Radio Announcing

U-S-O December 1, 19XX 30 SECONDS FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE DO YOU KNOW WHAT THE LETTERS U-S-O STAND FOR? THEY STAND FOR THE UNITED SERVICES ORGANIZATION...A GROUP OF HARD WORKING MEN AND WOMEN WHO MAKE A HOME AWAY FROM HOME FOR MEMBERS OF THE MILITARY VOLUNTEER WORKERS MAN THEIR STATIONS ALL OVER THE WORLD IN AN EFFORT TO KEEP MORALE HIGH. NO MATTER HOW NEAR OR FAR FROM HOME...THERE’S ALWAYS A U-S-O CENTER NEARBY. THESE CENTERS OFFER ENTERTAINMENT OF EVERY DESCRIPTION...FROM PING PONG TO FREE BROADWAY SHOWS. THE U-S-O IS INDEED YOUR HOME AWAY FROM HOME. # # # Figure 13-5.—30-second information spot announcement. you may be allotted. Figure 13-5 shows the informa- go, see, take, try, get, visit, ask, call, be and buy. Be tion spot announcement. SPOT WRITING TECHNIQUES In writing either a selling or information spot announcement, you should remember the following four techniques that will pay dividends in quality: 1. Plot the pitch carefully. Before you put a word on paper, you have to know the type of audience you want to reach. If the audience is in the lower income bracket, gear the spot to the special needs and wants of this group. One approach could be the economic security angle; another is the “get-ahead-in-the-world” appeal. On the other hand, audiences in small rural towns might find the travel theme exciting and interesting. Spot writers must study prospective audiences if they are to be successful at communicating with them. 2. Look for new target audiences. Although the stress in writing may be recruiting, you should be prepared to write spots that will sell the public on attending a command public visitation, a parade or a demonstration. These special events appeal to many audiences. Some spots might be directed toward fathers, children, teen-agers or even to mothers in the audience. 3. Develop a direct, personal writing approach. Even though the audience may consist of several thousand people, the copy is directed at one person. Make that individual feel that the message is personal. Address the listener in terms of “you,” “you’ve,” “your” Canal “you’re.” Always refer to the listener in singular form and in a friendly manner. 4. Select words carefully. Write spots in the active voice with such positive and colorful verbs as follows: conversational, but avoid slang. Keep your words simple, and do not try to impress the listener with an extensive vocabulary. Speak to the listener in the language that person knows. You also should avoid special military terms and abbreviations that are unfamiliar to the listener. Format and Preparation Whether you are writing a spot announcement for an NBS detachment or a local commercial station, you should adhere to the following general rules concerning format and preparation: 1. Follow the appropriate style. Write your spot following the style guide of the station. A station manager might reject your spot if it is not in the style his announcers are used to reading. 2. Submit clean copy. All announcements you submit to radio stations should be free of errors. 3. Submit the proper number of copies. Check to see how many copies of an announcement each station needs. 4. Meet deadlines. If a station manager asks you to have a spot at the station by a given time, do not miss the deadline. Your violating this rule is the best way for you to keep your copy from ever reaching the airwaves. Timing the Spot Timing is extremely important in spot writing. On commercial stations, you will be competing with other public service agencies for free air time. Naturally, a station can allot only so much time for public service announcements. 13-16