A news bulletin is a selection of stories which are broadcast at regular intervals. It is usually five or 15 minutes long, and consists of one or more actuality grabs (stories recorded directly from the source) and some supplementary news items. A good news bulletin should have three considerations – balance, pace and order.
It is usual to start a bulletin by headlining the major stories. This makes sure that listeners who tune in just for the bulletin catch the most important news. It also helps establish your credibility as a reliable news provider.
Similarly, it is a good idea to include some light or funny stories at the end of your bulletin. These stories, known as tail-enders, add variety to a heavy bulletin and help maintain the attention of your audience. They should not tell the whole story, but be light in tone and often feature a play on words.
Actuality grabs must be short, clear and well-edited – a minute-long grab with a dull voice will make your bulletin slow down or force listeners to switch off. Grabs in languages other than your own must be overdubbed – the original voice is faded down until it is almost inaudible, and then the translator’s voice is played over it.
Always take more copy into the studio than you need, in case of errors or unexpected events. And keep glancing at the studio clock, as the time for your bulletin may change at short notice.