JOUR1111 Lecture 4

This week’s lecture on sound was a little unconventional as we actually got to hear radio journalists in action. I was very pleased with this setup. Not only did I get to go home earlier that Monday but the next day when I had a break I was able to curl up in the sun in the Great Court and listen to the ‘lecture’ on my phone. However, most importantly I was able to listen to the radio to learn about the radio and catch the guest lecturers in the practice of what they preach.   

Richard Fidler and Steve Austin from 612 ABC discussed the art of presenting on radio, conducting interviews and the knack of receiving talk-back callers. In general, it was an introductory how-to for radio journalism.

Both Richard and Steve pointed out how intimate the medium of radio is because it is basically an extension of human conversation and it seems to be almost inside your head. Yet, you can’t talk like you normally would in conversation when on radio. You need to enunciate the words and it is critical to have a broad vocabulary. There is nothing worse on radio than hearing the presenter fumble around for the right words or simply using the wrong word! There is nothing to distract you from the sound of their voice so Steve Austin emphasised the importance of being genuine. It is not enough to pretend to be interested as listeners can tell if it is fake and don’t look too kindly on phony radio presenters.

Being interested applies even more when interviewing a guest. It is all about making the guest feel comfortable to reveal their story on radio by giving them space and not to make them feel like they are being interrogated. Richard and Steve both state that the best moments in radio interviews is when the guest remembers something that they themselves had forgotten.

Talk back callers on radio seems to me to be fraught with peril! You never really know what they are going to say. Richard and Steve highlighted the importance of bringing them on air by welcoming them into the conversation and how it is the presenter’s responsibility to direct the conversation. Hopefully this removes most of the risk that a caller will say something too scandalous on air.... though then again, it could certainly make for interesting radio.

Technological change and the shift into new media has been a reoccurring theme in each of the lectures. Richard and Steve were asked how this impacts on the popularity and the future of radio. They both believe that radio maintains and even gains more listeners despite technological changes. Of all the old media, it most easily blends into new media with things like digital radio, podcasts and use of social networking. In addition, it lends itself to busy people, as it can be listened to on-the-go and while multitasking.

I really enjoyed just being able to listen to a radio interview to learn about radio but it is back to reality and the Physiology Lecture Theatre next week.