Codes and Conventions for

Radio News Part 1

Contents:
Forms

1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
7.
8.

Bulletin
Headline
News program
Copy only with audio clips
Voicers
Wraps
Live cross
Two way (live and as live)

Styles
9. Related to audience
10.
11.
12.
13.
14.
15.
16.
17.
18.

Public service
Commercial
Community
Small-scale
Local
Regional
National
Internet
Satellite and cable

Forms
Bulletin
A bulletin basically rounds up the main news stories that will be discussed
later on. They dont tend to go too in-depth as its just a short summary.
Bulletins report only the most important information. Bulletins are used to
give a round-up of a news story without going into too much detail so
people can get an overall understanding of what is happening.
For example, in The Sky News radio news bulletin, the presenter talks
about football and about two men were to appear in court after being
charged for the murder of a man. As you can read this is serious but the
presenter isnt giving too much information away as to the whole story.
http://www.ldoceonline.com/Television+and+Radico-topic/news-bulletin
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zF2EhYLuz8g

Headline
A headline is the title of what will be talked about/ mentioned. A headline
is a short description of the upcoming news stories on the show. Headlines
are often important. Headlines give listeners a view of a topic so they
know what to expect during the news show.
For example, in the example below we know that it is a headline because
the presenter introducers it as a headline. Also, because he mentions
several stories but doesnt go into detail, just rounds it up.
http://www.thefreedictionary.com/headline
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=29DoPIPjXPo

News Program
A news program is a regular scheduled radio program that reports current
events. The news is usually reported in a series of individual stories that
are presented by one or more presenters. A news program can include live
or recorded interviews by field reporters, expert opinions, opinion poll
results, and occasional editorial content. News programs are used to give
listeners more information and opinions on different news stories. They go

into more detail and help give listeners a better understanding of what
has happened.

Example from BBC Radio 4

Copy only
This is when the newsreader is reading a news story with
no audio attached so it will be just them speaking throughout that story.
Copy only is usually used when the story isnt very important, so there
isnt really any need for interviews because the story is able to be covered
by just one person, or this may happen if the story has only just come in,
so there may not have been enough time to interview other people or sort
out another way to cover the story.
For example, from 4.59 to 5.11 is just the main reporter talking about the
UKs economy with no interruption from audio clips and interviews. This is
a copy only as there is no attached audio and is just him talking.
http://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/b05qdx98#auto
http://clairenewstyle.blogspot.co.uk/2012/01/copy-only.html

With audio clips

Radio news audio clip is pre-recorded clips of interviews and images. This
means that what is being heard is not live, which may also be to show
more of the story and give out more information, even if it is not up-todate.
For example, in a BBC Radio 5 live news report, from 16secs to 32
seconds, is a presenter talking about the top story- BBC Election debate.
It then cuts to an audio clip from that election. This is not live.
http://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/b05qdx98#auto

Voicers
Voicers are when the main reporter is talking about the main facts and
information about that particular news story, then cuts to a different news
reporter, who may be in a different location, to give more facts and
information. By using two different voices it keeps the listeners interested
and adds a break up from just the one voice, it also gives more facts and
information in two different ways.

For example, from 3 minutes in, the main reporter brings up a new story,
then cuts to another reporter who gives more acts and information about
the story of the 15 Muslims who throw a group Christians over board.
http://www.zeepedia.com/read.php?
radio_news_glossary_actuality_cut_voicer_wrap_hourly_lead_radio_news_r
eporting_and_production&b=80&c=26
http://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/b05qdx98#auto

Wraps
A wrap is where the main newsreader gives the main facts from the news
story and then it cuts to an audio clip of either a vox-pop or interview.
Once either of these have been shown, the newsreader will continue to
speak about the topic.
A wrap is done for large stories that contain a lot of facts and they are
trying to give more information.
For example, in a BBC Radio 5 live news report, from 16secs to 32
seconds, is a presenter talking about the top story- BBC Election debate.
It then cuts to an audio clip from that election. Once this audio clip has
finished, the presenter then carries on talking about that topic.
http://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/b05qdx98#auto
https://archive.org/details/RadioNewsWrap

Live Cross
Live cross is when the main news reporter on the show is introducing a
reporter who is live where the action is happening. This reporter will then
give information about what is happening, helping the listeners to
understand the situation more clearly.
A live cross is done to give immediate information about the story and it
makes the reporter look important as they are at the place giving the
news straight away live. This gives the audience up to date facts on the
current situation as its developing.
For example, in the BBC Radio 5 live news report, from 3.00 to 3.44, a
news reporter introduces another reporter who is on location and who
gives more information about the situation.
http://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/b05qdx98#auto
http://clairenewstyle.blogspot.co.uk

Two Way
Two way is when the reporter is having a conversation with the
correspondent. This allows the reporter to ask questions, with the
correspondent being able to then answer and give more vital information.
A two way proves that there is a reporter down at the scene where the
news is happening, giving more information and to also keep the listeners
engaged by mixing up the voices.
For example, from 10.17 there is an interview with a girl and a news
reporter who are talking about the girls story who had sex with
aggressive and threating men in order for her to get drugs and alcohol.
This is a two way as it is two people discussing the issue, in an interview
type way.
http://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/b05qdx7z
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Two-way_radio

Styles
Related to audience
These are radio news stations that use a specific language and talk about
certain topics which will relate to their audience.
For example:

The target audience for Newsbeats news report are mainly teenagers and
the older generation due to the nature of the news. The older generation
could be more interested in the overseas political issues, teenagers and
older generations probably know someone who is in the Forces or have
friends who have family in the Forces and also sport will have a number of
interested parties. Also younger people again, due to the chosen topic
and choice of wording.
Whereas 5 lives target audience is a mix of ages, young people to the
older generation, again due to its use of chosen words and topics.

Also, Newsbeat addresses their audience by very matter of fact using a

terminology not all ages can or will understand. But, 5 live address their
audience in more laymens terms, which can appeal to a wider
audience, as they can understand the written word more.
Both scripts differ as they are written differently. Five news was a bit more
in-depth. Newsbeat didnt tell the audience where the climbers came from
whereas five live gave more information on each story and told the
audience that the climbers are from Aberdeen, for example.

Public service
A public service radio is funded by the British public T.V license fees. The
public service news style will have to relate to a wider audience of
different audiences of different ages and interests. Because they are
funded by the public's T.V license they cannot be biased as people will
have different views and since they are the people who are paying for the
radio station to air, the news has to suit all and they will have to be
politically fair. The purpose of Public Service radio stations is to give
listeners news from different areas and to give a wide range of information
about different things.
An example of a public service radio station is BBC Radio One. The BBC
are funded by the British T.V license and have a large number of reporters
and journalists to gain more information about the news and to inform
more people in detail.
http://ask.ofcom.org.uk/help/television/what_is_psb
http://www.bbc.co.uk/radio1

Commercial
A commercial radio is funded by the commercials/advertisements that are
played throughout the show. As they are funded by
commercials/advertisements the affect on the news style will be that they
have to be unbiased, also making sure that they dont offend any of the
people who fund the radio station. Commercial shows will be set out more
like a bulletin where they will not have as many wraps or voicers.
Commercial radio is used to help advertise the adverts by reaching a
wider audience.
An example of a commercial radio station is XFM. While listening to this
radio station, you are able to notice a number of advertisements being
played throughout.
http://musicians.about.com/od/ah/g/Commercial-Radio.htm

http://www.xfm.co.uk/

Community
A community radio station is for a small community where they
will mainly talk about stories within that local community. This
type of station is funded by either the council or commercials.
Community radio stations will only cover the stories that are
within that community as they aren't as big, or well known, as
other radio stations are such as the BBC. The down side to being
a community radio station is that they may not get as many
interviews as a larger radio station and they wont have as many
professionally trained journalists. The purpose of community
radio stations is to give people in the local area news about what
is happening near and around them.
An example of a community radio station is BFBS Radio Station. BFBS
stands for British Forces Broadcasting Station which broadcasts news
about the British Forces in certain local areas.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Community_radio
http://www.bfbs.com/

Small-scale
A small scale radio station is a radio for places such as:

College
University
Hospital

They are generally funded by local advertisers, but can be funded by the
institution that has set the station up. As the station is for a specific region
and place, there will be specific news read out that is relevant to the
place. Also, there will not be many large news stories with interviews and
vox-pops; the studio will not have the same facilities that a large radio
station, like the BBC or Capital FM, will have meaning less voicers or
wraps. Small-scale radio stations exists to try and reach and connect with
a specific audience which will be able to relate to and understand what is
being said.
An example of a small-scale radio station is UWS Radio Station, which is a
university radio station that is only broadcasted throughout the university.
http://tunein.com/radio/UWS-Radio-877-s45491/

http://stakeholders.ofcom.org.uk/binaries/research/radioresearch/smallradio.pdf

Local
A local radio station is one that broadcasts only to the local area, and will
focus on the local news. This radio station will broadcast national and local
news but will have less interviews with people who are in the main stories
due to having less journalists within the station. Local radio stations are
used to help give people of the local area news from local to national,
without them having to listen to a more well-known radio station as they
dont get information about their local area while listening to that.
An example of a local radio station is Lincs FM which is a local station for
people in Lincolnshire, and features news stories revolving around
Lincolnshire, which is the local area.
http://www.lincsfm.co.uk/
http://www.collinsdictionary.com/dictionary/english/local-radio

Regional
A regional station is one that broadcasts in a larger area, including:

North West
Scotland
Yorkshire
North East
Wales

Regional radio stations will cover news from different areas within the
regions that were specified. Regional radio stations are used to try and
reach a larger audience from different areas of that region by giving them
news on the specific areas.
An example of a Regional radio station is Magic FM as they have specific
stations for the regions.
http://www.magic.co.uk/
https://uk.answers.yahoo.com/question/index?
qid=20131215083434AAPCNIV

National

A national radio station covers news from national to international news

stories. They dont cover just local news as it wont be relevant to all of
the listeners. National radio stations need to cover news that is relevant to
all the listeners. National radio stations are used to give people an insight
to what is happening in their country, but also other countries. They are
more informative as they give international news as well as national.
An example of a National radio station is Absolute radio as they cover
news from a national view.
http://clairenewstyle.blogspot.co.uk
http://absoluteradio.co.uk/

Internet, satellite and cable

These are radio stations that are played through an internet website,
satellite or cable T.V's. The news within this type of station covers prerecorded news stories from that day, which will be played at a specific
time, helping to keep listeners and stories relevant and up-to-date for that
day. These are used as they attract anyone with any interest. There are a
lot of these types of radio stations, and they also like to give their own
opinions on certain topics. Also, they work well if people want to listen to a
radio station but dont have a radio or are not in a car.
An example of an internet radio station is Radio Tunes. They play the
same news report that has been recorded and is played at specific times
in the day.
http://clairenewstyle.blogspot.co.uk
http://www.radiotunes.com/