AUDIO PRODUCTION

CLASS FACILITATION

By beryl and hunja

SEQUENCE AND MAGAZINE PROGRAMME FORMATS

It is a lengthy slot generally between two and four hours such as morning show or drive show. It is designed with a specific audience in mind and tightly structured. With the emphasis on content. There should be some tightness but also a variety.

To maintain the programme consistency several factors must remain constant:

1.      Programme Title.

It is the signpost and should trigger memories of previous sections and provide clues for uninitiated. Titles like Women Hour. The title should stem from the programme aim and the extent to which the target audience is limited to a specialist group.

2.      Signature tune

Used to distinguish it from previous programming and also an additional signpost to make the listener turn up the volume also portray the style of the programme. As light hearted, urgent or serious. It includes 15 sec of the right music to establish the mood.

3.      Transmission time

Stations usually schedule with a series of sequences in fixed blocks of three or four hours. Its important to have the right presenters for each time slot

4.      The Presenter

The presenter regulates the tone of the programme by his/her individual approach to the listener. It can be Outgoing, quiet and companiable and so on. It is good to have two presenters who allow the listeners to form a relationship with them and the programme based on liking and trusting. The rotation of presenters is not that advisable.

5.      Linking Style.

It has its own consistent style. The way items are introduced, the amount and type of humor used number of time checks. The level of pitch of the whole programme remain constant. Off the cuff comment (spontaneous) need to be worked off in advance. The links enable the presenter to give additional information personalized comment or humor. How one handles links shows cohesiveness.

6.      Information Content

The more local the sequence is the more specific and practical the information it gives. If a programme is known for its information the spots must be distinctive, standardized in terms of timing, duration, style. The type of information depends the needs of the audience in the area covered by the station. Examples include News reports, Weather, Traffic information.

7.      Programme construction

The overall shape of the programme remains constant. The proportion of music to speech should stay roughly  the same between editions and if the content normally comprises items from 3 to 5 minutes duration ending with a featurette of 8minutes this structure should become the established pattern. Do not give most of the time to the feature it will become a documentary.

8.      Programme Variety

Each programme creates fresh interest and contains surprise. First subject matter of individual items should itself be relevant and new to the listener. Second order of items need to highlight different and maintain approach to listeners ear. Easy for Daily magazine show, News Magazine. The use of different voices, locations, actualities, music and strings produce brightness and variety.

9.      Programme Ideas

First records down all ideas even the flimsy ones. Second, note advance information on anniversaries and other feature events. Third cultivate wide range of contacts look at newspapers, trade journals, comics be a peoples person.

10.  Voice piece

A single voice giving information as with a news bulletin, situation reports or events diary used to give eye witness commentary or tell a story of I was there. It has its own colour and vitality. Addressed to the listeners pictorial writing in the first person and colloquial delivery. Its immediate to current events.

11.  Interview.

There are many types. Those that challenge reasons discover facts or explore emotions. The subheadings include vox pops or man in the streets and so on.

12.  Discussion.

Has two people of opposing sides or non-coincident views. Attempts to present a range of views as in multi-facet discussion.

13.  Music

It’s a component of a sequence, an item, concert performance or recording. It follows naturally upon previous item, or a follow up to a previous item. It acts as a link.

14.  Sound Effects

They stir the memory and paint the pictures. If overdone it becomes a cliché. E.g a sound effect of screeching breaks just before talking about accidents.

15.  Listener Participation

Like regarding a spot for letters and emails, responded to in a good manner. One should reference before answering them. A phone in spot shows immediacy and can provide feedback.

16.  Features

A magazine will include a place for a package of material dealing with a subject in greater depth than might be possible in a single interview. It’s referred to as a featurette. It can be an interview, place centered, topic centered. It’s a good means of distilling a complex subject and presenting its essential components.

17.  Drama

Weekly, Daily serial or book reading established a place in many programmes. it has some placing, intro music, consistent structure, familiar characters, single sense of style. It needs new events, fresh situations and people and occasional surprise. Drama can be used to make specific point.

18.  Item Order

One should have a programme order, set an overall style and decide on treatment on each individual item. In radio strong items are put at the beginning of a show to attract listeners to the show and devices to hold them till the end. Use of hooks designed to capture and retain listener’s attention.

19.  Production method

A regular magazine or sequence has to be organized on two distinct levels the long term and immediate. The long term allows for anniversaries, one –off editions booking of guests, on spots to form a series of several programme everyone involved has a specified brief and involvement.