Rules for Writing Radio

Rule 1: Write as if you're talking to a friend – use contractions, (e.g. don't, can't, shouldn't).

Rule 2: Follow and include the 6W’S:

Who – is involved?

What – has happened/is happening?

Where – did it happen/is it happening?

When – did it happen/is it happening?

Why – has it happened/is it happening?

(How) – has it happening/is it happening?

Rule 3: KISS – Keep It Simple, Stupid!

Simple sentences- one idea, one sentence.

Avoid using commas!

Rule 4: Sentences:

Two or three sentences for a cue;

Four for a copy story.

Rule 5: Write numbers as words, e.g, 2010 becomes ‘two thousand and ten’ or ‘twenty ten’.

This makes it clearer for the news reader to read.

Rule 6: Joe Bloggs, 17, from Newport.

This doesn't make sense when you read it aloud so it is changed to:

Seventeen-year-old Joe Bloggs from Newport...

or:

Joe Bloggs - who's seventeen and from Newport…

Rule 7: When writing a cue, make sure you don’t repeat what is said in the clip! Paraphrase the first line of audio or sum up what is going to be said.

Rule 8: Write names of people or places phonetically (if they aren’t said how they are spelt).

E.g, Sarah Leahy (PRON Sare-rah Lee-hee).

Rule 9:  Round up statistics and put them in context. E.g.260,000 hectares = the size of three football pitches.

It is easier to understand and paints a picture in the mind of the audience.

Rule 10: Don't use ‘today’ in your top line of the story!

The audience should assume events are taking place ‘today’ – otherwise, why are you telling them about it today?!

You can use ‘this morning’ or ‘this afternoon’ though to be more specific if necessary.

Rule 11: Don’t use quotations from people in the newsreader’s script.

The only ‘quotes’ we should hear are from the person themselves.

An exception to this might be using one or two words in the top line of a cue – if we’re then going to hear from that person themselves as a clip.

Rule 12: Avoid abbreviations unless they’re very common/well-known.

E.g. NATO or the UN would be fine as they are commonplace.

Rule 13: READ IT ALOUD to ensure it reads correctly! Sometimes words look fine written down but read aloud, they don’t make sense or might be an awkward tongue twister or an unintentional rhyme!

In order to practice these rules, I looked at a recent article in my local newspaper, the County Press and re-wrote the story into a radio script, utlising the rules and skills I've learnt:

Here is my Copy Story Script:

• Ventnor Winter Gardens has offered its venue free of charge to Isle of Arts festival organisers. It’s an attempt to rescue the popular island arts based festival which has been losing money since its launch in twenty-ten. The proposal from the Winter Gardens is worth around five-thousand pounds and it’s hoped it will encourage other sponsors to come forward to support the festival.

Here is my Cue and Voicer Script:

• Cue: Ventnor Winter Gardens has offered its venue free of charge to Isle of Arts festival organisers. It’s an attempt to rescue the popular island arts based festival which has been losing money since its launch in 2010. Joint Organiser of the festival Janneke Oxley (Pro: JAN-ECK-A) is grateful for the donation but is unsure if it is enough to rescue the festival for 2016,
  
  
  Clip: ‘By itself, it will not be enough to cover reduced sponsorship elsewhere and the fact we have sod our hotel which we used to accommodate performers. We would also need to have started booking acts two months ago for next May.’