Elements of Radio Production 1

Office hours to be determined, e-mail in advance is suggested. 

Required for class:

1) 1 pair of stereo headphones. While I suggest you get a good pair that covers the whole ear any pair with a 1/8” (mini) plug will work.

2) 1 stereo mini (1/8”) to rca adapter. Male mini to two female rca plugs. Available at Radioshack and such places.

3) At least two Minidisks, you may need more as the semester goes on. Also available from Radioshack.

4) Readings: Modern Radio Production This book is generally available from half.com for less than five dollars. If you cannot order the book online you may borrow my copy and make Xeroxes, but that will probably cost you more. There will also be a course packet, available soon (including the first four weeks of readings from Modern Radio Production) at Farbetter Printing on the corner of Campus and Hillel. 

Good writing is necessary for much of the radio that is out there. This isn’t a writing class. This class will focus primarily on production, i.e. using equipment and the aesthetics of putting together a piece for radio. Through readings about radio, listening to radio works and most importantly making work for broadcast, students will leave this course with the ability to produce a variety of basic radio pieces.

Assignments are due when they are due. If for some reason you cannot meet a deadline you must discuss it with me during a class prior to the due date.

Equipment is expensive, and sensitive, but if you follow rules you are taught in class and the information in the manuals you will have no problems. Take care of equipment. Breaking, damaging or mistreating equipment may make you ineligible to use it and it will be near impossible to pass this class with out it. In addition damaging equipment may keep your classmates from completing their projects as well.

Attendance is mandatory. Each class builds on the prior. Quizzes will frequently be on material covered in the prior class, and quizzes missed will be counted as a ZERO and cannot be made up. As much as I hate being up at 8:30 am, class starts on time and quizzes will generally be first thing. I reserve the right to exclude students from class should tardiness become an issue.

You are expected to sign up in pairs to do a program on WBCR, this is a one hour program once a week. While you may be producing/ hosting the program as a team you are expected to be on air every week. 

Grading:

100 points from quizzes or homework

50 points for 15 to 20 minute oral report on a radio program

100 points midterm.

100 points final project

50 points participation.

50 points each for 3 projects.

The sum will be divided by 5 to give a final score.

Outline (subject to change):

Week 1: Introduction

Week 2: Introduction to the signal chain and your friend the microphone

Week 3: the mixing board

Week 4: tape editing

Week 5: portable recorders

Week 6: minidisk

Week 7: midterm

Week 8: feature production

Week 9: meetings to discuss final projects

Week 10: digital editing 1

Week 11: digital editing 2

Week 12: in class work day

Week 13:final projects

Week 14: final projects