available for audio programme production like Sound Forge,
Nuendo, Cool Edit etc.
a) Editing: All the recordings have to be listened to carefully and edited. Editing means
discarding the portions which are not necessary like unwanted noise, gaps and other
such elements. Because of the time constraint, for example it will not be possible to use
the entire interview recorded for a feature. The producer wants to keep only two
minutes out of five minutes recording. Three minutes recording are to be edited out and
the sentences must be arranged in such a manner that there will be no breaks and it
must sound spontaneous and natural. This requires careful editing. It is a very important
aspect of production which can make or mar a good programme.
Because of its importance, let us discuss audio editing in detail.
The process of retaining the required portion and discarding the unnecessary portion to
make a programme appealing and beautiful is called editing. The term „editing‟ here
concerns public broadcasting. It refers to making all sounds which come to the studio
fit for broadcast on news and other programs. Keeping high quality sounds and
removing harsh and poor audio is done in Radio editing.
The following points should be kept in mind while editing radio programmes:
Listening to the voice component carefully – Select the voice/s which will be used in
final production stage. After selection, the portion which is to be retained is made fit for
broadcast using different sound software. After listening to the audio to be used, its
start and end points marked and the duration of the clip is duly noted. The remaining
portion is chopped off.
b) Listen to other elements – Background sound, sound and music are chosen at this
stage. Music and sound effects which match the earlier selected audio are decided.
The duration of each of these clips are jotted down. All these files are properly named
and saved on the computer.

c) Listening to the recorded audio again– Before creating a final programme,
importance is given to the audio quality of the programme being produced. Hence, it
is crucial to listen to the recorded audio repeatedly and make desired changes in the
initial stages while producing a programme. While listening to the audio again,
portions with bad audio in recording can be eliminated. Along with this, each and
every sound clip‟s duration must be noted in the cue sheet. Keep in mind that a copy
of the complete audio file must be stored on the computer before progressing to the
final editing and mixing stage.
d) Final Editing – All the audio files are first normalized by referring to the cue
sheet. After removing the portions not inside the In‟s (starting points) and Out‟s (end
points), sound effects such as Fade In, Fade Out, Reverbate, Delay, Echo, Pitch
Checker, etc are added. Sound mixing is always done in multi-track. By doing this,
changes can be made in the sound track as and when required.
2.7 VOICE EDITING

For Radio, editing the voice is of prime importance and much time is devoted to it.
The following points are kept in mind while voice editing;
 The portion which is of no use is removed.

 Lengthy answers and unnecessary information are edited out.
 The order of questions and answers are shuffled based on their importance.
 If required, silence is included in the audio file.

One should be as careful as possible during editing. Improper language and words
captured during recording must be removed. The significant thing is to retain the key
portions of the recordings. That is the chief purpose of editing.
Process to prepare a cue sheet:-
 A cue sheet contains the following elements:

 Start Time
 End Time
 Name of the Sound Clip
 Total Duration
 Details of the Fade In‟s and Fade Out‟s
b) Mixing: You must have observed while listening to radio that the voice of the
narrator fades out and music sets in. This process of placing spoken word with music or
sound effects is called mixing. Mixing makes a programme attractive because if a
narration goes on and on, it will become monotonous after a certain point. But if music
and sound effects are added to it, it will be interesting.
c) Dubbing: for radio, dubbing is different from what we normally understand by

dubbing in films/movies. In radio, dubbing is simply transferring material from one
file/folder to the other.
In an Audio Workstation, separate files/folders are created for spoken word, music, and
sound effects. When the content from one folder is transferred to a folder which is
marked for the final production is called the process of dubbing.
Once the programme is produced, the producer has to attend to the post-production
work. The first and foremost responsibility is to prepare what used to be called
Programme Cue Sheet and now it is known as MetaData. It contains all the details
regarding the produced programme. It is essential because the programmes are
invariably broadcast from the Playback Studio by the Announcer or Radio Jockey (RJ)
present. It is imperative that the Announcer/RJ should have all the details about the
programme to ensure its smooth broadcast. Usually, it contains the details regarding the
title of the programme, the duration, the date and time of broadcast, details regarding
the participants in the programme, the name of the producer and his teammates and
payment position.
The producer is also expected to plan the publicity for his programmes. Publicity may
include microphone publicity or publicity through promos in the station itself or cross-
channel publicity. They have to ready the promos and other material and hand it over to
the concerned people.

To gauge the response or the interest of the audience, audience surveys are done from
time to time. Major stations of AIR have Audience Research (AR) units. If any such
audience survey has been planned for the programme in question, the AR unit is to be
taken into confidence and informed regarding the programme in detail.
Last but not the least is tidying up the studio. While producing a programme, chits of
paper and other material like water bottles, teacups and other such things might be lying
scattered on the studio floor. All such materials should be collected and taken out if the
studio and disposed of properly. The Studio must be always in a spic and span
condition.
1. Describe about radio programme production.

2. How recoding is done?
3. What are the basic requirements for recording?
4. Define the process of voice editing?

UNIT - 3 WORKING IN A RADIO NEWS ROOM
Unit Structure

3.2 Introduction
3.3 Role and Responsibility of Editor-in-charge
3.4 Different News Bulletins
3.5 Writing Radio News Copy
3.6 Editing Radio News
3.7 Qualities of a good news presenter
3.8 Newsreels and Current Affairs Programmes
3.9 Employees of Radio Station
3.1 LEARNING OBJECTIVES

After completion of this unit, the learner would able to understand;
 Role and Responsibilities of News Editor

 Different format of news bulletins
 Working in radio news room
3.2 INTRODUCTION
News Room is the nerve centre of all the activities concerning news in a Radio
organisation. We have already known how news is collected from varied sources, we
shall now discuss how a news bulletin, the ultimate product is readied, the efforts that
go into its making.
Radio News Bulletins
Radio News in our country is still the exclusive domain of All India Radio. In order to
learn how Radio News Bulletins are planned and produced, we should first understand
how the News Services Division of AIR works. This division is responsible for taking
care of all the bulletins for the day and also programmes related to news items. It
works round-the-clock and puts out news for a duration of 52 hours 30 minutes every
day. It broadcasts total 607 daily bulletins in 92 languages /dialects including 44
hourly bulletins, 15 external services Hindi and English bulletins, 23 Indian language
bulletins, 23 foreign language bulletins and 10-12 news based programmes and 478
Regional News Unit bulletins. AIR broadcasts total 3,150 minutes of bulletin every
day. AIR‟s news services is headed by a Director General (News), who is one of the
senior-most officers of the Indian Information Service. He is assisted by a team of
Additional Directors General (News), Directors (News) and Joint Directors (News),
Deputy Directors (News), Assistant Directors (News), News Editors and Reporters etc.

The different operational wings of NSD at headquarters in Delhi include General
News Room, Hindi News Room, Reporting Unit, Talks and Current Affairs Unit,
Newsreel Unit, Indian Language Units, Reference Unit, IT & Website unit and
Administrative Wing. The Regional News Units in various States are headed by an
officer of the rank of Director or Deputy Director/Assistant Director and assisted by
News Editors, Reporters and Newsreaders-cum-Translators.
AIR‟s news room is called the General News Room (GNR) and it works in four shifts,
24/7, processing over 300 bulletins in the span of one day. In each shift, there is
Editor-in-charge who in turn manages and is assisted by a few assistant editors,
compilation editors and news readers cum translators (NRT ) .
3.3 ROLE AND RESPONSIBILITY OF EDITOR-IN-CHARGE

Editing a news script is probably harder these days, because of the demand for the
internet. Editing is also an exercise in selection and judgment: what to take and what
to leave out. The job of the Editor-in-charge is to handle the news desk by scanning,
selecting, editing, and rewriting all the news copies which come from numerous
sources with the help of other associates. Editor-in-charge in radio Now, each story is
selected and given a place in the news bulletin based on the value it carries as a news
piece. Categorisation of the stories is done according to their importance. For example,
national stories come under the Home Pool (Pool – I) and stories from foreign places
are under the Foreign Pool (Pool –II). Similarly there is one sports pool, and during
parliamentary sessions, unique pools might be formulated like the Parliament Pool.
For other miscellaneous news bulletins that evade categorisation, a pool called the
External Pool also exists.
Then comes the Compilation Editor. Due to the pool system, their job becomes easier
as they are spared from segregating the news pieces. What they do is arrange these
various news bulletins selected in the Pools in a coherent manner. They decide what
story/stories are major and thus decide the headlines. They basically provide a basic
structure and order to the news bulletin.
Usually, a news bulletin runs for ten minutes. But they can be of five minutes or
fifteen minutes duration as well. Presently AIR is broadcasting Hourly News Bulletins
of five minutes duration, in Hindi and English alternately. And News Headlines every
hour over its FM channels. If we break a news bulletin down, it basically consists of
the headline, main news (further categorised into two bunches with one break between
them), and a conclusion with repetition of the highlights or the headlines. Bunching
refers to the arrangement of all the news pieces and it is important to make the news
bulletin as interesting as possible. Generally, the first bunch consists of hard news.
There is one break in a ten-minute news bulletin, two breaks in fifteen minutes, and no
break in a five-minute bulletin.

When it comes to the content of news bulletins, it goes without saying that it must try
and cover as many important subjects as they can. Politics, Economy, Culture, Sports,
Scientific and technological Developments, etc. must be included. The bulletin should
cover all crucial events on the regional, national, and international front. Parliamentary
sessions, elections, weather, important cases under trial, and human-interest stories
should also find someplace. To ensure a smooth transition from one news story to
another, interjections like Meanwhile can be used and the stories can be started like
another sentence, eg.“In the budget session of the parliament today…. The World
Book Fair is all set to‟‟ etc.
Another important inclusion in the news bulletin is of voice casts on crucial events.
They help break the monotony of a news bulletin by indulging the attention of the
listeners on the scene of action. They can either be recorded or it can be a live session.
Typically, a correspondent gets around 40-45 seconds up to 1 minute of time for a
voice cast. In case of any kind of calamity or disaster, the correspondent is reporting
from the scene and a firsthand account always successfully engages the attention of the
listeners as well as adds credibility.
A sound byte also makes a radio bulletin more interesting. A sound byte is generally a
short clip of speech extracted from a longer piece of audio. It is basically short audio
taken from a speech or press conference and broadcast especially during a news report.
3.4 DIFFERENT NEWS BULLETINS

News bulletins are prepared according to the need and listeners perspective, so it is
divided in several segments;
Main Bulletins:
Although AIR broadcasts news bulletins every hour, there are three main news
bulletins i.e. in the morning, afternoon, and evening. The languages used are English
and Hindi. The main bulletin of the morning is called Morning News and Samachar
Prabhat in English and Hindi respectively. It has three parts: the main news, topical
commentary, and “a look at the newspapers” and concludes with the main highlights.
“A look at the newspapers” provides the audience with a brief summary and overview
of the front-page headlines, sports news, and editorials of the National Dallies. The
commentary and the “look at newspapers” segment is the responsibility of the
Compiling Editor, who in turn is assisted by two editors, each looking after one of
these segments.
A fifteen-minute news programme consists of:
Main News: 8 minutes
Commentary: 2.5 minutes

A look at the newspapers: 2.5 minutes
Headline and Signature tune: 2 minutes
The bulletins during the daytime and the evening cover every major event that happens
during that particular shift. They give a preview of the major 15 minutes bulletin at
2045 (Hindi) hours and 2100 (English) hours.
Regional Language Bulletins
The language bulletins are broadcast from the regional centres. Till recent times these
used to be broadcast from Delhi headquarters. They have a wide base of audience,
more than the combined listenership of all the English bulletins. By broadcasting in
different languages, it increases the accessibility and helps people who do not
understand English or Hindi stay up-to-date with all the relevant news of the day. It is
the responsibility of the compilation editor to make sure that the critical news from
that particular region stays in the headlines of that language‟s bulletin. The frequency
of broadcast of language bulletins is thrice a day from the Capital Station, each is of
ten minutes duration. They carry the same format as that of English bulletins i.e. three-
four headlines, one break, and a conclusion with repetition of the headlines.
External Bulletins
There are three kinds of external bulletins that the News Services Division broadcasts:
1: English news bulletins having a target audience of Indians and foreigners who
reside abroad. It is generally called overseas services.
2: Some foreign language broadcasts in Chinese, Burmese, Baluchi, Arabic, Dari,

Tibetan, Swahili, Persian, Pashtu, Sinhala, Thai, Indonesia, French and Russian for
foreigners and Hindi and other regional languages for NRIs.
3: Indian language bulletins in Tamil, Telugu, Bengali, Punjabi, Urdu, and Sindhi.
These languages are spoken by a sizeable population in India and thus receive a wide
audience.
People hold a common misconception regarding external bulletins. They think it

should majorly consist of news about foreign events. The problem is, in this age of the
internet and satellite television, radio cannot be said to be the first medium to break a
piece of news happening somewhere else. For example, an Ebola outbreak in Congo
region can be reported in a much better manner by local news agencies.
External bulletins basically try to present the reactions and opinions of governments
and people from these foreign countries. Sometimes comparisons are drawn and an
Indian viewpoint is added to these news pieces. They also try to add or deny
credibility to some other foreign networks by handling misinformation, if there is any.

Specialised Bulletins:
The news service division generates these specialised bulletins depending on the
availability of news pieces on other topics. Human interest bulletins, Weather
bulletins, Youth bulletins all contain soft stories. They serve to highlight particular
aspects of someone‟s achievement in human interest stories or tracking a cyclone in
case of weather, success story in case of youth bulletins.
Comments from the Press:
This presents the opinion and perception about some key developments of the country
from editorials of a few national dailies. The editor-in-charge compiles this review by
editing and highlighting crucial comments in a coherent manner. This review should
have some kind of common thread to prevent it from sounding entirely unrelated
reading of extracts from different editorials.
3.5 WRITING RADIO NEWS COPY

Creating radio news scripts is a different process than writing for television or print.
Writing for the radio means writing for the ear . On the radio, you must be able to
catch the listeners‟ attention immediately. As we already know, a radio news bulletin
should have news content that are worthy of front-page headlines. From a hoard of
new pieces, the critical ones are selected and edited to form the bulletin. Editing plays
a vital role as the news items have to have brevity because of the limited duration of
the bulletins. The target audience is also taken into consideration while framing these
news bulletins.
An “inverted pyramid” style is followed while writing these news pieces where the
lead is the climax and it is followed by the “Intro” (Introduction). Every broadcasting
station follows a stylebook for writing a Radio news copy. There are slight variations
but some general elements remain the same. These style rules aid the editors in making
the copy in an organised and structured manner keeping the consistency intact. These
news copies also reflect the values and styles of that particular organisation.
 You must have heard the phrase „‟keep it short and simple‟‟. You need to apply
this to the radio . Your scripts must not be lengthy as it becomes difficult for
the listeners to remember what exactly you are talking about.
 You need to grab the attention of your listener with your intro itself. As you
don‟t have visual elements, everything needs to come through the language
you use. Think of it as the trailer for a good film.
 A radio news script is for a news show that needs to deliver just the facts. In
order to make sure the listener receives the best quality news, you need to
remove personal opinions completely from the news.

 Fact-checking is one of the most important aspects of radio news. It is
important to cite the correct source and provide correct information. This helps
ensure your level of integrity and credibility.
Headlines
Radio bulletins have a limited number of headlines. It is usually five headlines for a 15
minutes bulletin and four headlines for a ten minutes bulletin. All the headlines should
be concise, brief, and to the point. They should provide us a deep glance into the story
in a few words. Any good story can be made dull because of a vague headline. A
decent headline should:
a) Tell the audience the entire story in a few words
b) Give instant information in an accessible form
c) Engage the attention of the audience so that they listen to the entire story
Words and Sentences
A bulletin should consist of simple and engaging words and sentences. In order to be
more accessible to all kinds of listeners, the bulletin should be written in a
conversational idiom. That is how it is different from the complex use of language
present in the newspapers. The time restriction and the need for the bulletin to be
listener-friendly calls for clear, direct, short, and simple sentences. It is important that
listeners can understand the news easily.
When it comes to the length of the story, ideally it shouldn‟t cross a hundred words.
Exceptions can be parliament sessions, elections, or any major crises. Also, the most
important and interesting part of the story should be the lead sentence. Stretching a
story for too long might make the audience lose their interest in the story. The news
reporter needs to ensure that too much is not being said in such a limited space. They
should also refrain from making the news piece complicated or use complex words
and sentences. It might generate confusion and disinterestedness in the listeners.
Number and Dates
These are some of the rules to be kept in mind while including figures and dates in the
bulletin:
a) 1 to 11 should be written in words (one, two, three…) so that they don‟t become
conspicuous in the news copy. And the rest of the numbers (12-999..) can be written in
figures as they can be easily spotted.
b) Crores or thousands or lakhs should always be written in words

c) While mentioning any financial figures, the currency should succeed the figure (ex:
twelve crore rupees) and not the other way round (rupees twelve crore).
d) Approximate figures like 997 can be rounded off to about a thousand.
e) Years should mention the century and the year like 2002, 2005and not be written
like 02, 05. Dates should be written the way they are read like „the twenty fifth of
October‟.
Abbreviations:
Other than famous and day to day acronyms the users are already acquainted with like
UNICEF, WHO, DRDO, etc, abbreviations are to be avoided. The words should be
spelt out entirely. Any kind of unfamiliar full forms should be spelt out first and then
the short form used for further mentions (ex: the World Trade Organisation or the
WTO).
3.6 EDITING RADIO NEWS

So far, we have already discussed the differences between the spoken word and the
printed word and the printed newspaper article and the news pieces written for a radio
copy. We also covered all the basic requirements for writing a radio copy. Now, we
will discuss the rules that should be followed by a radio editor while handling a story
or a radio copy.
It goes without saying that a good editor must be well experienced, possess deft skills
of editing, and have the necessary knowledge to be able to generate a good radio copy.
the major functions of a radio editor are:
a) Thoroughly check the mentioned facts of the story and make the necessary
corrections
b) Shorten and condense the copy by reducing and eliminating unnecessary sentences
and repetitions
c) Make the content conversational in tone by altering and rewriting the raw material
a) Copy Checking
All the news items must be newsworthy. If any of the news items or the radio copy as
a whole doesn‟t make sense at any point of time, it needs revision. If the editor is
unable to understand a story, the listeners will obviously fail to grasp it as well. It is a
simple unsaid rule that must be followed at all times by a news editor. Also, each word
and each fact must be right in its usage. In case any kind of wrong information is
disseminated to the world during a broadcast, there is no going back. So caution
should be maintained and facts and figures should be checked with the help of
resources available at hand.
b) Clarifying the stories
Editing is done keeping an open mind regarding improving the stories in the radio
copy. A critical look can even improve a well presented story. Some questions that
should be asked while working on improving a story are:
Are all the crucial points covered in the story in a coherent manner?
Have the points been presented in a conversational and engaging manner?
Does the story sound clear and easy or is it complicated at any point?
Can the story be condensed further without affecting its core skeleton?
Will it clearly convey the points to a listener listening for the first time without hearing
the previous bulletin?
Are there gaps in the story where the listener‟s imagination is called for?
All these questions will aid the editor in clarifying and improving the story further.
c) Compressing/Condensing
As time is a concern when it comes to radio bulletins, crispness and brevity are highly
desirable qualities in a good radio copy. For a beginner, it is important to distinguish
between what is relevant and irrelevant in any given story. Experienced editors are deft
at spotting extra words and phrases. The editor is expected to generate a very compact
and concise copy that doesn‟t need any further deductions. Words, sentences and
phrases that seem unnecessary need to be cut out. Similarly, repetitions of any kind
have to be avoided. At the same time, while chasing after brevity, the essence of a
story is lost. Care needs to be taken to accommodate all the necessary facts while
keeping things brief.
d) News Bulletin Preparation:
After a story is edited and rewritten, it is categorised into particular pools with a
number, date and shift. For example, in the night shift, the pool number could be NPI
for regional stories and NPII for foreign stories. NP indicates the night pool. Separate
pools exist during parliamentary sessions and elections. It can be numbered as DPP
(Day Parliamentary Pool). During the compilation of a bulletin, pool copies can be
edited again and included with other news pieces.
Now comes the arrangement. For a ten minute News Bulletin the structure is:
• Headlines
• Body

• A break with the newsreader announcing the station
• Body
• Recap of major points or repetition of bulletins
Postponing of the news items must be made according to the importance of the events.
All the top stories should be placed in the beginning as the listener is keen on getting
informed about them first. It is not necessary to place regional news first followed by
national and then international. Order can be decided according to the critical
magnitude of the news piece. At the same time, maintaining some kind of coherence is
also important. One cannot be reading about a cyclone on one hand and suddenly jump
to some sports development. Easing the audience into it is important to keep their
interest firm until the end of the bulletin.
Triple spacing should be maintained while typing a story, with one story occupying
one page. This allows ample space for correction and addition/deduction as well as
facilitates easy reading. Ten words in one line are to be maintained. Connected stories
can occupy the same page in exceptional cases. Some other points to keep in mind are:
• A sentence should not be spilt when a page ends.
• If one sentence doesn‟t end on the page, it should be shifted entirely to the
second page.
• As much as possible, the splitting of words at the end of the lines should also
be avoided.
• Spellings need to be double-checked as any kind of spelling mistake can break

the flow of the news bulletin.
Oftentimes, some last-minute corrections are necessary. These should be either written
or typed in capital letters on the exact spot where they should be read. The newsreader
must be pre-informed so that there are no mistakes when they go on air.
Presentation of the News Bulletin
Completion of the production of a news bulletin happens only when it goes on air. The
newsreader seals the deal in a way. They are the last pieces of the puzzle and without
their complete participation, production cannot enjoy success. The involvement of a
newsreader varies depending on the organisation. In AIR, English and Hindi
newsreaders read the bulletin prepared by the compilation editor and for regional
languages, the newsreaders themselves translate the bulletins. In many organisations,
the newsreader is also engaged at some or all stages of news production.

Pronunciation and voice modulation should come naturally to a newsreader. To
present the bulletin in a structured manner, the newsreader has to familiarise
him/herself with the news bulletin before going on air. They should also keep
themselves informed about various events of the world continuously. They need to
rehearse and practice for the correct delivery of the bulletin. Also, in case of “flash
news” (news which arrives while the newsreader is on-air), they should be able to
quickly integrate it in the news bulletin without affecting its mainframe. Emphasising
certain words and phrases, the right speed, and taking appropriate pauses makes the
delivery powerful and keeps the listeners engaged.
3.7 QUALITIES OF A GOOD NEWS PRESENTER

 Those who are in the broadcasting industry need to have excellent
communication skills. No one wants to listen to a voice they don‟t understand.
 Presenters should have a friendly aura that helps the audience to connect with
them. A soft tone can help the audience to build a rapport with you.
 Presenters should be comfortable with technical equipment. Broadcasting is
something that can easily go wrong. So knowing the technicalities help a lot.
 News is a deadline-oriented thing. A news presenter should be able to handle
pressure and meet deadlines as they are assigned.
 The most difficult challenge for a presenter is controlling their mood. No
matter what is going on outside a news presenter should always remain
enthusiastic, energetic, and positive.
 A presenter should pre-read scripts. If you want to avoid mistakes, read your
scripts beforehand and rehearse them.
 Radio is a unique medium. It is the only medium where you paint pictures with
words. Therefore, A news presenter must have good command over the
language .
3.8 NEWSREELS AND CURRENT AFFAIRS PROGRAMMES

Newsreel covers major news stories in a particular time frame. It can be daily, weekly,
or fortnightly and sometimes, on special occasions. In newsreel, the producer or the
editor gets an opportunity to use voice dispatches, interviews, ambiance noise, and
music. The editor has to ensure that the narration is smooth and stories move from one
to the other without any hiccups. On occasions like Republic Day, Independence Day,
and the year-end, newsreels of extended durations are broadcast. Otherwise, the
duration of newsreels is between ten to fifteen minutes.
Current affair programmes try to give a holistic account of major news developments.
Views of different sections or experts are included invariably in these programmes.
Current affair programmes try to incorporate all the thumb rules of news presentation
and try to provide an accurate, fair, and objective account of the issue in question.
Current affair programmes can be presented using other formats like talks, interviews,

etc. General elections and presentation of Union Budget provide scope for mounting
Phone-in and Radio Bridge programmes. In Radio Bridge programmes, experts are
located in different studios of AIR throughout the country and the moderators usually
sit in Delhi studio. They are linked via satellite. Because of the representative and
inclusive nature of these programmes, they are liked by the listeners. In a Phone-in
programme, experts along with the moderator sit in the studio and answer queries
posed by the listeners over the telephone. This interactive programme is also very
popular. Current affair programmes are always in demand because the listeners are
keen on staying updated regarding whatever is happening around them.
News programmes are the most important broadcasts of a radio organization and
provide it with instant recollect value.
3.9 EMPLOYEES OF RADIO STATION

Radio station can be operative with a good team of employees followed below:
Station Director
S/he is in charge of the radio station and also head of the programme wing. In some
place they are called as managers.
Station Engineer
S/he heads the engineering wing and responsible for all technical work at the radio
station. In addition, there is a group of technical team who work behind the scene.
They operate and maintain broadcast equipments and observe the control room. They
are responsible for technical quality of the broadcasts.
Programme Personnel
Radio programme production and presentation is completely dependent on programme

producer or executives. They always keep on preparing radio programme.
Transmission Staff
Person who are engaged in smooth and error less transmission process are known as
transmission executives.
Radio Announcer/Presenter
The radio announcer or presenter, present the programme is responsible for making the
programme more interesting. The announcer can generate feelings on behalf of the
listeners. The voice of the announcer plays a vital role at here.

Artists
There are several artist those who plays a role to add background music to every
programme. Basically they play different types of instrumental. They are the
background performer of each and every programme.
1. What is the role of radio news editor?

2. Describe different types of news bulletins.
3. How editing is done in radio? Explain.
4. Describe the qualities of the news presenter.

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Bachelor of Arts (Honors) in

Journalism& Mass Communication

WRITING AND EDITING RADIO NEWS

UNIT-1 ELEMENTS OF A RADIO NEWS BULLETIN –

UNIT-2 INTRODUCTION TO RECORDING AND EDITING

UNIT-3 WORKING IN A RADIO NEWS ROOM

Course Writer Course Editor

1.1 Learning Objectives

1.1 LEARNING OBJECTIVE

 About Radio News

1.3 RADIO NEWS

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A) Perishable – it has a very short lifespan and must be served fast.

B) Is of interest to a large group of people.

C) It is regarding unusual events or happenings.

D) It must be new for the public.

E) Must have been reported by a reporter.

These are the universally recognised ingredients of the news.

1.4 ELEMENTS OF RADIO NEWS

Nearness/Proximity: Listeners are interested in what happens in their locality, town,

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Government Action: A government action or announcement makes news. Passing of

Development projects and issues: News related to development issues such as

1.5 CHARACTERISTICS OF NEWS

Accuracy: Accuracy means correctness. If you fail to be accurate, your credibility

Balance: Giving both sides of a story is of paramount importance. When reporting an

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1.6 NEWS REPORTING FOR RADIO

A) News agency and monitored reports

B) Reporters and Correspondents

A) News Agency and Monitored Reports

B) Reporters and Correspondents

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1.8 RADIO BROADCASTING

The signal types can be either analog audio or digital audio.

Radio broadcasting is done through AM (Amplitude Modulation) and FM (Frequency

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1. Define radio news, how it is different from any other medium?

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2.1 Learning Objectives

2.1 LEARNING OBJECTIVES

 Radio Programme Production

2.3 RADIO PROGRAMME PRODUCTION

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Spoken Word Formats:

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For making a successful programme, it is mandatory on the part of the producer to

In house research is accessing the library/archives of the institute, talking to the

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d) Silence: Silence is also a very powerful element if used creatively by an imaginative

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2.4 REQUIREMENTS FOR RECORDING

(1) By the pickup pattern

(2) By the materials they are made with

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They are broadly classified into two:

 The Pressure Microphone: contains a thin metal diaphragm structured somewhat

(1) Spot effects