A news bulletin is a short news story presented over the radio. Listeners expect a mix of stories; some serious and some light, some about major events and others about the lives of ordinary people. The bulletin needs a good pace to hold the audience, and it is important that the headlines promote the most interesting stories.
When you are selecting the stories for your bulletin, rank them in order of importance. This will give you an indication of how much time you have available, and help you decide whether some stories need to be pushed forwards or cut out altogether. It is usual to headline the first two or three main stories, and dramatic stories usually have special headlines. These should be a strong teaser, hinting at the drama which is to come, rather than giving away all the details.
You may wish to include a short piece of music at the start of your bulletin or within the bulletin, to add drama and to separate different sections. This is sometimes called a sting or a jingle. Many record companies now produce a selection of music themes which are designed for this purpose.
It is important to read the bulletin through before it goes on air, and re-read the leading story several times. You should also practice the pronunciation of any foreign names, and mark pauses in your script so that you maintain the right pace. It is useful to know your or your newsreader’s reading rate, so that you can estimate within a second how long it will take to read each item.
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