Audio journalism II
Reporters and journalism students must stop thinking about sound as an exclusively radio format -and adopt it as a reporting tool that can be learned and used to effectively deliver information to readers or listeners.
Last week we looked at some of the general principles of writing for audio and video and looked at the standard broadcasting news story form: dramatic unity. This week we want to go beyond broadcasting and think about sound as a tool for reporting and presenting information.
We begin with two principles:
- Every journalism student should understand the uses of sound and audio and should be able to write for it in various formats and settings.
- Every journalism student should know the basics of recording and editing.
- Sound can be the dominant form in a story package, or it more likely will supplement other parts of the web package.
With that, we should examine the formats that are available to online journalists who want to use sound as a part of their reporting.
Writing considerations
We went over some of these concepts last week, but it doesn’t hurt to be reminded of them.
Short words, short sentences. You have to begin to write -- and think -- in unadorned prose. Think nouns and verbs, not adjectives. Think simple. If there is a short word that substitutes for a long word, use it (example: facilitate, ease). Try to keep sentences shorter than you might normally write them.
Declarative sentences. Subject-verb-predicate-period. One or two ideas per sentence. Remember, you or someone else will be reading this aloud. A sentence should never take more than one breath to write.
Pronounceable words. The words you write have to be pronounced. That makes a difference in what you write. As much as possible, you will want to avoid:
- sibilants -- words that have an “s” sound
- alliteration -- words that repeat sounds
- combinations of sibilants and alliteration, such as, She sells sea shells by the seashore.
Conversational but not casual. Your writing should allow those who read your work to sound natural, as if this is something they would say in a business-like conversation.
Contractions. You generally should not use contractions when you are writing for print or writing text for the web. They are fine for audio writing -- as long as they are not overused. And as long as they don't make the announcer sound odd.
Active voice. Be careful about using too much passive voice verbs -- or any at all. The passive can slow the reading down and puts a distance between the reader and the listener.
Current terms and language. Use current terms and phrases as long as their meaning is generally known. Again a caution: you do not want to fall into using cliches. And be careful about using slang.
Titles and names. In writing for sound, titles come before names: President Barack Obama, not Barack Obama, president, . . .
Abbreviations and acronyms. Avoid these. They rarely sound good when spoken aloud, and they can be easily misunderstood.
Phonetic spellings. Help your announcer by sounding difficult or unfamiliar words out.
Sound supplement formats
The audio clip or sound bite is the first and easiest for the students to master. This is simply a short piece of sound, maybe as short as 15 seconds or as long as two minutes, that accomplishes a single purpose. It allows the audience to hear the voice of a source answering a question or making a salient point about the subject of the story. It is easy to produce and requires little or no editing.
(A good example of the use of an audio clip is in this profile story on the Tennessee Journalist on a University of Tennessee soccer player.)
Given the ease with which audio clips can be produced, it is surprising that their use is not more widespread. Their absence shows that reporters are simply do not think about using audio, not that the hardware or software is difficult.
Another format is the reporter interview. Here, someone on the news staff other than the reporter interviews the person who covered the story. These interviews vary greatly in length, but they rarely run past five or six minutes. The New York Times (image at right) uses them on a regular basis to give background information on the story. With a minimum of scripting and editing, these reporter interviews can also be easy to produce and effective in enriching the story.
A variation on the reporter interview is the reporter round-table. Here several reporters who have interest and information on the same topic can tell what they know, ask each other questions and exchange views. Length on these pieces may vary, and they should be long enough to give a full airing to the information and views of the reporters. On the other hand, as with everything else on the web, generally shorter is better.
Yet another format is the reporter round-up. This format allows the reporter to tell the story in a one- to two-minute sound clip, much like a radio version of the story. The story is told as completely as possible and is read from a script written by the reporter.
These formats have many variations that will depend on the story that is being covered and the inclinations of the reporter. At this stage in the development of audio journalism, reporters and editors should be encourage to experiment with these formats and even try to create new ones that may aid in the storytelling.
Sound dominant formats
Sound dominant formats take the audio tool from being simply a supplement to the text or pictures of a presentation to being the major way in which the story is presented. Such formats include:
- radio stories, which derive from the longstanding conventions and customs of radio. These stories are a mix of reporting, interviews with sources and ambient sound, and the best of them come from news organizations such as National Public Radio and Voice of America. At their best, these stories require high-quality sound and professional word and sound editing skills.
- audio slide shows, a web-originated format that is growing in popularity. Audio slide shows mix still pictures with sound, often but not always the photographer's description of the pictures that he or she has taken. Audio slide shows require photography, writing, speaking and editing skills, but they can be highly effective and entertaining in their presentation of information. (Read more about audio slideshows on here on JPROF.com)
- long-form sound stories, those where time and brevity are not major considerations. These long forms allow reporters, producers and editors all the time they need to tell their stories. They can include all of the sound elements previously mentioned. One of the most creative of these long-form formats is This American Life, an hour-long public radio that deals with only one topic during the hour. This American Life gives ample time for sources to tell their stories, but its editing and production are intelligent and clever so that listeners can easily get caught up int he story.
- talk-show and call-in formats, where audiences are invited to participate. The talk-show format is a highly popular one for traditional radio, and it is growing in popularity on the web with the advent of sites such as TalkShoe.com. Journalists can create their own call-in shows, advertise them and increase their audiences. Some news web sites, such as the Tennessee Journalist, are experimenting with this format to see what it will add to the richness of the site.
The list of formats here is not meant to be inclusive or prescriptive. It simply shows some of the possibilities of the use of sound as a reporting device. Imaginative and creative reporters will undoubtedly develop other formats and standards as online journalism itself develops.
Possible news quiz questions
The answers to many of these questions can be found in the TennesseeJournalist.com (tnjn.com).
1. What's the big event on campus this weekend? (tnjn.com)
2. What team does UT's football team play on Saturday? (tnjn.com)
3. Who won the World Series?
4. How did UT's men's basketball team do this week?(tnjn.com)
5. What happened to the Lady Vols soccer team in the SEC tournament? (tnjn.com)
6. What even of immense historical significance happened 20 years ago this week?
7. What happened to the law legalizing gay marriage in Maine this week?
8. Where will the next Disney theme park be built?
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