UPI

I was reminded of the UPI the other day and found one of their old broadcast style books from 1959 that I’ve kept since it was passed along to me as a young radio journalist.

Some brief thoughts from the UPI, back when their slogan was “United Press International: A UPI Man Is At The Scene,” that I think apply to the digital world we are now in.

“Each writer is expected to add his personality, background and enthusiasm to the report.”

“Time is precious to a broadcaster. Learn to measure it in terms of the written word.”

“Check and recheck all facts, figures and names. In radio or television, nine out of ten corrections reach an entirely different audience. The time to make one is BEFORE the copy hits the wire.”

“Let the ear tune in the source before you hit it with the charge, statement or prediction.”

“Some people speak more informally than they write, a newscast is more informal than Page One of a newspaper. It must not, however, be so informal it fails to win listener respect.”

“Tune in on every phase of human existence. Otherwise, how can you report on and interpret them? “Dig” Satchmo as well as missiles and summit conference. Read, read and read some more.”

“Your first sentence should be a snappy attention-getter, similar to the banner line in a newspaper.”

Of course some things have changed:

“In items involving pertinent profanity (where stations may wish to use or know about the actual wording) set it up in bracket form.

Examples:

Mr Truman called the music critic a name ordinarily avoided in polite society (an S.O.B.).

Godfrey said – “It hurts (like hell).”