How does your project represent particular social groups?
Our aim for this project was to appeal to as wide a demographic as possible without being too general with an aim of about 16-30 year olds. Our radio show can accomplish that as it uses a varying number of different items that might grab a listener's attention. For example, the international news might be something that an older listener might find interesting. The weather and travel news might also be significant to them as commuters (and most drivers in general) are going to want that kind of information. However, we also appeal to a younger demographic by using a “phone in” item and news items that they can relate to such as the rise in University fees, the lighter parts of the news such as music and sport and we invite the listeners to follow us on Twitter and email or text us. We aimed for informal language and tone when recording and improvised some parts in order to capture the live feel of a radio station which is suitable for local radio as it tends to be less serious than other national radio stations such as BBC Radio 2. I think our radio broadcast is suited and shaped around the wants and needs of the average radio listener such as commuters, mothers etc. and is not exclusive to any particular social group, making it a very easy to show to listen to.
What kind of media institution might distribute your media product and why?
I think a local radio such as Jack FM or Glide FM would be more suited to us rather than a larger station such as Heart FM or the BBC as the show is low budget and locally based. We also conform to the conventions of local radio due to our use of local stories and local traffic and weather but also gave an international news bulletin to inform viewers of what is going on elsewhere. The way in which we present the show also is more commonly found in local radio as we use some informal language and an informal tone. I would like to think that we would be very close with our listeners if our show ever aired. Our show really does have something for everyone as we have a wide range of news items including international news and local news, the more lighthearted sports and music news and the important traffic and weather.
However, we could also be suited to a hospital radio such as Radio Cherwell as they tend to be very low budget but have the capabilities to produce shows with a high level of production.
Who would be the audience for your media product?
We like to think that our audience would be 16-30 year olds as we speak in a way that is universal to most ages and not exclusively in one way. We also think that we have a more modern feel to our station as opposed to something like Terry Wogan's show on BBC Radio 2 due to the content of our show. For example, our phone in item and our bordering on silly chatter. We also have the more serious news contrasted with the sports news and and the inclusion of texting and Twitter. This was inspired by stations such as Radio 1 and is intended to try and involve the audience in what we do and make the show more interesting. We think that our viewers would be listening to it during the commute to work or school and as a result we would have children, mothers and fathers all listening. Because of this we included a news, weather and traffic update in order to keep the commuters updated as it is broadcast at around 9am.
How did you attract/ address your audience?
We immediately pull in our audience with a direct address: "Good morning". We then introduce ourselves and the station and play our jingle. We also invented a catchy tagline "We'll Vox your socks off" in order to become memorable and instantly recognisable. This is an attempt to speak to the listener and keep their attention as a listener will decide whether they like something within the first few seconds. We also used some chatter between the DJ's in order to create an informal and unthreatening atmosphere for the listener and even verge on the point of silly to make the listener laugh and keep them entertained. The enthusiasm of the presenters allows the audience to feel the energy of the show and alludes to the tone of the rest of the broadcast.
Most radio stations employ the use of partnered DJ's, a technique that we picked up on and used. This allows us to lessen the chance of dead air and increase the fluency of the broadcast. We also increase the anticipation of the listener by dropping small hints as to what's coming next. If I had to do this again, I would research more into what would keep a listener's attention.
What have you learn about technologies from the process of constructing this product?
We primarily used the editing software Garageband to record our show. It's not as complete as software such as Logic but is a step up from Audacity. It provides an selection of sounds and loops which were used for most sounds in the broadcast. I also used my microKorg synthesiser/MIDI controller in order to create the background music and the in built vocoder to record "This is Vox Radio" in the opening jingle. The final product was recorded with two completely different microphones: a condenser microphone was used for most of it and a poor quality dynamic microphone was used at the times we couldn't get hold of the condenser. And despite compressing and attempting to rectify any peaks and troughs, the levels on the final product are a little off and given the chance, I would want to make sure we keep one microphone consistently.
Most of the recording process consisted of recording odd parts, merging them together and re recording any bits we didn't like such as pauses which affected the consistency and the odd laugh or two. This proved quite difficult as some parts we had to chop didn't sound quite right when played back. As a result, it took quite a lot of meticulous editing in order to make everything flow like it should.
Being experienced with music recording, I was familiar with the software and as a result, had an advantage. However, I have never recorded a podcast before and I learned some things that I didn't know before. For example, I learned how to duck a music track in order to make room for the speaking track and became more adept at chopping and editing.
Looking back at your Preliminary task, what do you feel you have learnt in the progression from it to the full product?
Our preliminary task was moulded around a rough plan of what to talk about as we thought that maybe an improvised show would be more realistic. We had variable success as in some places, some of the talking flowed quite nicely but was let down by other parts. Our interview was done completely on the spot and recorded at the time of I'm A Celebrity, Get Me Out Of Here! I think we must have been pressed for time at that point as it seemed very rushed.
We planned more for the final product and still used an element of improvisation which at times can be funny ("Little tiny baby clues" is one of my favourite bits and was completely done on the spot). However, instead of recording it all at once, we recorded it in chunks, doing the introduction first, then the news etc. As a result, our final piece has been improved significantly from our preliminary.
How have you contributed to the planning process?
From the word go, we experienced difficulties in planning as we struggled to think of a name for our station that we all liked and as the name is an integral part to our piece, it hindered the process quite a bit.
Rough script writing was done by each member of the team. Matt researched international news and sport. I researched local news and travel. Leah researched weather and Will compiled the order of the broadcast and organised everything. The speaking parts in the introduction were vaguely improvised at first by me and Matt and then was slowly formed over multiple takes.
Wednesday, 27 April 2011
Monday, 25 April 2011
Thursday, 21 April 2011
Research.
I listened to two local radio stations Jack FM and Heart and researched the conventions of local radio.
Jack FM
Jack FM relies heavily on advertising and as a result there is a large amount of advertising between songs. Most applies locally such as advertisements for local business and events. Music is mainly from the 80's and chosen from a random song selector so demographic is more older audiences i.e. people who grew up in the 80's. Adverts are in groups of ten, followed by about three or four songs. One of Jack FM's main characteristics that makes it stand out from other shows is that it doesn't do requests.
The Breakfast show has a group of three hosts and as a result the chance of dead air is very small.
It has a large sport bit called the Big Banana which offers a sideways look at the commentary of all the Oxford United football matches.
As a local radio station, many of its news items are based on local events however, some international news items are used as well.
Heart FM
Heart FM is appeals to a younger demographic than Jack FM by playing more modern music but widens it by playing music from the 80's thus encapsulating a larger audience than Jack and unlike Jack, Heart does requests. Heart, while involved with Oxford mainly, it is actually based in Reading. Heart relies a little less on adverts than Jack does and as a result, is less frustrating to listen to. Heart, like Jack has a morning show presented by a few DJ's but unlike Jack it has DJ shows throughout the day instead of an automated song/advert player.
I listened to Heart in the morning and afternoon to compare the playlists. Adverts are asterisked.
Heart in the morning
Outkast - Hey Ya!
Justin Timberlake - Cry Me A River
Norah Jones - Don't Know Why
Will Young - Leave Right Now
Room 5 - Make Love
*Vodafone*
*Advertising Maroon 5*
*Domestic Appliances*
*AFG Kitchens*
*Wedding showcase*
*Contracters*
*Saab Cumnor*
*Gig. Level 42*
Beyonce - Crazy Right Now
Christina Aguilera - Beautiful
Daniel Bedingfield - If You're Not the One
Jamelia - Superstar
*Oxford Nursery*
*Computing*
*Witney Shopping*
Phil Collins - Groovy Kind of Love
All-4-One - I Swear
ABBA - What's The Name of the Game?
Heart in the afternoon
Destiny's Child - Tears on My Pillow
Ronan Keating - Loving Each Day
Blue - If You Come Back
Nelly Furtado - Like A Bird
Robbie Williams - Eternity
*Heart Bingo*
*Dentist in Headington*
*Mental health awareness*
*Garnier hair dye*
*Seal advert*
*Toyota advert*
*Humphrey's Oxford*
Alicia Keys - Falling
S Club 7 - Don't Stop Moving
Atomic Kitten - Whole Again
*Twix*
*Peugeot*
*Mental health awareness*
*Aviva*
*Buildbase*
*John Freida*
*Burkson and Beaton*
*Vauxhall*
George Benson - Never Give Up On a Good Thing
Edward Maya ft Vika - Stereo Love
Take That - Relight My Fire
Lady Gaga - Bad Romance
The afternoon playlist is generally more upbeat than the morning playlist which tends to be on the more chilled side. Domestic appliances and Oxford Nursery are advertised in the morning as the average listener in the morning will probably be mothers taking children to school. Computing is also added in for the male commuters who would possibly be interested.
Jack FM
Jack FM relies heavily on advertising and as a result there is a large amount of advertising between songs. Most applies locally such as advertisements for local business and events. Music is mainly from the 80's and chosen from a random song selector so demographic is more older audiences i.e. people who grew up in the 80's. Adverts are in groups of ten, followed by about three or four songs. One of Jack FM's main characteristics that makes it stand out from other shows is that it doesn't do requests.
The Breakfast show has a group of three hosts and as a result the chance of dead air is very small.
It has a large sport bit called the Big Banana which offers a sideways look at the commentary of all the Oxford United football matches.
As a local radio station, many of its news items are based on local events however, some international news items are used as well.
Heart FM
Heart FM is appeals to a younger demographic than Jack FM by playing more modern music but widens it by playing music from the 80's thus encapsulating a larger audience than Jack and unlike Jack, Heart does requests. Heart, while involved with Oxford mainly, it is actually based in Reading. Heart relies a little less on adverts than Jack does and as a result, is less frustrating to listen to. Heart, like Jack has a morning show presented by a few DJ's but unlike Jack it has DJ shows throughout the day instead of an automated song/advert player.
I listened to Heart in the morning and afternoon to compare the playlists. Adverts are asterisked.
Heart in the morning
Outkast - Hey Ya!
Justin Timberlake - Cry Me A River
Norah Jones - Don't Know Why
Will Young - Leave Right Now
Room 5 - Make Love
*Vodafone*
*Advertising Maroon 5*
*Domestic Appliances*
*AFG Kitchens*
*Wedding showcase*
*Contracters*
*Saab Cumnor*
*Gig. Level 42*
Beyonce - Crazy Right Now
Christina Aguilera - Beautiful
Daniel Bedingfield - If You're Not the One
Jamelia - Superstar
*Oxford Nursery*
*Computing*
*Witney Shopping*
Phil Collins - Groovy Kind of Love
All-4-One - I Swear
ABBA - What's The Name of the Game?
Heart in the afternoon
Destiny's Child - Tears on My Pillow
Ronan Keating - Loving Each Day
Blue - If You Come Back
Nelly Furtado - Like A Bird
Robbie Williams - Eternity
*Heart Bingo*
*Dentist in Headington*
*Mental health awareness*
*Garnier hair dye*
*Seal advert*
*Toyota advert*
*Humphrey's Oxford*
Alicia Keys - Falling
S Club 7 - Don't Stop Moving
Atomic Kitten - Whole Again
*Twix*
*Peugeot*
*Mental health awareness*
*Aviva*
*Buildbase*
*John Freida*
*Burkson and Beaton*
*Vauxhall*
George Benson - Never Give Up On a Good Thing
Edward Maya ft Vika - Stereo Love
Take That - Relight My Fire
Lady Gaga - Bad Romance
The afternoon playlist is generally more upbeat than the morning playlist which tends to be on the more chilled side. Domestic appliances and Oxford Nursery are advertised in the morning as the average listener in the morning will probably be mothers taking children to school. Computing is also added in for the male commuters who would possibly be interested.
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