Radio production / Robert McLeish.

Format:

Book

Author/Creator:

McLeish, Robert.

Language:

English

Subjects (All):

Radio--Production and direction.

Radio.

Radio broadcasting.

Physical Description:

xvi, 351 pages : illustrations ; 25 cm + 1 CD-ROM (sound ; 4 3/4 in.)

Edition:

Fifth edition.

Other Title:

Previous eds. have title: Radio production : a manual for broadcasters

Place of Publication:

Oxford : Focal Press, 2005.

Summary:

This classic book is a must-have for anyone involved in radio production, covering everything from operational techniques and producing different programme formats to conducting interviews and writing for radio, as well as making commercials, news, phone-ins, commentary, features and drama. This edition is further enhanced by a supporting CD-ROM, packed with examples, exercises and resources.

Contents:

1 Characteristics of the medium 1

Radio makes pictures 1

Radio speaks to millions 2

Radio speaks to the individual 3

The speed of radio 3

Radio has no boundaries 3

The transient nature of radio 4

Radio on demand 4

Radio as background 5

Radio is selective 5

Radio lacks space 5

The personality of radio 6

The simplicity of radio 6

Radio is low cost 7

Radio for the disadvantaged 8

Radio teaches 9

Radio has music 9

Radio can surprise 9

Radio can suffer from interference 10

Radio for the individual 10

Radio for society 11

The public servant 12

Types of radio station 14

'Outside' pressures 15

Personal motivations 16

2 The radio studio 18

Studio layout 19

The studio desk, mixer, control panel, console or board 19

Computers 25

Digital compression 26

Digital audio workstation 27

Tape formats 30

Editing principles 31

Editing practice 32

CDs, albums and other discs 34

Microphones 35

Stereo 36

Equipment faults 38

3 Ethics 39

Declarations of intent 39

Objectivity, impartiality and fairness 41

Watchdog 42

Bad practice 43

The status of the media 44

4 Writing for the ear 46

Who are you talking to? 46

What do you want to say? 47

The storage of talk 47

Words 48

Structure and signposting 48

Pictures and stories 49

Double meanings 50

The script 51

5 News - policy and practice 53

Codes of Practice 54

Objectivity 54

Legality 56

News values 58

Investigative reporting 60

Campaigning journalism 62

The news reporting function 63

Accuracy 63

Intelligibility in the writing 64

Being fair 66

Giving offence 67

Causing distress 68

Civil disturbance and war reporting 69

A summary 70

The newsroom operation 71

Style book 74

Radio car, mobile phone 75

Equipment in the field 77

The news conference and press release 78

6 Interviewing 80

The basic approach 80

Types of interview 81

Securing the interviewee 83

What the interviewee should know 83

Preparation before the interview 84

The pre-interview discussion 85

Question technique 86

Question 'width' 87

Devil's advocate 88

Multiple questions 89

Leading questions 89

Non-questions 90

Non-answers 91

Non-verbal communication 91

During the interview 92

Winding up 93

After the interview 93

Style 94

Interviewing 'cold' 95

Interviewing through a translator 95

Location interviews 96

The triangle of trust 101

7 Vox pop 102

Phrasing the question 103

Interviewing children 104

Choosing the site 105

The recorder 105

Putting the question 106

The editing 107

8 Cues and links 109

Information for the broadcaster 109

Information for the listener 111

Links 114

9 Newsreading and presentation 115

The seven Ps 116

Newsreading 117

Pronunciation 118

Vocal stressing 119

Inflection 120

Quotation marks 120

Alterations 121

Corrections 121

Lists and numbers 121

Station style 122

Continuity presentation 123

Errors and emergencies 124

Headphones 125

Trails and promos 125

10 The discussion 128

Format 129

Selection of participants 130

The chairperson 130

Preparation 131

Advice to contributors 132

Contributor nerves 132

Starting the programme 132

Speaker control 133

Subject control 133

Technical control 134

Ending the programme 136

11 Phone-ins 137

Technical facilities 137

Programme classification 138

The open line 138

Support staff 138

Choosing the calls 141

The role of the presenter 141

Presenter style 142

Studio operation 143

Additional telephone facilities 143

Use of 'delay' 145

The specific subject 145

'Early lines' 146

Consumer affairs 147

The need to be fair 148

Linking programmes together 148

Personal counselling 148

The presenter as listener 149

Non-broadcasting effort 150

Anonymity 150

Phone-in checklist 151

12 Listener participation 152

Letters and e-mails 152

Programme follow-up 153

Texting 154

Helpline 155

Visitors 155

Special involvement 155

Travelling roadshow 156

Major events 156

13 Music programming 158

Attitudes to music 159

Clock format 160

Computerized selection 162

Requests and dedications 162

Choosing music 163

Item order 164

Prefading to time 164

Preparing letters and cards 165

Programme technique 166

Guest programmes 168

DJ programmes 168

14 Sequences and magazines 171

Programme title 172

Signature tune 172

Transmission time 173

The presenter 173

Linking style 174

Information content 174

Programme construction 175

Programme variety 175

Programme ideas 176

Voice piece 177

Interview 178

Music 178

Sound effects 179

Listener participation 179

Features 180

Drama 181

Item order 181

Production method 185

Responding to emergency 187

15 Making commercials 188

Copy policy 188

The target audience 190

The product or service 'premise' 190

Writing copy 191

Voicing and treatment 195

Music and effects 198

Stereo 200

Humour in advertising 201

16 Outside broadcasts (remotes) 204

Planning 205

Visiting the site 205

Communications to base 206

People 207

Hazard assessment 207

Equipment 208

Safety 208

Accommodation 209

Programme research 210

Liaison with the base studio 211

Publicity 211

Conflicts of approach 211

Tidiness 212

Gratuities 212

Attitude to the listener 213

Preparation 214

Working with the base studio 215

Sport 216

Communicating mood 217

Coordinating the images 217

Content and style 217

News action 219

Sports action 219

Actuality and silence 220

The ending 221

Coping with disaster 222

18 Music recording 225

Reproduction of internal balance 227

Creation of a synthetic balance 230

Studio layout 230

Microphones for music 233

Frequency control 235

Dynamic control 235

Echo 236

Channel delay 237

Mixing technique 237

Recording technique 239

Production points 241

19 Drama-principles 242

Adapting for radio 243

The idea 244

Story construction 245

Characterization 247

Dialogue 248

Radio as story 250

Get the evocative bits 251

Rough the drama 251

Prune and polish 252

Truth vs drama 253

Script layout 254

The actors 255

The acoustic 257

Sound effects 259

Music 261

Production technique 262

20 Documentary and feature programmes 264

The documentary 265

Planning 265

Research 268

Structure 268

Collecting the material 268

Impression and truth 269

Music 270

Compilation 271

Programme sequence 272

The ending 272

Programmes in real time 273

The feature 274

21 The work of the producer 276

Ideas 276

The audience 277

Resource planning 277

Preparation of material 278

The studio session 279

Taste 282

Ending the session 282

Post-production 283

Programme administration 283

Technician, editor, administrator and manager 284

22 The executive producer 286

Station management 286

Staff development 287

Scheduling 288

Rescheduling 289

Strategic planning 290

Commissioning programmes 291

Codes of Practice 295

Complaints 296

Website 297

Archival policy 298

23 Programme evaluation 300

Production evaluation 300

Programme quality 301

Audience evaluation 303

Personal meters 304

Research panels 305

Questionnaires 305

Letter response 307

Cost evaluation 308

24 Training 310

Triggers for training 311

Course organization 312

Stretching imagination 314

Editorial selection 314

News priorities 314

News exercise 315

Voicework 315

Personal

motivation 316

Vox pop 316

Drama 316

New challenges for old producers 317

Maintaining output 317

Assessing quality 317

Training evaluation 318

25 Back-announcement 319

CD-ROM 321

Further reading-a selection 338.

Notes:

Includes index.

ISBN:

0240519728

OCLC:

57750598