Radio News (eg. The Today programme)

Structure and Framework

Headlines: Brief summaries of key news stories, which come at the top of the hour to draw in listeners and regularly set the day’s news agenda.
Packages: Pre-recorded segments exploring a particular story in more depth. Often includes voices of key figures and on-the-ground reporting.
Interviews: One-on-one sessions with significant people relating to the news topic, providing analysis and diverse perspectives.
Live Reports: Real-time updates from important events, unfolding news scenes, or locations relevant to the story.

Voice Tone: The way presenters, reporters, and interviewees speak can reveal a lot about a news item. A serious story will have a grave tone, while a lighter topic will be presented more cheerfully.
Sound Effects: Effects like crowd noise for a protest or chirping birds for an environmental piece can give stories a sense of authenticity and immersive experience.
Music: Used sparingly, but theme tunes and jingles not only help to distinguish different sections or programmes but also set the tone for the broadcast.
Silence: In radio, silence can also speak volumes. A significant pause or moment of silence could indicate respect, shock, or dramatic tension.

Signposting: Used to guide the listener through the programme. Phrases such as “coming up next” or “in other news” help to orient the listener.
Direct Address: Speaking directly to listeners using pronouns like “you” to form a connective discourse and engage audience attention.
Simplicity of Language: Radio language is often more informal and less complex than written news language, aiming to engage and inform a diverse audience.
Repetition: Major points are often repeated for emphasis and to assist listener’s understanding and remembering.

Public Service Broadcasting: Shows like The Today programme operate on this principle, aiming to educate, inform, and entertain their audience with a balanced view.
Objectivity: Often, radio news aims to present balanced reports, avoiding overt bias or campaigning, and allowing listeners to form their own opinions.
Pluralism: Incorporating various voices and perspectives in a news broadcast to ensure balanced coverage and representation of diverse viewpoints.
Audience Trust: Critical for a news broadcaster. It can be achieved through accuracy, fairness, impartiality, and transparency in news reporting.