Writing for the Ear: Principles of Broadcast News Writing

Welcome to the world of writing content that is short, sweet, and to the point, without omitting pertinent information. Welcome to the world of Broadcast News Writing!

The Difference in Broadcast and Print Writing

Newspaper and magazine journalists across the United States traditionally use AP, or Associated Press, a style in which many college journalism students are trained. However, when it comes to broadcasting, there is not a universal style of writing. Many radio and television stations use their own style.

Most broadcasting stations focus on the basics of journalism: The Five W’s (who, what, where, when and why), accuracy in writing and reporting, grammatically correct writing, attribution of sources, etc. Yet, many stations do not mirror one another in their approaches to the written word.

Learning Outcomes from this Textbook

Writing for the Ear: Essentials of Broadcast News Writing, serves as a guide for to crafting creative writing styles that aid students in their future careers as broadcast journalists. Students will learn key broadcast news terms, such as voicer and wrap, the difference between a package and a VOSOT, and much more!

Upon completion of Writing for the Ear and regularly utilizing its writing approach, students will be poised to take the leap from the classroom to the professional media world. On top of that, students will be able to confidently and successfully write for the ear!