ABSTRACT
There are many different ways to present a news story for radio from the simple ‘straight read’ to the full-blown documentary. Television and radio techniques differ because of the use of visuals, but in many respects are similar in the way they package information as news. A headline is a brief summary of the main points of a story or several stories, often read at half-past the hour. The term is often used for the one-sentence or one-phrase sequence read at the start of a major bulletin or news programme to signpost the news. A voicer is less effective than an interview but sometimes it is the only way to improve on straight copy and is used in many cases when there is too much information to get over in just a few lines of copy. Actually hearing a newsmaker give their take, a comment or reaction to something that they have witnessed or been involved in, is hugely important.
