Broadcast News Story Structure: Elements

The Commitment/Focus Statement:

In writing the commitment or focus statement, you are required to focus on the main actor, action, and recipient of that action.


The Lead:

Your lead, or first sentence in a broadcast news release, is designed to gain the listener’s attention, inform him of what happened, and prepare her for what’s to come.


The Body


After you’ve written the lead, work on logically developing the specifics of the story in the body. Logical development simply means orderly continuing of the facts to flow smoothly to the story’s conclusion. Remember, you’re a storyteller. Try asking yourself what your listener wants to know next. Then deliver. Your development may or may not be in descending order of importance. Learn the art of transitioning between ideas without relying on crutches – like conjunctive adverbs. The body of the story must deliver the goods you’ve introduced in the lead.


The “Snapper”

All stories have a beginning (lead), middle (body), and an end. We call the end of the news story the “snapper.” The snapper is the last sentence in your story. It brings the story to a solid, logical conclusion. It may contain a new fact, but a properly written snapper never raises any new questions. Don’t underestimate its importance. Next to the lead, the snapper is the most important element in a news story.