A news bulletin is a short summary of current events in the world, broadcast at regular intervals (usually on the hour or half-hour) by radio or television stations. It may also be provided as a service on websites hosted by these same media outlets. News bulletins often contain bare facts about stories, but can include interviews with journalists and experts, or even feature live or recorded video of events taking place in the field.
Radio news bulletins used to dominate before television became widely available, but their popularity dropped as people began listening to them while driving or working. Many people also listen to news on the Internet, in addition to traditional television and radio.
When writing a news bulletin, the journalist should consider their audience; what type of information will be most relevant to them? Avoid using jargon that will confuse or be difficult for them to understand. Instead, use simple words that will make the most impact.
Creating a compelling and interesting headline for your news bulletin is an important part of writing the bulletin itself. It needs to catch the attention of your audience and encourage them to stay tuned for more information. You can do this by using a punchy and engaging phrase, or by including the key element of the story in the headline itself, such as “A school reduces its lunch menu to save money”.
A good radio news bulletin will have a clear lead-first structure, which will tell the audience who/what/when/where/why/how. It will then include one or more short stories with a maximum of five words per story, and will finish with a recap of the main news stories.