ABUYOG COMMUNITY COLLEGE

College of Arts, Sciences and Education

Language and Literature Unit

LEARNING PACKET IN EL 106

(Campus Journalism)

Scriptwriting and Radio Broadcasting

Time Frame: 4 hours for 1 week

I. Objectives:
1. Understand the purpose and significance of a script in visual storytelling mediums
such as film, television, and theater.
2. Identify and describe the essential elements of a script, including character
development, plot structure, action, dialogue, and scene descriptions.
3. Demonstrate proficiency in formatting a script using industry-standard conventions
and terminology.
4. Identify key roles and responsibilities in a radio broadcasting team and understand
how they collaborate to create successful radio programs.
5. Apply knowledge of radio broadcasting principles to create a short radio segment,
demonstrating effective voicing techniques and the use of sound effects.

II. Contents and Materials

A. Topic: Evaluating Your School Paper
EL 106 Unit XX: Scriptwriting and Radio Broadcasting

References: Cruz, C. Campus Journalism and School Paper Advising. 856 Nicanor Reyes, Sr. St.
REX Book Store. www.rexpublishing.com.ph

B. Materials; PowerPoint presentation, pictures, and learning packet

III. Procedure

A. Pre-Test
1. What is the purpose of a script in the context of film, television, or theater?
2. What are the essential elements that make up a script? Briefly explain each.
3. Name three common script formats used in the industry.
4. What does "slugline" refer to in a screenplay?
5. Define the term "dialogue" and explain its importance in a script.
6. What is the main difference between radio broadcasting and other forms of broadcasting, such as television?
7. Briefly describe the process of "voicing" a script in radio broadcasting.
8. What are "sound effects" (SFX) and why are they crucial in radio production?
9. Name three common roles/jobs in a radio broadcasting team and briefly describe their responsibilities.
10. What is the "golden rule" when it comes to writing for radio?

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B. Presentation

SCRIPTWRITING
Script in mass communication, script is a prepared copy for radio, television, and theatrical and video
performance.
Basic Steps in Scriptwriting
1. All copy is typed or computerized and printed. Keep copy neat without strikeover or deletions. Minor
corrections may be added in pencil if necessary. But bear in mind that penciled changes will lead to misread
copy.
2. Use standard 8 1/, by 11 inch paper. Use paper that doesn't rattle when news is read in front of live
microphone.
3. Use only one side of the paper.
4. Most scripts will require multiple copies. Make sure sufficient copies are available for all who will need
one.
5. There are no universally accepted standards for the headings to be placed on. Among the materials that
appear in the heading are series title, program title, number of the program series, writer's, director's and
producer's names, length of program, date and time of broadcast, cast list, music list. This material may be at
the top of the first page of the script. If a separate title page is used, only a brief identifying title head
appears in subsequent pages.

Radio Scriptwriting
Radio Scripts are primarily for the ears, as newspapers are for the eyes. In newspapers, the reader can scan
the whole sentence at a glance. A radio listener can take only one word after the other. Unlike in the
newspaper, he cannot go back to recheck the facts. To get the complete idea of what he has heard, a radio
listener has to wait until the end of the sentence.

Guidelines in Writing Radio Script for Newscasting

1. Like in straight news writing, write to express not to impress. Use only the spoken words of everyday
speech which Mr. Average Listener can understand.
2. Address the entire script to a wide variety of audience. Bear in mind that your listeners are composed of
scattered and het- erogeneous group. Your appeal therefore should be broad in scope.
3. Use traditional devices such as however, meanwhile, on the other hand, and the like in sequencing your
report.

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4. Write clearly using the one idea, one paragraph style. Stress all important points in every paragraph.
5. Make your sentences clear and reasonably short, but avoid choppy sentences. The average sentence length
just like in writing a straight news report is from 15 to 25 words. Paragraphs should also be comparatively
short.
6. Plan the script to fill the allotted time.
7. There is no prescribed rate for radio newscasting; however, 150 words per minute is all right.
8. Avoid slang, technical terms and vulgar expressions.
9. Organize your script in an a-b-c logical order.
10. Observe the essential elements of unity, coherence, emphasis, clarity and brevity.

Principles in Writing Radio Scripts

1. Radio script is intended to be spoken. A radio program is not a creative literary piece. It is ORAL. The
broadcast style should be natural, not affected.
e.g., Avoid: His elucidation is beyond comprehension.
Say: His explanation is not clear.
Contractions which are usually used in conversation like It's, aren't, they're, won't and he's can be used in
broadcasting. However, avoid contractions if you want to emphasize the point. e.g.,
Weak: The principal said that vandalism won't be tolerated on campus.
Strong: The principal said that vandalism will not be
tolerated on campus.
2. Timeliness or immediacy is one important element of news. Newscasting is NOW news. It is reported
right away; therefore it should be in present or present progressive tense.
e.g.,
The School Superintendent this morning issued a memorandum banning the wearing of earrings by all male
students and teachers.
Or
The DepEd Secretary says that the recently held National Schools Press Conference was successful.
3. Newscasting is an interpersonal affair between the newscaster and the audience. In news programs the
style may be a little formal but not as rigid as in the newspaper. Avoid oratory. The script is for informal
conversation talk.

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Avoid: The Department of Education in coordination with other offices under its wings has started
streamlining its regulatory powers over preschools.
Say: The DepEd today has now made it easier for the Basic Education Department to regulate its powers
over pre-schools.
4. Radio news is heard just once. Once heard it's gone and the listener has no means of referring back. To
save the listener therefore from the trouble of interpreting what he has heard, use simple, declarative
sentences. Refrain from cramming all your facts in one sentence. If possible split long sentences into two or
three short sentences.
5. Radio news is primarily sound. Link the news writer and the listener. Use concrete, not abstract words. Be
precise.
Avoid: A vehicle met an accident in the highway.
Say:A passenger jeep with Plate Number XL 404 collided with a dump truck on Mc Arthur Highway when
the driver tried to avoid running over a cow that suddenly crossed the street.
General Guidelines in Preparing a Radio
1. It must be typewritten in double or triple space on one side of the paper only.
2. Every sentence should be a paragraph in itself.
3. Words should not be split at the end of the line.
Other Features of a News Copy for Radio
1. Date - When the report was written usually placed at the right hand corner of the copy.
2. Slug line - Sometimes called catch line. This is a one or two- word topic. Do not use generic or abstract
words.
Do not say convention say, National School Press Conference. Instead of accident write for example plane
crash.
3. Time-Write the time when the news should be announced. This is placed after the slug line.
Example of a News Copy for Radio:
8-6-2008 DepEd War
vs. Corruption
7:00 p.m.
DepED Secretary Jesli Lapus said that the Department will pursue its two major projects as provided for
DepEd Order 51 2008.

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These are the Third Elementary Project and the Second Secondary Education Development Project.
This is to pursue the Department program for quality basic education, President Gloria M. Arroyo said in a
statement.
The two projects will focus on selected urban slums on 19 priority provinces to be identified under the
Social Reform Agenda, and on six addition provinces of the Presidential Commission to fight Poverty.
Initially the Elementary Education Development Project and the Secondary Education Development Projects
will be tried in the Cordillera Administrative Regions.
Garcia DepED/Cruz 5507804

Copy With an Audio Insert

Some newscasts contain taped interviews or taped reports assigned to regular beats. These make the
newscast more credible and timelier.

8-6-2008 DepEd War

vs.
Corruption 7:00 P.M.
DepED Secretary Jesli Lapus has vowed to rid the Education Department of graft and corruption. She made
the statement in reaction to a news release which placed DepEd as one of the four government agencies that
is graft-ridden. His statement:
Cue in:
"I admit the presence of unscrupulous persons in the Department who want to enrich themselves through
dishonesty...
Cue out:
"... I have already established measures to curb it."
Duration: 1 minute
At the senate the Chairman of Education called the press release unfortunate. One Senate Reporter, Jun
Bautista has made this report:

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Cue in:
-Senator Kiko Pangilinan...
Cue out:
"and those found guilty will be dealt with accordingly.
Duration: 45 second
Baun DepEd Cruz 50-78-24
Television Scriptwriting

 Writing for television is far more complicated than writing for radio. The TV script contains the
complete message written down in a narrative manuscript that has to be read and followed strictly
especially in studio broadcast. TV script are written by men and women in the radio and television
stations, who are trained especially for the script writing chores.
 Although TV script writing is not strictly required of a broadcaster, you may want to write your own
as your broadcast job catches on.

Things to Remember in TV Script Writing

1. Address the entire script to a wide variety of audience. Your viewers are composed of a heterogenous
group.
2. Win your viewer's interest right away with attention-getting lead paragraph.
3. Write simply, expressing your ideas in direct, concrete, brief and clear manner, putting a little element of
suspense where needed.
4. Make all main points stand out.
5. Choose sequence signals properly and use transitions effectively. 6. Develop the script into an informal
conversational style as if addressing a small group rather than a large audience.
7. Make your sentences clear and reasonably short. However, avoid choppy sentences.
8. Plan the script to fit the time limit.
9. Limit consonants with hissing sounds such as (s) and (z) which are magnified in the microphone.
10. Avoid technical expressions as much as possible. To avoid confusion, arrange your script into an orderly
a-b-c logical method.

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Tips on Writing TV News Copy

1. Type into the video column each scene in the videotape and its running time into the video column on the
same line of the text where it occurs (on the screen) and matches the narration.
2. Do not overwrite the text. When read, the maximum is three words second. The adjustment is downward
as the situation dictates.

3. Sentences should be short. But you may vary the length for easy listening.
4. Do not state what is understood. Tell the viewers what the video materials means, not what it shows.
5. The text should complement the video (TV image), but it also should be capable of standing by itself.
6. If the video (image) is very clear and well-understood, refrain from over explanation.
7. The style of writing is conversational. So is the talking.
8. Give the viewer time to watch and listen.
9. Type the script on a standard bond paper, double spaced for microphone reading.
easy
10. Mark portions that can be cut (bracket the sentences or paragraphs) in the event you run out of time.
11. At the end of the script, include materials that can be added or cut as the actual speaking time allows.

Voice Over Narration

A Voice-Over (VO) is a narration that will accompany the visuals. This underlying principle in this kind of
writing is that the words and the picture must work together to tell the story. Here you also need an element
of precision. The running time of the picture story will limit the number of words that can be fitted into that
time.

Drafting the TV Script

If you were to draft the TV script yourself, here are some useful pointers to consider:
1. Observe unity, coherence, and emphasis in the whole script.
2. Read a finished paragraph aloud several times and rewrite those sentences that sound out of tune. Keep
improving until the entire piece sounds spontaneous and natural.
3. Type the script on standard sized bond paper. Double spaced for easy microphone reading.
4. Mark portions that can be cut (bracket the sentences or paragraphs) in the event you run out of time.

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5. At the end of your script, include materials that can be added or cut as the actual speaking time allows.

Television Split Page Layout

 Two different page layouts are used in television. One evolved from the radio which has a split-page
arrangement. The other form comes from the motion picture industry.
 The split-page form allows the production crew and performers to deal simultaneously with both
visual and sound. The video column is used primarily by the director for camera cues and
instructions to the technical cue. VIDEO is usually placed on the left side of the page.

Guidelines for Split Page TV Layout

1. Divide your script into two parts: AUDIO and VIDEO. Instructions for those that are heard go under
AUDIO; those that are seen, under VIDEO. However, stage directions to performers are placed on the
AUDIO side because the performers seldom pay attention to the VIDEO instructions and concentrated on
the side of the page that contains their lines.
2. The basic layout is double-spaced. The audio copy is therefore double-spaced, too. However, VIDEO
instructions are single- spaced if the lines form part of the same instruction. See to it that the audio are kept
parallel; that is, the video instruction should come to the same points on the page as the audio they
accompany. Spread out the copy whenever it seems to be cluttered. Don't economize on the use of paper.
3. As in radio copy, anything that is spoken should be in cap and lower case (clc) Anything that is not to be
spoken should be written in ALL CAPITAL LETTERS (all caps), such as music cues, stage directions, and
stylistic instructions.
4. Directions to actor or narrators within a speech should be placed at the point where they apply. Enclose in
parentheses the direction and type in ALL CAPS.
5. These are the stage business, instruction on how a line is to be delivered, the desired mood, and the like.
6. Indicate in parentheses also if the lines are to be delivered as a voice over - that is, when the announcer or
actor will not be seen speaking the lines, but will be voicing the copy over visual material.
7. On the VIDEO side, use ALL CAPS for all the directions, except for title and other graphics when they
are to be shown on the screen. Not all stations follow this guidelines. Some use normal copy style in the
VIDEO column.

Television News Copy Layout

In preparing TV news copy, use the basic split-page form. Then follow the guidelines as follows:
1. The slug line is similar to that used for radio:

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a. A one or two word identifier of the story

b. Date and possibly time
c. Writer's name; page number if the story exceeds a single page; and possibly the length of the
story
2. The AUDIO column will contain the copy to be read by the authors or other reporters on the set. The
narrow column is set up that way for easy reading or prompting. Each anchor's lines are identified. The cut-
off is marked.
3. The VIDEO column contains a wide range of instructions to the crew depending on the types of inserts
that may be used in the story.
4. It is important to indicate exactly when any changes take place in the sources of both audio and video
material and where these sources are - studio, remote live location, or wherever.

Script Format and Content

 A script consists basically of two sections: The VIDEO (image) and the AUDIO (talk) components.
The usual format is to break up the page into two sections - the AUDIO at the left column and the
VIDEO at the right column.
 The AUDIO column includes narration and dialog, the description and directions for the sound
effects and music.
 The VIDEO contains description of scenes, shots and angles. It will also contain directing cues for
transitions, camera moves, lighting cues, graphics and all essential visual information that will be
needed to carry out the video portion of the program.
The Audio (Talk) Column

 The words of the narrator is typed in cap and lower case for easy reading. Character's names are in
capital letters.
 The dialog is separated by typing it in a block format following each character's name.
 Sound effects and directions for music are capitalized. Everything including dialog is double-spaced.
 If the scene continues to the next page, type the word CONTINUE in capital letters at the lower right
hand corner of the page and as the first item on top of the next page.
 When you reach the end of the script, type THE END in capital letters
at the bottom of the page.

The Video (Image) Column

 Use sketches to show a scene or type the scene description in lower case. All camera directions are
typed in capital.
 When a type of scene transition is suggested, capitalize instruction
 and isolate between the two scenes by double spacing.
 The length of the scripts varies depending on the purpose of the video program or on the duration of
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time that the program will be shown. A 10-minute program would take about 12-15 pages.

Examples:
Audio Video
SFX: Background SFX MEDIUM SHOT of
of nature Rice terraces majestically towering towards the blue
the blue sky.
Narr: Welcome to Mountain
Province, the world
of beauty, where the
majestic Ifugao rice
Terraces proudly stands.
WARREN: isn’t this a CLOSE UP OF Warren admiring the view
lovely picturesque sight?

Example of tv script layout

Audio (TALK) VIDEO (Image)

What is heard What is seen

1. Slugline 1. The wide range of instruction for the

a) One or two word depending on the crew identifier of the story.
type of insert that may be used in 2. Description of scene, shots, and angles.
the story. 3. Direction for the number. If story
b) Date (and possibly time) exceeds transitions, camera moves,
c) Writers name, page a single page, lighting cues, graphics, and all essential
possibly length of the story. visual information needed to carry out
2. The copy to be read- this includes the video portion
dialog. 4. Scene in the VIDEO tape and the
3. The description and direction for the running time.
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sound effects and music

How they appear

- Words of narrator - Use sketches to show should be in Cap and

Lower case(Clc) a scene or type the scene description in Cap
and Lower Case
- Characters’ name should be in all capital
(Clc)
letters
(ALL CAPS) - All camera description should be in all caps.
- Dialog should be typed in block format
following each character’s name.
- Sound effects and direction for music
should be capitalized.
- If scene continues to page, type word
CONTINUE in capital letters at the lower
right corner of the page.
- Type END in capital letters at the bottom of
the page.

Scriptwriting for video

Earlier, we learned that a script consists basically of two sections: the video (that which is seen) and
the audio (that which is heard) components.

The usual format is to break up the page into two sections. Label the left-hand column as audio and
the right column as video.

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The video part contains description of scenes, shots, and angles. It will also contain directing cues for
transition, camera moves, lighting cues, graphics and all essential visual information that will be needed to
carry out the video portion of the program.

The audio column

The words of the narrator is typed in upper and lower case to make it easier to read.

Characters name are in capital letters. The dialog is separated by typing it in a block format
following each character’s name.

Sound effects (SFX) and the directions for music are capitalized.

Everything including dialog is double-speed.

Audio

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audio video
SFX: Background of SFX
Of roaring waterfall

Narr. Welcome to the world of beauty, of sparkling

cascading water falling to the river below, and evergreen
trees and flowering plants.

FADE IN of soft music MEDIUM SHOT of waterfall

showing falling water to the
river below and evergreen
trees and flowering plants
CUT TO
WARREN: Isn’t this a beautiful sight?...
CLOSE-UP of warren
admiring the scenery.

IV: Assignment

Objective: To develop scriptwriting skills and explore the elements of storytelling and dialogue.

1. Choose a genre: Select a genre that interests you, such as comedy, drama, romance, or thriller.
2. Develop a concept: Brainstorm and create a concept for a short scene or skit within your chosen
genre. Consider an engaging setting, interesting characters, and a conflict or objective.
3. Write the script: Develop a script for your chosen scene, focusing on the following elements:
Proper formatting: Ensure your script follows standard script formatting guidelines.
4. Dialogue: Craft realistic and engaging dialogue that reveals character traits and advances the story.
Action and description: Include descriptive details that set the scene and convey the characters'
actions and reactions.

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