A news bulletin is a summary of the latest stories on your radio or television station. It’s important to get the balance right, with a mix of headlines and actuality. The headlines should suggest the drama of the story without giving away all the details. It’s a good idea to include at least one dramatic story in your bulletin, and many stations like to put it at the end on the assumption that listeners will stay tuned in until they hear it. Short recorded sound called actuality (such as speech or interviews with people who have a direct connection to the story) can make a bulletin more interesting and credible. These clips are also known as grabs, and they help break up the monotony of long passages of reading by a single voice.
The length of the stories and their pace through the bulletin are also important. Too many long complicated stories will leave listeners breathless, while too much fast moving news could lose them interest altogether. It is helpful to rank your stories in order of importance and then look at them afresh to see if some need to be moved forward to create better pace.
If you are presenting the bulletin yourself, try to find a tone and style that pleases you and that your audience will enjoy listening to. A grating voice will quickly make listeners switch off. Announcing a story in an attractive way, perhaps with a bit of humor, can add to the audience’s enjoyment.