How to Write Your Broadcast News Story

1.  Learn about the process of creating a news script from cybercollege. This page includes the terminology you need to understand and use in your script.

2. Do your research and conduct your interviews (off camera, for background).3. Make sure you thoroughly understand what you are writing about. Before you write, determine:

• What is important
• What is essential
• What is necessary for your story to make it understandable
• What can make it interesting
• What you can leave out

4. Follow this link for Mervin Block's excellent advice for high quality broadcast writing. 5. Write your story

• Start with your  broadcast lead.
• Use the concept of dramatic unity

6. Create the script

• Use the tv news script format.
• See this example script from cybercollege television production module. Notice that one side covers the production work like camera operation and added footage, while the other side is the script of what the person in front of the camera reads.
• Divide your page into two columns.

7. Find or create the visuals that go along with your story

• Film "on location"
• Use "file footage" (Make sure you obtain the proper permission!)
• Do on-camera interviews
• create graphics

8. What not to do

• Advice from Mervin Block: Dozen Deadly Sins of broadcast newswriting.