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science on airElisabetta Tola

formicablu s.r.l, Bologna, Italy

SCIRAB, Science in radio broadcasting

www.formicablu.itwww.scienceonair.org

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Paolo Cavallina e Luca Liguori

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intimacy and linearity• flexible and able to enter hidden places: listens

without being seen nor heard (candid microphone, 1947)

• fragmentary and narrative: it has a rhythm and deals by and large with anecdote and episodes

• chance to share cultural excitement provided by scientific discovery

• good at communicating emotion and mood

radio as a civil tool…

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Peppino Impastato, Radio Aut, 1978

Jean Dominique, Radio Haiti Inter, 2000

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A cognitive experience

• “(…) radio is an extension of our nervous central system closer only to human discourse” (M. Mc Luhan)

• Whoever is speaking is speaking for you• A conversation with a scientist• Phone ins: a strong interactive experience (M.

Merzagora and S. Coyaud)

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Creating images in your mind

• Reflection and thought: radio has a pace and creates a mental space

• Reflection and thought: two fondamental aspects of science communication

• “Pictures can get in the way in the explanation of scientific ideas” (D. Cohen, BBC)

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Radio language

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Listening

Soundscape

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The players?

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How scientists play the game• Conversation: at the centre of radio broadcasting, at

the centre of scientific enterprise (“la ciencia es una conversacion con la natura”, J. Wagensberg)

• More relaxed time to talk about their science: not treated like actors

• Involvement: scientists are driven by hopes and desires, more communicable than hard facts

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The journalist• Translator• Interpreter• Animator• Commentator• Activist• ...

The public

The scientist

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science radio programmes

• news story: science as politics or as light hearted final news (typically 3-5 minutes)

• documentaries: science in a more explanatory and narrative way (typ. 10-30 min.)

• debates: pro and cons in controversial issues (typ. 20-60 min.)

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science radio programmes

• phone ins: the listeners’ voices (typ. 20-60 min)• feature stories: magazines, discussions, debates, put

findings in context and with comment• radio drama: from “War of the worlds” on...

• podcast: recorded feature or talk, downloadable in mp3

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preparing your programme

• choose the format• choose the topic• choose the expert• work with the expert:

– you need to know a lot about the subject– you need to get the right information and the right story and

metaphors from him/her– you need to know how he/she speaks– you need to test if you can joke, talk about politics, if he/she is

didactical, enthusiastic, serious, boring, an intellectual, a technician, ...

TALK WITH THE EXPERT!

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Styles• live/recorded• as it is/edited• dirty/clean• speak as you eat/speak as you should• excite/relax

• the choice depends on:– 1) the content;– 2) what you want to communicate;– 3) which relationship you want with the listeners– 4) the format, the radio “character”

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rules?• in science journalism, very few general rules• on the radio, even less...

– short sentences– repeat the subject– reduce relatives, parenthesis,etc.– use spoken language expressions (!?)– make use of tones, pauses, exclamations– consider rhythm– restate the coordinates of the exposition– recall who’s talking– never try to prove your competence: be brave, show ignorance (but never be

ignorant)!

• give value to accents, enthusiasm, embarrassment, emotional statements

interviews

• Informative• Interpretive• Emotional• Oral history• Preparation:

– Studying before– Question technique– Devil’s advocate

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Podcasting• 2004: a new word, a new world• Mp3 meets RSS• To be or not to be a

podcaster...

Copyleft:• Freesound project • Creative commons music• Flickr

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1

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science on airElisabetta Tola

formicablu s.r.l, Bologna, Italy

SCIRAB, Science in radio broadcasting

www.formicablu.itwww.scienceonair.org

2

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3

formicablu srl

Paolo Cavallina e Luca Liguori

4

formicablu srl

intimacy and linearity• flexible and able to enter hidden places: listens

without being seen nor heard (candid microphone, 1947)

• fragmentary and narrative: it has a rhythm and deals by and large with anecdote and episodes

• chance to share cultural excitement provided by scientific discovery

• good at communicating emotion and mood

radio as a civil tool…

formicablu srl

Peppino Impastato, Radio Aut, 1978

Jean Dominique, Radio Haiti Inter, 2000

6

formicablu srl

A cognitive experience

• “(…) radio is an extension of our nervous central system closer only to human discourse” (M. Mc Luhan)

• Whoever is speaking is speaking for you• A conversation with a scientist• Phone ins: a strong interactive experience (M.

Merzagora and S. Coyaud)

7

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Creating images in your mind

• Reflection and thought: radio has a pace and creates a mental space

• Reflection and thought: two fondamental aspects of science communication

• “Pictures can get in the way in the explanation of scientific ideas” (D. Cohen, BBC)

8

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Radio language

9

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Listening

Soundscape

10

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The players?

11

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How scientists play the game• Conversation: at the centre of radio broadcasting, at

the centre of scientific enterprise (“la ciencia es una conversacion con la natura”, J. Wagensberg)

• More relaxed time to talk about their science: not treated like actors

• Involvement: scientists are driven by hopes and desires, more communicable than hard facts

12

formicablu srl

The journalist• Translator• Interpreter• Animator• Commentator• Activist• ...

The public

The scientist

13

formicablu srl

science radio programmes

• news story: science as politics or as light hearted final news (typically 3-5 minutes)

• documentaries: science in a more explanatory and narrative way (typ. 10-30 min.)

• debates: pro and cons in controversial issues (typ. 20-60 min.)

14

formicablu srl

science radio programmes

• phone ins: the listeners’ voices (typ. 20-60 min)• feature stories: magazines, discussions, debates, put

findings in context and with comment• radio drama: from “War of the worlds” on...

• podcast: recorded feature or talk, downloadable in mp3

15

formicablu srl

preparing your programme

• choose the format• choose the topic• choose the expert• work with the expert:

– you need to know a lot about the subject– you need to get the right information and the right story and

metaphors from him/her– you need to know how he/she speaks– you need to test if you can joke, talk about politics, if he/she is

didactical, enthusiastic, serious, boring, an intellectual, a technician, ...

TALK WITH THE EXPERT!

16

formicablu srl

Styles• live/recorded• as it is/edited• dirty/clean• speak as you eat/speak as you should• excite/relax

• the choice depends on:– 1) the content;– 2) what you want to communicate;– 3) which relationship you want with the listeners– 4) the format, the radio “character”

17

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rules?• in science journalism, very few general rules• on the radio, even less...

– short sentences– repeat the subject– reduce relatives, parenthesis,etc.– use spoken language expressions (!?)– make use of tones, pauses, exclamations– consider rhythm– restate the coordinates of the exposition– recall who’s talking– never try to prove your competence: be brave, show ignorance (but never be

ignorant)!

• give value to accents, enthusiasm, embarrassment, emotional statements

interviews

• Informative• Interpretive• Emotional• Oral history• Preparation:

– Studying before– Question technique– Devil’s advocate

formicablu srl

formicablu srl

20

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Podcasting• 2004: a new word, a new world• Mp3 meets RSS• To be or not to be a

podcaster...

Copyleft:• Freesound project • Creative commons music• Flickr

21

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