por For write a radio scriptyou must take into account the topic of your show, the target audience, the presenter or presenters, the guests and the time you have available on the air.
Generally, a program is structured in the introduction/welcome, development and end/farewell. The introduction usually begins with the music of the program and commenting on what will be discussed. Some presenters include a personal reflection or make references to past shows.
The development is made up of the different sections of the program. For example, the gathering, interviews, questions and answers from the listeners, biographies… The end or farewell is usually to thank the listeners for staying until the end and remember how much the next program is.
What should be taken into account when writing a script?
The radio script is the script that indicates the verbal and non-verbal action that the presenter and his collaborators will show in a radio program. It is used to have everything planned, avoid the unexpected, schedule announcements and end the program.
Writing a radio script is different from other types of writing, since it is radio content and not visual.
The listeners have to be able to understand the transmitted message in one go, because in traditional radio it is not possible to turn the sound back.
A script should grab the listener’s attention and hold it for as long as possible. Writing original stories is also different from writing news, as they allow the author to express himself in a more personal and creative way.
The script will depend on the purpose of the program. Regardless of the features, there are some rules to consider.
Important points for the creation of radio scripts
– The script organizes the information collected to carry out the radio program.
– It is the frame of reference to tell the story, news or events of the program.
– Helps the audience to process information in a clearer and more understandable way.
– It must be written in short and simple sentences, with everyday language. It should not contain distracting concepts.
– A script should sound natural when read aloud. It is a mistake to write too formally.
– When writing a radio script, try to keep it as simple as possible. Do not add unnecessary words or phrases that do not add anything to what you want to say. Also, with simple grammatical structures, the radio host will sound natural.
– It must be taken into account that the listeners are not seeing anything, so it should be Describe what is necessary to understand what happens in the program.
script for a story
The process for creating a radio broadcast story is quite complex. Once the investigation and recording have been completed, the audio recording is then proceeded.
Transcription
This means that all recordings must be listened to and transcribed. These notes must be accompanied by the name of the character who is saying them and the time each one takes.
In this process, the portions that do not want to be used for one reason or another (editing) must also be discarded.
Selection of cuts
When the registration has been made, you begin to select the tracks that you want to be used. These are known as cuts or extracts, they should not exceed 30 seconds.
Radio time is very short and listeners have short attention spans, making long tracks tedious.
The clues should not just reflect what the characters say, but the way they say it. These must fit together to develop the story and make it more attractive.
Writing and development of the script
As you begin writing the script, you should also become clearer about how the story will sound when it’s finished.
Any additional clips and setting to accompany the main story should also be selected at this stage.
The script is built based on the order in which the clues are expected to be used in order to write on them.
The most usual way to start is with an anchor introduction, or the phrases that the announcer will use to introduce the created story.
This has the function of quickly putting in context without necessarily having to reveal much. You should also be able to introduce the producer or editor in charge of the production.
As the narrative unfolds it is important that it have a beginning, a middle, and an end. There are various ways to keep a listener’s interest alive, such as changing the scene, asking a question, strange sounds or the arrival of a new character.
The ending must also be carefully planned, as it cannot be about a selected track or sound.
The presenter or the editor is the one who must contribute the last sentences.
musical show script
A radio music script should have far fewer premeditated passages and should focus more on notes and dots that can guide the presenter through it.
Music shows on the radio are created to convey the feeling of improvisation, unlike news or dramas, so the notes should allow for a more informal tone and more fluid conversations.
script for news
Radio journalists must be able to select the best and most reliable audio tracks in order to write clear and informative scripts that introduce the collected material.
Here are some tips on how to write a radio news script:
– The script should be kept simple and with short sentences. The use of technical terms or complex phrases that may confuse or distract should be avoided.
– It is an introductory solution to the audio tracks that have been included. This must tell the listener what he is about to hear without repeating the words he will hear next.
– You must stick to the facts, without including personal comments or descriptive words. The emotions of the journalist should not appear.
– The function of the script in its entirety is to weave together all the stories announced during the show without suggesting that any one is more important than another. That’s for the listener to decide.
– Any data mentioned throughout the script must be verified previously with other sources. If it is an interview, the data provided by the interviewee should also be reviewed so that there are no inconsistencies.
References
Macdam, Alison. NPR Training. What does a radio script look like? Retrieved from training.npr.org.
Gilson, Dave. The Media Education Center. Writing a Radio Script. Retrieved from wiki.williams.edu.