Making Radio: A Practical Guide to Working in Radio in the Digital Age

385 Pages·2011·2.5 MB·English

by  Steve Ahern

MAKING
RADIO
MMaakkiinngg RRaaddiioo PPAAGGEESS..iinndddd ii 2211//11//1111 22::2277::4422 PPMM
Steve Ahern has been in radio for over thirty years, working in all
sectors of the Australian radio industry. He was Director of Radio at
the Australian Film Television and Radio School and now runs his own
international radio and new media training company called AMT Pty
Ltd. In 2009 Steve received an Order of Australia Medal for his services
to the radio industry and education.
His career includes periods as manager of ABC stations in Melbourne,
Canberra and Newcastle. He has been a columnist for the Australian
newspaper, a consultant for the establishment of South Africa’s National
Broadcasting School and is founding editor of www.radioinfo.com.au.
His website is www.steveahern.com.au.
MMaakkiinngg RRaaddiioo PPAAGGEESS..iinndddd iiii 2211//11//1111 22::2277::4422 PPMM
3RD EDITION EDITED BY STEVE AHERN
MAKING
RADIO
A PRACTICAL GUIDE TO WORKING
IN RADIO IN THE DIGITAL AGE
MMaakkiinngg RRaaddiioo PPAAGGEESS..iinndddd iiiiii 2211//11//1111 22::2277::4422 PPMM
First published in 2011
Copyright © Steve Ahern 2011
All rights reserved. No part of this book may be reproduced or transmitted in
any form or by any means, electronic or mechanical, including photocopying,
recording or by any information storage and retrieval system, without prior
permission in writing from the publisher. The Australian Copyright Act 1968
(the Act) allows a maximum of one chapter or 10 per cent of this book, whichever
is the greater, to be photocopied by any educational institution for its educational
purposes provided that the educational institution (or body that administers it) has
given a remuneration notice to Copyright Agency Limited (CAL) under the Act.
Allen & Unwin
83 Alexander Street
Crows Nest NSW 2065
Australia
Phone: [phone]
Fax: [phone]
Email: [email protected]
Web: www.allenandunwin.com
Cataloguing-in-Publication details are available
from the National Library of Australia
www.trove.nla.gov.au
ISBN 978 1 74237 207 5
Set in 12/13 pt Adobe Garamond by Midland Typesetters, Australia
Printed in China at Everbest Printing Co.
10 9 8 7 6 5 4 3 2 1
MMaakkiinngg RRaaddiioo PPAAGGEESS..iinndddd iivv 2211//11//1111 22::2277::4433 PPMM
I dedicate this book to my father and my uncle Cec,
who were strong examples to me in my life.
They have both now passed away.
MMaakkiinngg RRaaddiioo PPAAGGEESS..iinndddd vv 2211//11//1111 22::2277::4433 PPMM
This page intentionally left blank
MMaakkiinngg RRaaddiioo PPAAGGEESS..iinndddd vvii 2211//11//1111 22::2277::4433 PPMM
CONTENTS
Contributors ix
Preface xiii
1. A History of Radio in Australia 1
Phil Charley, Wayne Mac and Steve Ahern
2. Digital Radio in Australia 19
Steve Ahern
3. Radio 2.0 in the Digital Age 48
Steve Ahern
4. The Studio 58
Steve Ahern and Rod Pascoe
5. Broadcast Laws and Regulations 106
Steve Ahern and Joanna White
6. Radio Announcing 125
Steve Ahern, Georgia Brown and Dean Buchanan
7. Presentation 140
Steve Ahern and Dave Cameron
8. Interviewing 157
Jen Oldershaw and Lucienne Joy
9. Producing 176
Steve Ahern
10. Copywriting 193
Kevin Best
11. Audio Production 200
Phil McNab and Kevin Best
12. News 209
Russell Powell and Glenn Daniel
MMaakkiinngg RRaaddiioo PPAAGGEESS..iinndddd vviiii 2211//11//1111 22::2277::4433 PPMM
viii MAKING RADIO
13. Talkback 228
Steve Ahern with Kevin Brumpton and Alan Jones
14. Research and Promotions 244
David Rogerson
15. Radio Sales 259
David Maxwell
16. Programming 270
Graham Smith and Steve Ahern
17. Torque Radio: The Radio Feature 295
Tony Barrell
18. Radio Comedy 305
Ian Heydon
19. The Transmission Chain 323
Gorden Smith
Glossary 339
Bibliography 354
Notes 359
Index 362
MMaakkiinngg RRaaddiioo PPAAGGEESS..iinndddd vviiiiii 2211//11//1111 22::2277::4433 PPMM
CONTRIBUTORS
Tony Barrell is a highly respected feature and documentary producer
who had a long and successful career at ABC Radio National and is now
retired. Many of his specialist feature programs have won international
awards for their creativity and innovative subject matter.
Kevin Best works in his copywriting consultancy company, Heard,
which supplies creative expertise to Austereo stations. He was formerly
an award-winning producer and copywriter at various radio networks.
He regularly travels internationally to deliver consulting and training
presentations on high-level creative copywriting techniques.
Georgia Brown is a well-known voice-over artist and radio presenter.
She has worked as an announcer at metro stations including 2SM Sydney,
and has guest lectured in voice-over techniques at AFTRS. Before her
work in voice-over and radio she had a successful singing career.
Kevin Brumpton is a successful freelance writer who has worked in
both the television and radio industries. He was an editorial writer for
the John Laws show and a comedy writer for Doug Mulray’s breakfast
program, and has written comedy for many television shows.
Dean Buchanan is a radio programming consultant. He was previ-
ously Group Program Director at DMG Radio. He began his career
in New Zealand, moving through the announcing, pro motions and
programming ranks with Radio New Zealand, then joined Programming
and Research consultancy BP&R, consulting to more than 30 successful
stations around the world. At DMG he launched the Nova and Vega
networks as well as DMG’s digital radio stations.
Dave Cameron is the Today Network’s head of content and has spent
the last fi ve years programming FoxFM in Melbourne, Australia’s most
listened to radio station. He also oversees the Hamish & Andy Show
nationally. Dave has been with Austereo for 16 years, working in program-
ming and music roles at FoxFM, 2DayFM, SAFM, 929 and Triple M.
MMaakkiinngg RRaaddiioo PPAAGGEESS..iinndddd iixx 2211//11//1111 22::2277::4433 PPMM
x MAKING RADIO
Phil Charley is a veteran of the radio industry, having worked as an
announcer and manager in Australia and Papua New Guinea in a career
that spans fi ve decades. He received a Medal of the Order of Australia
for his services to the radio industry.
Glenn Daniel is the Group News Director for the Australian Radio
Network and reads the Breakfast news on WSFM in Sydney. Glenn has
been a radio journalist for 28 years and has also been News Director at
2SM, 2DAY-FM and Triple M Sydney.
Ian Heydon is an award-winning freelance writer who has worked
in radio and television. He has written three crime novels, two creative
writing texts, a novel for young adults, a children’s picture book, various
websites and a few songs.
Alan Jones is Sydney’s highest rating breakfast radio announcer
and most awarded talkback radio personality. His 2GB program has
won more consecutive surveys than any other radio personality. Alan
Jones was also a high profi le rugby union coach and a former school
teacher.
Lucienne Joy was formerly Head of Radio at AFTRS, and is a free-
lance presenter on both ABC and commercial radio stations including
2GB and ABC 702 Sydney and Classic FM.
Wayne Mac was an announcer and program director at various
commercial radio stations including 2CC Canberra. He is now a radio
historian and the author of Don’t Touch that Dial, a history of Australian
commercial radio since 1950.
David Maxwell is a lecturer at Charles Sturt University’s School of
Communication and Creative Industries. He teaches in the Bachelor
of Communication (Commercial Radio) course, including subjects
such as commercial radio, the industry, media sales communication,
advertising, channel planning and purchasing. Prior to joining CSU, in
a media career which spans 40 years, David held senior management
positions in media sales, including the position of General Manager
Sales and Marketing at Radio 2UE.
Phil McNab is a former production lecturer at AFTRS and award-
winning senior audio producer with the Australian Radio Network. He
is currently Production Manager at FM 103.2 in Sydney.
Jen Oldershaw has worked as an announcer and producer in
com munity, ABC and commercial radio. She spent 11 years at the Triple J
network then moved to Nova with the Merrick and Rosso breakfast team.
She is also a well-known voice-over artist and a lecturer at AFTRS.
Rod Pascoe is an award-winning sound recordist and microphone
specialist, mostly working in the fi lm industry. He is a regular lecturer
in sound recording techniques at AFTRS.
MMaakkiinngg RRaaddiioo PPAAGGEESS..iinndddd xx 2211//11//1111 22::2277::4433 PPMM