Community Radio

I. Radio Strategies

Making Contact

General Approach

Common pitfalls

Strategies

Feasibility/Needs

Producing a ShowPick your topic

Write your script

Think about relevance

Talk to the right people

Involve the community

Make it interesting

Record and edit

Jazz it up

Export and/or air it

Archive

Intro to Radio Technology

Most stations will have:Mixing desk

Microphones/headphones

Portable recording device

Computer w/ library management software

Cassette and/or CD deck

Show Formats

Drama

Interview

News

Counterpart hosts

Commercials/PSAs

Show Components

Intro / Outro

Primary Content

Public service announcements

Commercials

Music

'You're Listening' blurbs

Call-in

Beyond the Show

Technology training

Financial management

Station promotion and money raising

Audience evaluation

Who's listening?

How large is your audience?

Is your message coming across?

Part II:

Using Audacity1.What is Audacity and why use it?

2.Installing Audacity

3.Installing mp3 lib extension

4.Connecting your microphone

5.Setting Levels

6.Select Track Type

7.Recording

8.Editing

9.Exporting

What is Audacity and why are we using it?

Audacity Is:A Multi-track audio editor

Capable of importing / recording, modifying, and exporting audio

We are using it because it is:Open Source

Portable

Installing Audacity

1.Download the latest version

2.Save it to your computer

3.Run the install file

4.Save the install file to pass on to friends!

5.Run Audacity

Installing the LAME MP3 encoder

To allow the export of .mp3 files (which are much smaller), a special encoder is needed

Follow the instructions in Audacity after attempting to export an .mp3 without the encoder

Connecting your microphone

1.Connect your device.

2.Ensure the mic and headphone connections are made correctly.

3.Check to make sure your device is working.

Setting Levels

1.Open Audacity

2.Select your input/output devices

3.Begin monitoring audio

4.Adjust gain, beginning from the microphone

5.Maximize volume without clipping

Selecting Track Type

1.Open Edit → Preferences

2.Select 1 (Mono) in the channels settings

Recording in mono reduces file size and is easier to work with

For radio shows, mono is perfectly adequate

Recording

1.Place your cursor where you want to start recording

2.Press record to begin a new track

3.Press shift + record to begin recording from the cursor position, in the selected track

4.Say what you want to say, play what you want to play

5.Press record again, or press stop

6.Rinse, lather, repeat...

Editing1.Normalize all tracks

2.Move all clips to one track per artist - 'Time Shift Tool'

3.From the beginnig, begin listening and editing

4.Cut out mistakes - 'Selection Tool'

5.When you arrive at music, cut the object - SPLIT command

6.Import all external audio files

7.Listen to all transitions

8.Export your show

Exporting1.Select File -> Export

2.Type a name for your exported show Note: make sure you know where you're saving the file; i.e.:

don't lose it.

3.Ensure that 'MP3 Files' is selected

4.Select Options

Constant Bitrate

128 kbps

Joint Stereo

5.Select Save

The Next Step

Audacity Recording Manual (http://audacity.sourceforge.net/manual-1.2/)

PC Senegal's Quickstart Audacity Manual (radio oriented, coming soon)

Experiment!