A news bulletin is the regular summary of stories on important current events which radio listeners need to keep up with. It is usually read by a voice and accompanied by a special opening theme and, sometimes, short music inserts, called stabs or stings.
It is essential that the bulletin is well prepared, so that listeners can follow and understand it. The most important stories should be placed at the beginning. This will guarantee that anyone tuning in for the bulletin at any point will catch the most significant stories first. It is also usual to use closing headlines, highlighting the major stories of the bulletin. These will be of particular interest to listeners who have tuned in late or missed the start of the bulletin.
The number of stories and their length will depend on the length of the bulletin. It is possible to run up to 20 stories and several grabs (short segments of actuality) in a 15 minute bulletin. However, a longer bulletin must not be padded with unnecessary stories. Listeners will soon get bored if they have to listen to the same stories repeated in the same order.
It is also important to remember that the bulletin is being broadcast to a live audience. The information must be presented clearly and at a speed that the listener can understand. The audience will be busy doing other things and must not feel they are being spoken to in a monotone or as though their intelligence is being insulted by over-sensationalised news.
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