Lecture 5 - Telling Stories for Radio

Welcome everyone to lecture number five! Now this particular lecture was done completely different to the others as instead of attending the class and listening to the lecturer discuss the topic, we were asked to listen to it on an audio recording. This particular recording was about an interview on a radio show and a radio host was asked numerous questions regarding what it takes to speak on radio when interviewing or talking to another person live. A discussion of how Richard (the person who was interviewed) first came about into Radio was initially talked about, followed by how he transitioned from Radio in Television. Radio is a completely different medium to television and you can not put them together, they are two separate forms of media. Radio is also a much more intimate medium than television, you watch T.V. from a distance whilst skipping shows, on the other hand with radio, you can listen to it whilst carrying on other chores/duties. The voice comes from inside your head not at you when listening to radio and radio also makes listeners feel as if they are included within your conversation. 

The elements within having a conversation on radio were next analysed and discussed. The conventional interview time on radio is seven minutes maximum otherwise the listener will become bored of the content spoken. Conversations on radio are completely different where the speaking can go for an hour with one or two guests, the conversation is mostly biographical in nature. The factors involved with a conversation on radio is if the actual chatting will sustain for the full hour and that the interviewer is genuinely interested in the person they are conversing with. Pre-production of the radio show is very important as this is a chance to understand what the interview will encompass and if the "journey" of the conversation will be successful. A lot of preparation is done before bringing the guest onto the show so the interviewer is aware of the background of the interviewee and what is going to happen during the show. It is all about trusting the program and show and feeling comfortable.

Richard continues to explain how a person is under no legal obligation to answer certain questions and they must feel comfortable and safe enough to be on the show. Teasing and joking and bantering is also recommended to add a light tone to the radio conversation. Use humour to engage and bring fun to the radio piece and perceive the interviewee as a "real person". He then went on to talk about his most memorable guests he has ever had on radio and interesting stories associated with his interviews. Richard expresses his love for how a simple interview can in turn, make people remember certain events and memories when discussing their life during an interview on radio. When interviewing a person live on air, you must provide time for them to reflect on their past life and simply listen to what they have to say, instead of trying to comfort or interrupt their thought process. One key element that was mentioned during this discussion was that on radio, silence is powerful, never be afraid of it. There doesn't have to be constant talk or chatter all the time.

The question that was next asked was the amount and types of radio Richard listened to on a daily basis, he mentioned a few such as Planet Money, The Moth and Fresh Air. He then went on to state that Public radio is thriving in this environment due to the evolution of technology and the death of old media such as newspapers. Radio uses podcasts and is able to project information and connect to listeners all over the world. Another intriguing question that was asked during the interview was in relation to maintaining the warm manner when speaking on radio even though you can't see your audience. How is that manageable? Richard replied by saying he visualises his listeners when he speaks to help him maintain his energetic behaviour when interviewing and speaking.  He finally ends off by saying he wants to give something to his listeners, something for them to enjoy and laugh at and love. Richard gives us journalists some great tips at the end of his interview, explaining how we need to understand and learn more about worldly affairs and read up on events happening, as much as possible.

The next interview discusses the way in which radio expresses pictures with words and that "radio is the theater of the mind". Vocabulary and language are extremely important elements on radio when describing certain events and painting the picture for the listeners. When working on radio, one can not have a narrow viewpoint on certain topics, there needs to be an open mind for everything and it is important to note that some listeners may not have the same mindset as you do. It is not whether you're right or wrong, it's about who you are speaking with. The focus switches from yourself to the person you're interviewing and your audience's needs. When asking questions to your interviewee, it is very important to pursue the question to gain an answer in order for the audience to be informed. Another very interesting point raised during this interview is how lies are more obvious on radio than on television due to the lack of visuals to distract the audience. Therefore, if a person is fake on radio, the listeners can tell straight away. 

Body language is a major focus when it comes to determining how well an interview is progressing for example, voice raise, eye movement, leaning forwards or backwards etc. It is all about keeping trust with the person you're interviewing, whether this means changing your own interviewing techniques. Don't do anything on radio you wouldn't do in real life! Next, the process of keeping the interviewee interested and engaged was talked about, for example: the less complicated a question is, the faster the person will respond during the interview. It is all about response from the person you're interviewing, whether they become frustrated on a topic or speak passionately. Emotional responses are the best responses.

The components that make a good radio story were next discussed and these included: Being human and searching or exploring for the full gamet of human experience. Human beings are emotional creatures driven by personal experiences, therefore when interviewing a person, you need to talk less and listen more to what they have to say. Showing respect is through listening, people respond more when they are listened to. Finally, the way in which media is changing and altering in society was a large topic brought up during the interview and how radio has continued to keep its audience and build its audience. This is mainly due to people being "time poor" where society do not have enough time to read up on news therefore radio is a quick and easy way to listen to world affairs and events. Radio is also more real to a point and raw with its information.  A final point added at the end, is that truthfulness is very important in radio and to never give up when trying to be a radio presenter!