A news bulletin is a short report of significant current events compiled and broadcast for the information of listeners or viewers. The term is often applied to radio or television news broadcasts, although it can also refer to an online news service. In general, a bulletin should be a balanced mixture of serious and lighter stories, covering national and local issues and, where possible, reflecting the interests of the local community. The order and pace of the stories within a bulletin will depend to some degree on the format of the station: serious national stations will use more serious stories delivered at a slower pace, while youth-oriented music stations may focus on more light stories or topics of popular culture.
The timing of each story is extremely important, as is the placement of the closing story. It is a good idea to leave one dramatic story until the end of the bulletin, on the assumption that it will attract listeners and they will stay tuned for the entire bulletin. Similarly, it is usually better to place the most important stories at the beginning of the bulletin.
It is also important to use a variety of actuality, such as sound effects and short pieces of recorded speech or interview. These are known as grabs and can be used without overdub in some countries, particularly if the language is simple or if it makes a play on words which the listeners will understand.
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