A news bulletin is the radio equivalent of a page in a newspaper and putting one together requires much skill. It is important to get the balance right and to vary the pace between stories. Too many long complicated stories can slow the bulletin down and listeners may lose interest.
The use of grabs of actuality can also add to the interest of a bulletin. These are short segments of recorded sound, usually taken from interviews or speeches. They can help to break up a section of reading by a single person and they also provide the audience with the chance to hear the voice of someone they recognise.
Inevitably there is never enough time on radio to include all the stories you would like to, but careful planning will enable you to give each story sufficient coverage. When deciding what stories to include, examine each in terms of its importance and the effect it will have on your audience.
The lead story should be the most important, followed by a selection of other important stories and a few light or funny ones (often called “tail-enders”). A good choice of tail-enders can make or break the success of a bulletin, since they often form the last impression that listeners will take away from the news. It is important that these stories are written in a way which will appeal to your audience, perhaps with a play on words or some other device.