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Writing for the ear, not the eye
Radio writing is fundamentally different from print journalism. Your audience cannot re-read a sentence if they miss it. They are often driving, cooking, or walking. They cannot see punctuation. Everything you write must make immediate sense when heard once, in real time, by a listener who is not giving you their full attention.
The core rules: short sentences. Active voice. No sub-clauses. Say numbers simply (say “three billion” not “3,000,000,000”). Use contractions where a person would naturally speak them. Never start a sentence with a name — introduce who someone is before giving their name. And always, always read the copy aloud before you record or deliver it.
A good test: if a sentence has more than two clauses, split it into two sentences. If it requires a comma to be grammatically correct, the sentence is probably too complex for broadcast.
Radio script structure: the key formats
Cue (intro)
Written by the producer or journalist and read by the presenter in the studio. Introduces the story and leads into the reporter's package or clip. The cue must not repeat the opening line of the package — the two must work as a pair. Cues are typically 10–20 seconds (30–60 words) for news radio.
Voicer
A reporter's recorded piece in their own voice only — no clips from interviewees. Used when a reporter is at the scene but could not secure an interview, or for court reports where recording is not permitted. Typically 20–45 seconds.
Package
The full broadcast report: a journalist's voice weaving together clips from interviewees, natural sound, and narration. In UK radio news, a package typically runs 1 min 30 sec — 2 min. It should include at least two distinct voices other than the reporter.
Two-way (Q&A)
A live or recorded exchange between a studio presenter and a reporter in the field. The reporter must prepare talking points but not a word-for-word script — over-scripted two-ways sound wooden. Aim for conversational authority.
Clip / actuality
A raw recorded excerpt from an interviewee, played in isolation or within a package. 15–25 seconds is the standard clip length for news radio. The cue must set up who is speaking before the clip plays.
Red flags in radio copy
- Long sentences with multiple clauses — split them into two or three shorter ones.
- Starting a cue or intro with the name of an unknown person — always establish who they are first.
- The cue duplicating the first line of the package — the presenter sounds like a broken record.
- Written numbers above ten as digits (e.g. “42” instead of “forty-two”) in broadcast scripts.
- Unfamiliar names without phonetic pronouncers in brackets.
- Passive voice where active voice is possible (say “police arrested three people” not “three people were arrested by police”).
- Over-long clips (more than 30 seconds) for news bulletins — edit them down.
- Failing to cue out of a clip — always tell the presenter or editor how the clip ends so they know when to come back in.
Radio script checklist
- I have read the script aloud from start to finish and timed it.
- Every sentence is under 25 words and makes sense when heard once.
- Numbers are written as words (ten, forty-two, three hundred) not digits.
- All unfamiliar names have phonetic pronouncers in brackets immediately after them.
- The cue does not duplicate the opening line of the package.
- I have attributed each clip before it plays (not after) so listeners know who is speaking.
- Clips are 15–25 seconds — I have noted the in-words and out-words for the producer.
- The package has at least two voices other than mine.
- I have included natural sound (actuality) where it adds atmosphere or context.
- The script is in capital letters or double-spaced as required by my newsroom's house style.
Draft a broadcast pitch
Use our pitch generator to frame a radio story — including angle, contributors, and suggested package structure — before you go out to record.
Open Pitch GeneratorCommon mistakes
- Writing for the eye, not the ear — print-style sentences with multiple sub-clauses confuse radio listeners.
- Repeating the same word in consecutive sentences — use synonyms or restructure.
- Starting too many sentences with “The” — it creates a monotonous, report-like rhythm.
- Not reading aloud during drafting — problems in broadcast copy only become apparent when spoken.
- Using jargon or acronyms without spelling them out on first use.
- Writing a cue that tells the whole story — leave the listener wanting to hear the package.
- Forgetting to note clip duration and out-words for the producer — this causes on-air chaos.