Task To Create An Excerpt From A Documentary Series Essay Example

audience aged 35 and above. Radio 4 broadcasts intelligent speech-based programs that are accessible to all listeners. For instance, they have a program called "Woman's Hour" that specifically targets women with content like netball, mothering, and cooking.

Radio Newcastle, like other BBC local stations, focuses on providing news, information, and entertainment for its transmission area. Compared to other stations in the area, Radio Newcastle offers the most diverse range of programs. This includes dedicated time slots for football matches, such as when a Sunderland and Newcastle match is on air. In these cases, the station is divided into two channels: FM airs the Newcastle commentary while MW broadcasts the Sunderland match. In contrast, stations like BBC Radio 1 and 2 are solely music or arts-based, targeting specific audiences. Radio 1 aims for a younger demographic similar to Galaxy, while Radio 2 attracts an older audience. Given this context, my program will likely be aired on speech-based stations like BBC Radio 4 or Newcastle. The presenter and topic of the show are important in establishing a connection with the audience. I observed that presenters on speech-based stations tend to be formal and speak in Received Pronunciation (RP).

To ensure a seamless listening experience, it is crucial for radio programs, especially during prime hours like drive time, to deliver easily understandable speech. Given that radio is considered a secondary medium, maintaining the attention of listeners is paramount. Presenting informative and factual content, documentaries focus on a specific topic and provide key details.

The transmission times of documentaries are crucial as they must align with the target audience that the radio can reach. This is because documentaries are limited to certain

concepts. In the production planning, it was emphasized that groups should comprise a maximum of three members. I decided to collaborate with Michael Short due to our shared concepts and his easy-going nature and motivation. The subsequent step involved discussing and selecting a topic for the extraction to revolve around.

We discussed many topics during our presentation, but the primary subjects were 'students and local rivalry' and 'teenage pregnancy'. We opted for these particular topics because we felt we could relate to them, which would allow us to present and discuss them more effectively. The lecturer strongly advised against selecting teenage pregnancy, as previous groups had found it challenging to make the topic engaging for a large audience. According to him, this topic lacked a substantial audience appeal, as teenage mothers typically do not listen to speech radio. Only a minority of parents would show interest in it. While the topic could potentially be featured on woman's hour on Radio 4, a localized discussion on teenage pregnancy would not capture the attention of a national audience. On the other hand, students and local rivalry was an excellent choice, given that we reside in a city with a high student population.

Residents in Durham sometimes feel that they are considered lower class compared to students, as the nightlife in Durham mainly caters to students with 'student only nights' at pubs and clubs. This lack of inclusivity has led to occasional conflicts, including violent ones, between locals and students. After conducting research on the topic using old newspaper articles, I discovered that such conflicts were rare and involved only a minority on both sides. Therefore, we decided to slightly

modify the subject to 'how students impact Durham's economy'. This theme appeared feasible due to Durham's reputation being closely tied to its university. Without the presence of the university, one may wonder what would become of Durham. This is the question I aim to answer in our program. The documentary will focus on the effects universities have on the North East region since many areas, such as Jesmond, North Gate, and Durham itself, are significantly influenced by students.

The lecturer expressed that the idea is feasible, as he himself has been affected by students moving into his area and believes that they are important to both the economy and the community. Next, I needed to arrange interviews with potential interviewees who would benefit my program. Living in Durham and knowing long-time residents made organizing interviews relatively easy. We decided that Michael would handle the narrative, while I would conduct the interviews. This decision was based on my familiarity with the potential interviewees and our belief that I would be more comfortable with them.

Michael also possesses a clearer voice which renders him more comprehensible and suitable for a presenter role. Each radio documentary demands a scripted approach in order to establish structure and organization, rather than sounding spontaneous. Consequently, we must prepare the links, cues, and introduction for the program before engaging in any actual recording in the studio, as this avoids wasting studio time for other students. The interviews I will conduct will primarily consist of soft interviews, as they are generally easier to execute, as opposed to a hard, formal interview which would be too challenging for me at this stage. With regards to structure,

since I have already identified my interviewees, all I needed to do was coordinate a time for the interview to take place and determine the questions that would be asked of them. Once I had scheduled the interview times and booked all the necessary equipment, I commenced writing the questions. To prepare for the interviews, I requested a friend to ask the questions to me, enabling me to gauge the interviewee's potential discomfort and optimize the points I wished to address during the interview.

Among the interviewees I selected, their perspectives on students residing in Durham varied. In total, I conducted three interviews, with one favoring students, one opposing them, and a third that remained impartial. This approach aimed to prevent bias in the program, providing a balanced perspective for listeners. To capture the interviews, I utilized portable mini-disk recorders, following the lecturer's guidance on their usage and suitable microphone selection.

The primary issue with mini-disk recorders was the incomplete battery charging due to people forgetting to recharge them after use. To address this, I instructed the technician to handle the charging rather than relying on the students. Additionally, after recording the interviews, we had to document the program's links and cues. As the presenter, Michael was responsible for sharing factual information with listeners regarding the show.

The first step was to provide the audience with a short overview of the subject in order to familiarize them with the show. After that, I proceeded to start my recordings, which included interviews and vox pops. All the editing was done in the college's radio suite. Due to the limited availability of radio suites, the room had to be shared

among the students through a rotational system. Each group would have 45 minutes to use the equipment. For editing the program, I utilized Creative WaveLab Pro.

Initially, we transferred our recordings from mini disk to the computer, aiming to eliminate unnecessary gaps. These gaps encompassed pauses, irrelevant repetition, and dead air. It is imperative for all radio programs, or any program on any medium, to have a consistent and seamless flow.