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The
whole set of activities that you will engage in to put a program
together is the program process. This process traditionally
has been divided into three phases--pre-production, production,
and post-production. Of these the phase that beginning radio
producers most often fail to pay sufficient attention to is
pre-production.
Pre-production
This is the planning phase of producing a radio program.
It involves the following activities:
deciding the overall theme or focus of a program;
determining the various parts that will comprise the program
(interview subjects, music, stingers, in-studio vs. field recordings,
guests and host(s), phone-ins, Q & As, and so on);
examining the technical requirements and resource availability
to produce the program as envisioned (field equipment and/or
studio availability, appropriate musicians or pre-recorded
material, necessary personnel);
writing the script (balancing scripted text with ad lib, determining
insert placement, selecting and planning music intros, outros
and beds, selecting stingers) to provide continuity and assure
adequate overall length as required;
scheduling the equipment, studios, personnel, interviews, transportation,
editing suites or other resources needed to produce the program;
rewriting the script (often in conjunction with the talent
for the program) to assure proper pace, vocabulary, flow, and
thematic
focus;
rehearsing the non-live recorded segments in preparation for
studio recording.
Production
The production phase includes the actual recording activities
to provide the raw material for the final product. Recording
can occur either in a studio or in the field. There are both
advantages and disadvantages to both recording locations. Properly
configured and acoustically treated studio recording provides
better control of sound, but does not as easily provide the
variety of sound --particularly ambience--that
gives a sense of reality to a program. Field recording is better
for providing a rich
sound in a program, but can also make for noisy recordings where
information is harder to understand or that is distracting to
the listener. In both cases careful selection of interview subjects
and microphones can compensate for the difficulties. You can
probably imagine, too, that one type of recording or the other
is better for a particular program. Interviews with musical artists,
for instance, are better done in studio because they are more
intimate and they allow the guest to play or sing music as part
of the interview. Some news interviews, too, are better in studio,
especially those treating serious subjects and including academic
experts or political figures. However, interviews with such people
can often be done in their offices using more directional microphones
to minimize distractions and increase the clarity of recording.
The issues that are most crucial in the recording process,
then, include:
attention to the physical and acoustical properties of the recording
space. Many offices, for instance, will be equipped with florescent
fixtures that can create buzz in the recording. Can these be
turned off during the interview? Is their sufficient light without
them?
attention to the microphone(s) chosen for the interview. Will
it/they provide sufficient sound control in the recording environment?
Will it/they provide the most interesting sound to the listener?
attention to the overall style of the program. Will the program
benefit from "reality" ambience best achieved through
field recording or from the intimacy provided by a studio recording?
Will the proper degree of seriousness for the content of the
program be achieved by the choice of recording space? Will
any interview subjects feel more comfortable in one space or
the
other? Do you need an ambience mic? Do you need to arrive early
at a field recording location to record ambience prior to beginning
narration or interviewing?
can you mix field and studio recording effectively in the same
program or will the change be distracting or jolting to the listener?
if you record in a studio, what can you do during the recording
session to maximize interesting sound? Will sound effects or
DSP help or distract? How interesting are guests' voices? How
lively are the issues you will be discussing? Is one guest, or
multiple guests, preferable?
if you field record, what are the ambient sounds you will need
to control? Do you have a way to control them?
Post-production
The post-production phase involves editing, assembly, application
of digital signal processing, addition of music (intros,
outros, beds and bridges) or sound effects, timing and
mastering the
program to fit within the available time and format/sound
of the station. Each program should fit stylistically
into the format
of the station as a whole, or within the programming block
that it is designed for. Rock 'n' roll stations with
fast-taking disc
jockeys, or that play hard-driving music (ala heavy metal,
for instance), should produce their news or features
to the same
pace. Classical music stations should produce theirs at
a slower or more reflective pace. The program cutting
would
provide for
more reflection and the music would fit into the overall
sound of the station.
The goal in post-production is clarity, stylistic fit,
proper timing and audience interest within the overall
sound of
the station. More general service stations may have programming
blocks for more specific audiences and their overall sound
may change
from time to time throughout the day. In these cases the
particular
program should fit within the programming block style where
it is to be broadcast.
Producing Specialized Radio Programs
Some types of sound recording and preparation
of radio programs require specialized recording methodologies
or program preparation. Some of these include:
 
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