EDITING BROADCAST COPY

LEARNING OBJECTIVE: Identify the method of editing broadcast copy.

Unlike print journalism, in which copy usually passes through several reviewers, broadcasters do not usually exercise that type of control. Depending on the deadlines of the broadcast facility, they might rewrite your release entirely. On the other hand, the local newscaster could simply adopt the old "rip and read" policy and read your release "cold." Naturally, the second method does not speak too highly of the news staff, but unfortunately, some commercial and military broadcasters continue to do this.

Absolutely clean copy - free of mistakes - is the rule for copy prepared for release to radio stations. Sloppy copy is disconcerting to any announcer.

For in-house productions, editing marks may be used sparingly, but only those editing marks easily understood by an announcer are acceptable. Do not use print media copy-editing marks. Use only the broadcast editing methods covered in the following text:

l Correct misspellings by blackening out the misspelled word completely and printing or typing in the correct version above it. Do not attempt to correct a letter within a word. Broadcast copy has no editing mark to correct a single letter within a word. Rewrite the entire correct word as in the following example:

Insert words or phrases by printing or typing the desired words above the line and indicate the point of insertion. Note the following example:

Separate run-together words by using a single line, as shown in the following example:

Delete a word by blackening out the word and bridging the gap. Consider the following example:

Delete words on more than one line by using a curved line to reconnect, as shown in the following example:

SPOT ANNOUNCEMENTS

LEARNING OBJECTIVE: Identify the two types of radio spot announcements and recognize the techniques used in writing them.

The sustaining point of a commercial radio station is the commercial. Although neither the Navy nor the Armed Forces Radio and Television Service (AFRTS) use them, commercials have a valuable counterpart in Navy public affairs. That counterpart is the spot announcement. Figure 13-3 shows a basic spot announcement format.

Spot announcements are usually 60 seconds or less and come in two forms - the selling spot and information spot. Both are covered in the following text.

SELLING SPOT

The selling spot is designed to make the listeners take some type of action as a result of the ideas you present to them. The spot also can be used to change attitudes. Examples of these are "Be there!," "Do it now!" and "See your recruiter today."

There are many ways for you to structure the selling spot. One way is the three-pronged approach - attention, appeal and action. First, you form your basic idea and attention-getting lead sentence. Then you present the merits, advantages and appeal of the idea. Finally, you motivate your listener to take action to gain the benefits you were promoting in the spot announcement.

Attention

A lead such as "Now you can lose weight while sleeping!" is almost an automatic attention-getter for a large segment of your listening audience. This type of lead draws the listeners into your message by provoking their interest and attention. Copy directed toward emotional and motivational drives is copy that sells and should be slanted toward a particular group that needs a particular product.

Spots selling baby food, for example, are directed at mothers who are concerned with the health of their babies. These spots emphasize the healthful ingredients of the baby food. In the same way, the slant toward a particular group is used by the Navy in recruiting. Such spots are aimed at young people in the age group between 17 to 25, and words, such as security, travel, education, missiles and electronics, are used as attention-getters.

When the attention portion is directed toward the listener's desires, aspirations, dreams and ambitions, you will take the first step toward getting that individual to listen to the appeal and the action portions of your spot.

Appeal

"Why don't you begin to enjoy the finer things in life?" You have probably heard that appeal in one form or another. In the appeal portion, you present the selling material - the message you want to convey to the audience. One thing for you to remember is to avoid cramming too many points into a short announcement. Keep it simple and stay with the subject.

For example, if you start off talking about travel as the attention-getter in a recruiting spot, do not drift off into education or some other subject in the same announcement. Another word of caution - do not

Figure 13-3. - Spot announcement format.

promise the impossible. Be sincere and honest with your audience.

Action

"Buy U.S. Savings Bonds each payday."

"Learn how you can travel the world with the U.S. Navy."

These statements invite action and tell the listeners what they can do. The action step gives the listener a definite course to follow. The step should be forceful, combining invitation and demand, and it should compel the listener toward a positive action. Remember, the action step is designed to motivate the listener to buy, join, write or perform according to the action you have suggested in the message.

The success of any spot announcement as a selling device is measured by the listener's response to the product advertised. Figure 13-4 shows an example of a selling spot announcement.