Radio Format - Lecture Notes 1

What Is Radio Format? Radio format, sometimes called programming format, refers to the overall content of the station. Some stations run multiple genres, but most have a signature tone and style. Radio formats are selected to appeal to particular demographics and niches, such as a particular age group or ethnicity. Common formats include: News, talk and sports: These stations feature news and conversation, rather than music. They typically announce local, regional and national news items along with sports coverage. They also will regularly post traffic updates, one of the main reasons why audiences tune in. Country: Country stations play a mix of recent hits and classic songs in their genre. These stations have broad appeal in age demographics. Contemporary: Contemporary stations usually focus on the top 40 hits of the moment, including pop music, hip-hop and more. These stations target younger crowds, such as teenagers. Rock and alternative: Classic rock is one of the most popular formats; metropolitan areas often have multiple classic rock stations. Rock and alternative stations play a mix of modern rock, classic rock, punk and metal music. Urban: Urban stations, often referred to as rhythm and blues (R&B) stations, tend to cater to a younger audience. They highlight artists in R&B, soul, hip-hop and rap. Classical: Classical music is usually geared towards older audiences and is not as common. They feature works from composers like Beethoven, Chopin and Bach. Religious: Religious programming is popular in certain areas, particular in the southern states. From youth-focused music to talk radio, these stations highlight spiritual content. Stations target different demographics with programming at different times. College: Many colleges and universities have their own radio stations, featuring music from up and coming artists. Run by volunteers, these stations tend to have smaller broadcast ranges. The audiences tend to be very niche, such as college students at that particular university. Radio Format and Advertisers Arbitron is the company that publishes the ratings of radio stations. It has a list of radio station formats that it uses as a barometer in measuring radio station audiences. When advertisers look to place commercials on radio, they need to know whether a station is playing country music or hip-hop. That helps them decide how to pinpoint their message to reach a specific audience. Radio station programmers constantly tweak their formats to respond to changing tastes in music. A Radio format can be split into three parts: They are:(a) Spoken Word or Human Voice (b) Music (c) Sound Effects All radio formats have the above three ingredients. So let us first classify the spoken word format. SPOKEN WORD 1. Announcements : These are specifically written clear messages to inform. They can be of different types. For example station/programme identification. These mention the station you are tuned into, the frequency, the time and the programme/song you are going to listen to. As mentioned already you find in today’s commercial radio channels, these announcements have become informal and resemble ordinary conversation. There can be more than one presenter in some programmes like magazines. 2. Radio talk : The radio talk probably is the oldest format on radio. There has been a tradition in India and Britain to invite experts or prominent persons to speak for 10 or 15 minutes on a specific topic. These talks have to go through a process of being changed into radio’s spoken word style. Over the years, these long radio talks have become unpopular. Instead, today, shorter duration talks are broadcast. Of course, you can listen to these talks only on public service broadcasting stations. 3. Radio interviews: Have you ever interviewed anyone? Probably yes. In the media, be it the newspaper, magazine, radio or television, journalists use this technique of asking questions to get information. There can be different types of interviews in terms of their duration, content and purpose. Firstly, there are full fledged interview programmes. The duration of these may vary from 10 minutes to 30 minutes or even 60 minutes depending up on the topic, and the person being interviewed. Most of such interviews are personality based. You might have heard of long interviews with well known people in the field of public life, literature, science, sports, films etc. Secondly, there are interviews which are used in various radio programmes like documentaries. Here the interviews are short, questions specific and not many. The purpose is to get a very brief, to the point answer. 4. Radio discussions :-Through a discussion we can find out a solution to problems. In any discussion there are more than 2 or 3 people and then ideas can be pooled to come to some conclusion. In radio, this technique is used to let people have different points of view on matters of public concern. Radio discussions are produced when there are social or economic issues which may be controversial. So when different experts meet 5. Radio documentaries/features: Unlike documentary films, radio documentaries have only sound – i.e. the human voice, music and sound effects. So a radio documentary is a programme based on real sounds and real people and their views and xperiences. Radio documentaries are based on facts presented in an attractive manner or dramatically. Radio documentaries are radio’s own creative format. The producer of a documentary needs to be very creative to use human voice, script, music and sound effects very effectively. Radio documentaries are also called radio features. 6. Radio drama: A Radio drama or a radio play is like any other play staged in a theatre or a hall. The only difference is that while a stage play has actors, stage, sets, curtains, properties movement and live action, a radio play has only 3 components. They are the human voice, music and sound effects. Radio of course uses its greatest strength for producing radio plays and that is the power of imagination and suggestivity. For example, if you want to have a scene in a radio play of a north Indian marriage, you don’t have all physical arrangements made. 7. Running commentaries : A commentator would give you all the details of the match such as the number of players, the score, position of the players in the field etc. So by listening to the running commentary, you get a feeling of being in the stadium and watching the match. The commentator needs good communication skills, a good voice and knowledge about what is going on. Running commentaries on radio can be on various sports events or on ceremonial occasions like the Republic Day Parade or events like festivals, melas, rath yatras, swearing in ceremony of ministers, last journey (funeral procession) of national leaders etc. Today radio running commentaries especially of cricket and other sports can be heard on your mobile phones. 8. Magazine programmes :You are familiar with magazines which are a form of print media. They are published weekly, bi-weekly, fortnightly or monthly. There are general magazines and magazines for specific readers. These magazines could be for children, women, youth or on health, sports, science or music. If you open any one of these magazines, you will find articles, reviews, features, photo features etc. Radio also has magazine programmes like those in the print media . 9. NEWS: Among all the spoken word formats on radio, news is the most popular. News bulletins and news programmes are broadcast every hour by radio stations. In India, only All India Radio is allowed to broadcast news. Duration of news bulletins vary from 5 minute to 30 minutes. The longer newsbulletins have interviews, features, reviews and comments from experts. MUSIC : When we say radio, the first thing that comes to our mind is music. So music is the main stay in radio. There is no radio without music. Music is used in different ways on radio. There are programmes of music and music is also used in different programmes. These include signature tunes, music used as effects in radio plays and features. SOUND EFFECTS Sound can play a major role in evoking interest. Sound can be used for comic effects to evoke laughter Sound can be used to create certain moods or enhance . INTERVIEWING SKILLS. A good interview depends on more than just a list of questions: * Make your approach polite and respectful Explain what you’re doing. Be confident. Assume your subject will want to talk to you. The way people respond depends on how you approach them. The trick is to make people realize that your project is both fun and important. Also let people know that everything can and will be edited. * Make the interview situation comfortable before you start Move chairs around, get close so you don’t have to reach. For example: sit at the corner of a table, not across, so you can hold the microphone close and your arm won’t grow weak. * Record interviews in the quietest place possible Be careful of TVs, stereos, traffic noise, wind, anything that will be distracting from the interview. Even refrigerators can make an annoying sound that you might not notice until you get home and listen to the tape. Sometimes you want the sound of the environment. But it’s best to gather that separately, and record all the important interviews in a quiet place. Anytime you are in a loud room or noisy environment, remember to collect a few minutes of that sound on its own ‹ what is called a “sound bed” or ambiance. If you have to record an interview in a loud place, it can help to bring the microphone even closer (2-3 inches) to the speaker’s mouth. * Keep the microphone close It bears repeating here: just as when you are recording yourself, the most important thing is to keep the microphone close to the speaker’s mouth (5-6 inches). If you want to record your questions too, you’ll have to move the microphone back and forth. * Always hold the microphone Don’t let the interviewee take the microphone. It’s better if you keep control of the equipment. * Put people at ease Talk about the weather. Joke about the microphone. It’s a good idea to begin recording a few minutes before you actually start the interview. That helps you avoid the uncomfortably dramatic moment: “Okay, now we will begin recording.” Just chat about anything while you begin rolling tape. Before they realize it, you’ve started the interview. * Maintain eye contact Keep the microphone below the line of sight. Talk to people just as you would normally. In groups, don’t let everyone talk at once If you are interviewing a few people at once, have them gather around close to the microphone. * Try to focus on one or two people Less is more. You’re better off zeroing in on the characters you think are the best. Also get people to identify themselves on tape. * Watch out for uh-huhs Be aware of natural conversational responses like uh-huhs or laughter. Try to use quiet responses: a concerned nod, questioning eyes, the silent laugh. * Don’t be afraid of pauses and silences Resist the temptation to jump in. Let the person think. Often the best comments come after a short, uncomfortable silence when the person you are interviewing feels the need to fill the void and add something better. * Let people talk in full sentences Avoid questions that can be answered with a simple yes or no. Instead of, “Are you a doctor?” ask, “Tell me how you became a doctor.” Remember that you want people to tell you stories. * Get people to ‘do’ things In addition to the sit-down interview, have people show you around; record a tour of their house, their photo album or their car engine. It’s more fun to get people moving around and talking about what they’re doing, rather than just sitting in a chair. It helps to relax people before and during an interview. It’s also a way to get good tape. * Listening is the key A good interview is like a conversation. Prepare questions, but don’t just follow a list. The most important thing is to listen and have your questions come naturally. If your questions are rehearsed and hollow, the answers will be too. If you are curious and your questions are spontaneous and honest, you will get a good interview. * Interviewing is a two-way street Conducting a good interview depends, in part, on asking the right questions. But it is also important to establish a relationship with the person you are interviewing. Sometimes it is appropriate to share some information about yourself in an interview. Remember that it’s a conversation. What’s more, for it to be an honest conversation, people must feel that you care about what they say, and will honor and respect their words and stories. * Take notes Remember specific details. Take notes immediately after the interview, while it’s still fresh in your mind. You can also use the tape recorder like a dictating machine. * Relax and forget about the microphone One thing that’s always amazing: in the beginning of an interview people are usually stiff and selfconscious, but after a while, they forget all about the tape recorder and start to be themselves. * The last secret to a great interview There is one simple rule for getting people to talk openly and honestly: you have to be genuinely curious about the world around you. SOURCES OF PROGRAMMING IDEAS 1. Start with your own experience 2. Conversations with acquaintances. Community you are part of-Find out about what is happening in the world by researching the internet, 3. Read the papers and listen to newscast - News stories also provide plenty of clues and ideas for more detailed story possibilities. A news story has a very short shelf life but the story behind the news tends to have a much longer shelf life. 4. Clip saving 5. The Internet is a great source of information to help you understand the subject of your story. Facebook and Twitter. Social media is the 21st century equivalent of the man-on-the-street . 6. History 7. Hobbies 8. Numbers. Spreadsheets make me swoon. It’s not that I love numbers, it’s that I love figuring out what they mean, and then building stories around them. And as Mary Chapin Carpenter sang, 9. How and why behind a news event. CHALLENGES FACING RADIO IN THE DIGITAL ERA. With the onset of the rapid and radical changes to the broadcasting environment principally brought about by the migration from analogue to digital technologies, the landscape is now faced with a whole new set of challenges. Digital communication technologies as well as the convergence of telecommunications and the media have changed the media sector completely. o In terms of media development, we are currently witnessing progressive migration from analogue to digital production and broadcasting, hence the appearance of radio and digital television. Terrestrial digital media encourages an increase in the number of programmes available, improves quality and accessibility and creates new media services. o Digital radio offers improved sound and reception, new multimedia functions - receivers can be equipped with screens to broadcast images and texts (programme or song titles, etc.). o Digital migration also offers a solution to frequency congestion and encourages more programmes. o digital broadcasting (radio and TV) offers other benefits in terms of managing the frequency spectrum available, regional planning, a reduction in energy consumption and costs, etc. o Changes in listenership in terms of young audience and old audience. A vital question for radio broadcasters is whether younger audiences will revert to more traditional listening habits as they age. Also, whether radio listening among older audiences is undermined as they adopt new listening behaviours. o Unprecedented shift in advertising revenue to online this transition of ad-spend to online is the most significant economic trend that has put pressure on revenues across all media. Display is now the main source of digital ad growth, in direct competition to TV and radio. o Increase and development of online radio stations.