Narrative Justice

In the broadcast radio industry, it pays to be an engineer. There’s not a lot of ‘copy’ in radio, it all comes from on-air hosts and Associated Press feeds. The corner of the market devoted to correspondent coverage of broadcast radio offers the best opportunities for a writer. Not that a good writer wouldn’t make a good on-air host. A degree in English usually gives anyone a respect for the power of words.

Historically, radio journalists and correspondents have been on-air personalities. In the days before television news and AP feeds, leads were tracked and reported on by radio journalists. The internet has allowed listeners to access news on their terms. Like newspapers, radio news has changed. In radio’s case, it has shifted to talk radio and intellectual forums.

Is This Thing On?

If you have ever listened to the public radio program This American Life, you have likely realized the power of a good story. I have spent many a Sunday morning, kneeling on the floor of my living room in front of a pair of oversized secondhand stereo speakers, laughing out loud or with tears streaming silently down my cheeks, fully engrossed in the tales that were being told to me via radio broadcast.

A story that will hold the interest of and entertain those who are reading (or listening) must contain certain key elements such as a plot, characters, and a conflict. It is also helpful if there is some sort of universal theme or message within the piece. In addition to these aspects, the story must be well worded and explained in a clear and captivating manner. As important as the writing is to a good story, often the yarn takes on a much stronger emotional or comic quality when conveyed orally, especially when spun by a great storyteller.