In television, writing requires a different set of skills than writing for print. Clear and concise writing is important because a TV viewer can't go back and re-read a sentence. As a producer, I always read stories out loud when copy editing stories in the rundown and encourage the Multimedia Journalists to try reading aloud as well – it helps to find out what sentences would make the anchor run out of breath and what needs to be shortened. In addition, I condensed my 4 major tips when writing for broadcast.
Write in your own voice – Everything in the broadcast sounds better when it is written conversationally. Keep the sentences short and the words simple just as you would tell a story to a friend.
Tell stories – We are writing stories here! A good newscast fills its viewers in on what's happening that day, but just like any story it should have a beginning, middle and an ending. It is easy to want to put the most newsworthy and exciting information at the top but it is also important to tell stories in a logical order.
Write to video – It is easiest to engage viewers when video and writing are synced. It can be very hard to focus when they aren't. We have the luxury of adding video to our voices to paint a picture of a certain event and should use it the best we can!
Keep it simple – Be clear and concise. Don't try to add too many details because that can lead to confusion or losing focus from the main idea. Simple words that are easy to pronounce are key.
I think these are a good start. I'll write you all again next week!
Annenberg Media