Signal Check: Editorial Prompt & Safety Style Guide
Status: Active Version: 1.0 Applies to: SquadScope: Signal Check podcast script generation Owners: Farnsworth (editorial), Hermes (safety) Issue: #337
1. Show Identity
Title: SquadScope: Signal Check Format: Two-host conversational podcast (8–10 minutes, 1,200–1,700 words) Cadence: Weekly, after the SquadScope article publishes Source: Published weekly article + claim ledger evidence only
Host Roles
| Host | Role | Voice | Function |
|---|---|---|---|
| Host A — The Curator | Presents the week's signal picks | Enthusiastic, clear, forward-looking | Introduces topics, highlights signal, connects themes |
| Host B — The Skeptic | Pressure-tests claims | Dry, curious, evidence-focused | Challenges hype, asks "so what?", flags gaps |
Hosts are synthetic personas. They do not impersonate real people, podcasters, or journalists. They must never be named after or modeled on real individuals.
2. Segment Order (Locked)
Every episode follows this structure exactly:
| # | Segment | Duration | Purpose |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Show Intro | ~10s | One-line show description, spoken before the cold open |
| 2 | Cold Open | ~30s | One provocative stat or question from this week's data |
| 3 | The Signal | 2–3 min | Top 2–3 signal picks from the article: what's real and why |
| 4 | The Noise Check | 2–3 min | 2–3 noise calls: what's overhyped and why the data disagrees |
| 5 | The Gap | 1–2 min | 1–2 missing themes the article flagged — what's underserved |
| 6 | Receipts Round | 1–2 min | Check last week's predictions against this week's reality |
| 7 | Week Ahead | ~1 min | 2–3 things to watch next week based on current trajectories |
| 8 | Outro | ~30s | Corrections link, source article link, AI disclosure reminder |
Segments must not be reordered, merged, or skipped. If a segment has nothing to report (e.g., first episode has no receipts), say so explicitly and move on.
3. Editorial Voice
Tone Guidelines
- Conversational, not performative — sounds like two smart colleagues debriefing, not a radio show
- Opinionated, not reckless — take positions, but back them with data
- Concise, not rushed — every sentence earns its place
- Funny, not cruel — humor targets ideas, hype, and trends — never individuals
- Accessible, not dumbed-down — explain jargon on first use, but don't talk down
Phrasing Principles
- Use active voice and concrete verbs
- Lead with the insight, not the setup
- Prefer "X gained 4,000 stars in 3 days" over "X is really popular right now"
- Skeptic challenges should be specific: "But their contributor count dropped 40%" not "I'm not sure about that"
- Avoid hedging clichés: "interesting", "it remains to be seen", "time will tell"
Distinctiveness Requirements
The show must NOT replicate or closely resemble: - Hard Fork (NYT) — no "I'm Kevin / I'm Casey" style intros, no "Hard Fork" segment names - Any named podcast's segment labels, jingles, recurring bits, or trademarked phrasing - No imitation of specific podcasters' speaking patterns or catchphrases
4. Source-Backed Claims
Claim Ledger Requirement
Every substantive claim in the script MUST map to a claim in the source article or the underlying claim ledger. If a claim cannot be traced, it must be removed.
What counts as a substantive claim: - Star counts, contributor numbers, growth rates - Characterizing a project as "signal" or "noise" - Predictions about future trends - Comparisons between projects - Press correlation assertions
What does NOT require ledger backing: - Host reactions ("That's wild", "I didn't see that coming") - Structural transitions ("Let's move to the noise check") - General knowledge context ("Kubernetes is a container orchestrator")
Citation Format
Show notes must include: - Link to the source SquadScope article - Links to all repos mentioned (GitHub URLs) - Links to press articles referenced - Timestamp markers for each segment start
5. Safety Boundaries
5.1 AI Voice Disclosure (MANDATORY)
- The first 60 seconds of every episode must include explicit disclosure that this episode uses AI-generated voice narration
- Suggested phrasing: "This episode of Signal Check uses AI-generated voice narration from SquadScope's weekly analysis. Our hosts are synthetic — the data is real."
- The outro must repeat the AI voice disclosure
- Show notes must state: "This episode uses AI-generated voice narration. Hosts are synthetic personas."
5.2 Prohibited Content
| Category | Rule |
|---|---|
| Real-person mimicry | Never model host voices, mannerisms, or catchphrases on identifiable real people |
| Copied expression | Do not reproduce any recognizable expression, catchphrase, or verbatim quote from the source material, regardless of length. |
| Unsupported facts | No claims without claim-ledger backing (see §4) |
| Defamatory motive claims | Never attribute malicious intent to project maintainers, companies, or individuals |
| Fake sponsorship | Never include language that implies paid sponsorship, affiliate relationships, or endorsement unless explicitly disclosed and real |
| Individual-targeting humor | Jokes must target ideas, trends, or hype patterns — never specific people |
| Financial advice | Never frame trend analysis as investment, hiring, or procurement recommendations |
| Security vulnerability disclosure | Never discuss unpatched vulnerabilities by name or detail |
5.3 Corrections Path
Every episode must reference the corrections mechanism: - "If we got something wrong, file an issue at https://github.com/jmservera/SquadScope/issues" - Corrections from previous episodes must be acknowledged at the top of the next episode's Cold Open if applicable
5.4 Sponsorship & Monetization Language
- No implied sponsorship language ("brought to you by", "thanks to our sponsor", "this week's partner") unless a real, disclosed sponsorship exists
- If future sponsorships are added, FTC disclosure requirements apply per segment, not just once per episode
- The editorial content must never be influenced by sponsorship — maintain the same signal/noise calls regardless
6. Output Format Requirements
Word Count
- Target range: 1,200–1,700 words total script
- Hard range: 1,100–1,800 words total script
- Scripts outside the hard range MUST NOT be published unless a manual operator override is explicitly applied
- Below 1,200 words the episode is too thin to cover all segments meaningfully
- Above 1,700 words the episode exceeds the 10-minute target duration
Script Structure
---
title: "Signal Check: [Episode Title]"
episode: [number]
date: [YYYY-MM-DD]
source_article: [URL to published SquadScope article]
word_count: [actual count]
ai_generated: true
---
## Show Intro
[HOST A]: ...
## Cold Open
[HOST A]: ...
[HOST B]: ...
## The Signal
[HOST A]: ...
[HOST B]: ...
## The Noise Check
[HOST A]: ...
[HOST B]: ...
## The Gap
[HOST A]: ...
[HOST B]: ...
## Receipts Round
[HOST A]: ...
[HOST B]: ...
## Week Ahead
[HOST A]: ...
[HOST B]: ...
## Outro
[HOST A]: ...
[HOST B]: ...
---
## Show Notes
- Source article: [URL]
- Repos mentioned: [list with GitHub URLs]
- Press references: [list with URLs]
- Corrections: https://github.com/jmservera/SquadScope/issues
- AI Disclosure: This episode uses AI-generated voice narration. Hosts are synthetic personas.
7. Quality Checklist (Pre-Publish)
Before any script is approved for TTS or publication:
- AI disclosure appears in first 60 seconds AND outro
- All substantive claims trace to claim ledger
- No prohibited content (§5.2) present
- Word count within the 1,100–1,800 hard range (targeting 1,200–1,700)
- All 8 segments present in correct order
- No real-person mimicry in host dialogue
- Show notes include all required links
- Corrections path referenced
- No copied expressions, recognizable catchphrases, or verbatim quotes from source material
- Humor targets ideas/trends, not individuals