Radio News Reporting

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Radio News Reporting

• Lecture-Workshop for USC-KNN

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What is NEWS?

• The dog bites a man.

• A man bites a dog.

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What is NEWS?

• Dean Spencer of Syracuse University
• any account of a person, idea or
  event which interest a large number of people and
  is capable of being understood by them.

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Elements of News

• Timeliness
• Prominence
• Proximity
• Oddity or Novelty
• Significance,
• Impact or
• Consequence

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Elements of News

• Conflict
• Suspense
• Human Interest
• Progress
• Humor

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EXERCISE

• Look for a partner whos not very close/familiar
  to you.
• Interview each other.
• Determine something newsworthy of the person you
  are talking with.
• Write a 3 to 5-paragraph news about your partner.
• Presentation of your news.

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News Process

• News Gathering
• News Writing
• News Presentation/Reporting

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News Process

• News Gathering
• Story Conference
• Deployment of news team/reporter
• News Desk vs. Field Reporter
• News Producer vs. News Anchor
• Art of Interviewing
• Human Trail, Paper Trail, Electronic Trail
• News Writing
• News Presentation/Reporting

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News Process

• News Gathering
• News Writing
• Determine the focus sentence
• Radio News Script format
• Writing the lead paragraph
• News Story Form and Organization
• Inverted Pyramid vs. Square Format
• Importance of Script
• Cardinal Rule in Writing for Radio
• Cebuano News Writing/Reporting
• News Presentation/Reporting

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News Process

• News Gathering
• News Writing
• Determine the focus sentence
• It helps you decide what you must include.
• It helps you decide what you can leave out.
• It helps you decide what order to set out the
  facts to lead the listener through the story
  logically.
• It sums up the essentials of your story in one
  sentence that answers these three questions Who,
  What, and Why?

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Focus Sentence

• Examples
• Kim teaches Writing for Radio because she wants
  journalists to tell compelling radio stories.
• People in Buenos Aires are planning to march
  tonight because they want the mayor to resign
  after a nightclub fire killed more than 180
  people.

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Focus Sentence

• Examples
• Former Philippine President Joseph Estrada
  seeks full media coverage of the trial of his
  cases to inform the public of the status of his
  case.
• Giant broadcasting network ABS-CBN has vowed to
  remain free from governments censorship
  especially during the times when the public needs
  most of the information.

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Focus Sentence

• Focus Indonesian authorities are speeding up the
  naming of all of its islands to prepare the
  country in territorial disputes resolution.
• Indonesia islands/morning prime News/ March 8,
  2006
• The United Nations has asked Indonesia to speed
  up the naming of all of its islands.
• Marine Affairs and Fisheries Minister Freddy
  Numberi says the country has until 2007 to submit
  the names to the U-N.
• Freddy says barely half of the more than
  17-thousand islands in Indonesia have been named.

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Focus Sentence

• He said local authorities are now being tasked
  to name their respective islands rather than wait
  for the Ministry of Home Affairs to do it.
• Freddy warned that the delay in naming the
  islands will jeopardize Indonesias claim over
  these islands before an international
  forum. Other countries have also claims over
  some of the islands.
• Freddy is optimistic Indonesia would be able to
  submit on time the names of its islands.
• -30-
• Next Radio News Script Format

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Radio News Script Format

• SCRIPT-ONLY
• Afternoon News/March 1, 2005
• NightClub fire/script-only
• Kenneth
• Protesters in Buenos Aires are planning another
  march this evening.
• Theyre angry at the government over last
  weeks nightclub fire.
• It killed more than 180 people.
• The protestors are complaining that authorities
  let the club operate with locked emergency doors,
  flammable sound proofing and dangerous
  overcrowding.

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Radio News Script Format

• Most of the victims were in their teens. But
  some were children and babies.
• Thats because witnesses say the club operated
  a makeshift child-care center.
• Yesterday for a second straight day, many
  protestors marched toward City Hall to call for
  the mayor to resign for allowing the club to
• exist.
• Police have arrested the owner of the club.
• The fire is one of Argentinas worst
  disasters end

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Radio News Script Format

• SCRIPT CLIP
• Afternoon News/March 1, 2005
• NightClub fire/script-only
• Kenneth
• Protesters in Buenos Aires are planning another
  march this
• evening.
• Theyre angry at the government over last
  weeks nightclub
• fire.
• It killed more than 180 people.
• The protestors are complaining that authorities
  let the club operate with locked emergency doors,
  flammable sound proofing and dangerous
  overcrowding.
• THE GROUPS SPOKESMANPETER PANSAYS ITS
  DISGUSTING.
• VOICECLIP PETER PAN (15 secs.)
• CUE IN WERE DISGUSTED BY THE
  ACTIONS OF CITY HALL
• CUE OUT HEADS IN CITY HALL MUST ROLL.

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Radio News Script Format

• SPOKESMAN OF THE PROTESTORSPETER PANTALKING TO
  REPORTER KENNETH GALANO
• Most of the victims were in their teens. But
  some were children and babies.
• Thats because witnesses say the club operated
  a makeshift child-care center.
• Yesterday for a second straight day, many
  protestors marched toward City Hall to call for
  the mayor to resign for allowing the club to
• exist.
• Police have arrested the owner of the club.
• The fire is one of Argentinas worst disasters.
  

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Radio News Script Format

• WRAP/VOICE REPORT
• Afternoon News/March 1, 2005
• NightClub fire/script-only
• Kenneth
• Protesters in Buenos Aires are planning another
  march this evening TO CALL FOR THE MAYORS
  RESIGNATION
• KENNETH GALANO HAS THIS REPORT FROM CITY HALL
• VOICE REPORT NIGHTCLUB FIRE/KENNETH (100min)
• CUE IN Theyre angry at the government over
• CUE OUT The fire is one of Argentinas
  worst disasters.
• Kenneth Galano reporting
  from City Hall.
• KENNETH GALANO REPORTING FROM CITY HALL
• next

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Lead Paragraph

• WRAP/VOICE REPORT
• Afternoon News/March 1, 2005
• NightClub fire/script-only
• Kenneth
• Protesters in Buenos Aires are planning another
  march this evening TO CALL FOR THE MAYORS
  RESIGNATION
• KENNETH GALANO HAS THIS REPORT FROM CITY HALL
• VOICE REPORT NIGHTCLUB FIRE/KENNETH (100min)
• CUE IN Theyre angry at the government over
• CUE OUT The fire is one of Argentinas
  worst disasters.
• Kenneth Galano reporting
  from City Hall.
• KENNETH GALANO REPORTING FROM CITY HALL
  

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Lead Paragraph

• WRAP/VOICE REPORT
• Afternoon News/March 1, 2005
• NightClub fire/script-only
• Kenneth
• Protesters in Buenos Aires are planning another
  march this evening TO CALL FOR THE MAYORS
  RESIGNATION
• KENNETH GALANO HAS THIS REPORT FROM CITY HALL
• VOICE REPORT NIGHTCLUB FIRE/KENNETH (100min)
• CUE IN Theyre angry at the government over
• CUE OUT The fire is one of Argentinas
  worst disasters.
• Kenneth Galano reporting
  from City Hall.
• KENNETH GALANO REPORTING FROM CITY HALL
  

Who?
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Lead Paragraph

• WRAP/VOICE REPORT
• Afternoon News/March 1, 2005
• NightClub fire/script-only
• Kenneth
• Protesters in Buenos Aires are planning another
  march this evening TO CALL FOR THE MAYORS
  RESIGNATION
• KENNETH GALANO HAS THIS REPORT FROM CITY HALL
• VOICE REPORT NIGHTCLUB FIRE/KENNETH (100min)
• CUE IN Theyre angry at the government over
• CUE OUT The fire is one of Argentinas
  worst disasters.
• Kenneth Galano reporting
  from City Hall.
• KENNETH GALANO REPORTING FROM CITY HALL
  

What?
Who?
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Lead Paragraph

• WRAP/VOICE REPORT
• Afternoon News/March 1, 2005
• NightClub fire/script-only
• Kenneth
• Protesters in Buenos Aires are planning another
  march this evening TO CALL FOR THE MAYORS
  RESIGNATION
• KENNETH GALANO HAS THIS REPORT FROM CITY HALL
• VOICE REPORT NIGHTCLUB FIRE/KENNETH (100min)
• CUE IN Theyre angry at the government over
• CUE OUT The fire is one of Argentinas
  worst disasters.
• Kenneth Galano reporting
  from City Hall.
• KENNETH GALANO REPORTING FROM CITY HALL
  

What?
Who?
When?
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Lead Paragraph

• WRAP/VOICE REPORT
• Afternoon News/March 1, 2005
• NightClub fire/script-only
• Kenneth
• Protesters in Buenos Aires are planning another
  march this evening TO CALL FOR THE MAYORS
  RESIGNATION
• KENNETH GALANO HAS THIS REPORT FROM CITY HALL
• VOICE REPORT NIGHTCLUB FIRE/KENNETH (100min)
• CUE IN Theyre angry at the government over
• CUE OUT The fire is one of Argentinas
  worst disasters.
• Kenneth Galano reporting
  from City Hall.
• KENNETH GALANO REPORTING FROM CITY HALL
• Next News Story Form and Organization

What?
Who?
When?
Why?
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News Story Form Organization

• Inverted Pyramid

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News Story Form Organization

• Square Format

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Ending Your Story

• Summary Ending
• Climax Ending
• Stinger
• Un-ending

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Ending Your Story

• Summary Ending
• Like the summary lead, the summary ending wraps
  up the story with the most important facts.
• Ex.
• Yesterday for a second straight day, many
  protestors marched toward City Hall to call for
  the mayor to resign for allowing the club to
• exist.
• Police have arrested the owner of the club.
• The fire is one of Argentinas worst disasters.

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Ending Your Story

• Climax Ending
• The writer focuses in the peak of the event,
  ironically creating an anti-climatic effect in
  the reader.
• Ex.
• What finally brought down the seemingly
  indestructible monument to penal abuse was a
  footage videotaped last month of guards clubbing
  naked prisoners. President Ernesto Perez
  Balladares chose Dec. 10, International Human
  Rights Day, to blow up what a grafitto called the
  ANTECHAMBER OF HELL. Sighed hotdog vendor, Pablo
  Rodriguez Too much suffering, too much
  disgrace. Its finally over.

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Ending Your Story

• Stinger Ending
• The writer ends with something totally
  unsuspected by the reader.
• Ex.
• And so Ramon, the shy and lovable Ramon, ended
  up to be the vicious rapist hunted for in at
  least three states.

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Ending Your Story

• Un-ending
• This type of ending purposely ends on a limb,
  creating suspense and interest in a follow up.
• Ex.
• Informants are often reluctant to come
  forward, whether out of fear, loyalty or a
  general aversion to getting involved, and this
  case has provided its own reasons for tipsters to
  be wary. Many sources who gave the FBI
  information on Jewell, ranging from his work
  history to his living habits, must be wondering
  today if the leads they provided helped keep the
  investigation focused in a probably innocent man.
  Still, the FBI is hoping that popular interest in
  seeing the real bomber punished and the lure of a
  500,000 bounty, will keep those calls and photos
  coming.

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News Sentence Structure

• Passive sentences
• Follows the Object-Verb-Subject agreement
• Example
• O V S
• A man was bitten by the dog.
• Active sentences
• Follows the Subject-Verb-Object agreement
• Example
• S V O
• The dog bites a man.

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Importance of Script

• It ensures smooth continuity of the program
• Smooth flow of things from beginning to end
• Avoidance of dead air
• Keeps from saying anything irrelevant
• It aids in proper program timing
• Ensures program not to go overtime or undertime
• It approximates the total program length

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Importance of Script

• It ensures accuracy of information
• Written facts are far better than be dependent on
  the announcers memory.
• Summarizes facts in magazines, books or pieces of
  paper
• It helps in presenting information in an
  organized manner
• Guides in discussing information in a logical
  order.

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The Cardinal Rule in Writing for Radio

• ITS SPOKEN (Write for the ear, not for the
  eye)
• Think it, say it, then write!
• Use contractions
• Change complex words to simpler ones
• Punctuate for sound
• Avoid sound clashes
• Provide a pronunciation guide

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CONTRACTIONS

• No Contractions
• I will
• It is
• She is
• He would not
• Dalan
• Sumala
• Gikawatan og

• Using Contractions
• Ill
• Its
• Shes
• He wouldnt
• Daan
• Sumaa
• Gikawatag

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COMPLEX WORDS

• Complex Words
• Nictitate
• Halitosis
• Monosodium Glutamate
• Law of Supply and Demand

• Simple Words
• Wink
• Bad breath
• Seasoning or
• Vetsin
• Increase in demand

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Punctuate for Sound

• ! indicates inflectionsomething to
  emphasize.
• ? - signifies questions
• /, - indicate pause
• ? - in a happy mood

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Avoid Sound Clashes

• Avoid alliterationsrepetition of the initial
  sound of nearby words or syllables.
• Wilma and William watched the window washers
  walk with Walter.

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Avoid Sound Clashes

• Be careful of sibilant (s,z,sh,zh,ch,j) and
  popping (b, p) sounds
• She saw some shiny shells shimmering on the
  shore while she sat sipping her champagne.
• Bobby blew and blew some big, bright blue
  bubbles.

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Avoid Sound Clashes

• Watch out for tongue twisters.
• Thirty thrifty rural residents rented
  thirty-three tricycles.
• Sherry Sue sure showed some spirit studying
  Statistics shes taking this summer.
• Ang relo ni Roy Royal.

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Avoid Sound Clashes

• Avoid repeating words or using words that have
  the same sound.
• The local building was built by a local builder.

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Pronunciation Guide

• It is important not to mispronounce names of
  persons, places or things
• Antilles (An-til-lez)
• Pneumonia (noo-mo-nia)
• Tawo (taw)

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Pronunciation Guide

• Break down scientific and technical terms that
  are difficult to read.
• Extraterritoriality (ex-tra-ter-ri-to-ria-li-ty)
  
• Deoxyribonucleic acid (deo-xy-ri-bo-nuc-lic
  acid)

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Cebuano Journalism

• Sentence Structure
• S V O
• I am going to the Carbon Market.
• Ako moadto sa Carbon Market.
• V S O
• Moadto ko sa Carbon Market

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News Process

• News Gathering
• News Writing
• News Presentation/Reporting
• Live Reports
• Scripts, Outline, Raw Notes
• Live interviews (Expert, M-O-T-S)
• Canned Reports
• Pre-recorded in tape or CD/USB stick
• Newscasting
• Anchors read scripts most of the time
• Ad libs are not permitted unless there are
  technical problems.