Journalism 9

A principle represents what is desirable and good in a particular organization. It is more basic
than policies and objectives, and actually helps carry on both policy and objectives. 1
Principles serve as a guide in everything we say and do as a journalist. As journalists, we are
expected to always keep these principles in mind because these principles help determine the
‘rightness’ and ‘wrongness’ of our action.
Principles of Radio Broadcasting
Radio broadcasting is described as “hot” media. This is because it brings the news immediately,
right as it is happening.2 However, journalists must be careful no matter how urgent it is to air the news.
All news broadcasts must always be based on truth.
As stated in the preamble of the Broadcast Code of the Philippines (amended 2011):
a. Broadcasting in the Philippines should reflect the hopes and dreams of a freedom loving
people;
b. Broadcasting is a powerful medium in shaping our country’s cultural, social and economic
growth and development;
c. Broadcasting, because of its immediate and lasting impact on the public, demands of its
practitioners a high sense of responsibility, morality, fairness and honesty at all times.
d. Broadcasting has an obligation to uphold the properties and customs of civilized society,
maintain the respect of the rights and sensitivities of all people, preserve the honor and the
sanctity of the family and home, protect the sacredness of individual dignity, and promote
national unity.3
Below are the Principles of Radio Broadcasting. These broadcasting principles must serve as a
cornerstone that leads radio broadcasting to provide exclusive, topical news stories, content and
services in line with professional and ethical principles that is fair and only just the truth.
1. ACCURACY and TRUTHFULNESS
Accuracy and truthfulness are the foundation of journalism. This principle means that in radio
broadcast, one has to fact-check everything. A radio broadcaster must be inquisitive and sometimes
doubtful to ensure that what is presented on air is accurate and truthful.
A good radio station cannot afford to air incomplete or loosely verified information, not to mention
fake news. Reputation is of great importance for media institutions. A good reputation is not gained
overnight but can vanish in just a moment. It takes persistence through time thus, it must be
preserved at any cost because if it is difficult to gain, it is way harder to regain.
Being free from errors will ensure credibility and reliability. So, every bit of information must
be verified.
2. BALANCE
News shall be factual, balance and objective. It is important to ensure fairness in every
issue you present on air.
Having balance is trying to show all sides of the argument, especially when you are
dealing with a controversy, be it social, political or economical When presenting a news program,
editorials or commentaries must be identified as such and presented as distinct from news
reports.
3. CLARITY
Clarity means being specific, direct, and concise. In radio broadcast, one must remember
that it is essential to relay the information one ought to relay in the simplest manner possible.
Editors must make sure to write in simple, short sentences.
The use of everyday language is also encouraged so it can be easily understood by the
listeners and avoid confusion. For the purpose of clarity, writers and/or editors should remind
themselves that they write for the ears. They should refrain from writing with homophones

1
Business Dictionary, “What Are Principles? Definition and Meaning,” BusinessDictionary.com, 0AD,
http://www.businessdictionary.com/definition/principles.html.
2
Jacoby Barrera, Broadcasting Journalism (London, United Kingdom: ED-Tech PRESS, 2019), https://books.google.com.ph/books?
id=XePEDwAAQBAJ.\.
3
“Broadcast Code of the PhiliPPines 2007 - Kbp.org.ph,” https://www.kbp.org.ph/, 2007,
https://www.kbp.org.ph/wp-content/uploads/2008/04/KBP_Broadcast_Code_2011.pdf.
 because they are easily understood when read but not when heard.
4. TRANSPARENCY
Journalists serve as the ‘watchdog of the society’. With this, a radio broadcaster must serve
as an advocate of transparency – and that the public must receive the information it righteously
deserves.
5. RIGHT TO PRIVACY AND PROTECTING YOUR SOURCES
Privacy and confidentiality must be observed in the process of delivering information. A radio
broadcaster must be mindful of the laws and the codes of conduct relevant to privacy. He or she
must also protect his sources of information while at the same time ensure accuracy of these
information.
6. ANALYSIS AND COMMENTARIES
The airing of public affairs programs and commentaries is encouraged, particularly to give the
public the opportunity to participate in discussion of current issues, concerns and events. Public
affairs programs aim to enlighten citizenry on significant issues concerns and events. It shall be
handled only by persons who have thorough knowledge and practice of broadcast ethics.
7. KEEP IN TOUCH WITH THE NEWSROOM
This is a must both in conflict and in peace time. Back at the station, the anchor and the
editor need to know how news writers and researchers are doing to properly work on the broadcast.
8. ON AIR DELIVERY
Speaking on radio is an important as structuring and writing news. The appropriate tone, the
phrasing, the pacing and the voice of the anchor in delivering the news is the key to the whole radio
communication process to be effective.
It is important to speak more slowly on air than the way one usually speaks. For anchors, it is
important to practice delivering news and do calculations on your average reading rate so you will
be able to estimate how long will it take you to read a news story and therefore, you will be able to
make changes in the script if needed. Remember that in radio, time is important. You have to deliver
the story without rushing because it might compromise comprehensibility.
Tone is another important thing to consider delivering news on air. We should avoid sounding
as robots. Coming off as lively, finding a simple and right style that could fit your character is so
much better.

Radio Script Content

Radio scripts are not literature. In radio, simplicity wins. Simple words, clear short sentences and
a logical structure are necessary to get information across. Radio scripts should be informal, direct and
polite.4
Make short sentences
Research shows that listeners find it difficult to understand sentences having more than 15
words. Using long sentences will make it difficult for listeners to remember everything you say. Thus,
writing for radio has to be direct to the point.
Repeat important terms
It will confuse listeners if you replace nouns or names with pronouns. It is better to repeat the
name or noun. This guarantees clarity and listeners will be able to keep track of what they are listening.
Synonyms, foreign words and abbreviations
Avoid using synonyms because it will confuse the listeners. For example, if you are writing a
script about Iloilo City, do not use ‘former Queen City of the South’ because your listeners might not be
familiar with it. The use of foreign words should also be avoided. Always think whether the listeners
would understand your words. If you use abbreviations or acronyms in your script, you should say the
full name or explain the abbreviation at least once.
Numbers and figures
Radio is not the medium for detailed figures and numbers. If you have to mention numbers or

4
Peter Hullen and Thorsten Karg, “Writing for Radio,” in Manual For Radio Journalists (Bonn, Germany: DW-Akademie, 2006), pp. 18.
figures in your script, it is better to round the numbers off except in the case of inflation or exchange
rates, election results and wages.
Example:
Not Good: Mr. Cruz plans to donate 4.89 million pesos to charity.
Better: Mr. Cruz plans to donate almost 5 million pesos to charity.
Comparisons
When you talk about sizes, amounts or quantities of objects, it helps radio listeners visualize
what you are saying if you draw comparisons. If, for example, you mention that a building site is
‘roughly the size of two football fields’, most listeners will be able to visualize this better than if you tell
them the size in square meters.
Example:
Not Good: The building site measures 1000 square meters.
Better: The building site is roughly the size of a football field.
Graphic language
Using descriptive words and expressions is essential for a radio script. Keep in mind that your
only tool to convey information to your listeners is the medium of sound words. You cannot show them
colorful pictures, like a television journalist would. Describe to them what you see when you are
reporting on location. But you are also the listeners’ ears, nose and taste buds. Don’t just describe what
something looks like, explain what it smells, feels or tastes like as well.
Active verbs
Write your radio script in the active voice. This will make the script livelier and not stiff. It also
makes your sentences simpler. The passive voice often makes texts sound like official announcements
which sounds boring.
Examples:
Not Good: A contract between The Electric Company and city officials will be signed later today.
Better: The Electric Company and city officials will sign a contract later today.

Quotes
When you are quoting what someone said in your script, your listeners cannot see where you’ve
put the quotation marks. Your listeners may find it difficult to understand where the quote begins and
where it ends. If the statement is a short and snappy one, you can say ‘quote’ and ‘end of quote’ at the
beginning and at the end. Otherwise it is better to change direct into indirect speech.
Example:
Indirect Speech: Electric Company president John Cruz said that the factory would bring wealth
and prosperity to the people.
Direct Quotation: Electric Company president John Cruz said – quote – This factory will bring
wealth and prosperity to the people – end of quote. 5
Radio Script Format
The content and structure are undeniably the most important factors to consider in writing a radio
script. However, if you want to get your message to your listeners, it is also important to pay attention to
how you present your piece. It’s helpful if your script is easy to read. This will make a good and lively
delivery. Following a good script format will help you focus on the text and delivery instead of battling
with unnecessary obstacles of a poor script appearance. Here are some helpful tips:
Only write on one side of the paper
Turning the pages of your script to read text on the reverse sides will make your listeners hear
the rustling of paper. This sound will distract them. You may also get confused whether you’ve already
read both sides of the paper. It will make things easier if you just write on one side. You can then put
each page aside once you have read it and don’t have to look if there is anything written on the reverse
side.
Define space between the lines and clear paragraphs
Generous space between the lines of your text will make it easier for you to focus on the text

5
Peter Hullen and Thorsten Karg, “Writing for Radio,” in Manual For Radio Journalists (Bonn, Germany: DW-Akademie, 2006), pp. 24.
 while you are reading it on the air.6 It will help you avoid stumbling into the wrong line while reporting.
Moreover, when you leave space between the lines of your text, you can add notes like pronunciation
and intonation marks.
Write legibly
When you go on air with a script that is difficult to read, you have to focus mainly on deciphering
the text. It may affect your pronunciation and intonation and will make your delivery not lively. It’s very
likely that you will stumble over certain words or phrases that are hard to read. You will sound
unprofessional and the listeners’ attention will be diverted from the contents of your report.
Avoid words and expressions that are hard to pronounce
In writing, void words that you might stumble over later when you deliver the news on the air.
Choose a simpler word If you think you could have a problem pronouncing it.

If you follow the mentioned guidelines, your radio script is already good both in content and
format. However, take note that you should read your script aloud a number of times to make sure you
find no words difficult to pronounce and whether your report has the intended total length. You may also
ask a colleague to go over your script or to listen to you reading it aloud. Your colleague may give you
feedback on whether there are phrases or words that are hard to understand or do not make sense.
Once you are done with all of these, you are good to go on air.

Radio Station ID, OBB/CBB, and Intro/Extro

The basic elements in a radio script are the station ID, the opening billboard, the closing
billboard, the introduction and the extro. Take note of how these are written.

Station ID
Station ID or station identification is made by radio stations to identify themselves on-air. It
includes a call sign or brand name.7 The call sign is composed of letters. The first two letters are
assigned to stations depending on the location; DZ or DW for Luzon, DY for Visayas and DX for
Mindanao.8 This can be considered as a form of branding and it must make a mark on listeners. It also
uses the official jingle of the station. It can be likened to production logos, used in television and
cinema.
Station identification is aired regularly by an announcer at the halfway point during the
presentation or in between programs.

Sample Station ID:

VOICE: DYRI, The Voice of Truth
DYRI, The Voice of the People
DYRI, The Best Radio Station in Iloilo
This is DYRI Radyo Iloilo
The voice (the voice )
The voice of Ilongos on your radio dial
Call letters DYRI RADYO ILOILO 86.5 AM frequency

Station Name

(accompanied by the radio station official jingle)

Opening Billboard (OBB)

Opening billboard or OBB opens a radio program or a segment. It includes what to expect in the
program. It also includes the mention of sponsor/s for the said program. 9

6
Peter Hullen and Thorsten Karg, “Writing for Radio,” in Manual For Radio Journalists (Bonn, Germany: DW-Akademie, 2006), pp. 21.
7
“Station Identification,” Infogalactic, accessed August 14, 2020, https://infogalactic.com/info/Station_identification.
8
Michelle Yap, “Call Signs (FM, AM, TV Broadcasting) Philippines,” Scribd (Scribd), accessed August 17, 2020,
https://www.scribd.com/doc/143890804/Call-Signs-FM-AM-TV-Broadcasting-Philippines.
9
“Radio Broadcasting Glossary,” Radio Connection Broadcasting School, accessed August 14, 2020, https://www.radioconnection.com/glossary/b/.
OBB Sample:
VOICE: This is DYRI Radyo Iloilo News Expose
Bringing you the hottest and freshest news of the hour what to expect
Brought to you by (sponsor) and mentions sponsor
DYRI Radyo Iloilo
The voice (the voice )
The voice of Ilonggos on your radio dial

Closing Billboard (CBB)

The Closing billboard or CBB closes the program or segment. It follows the extro. It also includes
the mention of sponsor/s for the said program or segment.

CBB Sample:
VOICE: DYRI Radyo Iloilo
The voice (the voice )
The voice of Ilonggos
Brought to you by (sponsor) mentions sponsor
Intro
The introduction is given by the news anchor. The intro is heard after the OBB. It usually starts
with the greetings, followed by the introduction of the newscast and the news anchors, and the radio
station in one minute or less.

Sample Intro:
ANCHOR 1: Good afternoon Western Visayas. greetings
This is Radyo Iloilo News Expose radio program
And we are your anchors. I'm ____
ANCHOR 2: And I'm _______ anchors
ANCHOR1 & 2:

Extro
The extro is also given by the anchors. The extro follows the recap of the headlines 10. The
anchors say their names and those of the news presenters and the closing lines.

Sample Extro:
ANCHOR 1: And that’s the latest, hottest and most credible news in the country.
anchorsAgain,
& we are
your anchors, news
ANCHOR 2: And , with (name of news presenters) presenters
Saying, be the voice of truth
ANCHOR 1: And be the sound of justice. closing lines
ANCHOR 1 & 2: This is DYRI Radyo Iloilo News Expose

The Station ID, the Opening billboard, the Closing billboard, the introduction and the extro are
the basic and important parts of a radio news script. In order for you to create these parts for your own
radio news program, you have to take note that a) the station ID identifies the station on air and
functions as a brand of the station, b) the billboards opens and closes the program and usually
mentions the program sponsors, c) the intro is given by the anchor/s at the beginning of the broadcast,
and d) the extro consists of the last lines of the anchor/s before the end of the program.
The station ID, the opening billboard, the closing billboard, the introduction and the extro should
be well thought of and well crafted to catch the listeners’ attention.

Radio News Writing Structure

Keep it short and simple (KISS). A news story that ranges from hundreds to thousands of words in
print is the same story on radio that may have to fit into 30 to 90 seconds or 2 minutes, for important
stories. Writing for radio requires you to condense a lot of information into the most important points.
10
title of news stories
Use correct grammar. A broadcast news script should be grammatically correct. Grammatical errors
will embarrass the person reading when he stumbles over mistakes.
Put the important information first. Writing a broadcast news story is similar to writing a news story
for print that you have to include the important information first. However, for broadcast, you have to
condense the information presented.
Write good leads. Begin the story with information that is clear and precise. Because radio news
stories have to fit into 30, 60, or 90 seconds, broadcast stories are sometimes little more than the
equivalent of newspaper headlines and the lead paragraph. 11
Stick to short sentences of 20 words or less. Radio announcers need to breathe. Long sentences
make it difficult for the person voicing the script to take a breath so in writing your script, you have to
write in short sentences.
Write the way people talk. Sentence fragments are acceptable as long as they make sense.
Use contractions. Use don’t instead of do not. But be careful of contractions ending in -ve (e.g.,
would’ve, could’ve), because they sound like “would of” and “could of.”
Use simple subject−verb−object sentence structures. This will make it easy for listeners to
understand you.
Use the active voice and active verbs. It is better to say “He hit the ball” than “The ball was hit by
him.”
Use present-tense verbs, except when past-tense verbs are necessary. Present tense expresses
the sense of immediacy. Use past tense when something happened long ago. For example, do not say,
“There were forty people taken to the hospital following a train derailment that occurred early this
morning.” Instead, say, “Forty people are in the hospital as a result of an early morning train accident.”
Write with visual imagery. Make your listeners “see” what you are saying. You have to be concrete
and speak in pictures. You have to provide the listeners something to look at with their imagination
instead of their eyes.

Radio News Writing Techniques

Person’s name. Use the first and last name in the first reference, then the person’s last name
thereafter.
Unfamiliar words. Use phonetic spellings for unfamiliar words and words that are difficult to
pronounce.
Obscure details. Omit obscure names and places if they are not meaningful to the story.
Titles. Titles are written before the names. Avoid appositives. Do not write, “Jerry Treñas, mayor of
Iloilo City, said today….” Instead, write, “Iloilo City mayor Jerry Treñas said today….” (Other examples:
“City councilman Jay Treñas,” not “Jay Treñas, city councilman.” “Guimbal National High School
student Franz Adelie Gargantiel,” not “Franz Adelie Gargantiel, Guimbal National High School
student,.”)
Age. In age reference, the age comes before the name. (Example: “The victim, 21-year-old Rob
Roy…”)
Direct quotations. If possible, avoid writing direct quotations into a news script. Let people say things
in their own words during soundbites. A soundbite is the exact words spoken by someone in his or her
own recorded voice. If you must use a direct quote, use phrases like “In the words of...” or “As he put
it...,” or try to paraphrase as much as possible. Avoid saying “quote” and “unquote” to lead into or end a
direct quote.

Attribution. The attribution should come before a quotation, not after it. Contrary to writing for print
media, the attribution of paraphrased quotations in broadcast stories should be at the beginning of the
sentence, before the paraphrase. Example: “Bill Brown said he would run for re-election.”
11
Ricky Telg, “News Writing for Television and Radio,” EDIS New Publications RSS (Agricultural Education and Communication, March 9, 2018),
https://edis.ifas.ufl.edu/wc193.
Abbreviations. Avoid abbreviations, even on second reference, unless it is a well-known abbreviation.
Write out days, months, states, and military titles each time. About the only acceptable abbreviations
are Mr., Mrs., and Dr. Punctuate commonly used abbreviations using a hyphen in between. For
example, write “U-S,” instead of “US” (United States), and “U-N” for “UN” (United Nations).
Symbols. Avoid symbols when you write. For example, the peso sign (₱) should never be used in
broadcast writing. Always spell out the word “peso.”
Punctuation. Use correct punctuation. Do not use semicolons. Use double dash marks for longer
pauses than commas. Use underlines for emphasis.
Numbers. Use numbers correctly. Spell out numerals through 11. Use numerals for 12 through 999.
Use hyphenated combinations for numerals and words above 999. (Examples: 33-thousand; 214-
million.) Round off numbers unless the exact number is significant. (Example: Use “a little more than 34
million dollars,” not “34-million, 200-thousand, 22 dollars.”) Use st, nd, th, and rd after dates, addresses,
and numbers above “eleventh” to be read as ordinary numbers. (Examples: “Second Street,” “May
14th,” “Eleventh Avenue,” “12th Division”—this is different from AP Style for print.) 12

Radio News Story Format

For your news story format, take note of the following:
• Broadcast news stories are typed, double-spaced, and in uppercase/lowercase.
• Make the sentence at the bottom of a page a complete sentence. Do not split a sentence between
pages.
• Never split words or hyphenated phrases from one line to the next.
• Do not use copyediting symbols. Cross out the entire word and write the corrected word above it.
This is one reason why broadcast news scripts are double-spaced: so you will have room to make
corrections between the lines.13

12
Ricky Telg, “News Writing for Television and Radio,” EDIS New Publications RSS (Agricultural Education and Communication, March 9, 2018),
https://edis.ifas.ufl.edu/wc193.
13
Ricky Telg, “News Writing for Television and Radio,” EDIS New Publications RSS (Agricultural Education and Communication, March 9, 2018),
https://edis.ifas.ufl.edu/wc193.