Sound bites get a bad press. Politicians are often accused of “talking in sound bites” instead of giving clear and honest answers.
So what is this animal?:
Wikipedia says: A sound bite is a short clip of speech or music extracted from a longer piece of audio. It is often used to promote or exemplify the full length piece. Before the actual term “sound bite” had been coined, Mark Twain described the concept as “a minimum of sound to a maximum of sense.” It is characterised by a short phrase or sentence that deftly captures the essence of what the speaker is trying to say. Such key moments in dialogue (or monologue) stand out more strongly in the audience’s memory and thus become the best “taste” of the larger message or conversation.
In essence a sound bite is a deft bit of précis that stays in the memory and illustrates a much more complex subject without getting bogged down in long chains of words.
This is not to be confused with a cliché. Wikipedia: A cliche or cliché is an expression, idea, or element of an artistic work which has been overused to the point of losing its original meaning or effect, especially when at some earlier time it was considered meaningful or novel. In phraseology, the term has taken on a more technical meaning, referring to any expression imposed by conventionalised linguistic usage. The term is frequently used in modern culture for an action or idea which is expected or predictable, based on a prior event.
MediaTrain works with its clients to craft sound bites that convey meaning memorably and can change minds, attitudes or perceptions. Properly handled, they are the “message” distilled to its essence. And they do not sound rehearsed or borrowed or routine, as clichés do.
Here’s an example that illustrates the difference. President Barack Obama might have said, in reference to the killing of Afghan civilians by a U.S. soldier:
“We deeply regret the loss of life. We will leave no stone unturned in our investigation.”
This is what he actually said and it’s a couple of sound bites so powerful that they were used by the media the world over within minutes:
“The United States takes this as seriously as if it was our own citizens, and our children, who were murdered. We’re heartbroken over the loss of innocent life,” Obama said.
“I’ve directed the Pentagon to make sure that we spare no effort in conducting a full investigation. We will follow the facts wherever they lead us and we will make sure that anybody who is involved is held fully accountable with the full force of the law.”
“Heartbroken”, in the context of a sentence saying the United States feels Afghan grief as deeply as it would the loss of its own children, is a powerful word little-used by politicians, that elevates an expression of regret from a formality into the real world of feelings.
“Follow the facts wherever they lead us” is an ingenious and memorable way of saying there will be no cover up.
And no cliché in either sentence.
Avoid clichés like the plague.
Andy Hill, MediaTrain