A news bulletin is a short piece of radio or television news that is broadcast at regular intervals. Its content is governed by the station’s news agenda, which determines which stories are reported and how they are presented. Each commercial or BBC radio station has its own news agenda, which reflects the interests and concerns of its target audience.
A key editorial rule is to make each story clear and concise. A story that contains long sentences or complex concepts is not a good idea for a bulletin, as it can confuse listeners. It is also important to write at the pace of a radio bulletin, which means keeping paragraphs short and using words that convey simple ideas.
The order of stories within a bulletin is important, because it affects the overall pace. A report of a fire, for example, will have a very rapid pace, while a story explaining some involved political controversy may take longer to tell and require words that express more complex ideas.
A special theme can be used to announce the bulletin or sometimes to separate different sections of it. These are often called stabs. They should not be repeated too frequently, as they may annoy listeners and reduce the amount of time available for real news.
A few short pieces of recorded sound can be used in a bulletin, such as an interview or a speech. These are called grabs. They should not be used to tell the whole story, but rather to indicate its background or context. They should be clearly identified, and the name of the person spoken should be given on first reference.