Com 240: P-3 Assignment

Radio News-Interview Program

Dr. Janet McMullen

DUE: ________________ (see calendar for date)

The board shift will include the following:

• one legal station identification (10 seconds)
• a newscast of one-minute in length with news less than 24 hours old
• two 30 second commercials
• one 20 second public service announcement
• time and temperature
• continuity
• two musical selections (the end of the first selection and the beginning of the second)
• at two of the following must be production spots: commercials or psa (ie. Both commercials or 1 commercial and the PSA should be produced.) The other may be announced live. A production spot should have music and/or sound effects.

Students should prepare the following before entering the studio for rehearsal time:

• format justification: you need to decide which format you will use and explain why the program components you have chosen reflects that format. This should be explained in a typed paragraph or two.

• copy for all commercials, the PSA, continuity, and station ID
• be prepared to do production commercial or PSA
• students may also want to do a production station ID or an special opening for the newscast.

The first rehearsal period should be used to cut the necessary carts.

The second rehearsal period should be used to run through the program at least once and double-check that carts are cued properly.

• All copy should be placed in order in a DAYBOOK which is a folder or loose-leaf binder.
• All copy should be in appropriate script form and typed
• Program Log
• Format justification

• Be sure you have all materials with you and in order (I have had students miss production because their carts were in their dorm room and they didn't get back with them before air time.)
• Give your day book (folders are preferred over notebooks; they're easier for the instructor to handle) to the professor.
• As the prior board shift is finishing, take your carts, copy, etc. to the door. As soon as microphones are closed, you may enter the studio. Be sure you don't distract the other student, but all that should still need to be done is for that student to get out on time.
• Make sure the tape is paused and program monitor is turned back.
• Set levels.
• Set carts.
• Make sure all copy is in order.
• Set your first CD so that it will only have 20-30 seconds remaining and set the levels.
• Set program monitor level. You r instructor will tell you if the level is appropriate.
• Provide the normal sacred minute handsignals: 1 minute, 30 seconds, 15 seconds (at which time you roll the tape, open your mic and say your name)
• At about -5 seconds, start your CD.
• At about -2 seconds open the CD key switch so you'll be on on time. (Don't fade in for this assignment, just key it in.)
• After your CD ends, you begin the other components of the shift in any order you prefer. Some hints...
• Don't expect to play two carted commercials back to back. You'll have a few seconds of dead air between them, and it won't sound good.
• Don't take the cart fader down; carts will cue themselves and you should not need to adjust the faders.
• If you need two recorded components back to back, put one of them on the disktrak.
• Remember: NO DEAD AIR!
• Be sure to turn off you mic when you're not using it. That way we don't hear sighs, papers rattling, carts changing etc. But don't forget to turn it back on when you need it!
• Recognize that you may have to do two things at once: You may have to talk and start a CD or a CART. Practice doing that silently.
• KEEP an eye on the clock! You have to be out on time!
• Try to keep your first cut short, so you have some "pad" at the end of the show. If you finish early, you have an entire song to use until you can get out on time.
• If a cart doesn't run on a spot, have your copy there so you can go live if necessary.
• When you finish the continuity for the last song and you CD is playing, turn your mic off and watch the clock with your hand on the CD key switch.

• When the program ends, just turn the key switch for the CD off.
• Pause the recorder.
• Collect your materials and get out of there as quickly as possible so the next person can prepare for his or her board shift.
• Turn in your signed and corrected (if necessary) log to your professor.

Legal IDs: These station identification announcements are mandated by the FCC for every station at either the top or the bottom of the hour. They must include the Call letters followed by the City of License. There can be NO separation between the call letters and the city, so while you can identify your station with liners at other times, you must have LEGAL IDs at some times. So "Rockin' WSVH, Slobin, MO." is okay, but "WSVH, Rockin' Slobin, MO" is NOT okay."

NEWS: News must be less than 24 hours old and typed in news script form.

• Upper and Lower Case
• Triple spaced
• Each story must be on a separate page (so if you have to rearrange them because of a breaking story, you can do so easily).
• A slug identifies each story at the top of the page. The slug should include the following:
• Title or topic of the story
• Date and time of newscast
• Name of the announcer
• All Copy must be TYPED

You may think it is difficult to get current news for this assignment. With the current availability of news channels, early local news programs (some starting as early as 5 a.m.) and the Internet , there should be not reason why current news can not be obtained. Students may prepare some news the night before the newscast, but you should monitor news in the morning to make sure nothing has broken over the ensuing hours.

LOGS:

While most stations use computers for program logs these days, it is important for you to have an understanding about the components of a logging system. Stations need to keep track of things for which they will be held legally accountable: Legal Identification Announcements, commercials, psas, types of programing. So music selections are NOT entered in a program log. There is usually a separate music log, but we won't be doing that in this class. Your instructor will give you a log form. Make two or three copies of it so that you can practice on one, take on into the studio, and give the other to your instructor before you go into the studio. The basic guidelines follow:

• enter the time for the station ID in the appropriate column
• enter the begin and end times for the programs (news and your music program)
• enter the order in which the commercials and PSAs will be run (but you don't enter the time for those)
• check off each element after you have completed it.
• if anything does NOT run as listed, you must make a correction on the log and initial it
• be sure to sign and date the log form at the appropriate place at the bottom of the form

Copyright, 2000

Dr. Janet McMullen

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