Writing News for Broadcast

By Edward Bliss Jr.

Book Overview

Writing News for Broadcast is the Strunk and White of broadcast newswriting books. Long considered the gold standard of broadcast journalism textbooks, this guide for the student and the professional has inspired generations of newscasters through its eloquent examples and emphasis on the writer's responsibility, commitment, and integrity. It is written in a conversational style reflecting years of professional and teaching experience in radio and television newswriting.

This new edition is fully revised with examples throughout, drawn from fine writing by journalists at networks and local stations. It includes updated chapters covering use of the wire services and special formats that have become popular in recent years such as the newsmagazine. But the third edition retains the inspirational quality that has for years made this text so widely respected. In this process of providing clear, succinct instruction in the basics of the trade, it conveys to students and practicing newswriters a sense of the extraordinary tradition within which they work. The authors' emphasis on skill and creativity, responsibility to the listener, and appreciation of the profession's finest hours and finest writers make this book unique.

• Format: Paperback
• Language: English
• ISBN: 0231079737
• ISBN13: 9780231079730
• Release Date: May 1994
• Publisher: Columbia University Press
• Length: 161 Pages
• Weight: 0.83 lbs.
• Dimensions: 0.6" x 7.0" x 9.9"
• Age Range: 22 years and up
• Grade Range: Postsecondary and higher

Customer Reviews

Broadcast Newswriting Made Simple

Ed Bliss wrote for Ed Murrow and for Walter Cronkite - both of them broadcast news legends. Later, he served as dean of American University's School of Communications. Bliss has written a short, simple book that explains the basics of broadcast newswriting. He uses as examples stories written by well-known broadcasters. He covers common mistakes and how to avoid them. This is a fine book for beginners, and a useful reminder for experienced pros.

The Gold Standard For Broadcast Newswriting

Although there are many fine books on the craft of broadcast newswriting (the works of Mervin Block come to mind) there are none that surpass this book. Whether you are a beginning student or a long-time veteran of the field, this book has something to offer you. Bliss and Hoyt teach you the basics and the fine points of the craft, but they give you something more, namely an understanding of the significance of this work and why aspiring to the highest standards of professionalism is important. Their wise guidance is supplemented by numerous examples of outstanding work. Bliss worked with Murrow and Cronkite, just to drop a couple of names. This is your chance to learn from the best.--William C. Hall