A news bulletin is the short news report that is read over-the-air on radio. It is usually read by a newsreader from written scripts, although this is less common on TV, where the newsreader can use an autocue to deliver a programmed script. The type of bulletin you present will depend on your station’s format; a serious national broadcaster will offer a mix of stories which are heavy and light, with some about major disasters, while a youth-oriented music station will include more stories about pop culture and local events.
Listeners expect to hear a mixture of information which is of relevance to their lives. This will make your bulletin interesting to them. Listeners also want to feel they can trust you to deliver the information you present. The best way to achieve this is by writing clear and simple news stories, and avoiding obscuring the facts with verbiage.
The order of the stories in your bulletin should be based on their importance, with your most important story going first. This ensures that those listening to the bulletin at the beginning will catch the most relevant information, and prevents them from having to repeat the whole of the bulletin later on if they have missed a few of the most significant items.
Often it is necessary to re-order the stories within your bulletin in order to add variety and interest. For example, if you have to run a story about a street fight immediately after a political party argument, consider running the street fighting story in third place to change the pace of the bulletin and give it new life.