Working for WKNO/Channel 10 was an amazing experience. I learned new things, and it opened my eyes to a side of journalism/communication that I had not experienced before. One of the things I learned how to do was to write for broadcast. Specifically, I learned how to write radio copies. A radio copy is a commercial that is broadcasted over the radio. It has to be written in the exact words the radio personality will speak on air. Although it seems like it would be an easy task, it can be complicated.
At first, I thought I would quickly get the hang of it since I am a journalism student and a natural writer. I realized that broadcast writing is tedious, and it has its own style. The first problem I encountered was brevity. Since air time is paid and limited, it is apparent that you are brief and to the point. The challenging part comes along when you incorporate brevity with personality. A radio copy must be inviting. It has to interest the listener and almost persuade him/her to be a part of whatever it is that’s being broadcasted.
The next problem I encountered was phrasing. I learned that words can be interpreted differently when they are read out loud versus when they are read silently. Therefore, it is important to write like it is being spoken aloud because eventually it will be. It took some time, but I eventually got the hang of it. I don’t think I want to write for broadcast for a living, but it is a good skill to have.
Follow me on Twitter @msbrandnewlocs
At first, I thought I would quickly get the hang of it since I am a journalism student and a natural writer. I realized that broadcast writing is tedious, and it has its own style. The first problem I encountered was brevity. Since air time is paid and limited, it is apparent that you are brief and to the point. The challenging part comes along when you incorporate brevity with personality. A radio copy must be inviting. It has to interest the listener and almost persuade him/her to be a part of whatever it is that’s being broadcasted.
The next problem I encountered was phrasing. I learned that words can be interpreted differently when they are read out loud versus when they are read silently. Therefore, it is important to write like it is being spoken aloud because eventually it will be. It took some time, but I eventually got the hang of it. I don’t think I want to write for broadcast for a living, but it is a good skill to have.
Follow me on Twitter @msbrandnewlocs