Script Writing for Radio: What You Need to Understand

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Script Writing for Radio: What You Need to Understand

By James Hughes

Scripting for radio is one of the practice broadcasters have to carry out each time there is need for showcasing a broadcast program. And whatever goes into scripting is already in the thought of the writer/broadcaster prior to writing, and this must be done with a sense of spontaneity. In this case, it is expected of the script writer to deploy the most natural means of expression and this should be felt while speaking the script, other than reading it.And if it is your first attempt at this very important task, you have indeed come in contact with a useful piece which can give you a good start. The Kind of Radio ScriptThe basic need a script stands to serve should inform a writer of what format or style to adopt. A talk show is different from news and this implies that their scripts will differ along the line of their peculiarities. A talk show allows for the presenter to talk for a long time, but guided by key points or descriptions and particularly, with the use of own words (with or without a number of discussants), and this is observed in the script unlike a news script which permits just a reading of the printed text, and nothing more. A music show, on its own, allows for space to experiment with quite a few insertions (music, phone calls, etc) and hence, it is not supposed to be wordy like in the news script. Speak your scriptThis will be made possible if you write in a free-flowing writing style, same way you want it to be said on air. No strict formality so as not to appear you are reading the script, which cannot interest any audience. Endeavour to read your script aloud to yourself or someone else to help you filter out any possible misfits.Be BriefIn broadcast, it does not give the ample time for verbosity and that’s why you must keep your word to a limit. And do not play to the gallery as some presenters do. Don’t be rigid on pronunciation and do not give in to the temptation of sounding too western than the westerners in your expressions. The rule is pass on your information with the economy of word use. Set the SceneRadio banks on audio only and this implies that your script must cover this seeming limitation in the sense that you are able to create the scene with sounds that will vividly portray what’s being passed across on radio. You can import the sound of an opening door to display in a radio drama where such is needed. Same way a motor hooting can show that a car is around or one is on the road. Components of a scriptGenerally, a script takes:
  1. A Program title
  2. Kind of program
  3. Name of Presenter(s)
  4. Time of Broadcast
  5. Broadcast station
  6. Point of insertions
  7. End credit
  8. Signature tune
 

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