Radio and Audio

General Information

The Radio Industry
Working in Radio
Route into Radio
Getting into Radio
The Radio Industry Diversity Group

Job descriptions and activities

Broadcast Assistant
Radio Producer
Radio Studio Manager
Broadcast Presenter
Broadcast Journalist

Organisations and Regulations

JICRIT
OFCOM
Student Radio Association
The Radio Centre
The Radio Advertising Clearance Centre

Training

BBC New Talent Initiative
BBC Radio Training Courses
University College Falmouth
Lambeth College
Leeds Trinity and All Saints College

4Talent Resources

Digital/Online Radio
4Radio: Audio: Stuart Cosgrove on the Channel 4 radio licence bid and what it means for producers in Scotland.

In Bloom: Where old fashionedmusic meets new-fangled technology.

Radio Magnetic: Video: Online radio station Radio Magnetic was set up by Dougal Perman and Tom Lousada to provide access to the music they love, to the people who love it too.

Net Central: Pessimists have been predicting the death of radio for decades, but in the 21st century, the internet seems to be breathing new life into the medium.

Plugging a Gap: The Edinburgh Fringe is the biggest arts festival of its type in the world and in 2004 Dave Benton decided it needed a voice.

Favela Flava: In June 2007, Brazil’s Grupo Cultural AfroReggae proudly launched AfroReggae Digital.

Alex Feldman: Video: The big bang has taken place in audio Alex Feldman rides the crest of the wave as he records the 4Radio show backstage with two actors from Skins.

“It Wasn’t Just A TV Show”: This is the second coming the iconic music show, The Tube, is back and it looks set to become essential listening.

Hitting the G-Spot: It’s loud and proud. Gaydar Radio has made an impact on ratings.

Podcasting
DIY Podcasting: 4Talent’s Antonio Gould on the ins and outs of producing your own podcast.

Poetic Justice: As far as mainstream media is concerned, poetry is a forgotten art. However, the determined rise of Coventry’s Oubliette poetry podcast has proved that there is an audience determined to keep the form alive.

Radio Comedy
Pilots of the Caribbean: Was comedy ever the new rock ‘n’ roll? The two certainly find a happy medium in Dave Martin.

Writing Witty Wireless: Danny McCrossan tackles radio with final Vinyl, a sitcom for Radio Ulster.

It’s Fun Working Here: Tom Craine has found radio the perfect platform for his comedy writing.

Radio Drama
Between the Lines: She didn’t have “enough tweed” to be an academic. Kirsty Williams tells Deak Deakin how she found her forte in radio drama.

Trip of a Lifetime: Chris Waywell meets playwright Janice Okoh to talk about inspiration, giving up a legal career and writing for radio.

The Kids Are Alright: Chewing the fat with some of the younger members of Brum’s most famous radio export.

Radio Drama: Audio: Veteran radio playwright Bernard MacLaverty on how to go about spicing up the airwaves.

Noises Off: Actress Lesley Hart was pleasantly surprised by her first job in radio.

John Dryden: Video: Recording fast-cutting multiple scenes on location – John Dryden directs his radio drama in Mumbai, India.

Write at the Top: How do you set about writing drama for radio?

A Write State: When Lynn Bird was asked to review a week’s output of radio drama, she was expecting it to be an ordeal. So what’s her verdict?

Star Attraction: Sean Connery, Kathleen Turner, Callista Flockhart… It’s amazing who you can get to star in a radio drama. Writer Annie Caulfield suggests ways to get started.

Behind the Sounds: On a radio drama, production co-ordinator Gregor Graham is in charge of sound design, recording, positioning of actors, background, acoustics, special effects and a three-man audio crew.

Radio production
Fresh Air: A Love of all thing audio motivates Queen’s Radio Station Manager, Andy McMillan.

OB Man: Audio: The man with the satellite van gets some fresh air.

Breakfast Club: Video: How much do you love your job? Heart FM breakfast show producer Pete Morgan is so keen on his, he’s in the office by 4am everyday.

Bomb the Bass: The BBC Radio Ulster boss on her beginnings in broadcasting.

Radio Royalty in Belfast: Leading UK producers, company directors and station controllers recently came to Belfast to share their expertise with 48 aspiring radio practitioners at our masterclass in radio journalism.

Clare McGinn: Audio: A passion for speech and dogged determination landed Clare McGinn a dream gig.

Hear the Noise: Those metal muthas don’t scare Kathryn McDonald. Ella Davies investigates how this radio producer copes with the demands of the Bruce Dickinson Rock Show.

Amorphorous Blob: Interactive media and radio shouldn’t mix… this is a view that Somethin’ Else would never subscribe to.

Finger on the Pulse: All Out Productions’ radio producer David Cook is preparing for the next wave of radio development arising from the new tender for the second national digital multiplex.

Podcast Queen: In 2006, Karen Pearson decided to leave the BBC and set up her own production company. So what is going to be the sound of audio in the 21st century?

She’s with the Band: Radio plugger Clare Jarvis has the contacts to get the bands she represents on the major radio stations.

Peregrine Andrews: Video: Scoring his first BBC 1Xtra radio commission with A Boot Full of Bass, we follow Peregrine Andrews on location as he breaks down how to put together a radio feature.

Jez Nelson: Video: Starting out as a radio production company in the 90s, Somethin’ Else has become the largest producer of independent radio in this country.

Sales of the Century: Catching up with the unsung heroes of the airwaves.

Radio Stations
Faith, Art and Radio Waves: If all religion means to you is the risk of conflict, check out Unity FM, bringing Islam to the arts.

Portable Radio: If you feel like the rural radio career’s stalled because you’re not a city slicker, Mobile Radio School gives power to the people.

Behind Bars: Arising the voices that we’ve locked away: the Prison Radio Project.

Welcome to the Goldrush: The airwaves branch out across the province.

Silence Kid: the home of American online and on the airwaves,

The Fast Show: During the 9th month of the Islamic calendar, Muslims observe a fast for 30 consecutive days, with only spiritual sustenance in daylight hours. Helping provide that sustenance is Radio Ramadhan…

Home Grown: Evolving into one of the UK’s best community radio stations, BCB 106.6 FM is a shining example of innovative broadcasting.

Rise: Video: In the shadow of Wembley’s arch, Lite FM’s volunteers are showing what radio can do for the community whilst forging their own careers in the medium.

Zest for Life: Commercial radio doesn’t have to be all about epic ad breaks, tired playlists and annoying presenters.

Thirsty Work: Local radio with passion, energy and ideas – yes, it does exist: Juice 107.2 FM.

Right at the Heart of It: First launched in the West Midlands in 1994, Heart 106.2 now leads Capital FM as London’s most popular commercial station.

The English Eccentric: London’s Resonance FM’s not convinced that digital radio and podcasting represent a brave new era for broadcasting.

Radio Presenting
Famous voices: More and more reality TV stars and D-list celebrities are turning to radio to resuscitate their media careers – is there still room for the aspiring student?

Cooking Up A Flava: Galaxy’s Flava Zone’s Sacha Brooks on the life of a specialist DJ.

Cushy Number: Pop star and radio jock Malachi Vush has the best of both worlds.

Play It Cool: Bubbling with banter – Sonta Mac on the cheery attitude that’s won her legions of fans.

Radio Ga Ga: It’s non-stop high junks and hilarity with Belfast City Beat presenters Mark and Dave.

Feature This: Jon Toal on the art of piercing together the perfect radio package.

Stephen Nolan: Not many radio stars work seven days a week but most of them don’t have seven shiny Sony awards to show for it. Nolan does.

Acoustic Upstart: From plugger to presenter, arts manager Kressana Aigner’s ascent in music radio with U105FM.

Radio Stars: Audio: Video hasn’t killed the radio stars but what’s the reality of rising to the top of the airwaves as a presenter or DJ?

Listen Carefully: Presenter Mark Stephen is not afraid to ask the difficult questions.

Make Yourself Heard: Video: Find out how to make your names and make is stick in the competitive world of radio presenting.

X-rated Radio: How did radio news broadcaster Charlene White become a figurehead for young black women?

Rise and Shine: Early Starts don’t bother Juice 107.2’s Andrea Fox.

Chart Topper: could you complete a politics degree whilst working in student radio and hosting the BBC 6 Music Chart Show?

Voice of a Region: “Hey pop pickers…” You can’t help thinking that local radio’s brimming with Smashie and Nicey shows. Wrong. Radio Leeds’ Down in the Grooves shatters the stereotype.

Golden Girl: Video: Knoxy, a.k.a. Diane Knox, takes a break from presenting the afternoon show at Moray Firth Radio to share a few golden rules of going live on air.

Radio Training
Get The Red Light: Caroline Smith explores a new scheme from Mike Owen Media that could keep the next generation of radio stars ahead of the game.

Sonic Boom: Aspiring DJs: Turn the table at the Sonic DJ Academy.

SARC: The Sonic Arts Research Centre (SARC) gathers sonic experts in musical composition, signal processing, internet technology and digital hardware to research music technology.

Academy Rewards: It may have flagged in recent years, but the Scottish branch of the Radio Academy is gathering momentum under the steam of acting chair and head of radio at BBC Scotland, Jeff Zycinski.

Work It: The phrase ‘work experience; is one you’ll hear time and time again if you’re serious about breaking into radio, but what does it involve exactly?

Doing the Rounds: Running for over a year, Camden’s Roundhouse Radio has big plans for the future.

Going Going Gone: Lynn Bird spoke to Rebecca Fulton, project manager for Public Voice and multimedia producer Maud Hand to find out what the future holds for community radio.

Welcome to the Goldrush: Northern Ireland is suddenly becoming weighed down with a huge number of new radio stations. Are they simply a way of business making new money… or a dawn for old-fashioned broadcasting?

Broadcast Journalism
No Means Yes: Radio journo Satnam Rana discusses passion, ingenuity and not taking ‘no’ for an answer.

Radio Journalism: Video: You can’t keep away from those wireless knobs – news and current affairs, music, entertainment, comedy, drama or chat.

Student Radio

CUR1350 Cambridge University and Anglia Ruskin
Smoke Radio – University of Westminster
Demon FM – De Montfort Univeristy
Audio – DIY Podcasting: 4Talent’s Antonio Gould on the ins and outs of producing your own podcast.

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