The codes and conventions

of radio trailers

By Marcus Stanley

A2 Media Studies Coursework

Facts and Statistics

• For a radio trailer to be informative and provide knowledge for the listener, it must contain facts and statistics.

• These facts should convince the listener to want to watch the documentary as it will make it sound interesting.

• Facts and stats also provides a feel of professionalism and realism.

Voiceover

A voiceover or narration is an integral part of any radio trailer as it guides the listener through what is being portrayed.

A voiceover simply explains what the topic of our documentary is.

It gives a professional essence to the piece and also gives realism.

Music

The music is used in a radio trailer to set a steady pace and to set the atmosphere for the listener.

However, from listening to existing radio trailers it is vital to ensure that the voiceover/narration can still be heard over the top of the background music.

Length

Average radio trailers normally last for around 30 to 40 seconds long.

Any longer than this, then the listener could become bored and stop listening.

This time is short enough to be able to engage the listener.

Other

The radio trailer should include extracts from the documentary itself to engage and draw in the reader to want to go and watch it.

Advertise the date and time of which the documentary will be aired, as well as the channel.

Contain several speakers in the trailer rather than just one person speaking.

Sound effects

Sound effects can used to keep the listener interested and to create a certain effect.

As our documentary surrounds sport, we could look to include a sound effect of a roaring crowd.

Sound effects also indicate to listener what they should expect from the documentary.

Vox Pop & Expert Interviews

Vox Pop and interviews taken from the documentary itself can be included into the radio trailer.

Sound bites from our expert interviews with Nick and Gavin (Media and PE teachers respectively) could be included into our radio trailer.

This gives provides an element realism for the listener and also tells them that the information is truthful.