A news bulletin is a short piece of audio broadcasting that is designed to stimulate listeners’ daily conversation and keep them informed. It should contain a mix of hard and soft news stories that are relevant to the audience’s needs.
A well constructed news bulletin should have a balanced structure with the right pace throughout the entire bulletin. Too many long complicated stories may slow the overall pace of the bulletin and cause listeners to lose interest. On the other hand, too many short sharp stories can make the bulletin feel choppy and confusing. It is important to find the balance and get the pace of the different stories in the bulletin correct, making it slower at times to allow listeners a chance to catch their breath and faster at other times to pick up any sagging interest.
The length of the bulletin is also an important factor to consider. Listeners are often multitasking and do not necessarily have the time to listen to an entire bulletin. A longer bulletin does not necessarily mean better, especially if much of the extra time is filler material. A good newsreader will ensure clarity of the stories by not rushing, by practicing difficult pronunciations, and by marking pauses in the script to maintain a steady pace.
The use of sound bites makes a bulletin more engaging and credible, as the audience can hear first-hand evidence. The newsreader should be sure to clearly identify the people involved in a story. This should be done by using a person’s full first name or both initials, and the newsreader should not jar listeners by abrupt switches of voice for different people.