Beginning Radio and TV Newswriting: A Self-Instructional Learning Experience / Edition 5

by K. Tim Wulfemeyer

Overview

The 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

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9781405160421
Publisher:	Wiley
Publication date:	05/04/2009
Edition description:	5th ed.
Pages:	160
Product dimensions:	8.60(w) x 10.80(h) x 0.50(d)

About the Author

K. Tim Wulfemeyer is a Professor in the School of Journalism and Media Studies at San Diego State University where he serves as the coordinator of the Journalism Degree Program. He has extensive radio-TV news experience, both on-the-air as a newscaster, sportscaster, host and reporter and behind the scenes as a producer, newswriter and videographer.

Read an Excerpt

Click to read or download

Table of Contents

Preface 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