Writing for Broadcast Journalists (Media Skills) - Softcover

Thompson, Rick

Softcover

ISBN 10: 0415317975 ISBN 13: 9780415317979

Publisher: Routledge, 2004

Synopsis

Writing for Broadcast Journalists is the essential guide to writing news for television and radio, guiding readers through the significant differences between writing text to be read, and writing spoken English that will be heard. This book helps broadcast journalists at every stage of their careers to avoid newspaper-style ‘journalese’, clichés, jargon, and inaccurate grammar or pronunciation, while capturing the immediacy of the spoken word in creative broadcast news scripts. It also gives advice on providing concise online material for broadcasters’ websites.

Sections include:

· Practical advice on how to write accurately but conversationally
· How to cope with a dynamic English language, with new expressions and words changing their meanings
· Writing scripts that match the TV pictures, and use real sound on radio
· Detailed guidance on correct terminology and the need for sensitive language
· An appendix of ‘dangerous’ words and phrases to be avoided in scripts.

Written in a lively and accessible style by a former BBC news editor, Writing for Broadcast Journalists is an invaluable guide to the techniques of writing news for television, radio and online audiences.

About this title

About the Author:

Rick Thompson has held senior editorial positions with BBC News at the regional, national and international levels in television and radio. He now trains journalists in central and eastern Europe, and is the Visiting Professor of Broadcast Journalism at Birmingham City University.

Review:

'This is a superb book which combines the rare mixture of high quality information with humour. The style of writing engages the reader from the introduction and the experience and insight of the author occasionally makes it difficult to put down, a rare feature of a textbook. I would unreservedly recommend this book not only to those studying journalism but to students of language and all who use the spoken and written word as the ‘materials’ of their work.' Barry Turner, Nottingham Trent University

'Rick Thompson's guidance manual is packed with advice to would-be writers for this medium. He's someone with years of experience at the top level of the national and international profession, and he's smack up to date with his reference. The book is aimed at journalists, but anyone with a serious interest in developing their literacy will learn a lot about professional writing skills from what he has to say.' Roy Johnson, www.mantex.co.uk

 

About this edition

• Publisher: Routledge
• Publication date: 2004
• ISBN 10: 0415317975
• ISBN 13: 9780415317979
• Binding: Paperback
• Edition number: 1
• Number of pages: 192