Radio & TV Production

Week 1
What is radio production?
Radio production is the process by which the content is created and
delivered via the radio, internet, or other streaming and mobile platforms.
It starts with the planning of a new show or episode concept, then involves
organizing and executing every last detail needed to produce that show.
What is radio and its purpose?
radio, a form of mass media and sound communication by radio waves, usually
through the transmission of music, news, and other types of programs from single
broadcast stations to multitudes of individual listeners equipped with radio
receivers.
The 3 process of radio production
There are three stages in programme production process, i.e., pre-production,
production and post-production. While planning is required at every stage,
extensive planning is required at the pre-production stage when the
programme is conceived and all the necessary preparations made.
What is a radio producer?
Radio producers are responsible for the audio content of broadcasts delivered over the
radio, the internet and other mobile platforms. They work with presenters, DJs,
broadcasting assistants, engineers and IT staff and may also be responsible for the
business and commercial management of a programme.
What is a radio in broadcasting?
Broadcast media production includes the knowledge, skills, and abilities to direct,
produce, and operate complex video and audio events. These events can be live
or taped broadcasts of the news, films or documentaries, community events,
interviews, theatrical and music productions, etc.
What are the benefits of radio broadcasting?
● Radios are portable, unlike television.
● Radios are cheaper as compared to television.
● It is cheaper for firms to advertise on the radio than on television.
● It does not affect eye vision, unlike television.
● It is more cost-effective.
● It is less distracting than television.
Radio Talk Shows
Radio talk shows can be defined as radio broadcasts centered
primarily on conversational speech. They encompass numerous
discourse genres and formats, ranging from political diatribes to
highly interactive exchanges with members of the listening
audience.
Radio Talk Show Themes
Most talk shows revolve around a specific theme, such as politics, health,
entertainment, comedy, or gossip.

The news/talk/information format includes AM talk radio, public radio stations with
talk programming, network news radio, sports radio, and personality talk radio.
What makes a great radio talk show?
7 Tips To Present Great Radio

● Know Your Listener. Understand everything about your audience; why they
listen to you, when they listen, what they listen on. ...
● Make Your Listener Care.
● Talk to ONE Person.
● Be in Charge.
● Learn The Rules, Then Break Them!
● Make The Mic Your Mate.
● Be Yourself.
Things to do:
Listen to other radio shows in your genre. Listen to a wide variety of other radio shows of the type that
you’re interested in, whether it’s a talk show, documentary style, or music program. Take notice of the
elements that other shows have to help guide what you want to do.
Things to do:
Decide on the basic components of your show. Think about and write down all
the basic information about the radio show you want to create. Decide on the
following key elements of your show:
● Pay attention to the things that another radio show does that keep you
engaged and listening. Does the host give fun facts about the music they’re
going to play or just played? Are the interviews interesting and easy to
follow? Try emulating these elements in your own show.
● Also take note of the things in a show that make it drag or make you dislike
it. Are there too many pauses? Is the host’s voice too monotone or too fast?
Think of how you can avoid these things in your own radio show.
● Name: Consider carefully the name you choose for your show, as it is the
only thing that will stay the same in your broadcast.
● Objective: What do want to accomplish with your show? Is it to inform
(informational programs, documentaries), to entertain (musical shows, radio
theatre), to do a public service (interviews, reviews, special programs), etc.?
● Theme: What will you talk about? Decide on a theme or category for the type
of content you produce
● Schedule: Decide on a length of time for each broadcast, how often it will air, and
for how many weeks or months. Of course, this will be decided by a radio station
if you broadcast through one.
● Audience: Who’s listening? Consider what age group, location, and other
demographic categories you are hoping to have as key listeners.
● Show elements: What are the features of your broadcast? Are there interviews?
Music? Live callers? Special guests?
● Advertising: If you need or want advertising to support your radio show, you’ll
need to seek out sponsors, record advertisements, and decide how and when
they’ll be placed within your show.
Interview and build a story for a news or documentary show. Plan for an
informative, educational, or entertainment radio show that uses primarily spoken audio.
Arrange interviews, narration, investigative research, and any other elements
necessary to put together a complete story or theme.
● Conduct quality interviews by maintaining a casual, conversational style and
asking your subject further questions to get more information or simply to find

a piece of tape that is memorable or noteworthy for your overall story.[8]

● Note that if you’re conducting a live interview, as in one with someone live in
the studio or calling in over the phone, you should do a pre-interview. This
allows you to pose all the questions you will ask in the real interview so your
subject is prepared for them and you know how they will answer.
● Write out an outline for the entire “story” you’re trying to build to make it
easier to get the interviews you need, information you want, and “scenes”
you’d like to create.
Radio show outline

Write a script or outline. Write down what you will say during your show, whether it is
narration to tell an overall story, questions to ask an interview subject, or wrap portions
between songs in a set. Lay out a basic outline, or a more detailed word-for-word script.
Let's say that we've just gotten our first 90-minute political talk radio show. Here's an example of a schedule we
might have for our first show:

(5 minutes) Theme song and introductions.