Broadcast time is scarce. A sound bite is a short excerpt of recorded speech, usually from an interview or public statement, selected for use in a radio or television story.

Effective sound bites are concise, vivid, and self-contained enough to make sense without long explanation. Producers and reporters choose them to illustrate a point, convey emotion, or present a key claim in the speaker’s own voice. Overuse of clipped bites can flatten complexity; skilled packages balance bites with context and paraphrase.

Politicians and advocates have learned to deliver message-ready phrases designed to survive editing into sound bites. Journalists remain responsible for selecting excerpts that fairly represent the longer statement. The sound bite is a tool of compression, not a substitute for fuller understanding.

• Short extract of recorded speech for broadcast
• Selected for clarity, impact, or key claims
• Must fairly represent the longer original
• Balanced with context in strong packages