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The Rush of Live Radio - Podcasters Take Note

Posted on May 9, 2007
Filed Under Broadcast Radio, Podcasting, Web 2.0 (Observations) |

As I mentioned yesterday, I was hosting ‘The Grumpys’ show on Leith FM today, and had a jolly good time doing it. My co-hosts (Dodd Muir and John Murray) and I bounced round a number of topics that were on our chests and making us ‘grumpy,’ including the continuted aftermath of the Scottish Elections, the sewage spill at Seafield, the banning of alcohol in the local shopping arcade, the machinations around the on again off again saga of Edinburgh’s proposed Tram system; plus a look at the aims of Leith FM as a station and Currys stopping the sale of blank audio cassettes.

Ewan Spence at SXSW 2007

There’s something unique about doing live radio, and while podcasting and radio have always been pushed together, I do think that there is a slightly different skill set required. It’s not as noticable in music shows (one reason I suspect shows like Accident Hash transferred so well to Podshow’s Sirius slot), but in terms of the material I had gathered for today’s two hour show on Leith FM, I had a single page of headline topics to keep me on course, a number of articles, printouts and news clippings that I could quietly refer to on mic to back up numbers and statements, and seven music tracks to spread through the show to act as beats in the conversation flow.

Put all those together, open up the microphone at noon, and keep everything running smoothly for the next two hours; Drive the mixing desk and run all the levels; Cue music and jingles; handle incoming calls and emails; use hand signals and cues to keep the co-hosts up to speed on what’s happening; keep it all fresh and exciting for listeners; and whatever you do, don’t let there be any dead air.

The adrenalin rush is something I have never experienced on podcasting. Even though I record TPN Rock ‘as live’ it’s not quite living on the edge enough for me. There’s still a safety net. Take that net away, and then I really perform That’s when your on-air voice and character comes out. Every podcaster should try it, it’s liberating, wonderful, terrifying and exciting at the same time.

(As an aside, I talked about some of the differences between radio and podcasting with Dean Whitbread and John Buckley - you can hear the chat at www.PodcastingIsNotRadio.coml).

Comments

One Response to “The Rush of Live Radio - Podcasters Take Note”

  1. The All New Ewan’s Musings » Blog Archive » What’s In A Name? Podcaster; Blogger; Writer; New Media; Hoopy Frood? on May 23rd, 2007 18:54

    […] Hosted a two hour talk radio show (Leith FM Grumpies) […]

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