Radio and sound recording

Source: Soriano, Robert F. Broadcast Management. 2000

Malinao, Alito L. Journalism for Filipinos 3rd Edition. 2009

RADIO

• the radiation (wireless transmission) of electromagnetic signals through the atmosphere or free space.

• Information, such as sound, is carried by systematically changing (modulating) some property of the radiated waves, such as their amplitude, frequency, phase, or pulse width

• "radio" or "radiotelegraphy" reveals that it was called "wireless telegraphy", which was shortened to "wireless" in Britain.

• word "radio" also appears in a 1907 article by Lee De Forest

• It is based on the verb to radiate (in Latin "radius" means "spoke of a wheel, beam of light, ray").

Radio Inventors• Radio is a HAND-ME-DOWN innovation

• JAMES CLERK MAXWELL – the result of his study was a body of laws fundamental to the science of radio, which he announced to the world in 1873

- he theorized a substance “ETHER”= fills all of space, even the solid objects of the earth through which electricity travels in waves at the speed of light (186, 000 miles per second). But before he had the chance the formula in actual experiment he died.

• HEINRICH HERTZ (Germany) – carried series of experiment based on the hypotheses of Maxwell.

-he demonstrated that electricity could be reflected, as he discovered a primitive radio transmitter and receiver when he caused a spark to jump through space, a distance of 40 feet. He died in 1894 (36y/o)

• GUGLIELMO MARCONI – made the world’s first practicable radio transmitter and receiver-crystallized the theories of Maxwell and Hertz.

-1894 – he accomplished the wireless transmission by ringing a bell on the first floor of his home while pushing a button on the third floor.

-At the age of 21, he succeeded in sending an electrical impulse more than a mile through space.

-He added a TELEGRAPH KEY (invented by SAMUEL MORSE) to control the length of the electrical impulse, making them either long or short. MORSE CODE cannot be carry through space without wires.

• REGINALD FESSEDEN – succeeded in vocal tone broadcasting from tower to another a mile away, but the results were discouraging. He developed the sending of voice and music through space.

• ERNEST ALEXANDERSON solved the problem, by inventing ALEXANDER ALTERNATOR (AA) which is a machine capable of generating continuous flow of energy steady enough to carry vocal and musical sounds.

• On 1906 (Christmas eve)- he made the world’s first radio program (through a microphone)

• LEE DEFOREST invented the AUDIO TUBE – vital part of radio transmitter and receiver (1)build up the strength of radio energy before transmission and after reception, 2) it generated Radio Waves of the very high frequency necessary for broadcasting speech and music sounds and 3) it was the best detector of radio waves yet discovered.

History of Radio in the Philippines• In early 1920s- radio was broadcasting was introduced in the Philippines.

• KZIB – first Radio Station in the country- 20-watt station owned by a certain Isaac Beck.

• In June 19, 1922 – Electric Supply Company (50-watt station) started operation in Pasay and Manila.

• 1924- KZKZ (100-watt) owned by Henry Hermann emerged.

• The letter “K” was assigned to broadcasting stations in the Philippines in accordance with United States Laws’ applicable to the country.

• KZRZ and KZRM – Owned by Radio Corporation of the Philippines

• March 2, 1929 – KZRC was established in Cebu – first Provincial Station

Shut down after the experiments to relay signals via short wave from Manila to Cebu were unsuccessful.

• EDWIN ARMSTRONG – Invented and improved the audio tube that enabled the development of Frequency Modulation (FM) method in broadcasting.

• Demonstrated the feasibility of FM method and applied for the patent n 1932 (first FM went on air in 1938)

• David Sarnoff – saw the possibilities of mass radio broadcasting. He formed the Radi0 Corporation of America (RCA)

• Dr. Frank Conrad – frist person to prove Sarnoff’s original contention that people would listen to radio. Led Westinghouse to open KDKA on November 2, 1920 – the first fully licensed commercial broadcasting station in the US.

• In 1930, radio left the experimental stage.

• Major stations: KZRM, KZIB, KZRH (known an DZRH)

• In 1942, the station was cut off because of Japanese occupation

• In 1931, Radio Control Law was enacted to regulate the broadcast industry in the Philippines.

• The Law ( Act 3840) also created a regulatory body and its implementing arm, the Radio Control Division, that was subsequently replaced by the Radio Control Office (RCO).

• When Americans retreated to Corregidor and Bataan, all radio stations in the capital, except DZRH, were destroyed through “Scorched Earth Policy of Gen. Douglas McArthur

• DZRH was renamed to Philippine Islands Amplitude Modulation (PIAM). It became the “PARROT” Station of the Japanese.

• During the Japanese Occupation, the so-called ”Freedom” broadcast from Corregidor served as the only hope of the Guerilla fighters in the Archipelago. –originated from the American Forces.

• KZFM – First station to reopen – operated by the War Information Office

• In 1946 – KZFM was turned over the Philippine government.

• After July 4, 1946 – the Amerian Broadcast Call letter “KZ” were replaced by “DZ” for Manila, “DW” for Luzon, “DY” for Visayas and “DX” for Mindanao. It was assigned by the International Telecommunications Union (ITU) to the Philippines, stands for “Deutschland”.

RADIOLISTEN

ILLITERATE/ LITERATE

EARS

5 Steps in Planning a Broadcast Program:

• Establishment of Objectives

• Determining priority

• Identifying resources

• Executing action programs

• Maintaining control

Radio:• Strengths:

Can reach both literate and illiterate audiences

Relatively inexpensive and available to many people

Can use batteries, useful in areas without electricity

Broadcasts can be repeated many times during the day

Production is relatively inexpensive

Can reach large number of people simultaneously

Have the power to affect audiences, reflect and shape social change

• Weaknesses

Not useful for teaching people how to perform that requires demonstration

Listeners who do not hear or understand message clearly cannot interact

Some people do not have access to radio

Principles in writing Radio scripts• It is spoken

• It is immediate

• It is person to person

• It is heard only once

• It is sound only

• One thought to each sentence/ paragraph

• Avoid alliteration or tongue twisting phrases

• Vary the length

• Method of quotation

• Means of identification

• Clarifying antecedents

Voicing of radio

• Well-controlled breathing

• Clear articulation

• Appropriate projection

• Varied register

• Resonance

• Look after your voice

• Exercise

Improving your voice

• Listen to yourself and your own performance

• Record yourself occasionally and hear yourself as others do and assess yourself

• Listening critically

• Listening other announcers

• Listen for loss of technical quality

• Constructive criticism

BROADCAST PROGRAM APPEAL

• CONFLICT

• EGO-INVOLVEMENT

• SELF PRESERVATION

• RECOGNITION

• CURIOUSITY

• ESCAPE

BROADCAST PROGRAM FOMATS:• NON-DRAMATIC PROGRAMS:

News Programs

Discussion Programs

Games, quizzes, Contents

Women’s programs

Children’s Programs

Teen-age programs

Educational Programs

Informational programs

Religious programs

Variety and Musical Programs

• DRAMATIC PROGRAMS

Serials

Situation Comedies

Detective Programs

Anthology Series

Dramatic Specials

The Radio Palette• Human Voice

Normal

On Filter

On echo

Pitch Change

• Music

Live

Recorded

• Sound

Manual

Recorded

3 Main Objectives:

• Information – the message must be:

Accurate, timely, objective, clear and balance

• Persuasion – the message must be with:

Motivation, evidence, argument

• Entertainment – through:

Humor, conflict

Pointers to consider by a newscaster:

• Radio cannot depend upon the typographic devices, page position and supplementary pictures to attract attention

• Radio cannot give highly detailed account of the event (unless of extreme importance) to the neglect of other stories which should go into a well-rounded newscast.

• Radio cannot deal with long statistical summaries, list of names and similar tabulations which can be handled readily by a newspaper.

Principles to radio newswriting:

• One thought to each sentence

• Avoid alliteration or tongue-twisting phrases

• Vary the length

• Methods of quotation

• Means of identification

• Clarifying the antecedents

Principles in writing Radio scripts:

• It is spoken

• It is immediate

• It is person to person

• It is heard only once

• It is sound only