This week's lecture was a sound lecture available online for us to listen to. It was a bit of a change and I really liked it.
My tutor Carmel was talking to two radio presenters, Richard Fidler and Steve Austin, asking them questions about their path into radio, what radio is like and how to be a great presenter and interviewer.
Here is what they said broken down:
Richard Fidler, host of "Conversations" on ABC local radio, 11am weekdays. Richard broadcasts for an hour every day, investigating the lives of others and interviewing different people about their lives. He describes these hours as "outrageous and spectacular adventures."
Richard describes his pathway to radio, as a complete accident.
He said there were a few things to learn about radio before he got started:
- Radio is a different medium to radio, it would be impossible to place a television show on radio and vice versa, it wouldn't work. Radio and television are not interchangeable
- Radio is more intimate than television, radio keeps listener in the converstaion
- Television is high impact, it comes at you. However, radio is often performed as part of a multi task, for example, people are listening to the radio whilst doing other things.
He talks about his show, Conversations, mentioning that conversations are different from an interview. A conversation is longer, and goes deeper into what the 'interviewee' is saying. Conversations are biographical in nature, and because they are longer, the host is geniunely interested in what the person has to say.
Richard says that there is a lot of preparation before the guest comes in for the hour long conversation. He has a general idea of what topics the speaker will talk about and vice versa.
One of the things I really loved about what Richard was saying, was that many of his guests have recollected something that they haven't before. I think that would be such an amazing moment to be a part of, watching someone almost forget where they are and have this incredible realisation or epiphany and talking about that to you. I would just love that.
Richard said that public radio is thriving, completely unscathed by the ever-changing and ever-growing domination of technology. Radio is blending into new platforms, such as podcasts, which makes radio more accessible and readily available to listeners. This is something I also loved. Radio, one of the oldest forms of mass media still a strong method of communication. Yay!
Maybe video didn't kill the radio star?
And finally, Richard's advice to us as aspiring journalists:
Read, be open-minded, be aware of what is happening around you...
But also a concept I hadn't fully considered:
Expose yourself to different thoughts. Expose yourself to people you don't agree with and ask them why they have a certain opinion. I LOVED THAT.
Next speaker was Steve Austin. Steve hosts his own show on ABC Local Radio Queensland, weeknights from 7pm. Steve says that the ime after the sun goes down is time for yourself.
Steve gave a little bit of background information about himself and his journey into radio. He says he was 21, riding a bike through Yerongpilly contemplating what was going to do with his life when he decided to pursue radio. What I really liked about Steve's story was that it wasn't easy to get where he is today. It was a 5 year battle before he finally achieved his goal. I find stories like that so inspiring.
Steve said he learnt a couple of things before starting radio, similar to what Richard learned. Steve brought up something else: pronunciation does matter when trying to communicate to others. You actually have to alter the way you speak on radio so that people can understand you!!!
Steve also mentions that he had to change the topic of his conversation from what he wanted to talk about to what the audience wanted to talk about. He said he had to learn to tailor the conversation so that audience would listen again.
He said that sometimes people can become emotional whilst talking to him, and the best way to deal with that is to keep your trust, empathise with them vocally, change your tone of voice to comfort them.
And finally, if you're fake, people can tell on radio.
Carmel asked him how to prompt people to pick up the phone and talk to him. Steve replied saying that you have to ask them the question, ask them personally for their opinion, make them see that their opinion is wanted... No opinion is wrong and listening implies respect.
Like Richard, Steve says that radio is continuing to build its audience and grow, and the reason for this is the time factor.
Steve's message to us: Don't give up.
It was really nice to get other successful people's opinions, thoughts and ideas and I really loved the sound lecture. I have even started listening to both Richard and Steve when I can! I would love to do what they are doing one day.
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