RADIO JOURNALISM

MEGA USEFUL CHEAT SHEET

ONE SENTENCE PER PARAGRAPH

CONTRACTIONS

In most cases use the contraction, e.g shes instead of she is

Unless you are emphasising the is as opposed to is not

ACTIVE VOICE

Subject-verb-object
A journalist records the interview (rather than the interview was recorded by
)
Exceptions Court (Mrs Jones was robbed by a bag snatcher)
Exceptions when object more interesting (Queen Diana is being mourned by
admirers around the world)

USE PRESENT TENSE

Headlines simple present tense

Weatherill sets the date for the election

These first two are often used for events in progress

Weatherill sets the date for an election (simple present)
The Premier is setting the date for the election (present continuous)

This example describes a past event but in a more current manner

The Premier has set the date (present perfect)

says not said even if it was in the past

HOWEVER last week, the Premier SAID

KISS

Keep it short and simple

PRINT: The chief censor said that, whatever her own reservations about the
film, the public has a right to judge for itself.
RADIO: The chief censor says the public has a right to judge the film for
itself, despite her own reservations about the work
but however
Remove that: The Premier says that voting numbers were lower than usual
OTHER HINTS

Only start with peoples names if they are important

However, put attribution before a comment
Round off complicated numbers 15 876 = nearly sixteen thousand
Simplify complicated honorifics

Write exactly what you mean to say

Eg F111 = F-one-eleven; 0 = zero
$24.70 = twenty four dollars and seventy cents
$4 million = four million dollars
35% = thirty five per cent