Category Archives: Audio/Radio

Audio/Radio, Awards/Fellowships

NPR and the John Alexander Project’s Above the Fray Fellowship

Leave a comment

New fellowship opportunity for international reporting. Looks interesting! -mia

+++++++++++++++++++++++

I am writing to tell you about a wonderful new opportunity for an emerging journalist interested in international reporting. NPR and the John Alexander Project have collaborated to launch the *Above the Fray Fellowship* — a joint international reporting fellowship. The John Alexander Project is a non-profit established in memory of John Alexander, an extraordinary young journalist who died of sudden heart failure while on assignment in Chongqing, China in 2007. Alexander was reporting for *Koppel on Discovery *at the time; he also previously worked for *Morning Edition *as an editorial assistant. The money raised in his honor by the John Alexander Project will support this fellowship.

The *Above the Fray Fellowship* is designed to give a promising journalist the opportunity to cover important but under-reported stories from a location abroad. The Fellow will be selected based on a winning proposal to report from a region lacking significant mainstream media attention. The selected individual will spend three months in the field, filing on-air and online stories for NPR, while cultivating a deeper understanding of the region and its inhabitants.

NPR and the John Alexander Project are accepting applications now through July 1, 2010.

– Professional journalists with at least three but no more than five years of experience are eligible to apply. – One Fellow will be selected and begin in the fall and will work with NPR desk editors and digital news editors. – Forms, requirements and additional details about the Fellowship and John Alexander can be found at www.thejohnalexanderproject.org

The “Above the Fray” fellowship is open to all professional journalists – *at NPR, NPR Member stations, or elsewhere*. Spread the word!

Audio/Radio, Awards/Fellowships

Gates now open for AIR

Leave a comment

Two week-long digital audio training workshops in NYC. You do not have to be an AIR member to apply. Travel stipend available for out of town AIR members. Details below. -Mia

++++++++++++++++++++

Email not displaying correctly? View it in your browser. [image: Association of Independents in Radio] Stir the sound of your imagination. *Apply for AIR’s Sounds Elemental producer intensives. * We’re looking for 10 producers to step into the void as AIR, in conjunction with Harvestworks Digital Media Arts Center in New York City, once again offers two week-long intensives for mid to advanced level audio producers. You do not have to be a member of AIR to apply. This opportunity may be especially appealing to those working primarily in traditional narrative and documentary formats eager to experiment with unconventional approaches to assembling sound and telling story.

This program, entering its 4th year, boasts a diverse and exciting roster of alumni working across a broad range of disciplines, from ATC and Marketplace reporters to musicians and sound artists.

We will accept 10 students through a competitive application process for each class: Sounds Elemental: Earth, to be held June 21-25, 2010, and Sounds Elemental: Sky, to be held November 15-19, 2010 at Harvestworks in New York City. The cost is $650. AIR members living outside of New York City who are accepted are eligible for a small stipend to help underwrite the cost of the intensive and travel to NYC.

We will accept applications for both sessions now.

*>> THE DEADLINE FOR APPLYING FOR THE JUNE SESSION, SOUNDS ELEMENTAL: EARTH IS MONDAY, MAY 3. <<*

Producers benefit from intensely individualized attention from renowned sound artists-teachers, NYC-based composer and performer Michael Schumacher, Harvestworks’ Hans Tammen, and AIR member Brenda Hutchinson who teaches and performs extensively around the U.S. and overseas.

*Visit our website to learn more and apply* *.*

If you have questions, don’t hesitate to be in touch.

Best, erin

*Links:* AIR: www.airmedia.org Harvestworks: www.harvestworks.org To apply: www.airmedia.org/PageInfo.php?CatID=5&PageID=562

+++AIR is everywhere.+++ Erin Mishkin Membership Director Association of Independents in Radio

erin@airmedia.org www.airmedia.org

Audio/Radio, Freelance Cafe West, Gigs

91.7 KALW-FM Local Public Radio, SF seeks Blogger-Reporter

Leave a comment

Hey all. I don’t usually post full time job opportunities, but there are a lot of friends of KALW on this list so I thought I’d make an exception. Job summary below, more details in the link. -mia

http://www.cpb.org/jobline/index.php?mode=print_listing&listing_id=7476

KALW is seeking a first-rate writer and communicator to lead a news web site focused on criminal justice-related issues in the San Francisco Bay Area—specifically focusing on San Francisco and Oakland.

The journalist-blogger leading the site will be charged with building a dedicated online following around coverage of criminal justice policy, police-community relations, how the courts are run, and other topics related to criminal justice. The position requires that you establish yourself as the area’s most authoritative voice on the issue, with a strong local profile and a national reach through NPR and the wider public broadcasting system.

Candidates should have subject-matter expertise and a solid journalistic track record befitting KALW’s reputation as a trusted local news source. Requires a demonstrated ability to cultivate sources, identify important trends in criminal justice and collect and verify information through a variety of online and offline channels. Candidates should be conversant with blogging and social media applications and a variety of multimedia tools. The strongest candidates also will have proven experience developing a successful niche news site, building audience, establishing a social media brand, and stoking community engagement. Candidate must have experience in feature radio production. Minimum five years journalism, including broadcast and online experience required.

Audio/Radio, Gigs

More Acquisition Updates from Liaison’s Desk – Pt. 5 TRANSOM.ORG

Leave a comment

And another one – this one is open to everyone, artists, writers, etc.. -Mia

+++++++++++++++++++++++

Transom.org

Transom.org acquires pieces for about $300 a pop. We encourage and assist producers in getting their work broadcast after it appears on Transom: on NPR news shows, This American Life, Hearing Voices, and other venues. We also coordinate Transom features with PRX distribution. We sometimes anthologize pieces in The Transom Radio Hour.

We’re looking for great radio — things that are less heard, different angles, new voices, new ways of telling, and any other good pieces that haven’t found another way onto public radio. Editors evaluate material more by what it does than what it is. Some questions they’ll consider:

• On the air, would it keep you by your radio until it’s over? • Is the maker someone of talent who should be encouraged? • Does it push at the boundary of conventional radio in an exciting way? • Will it provoke fruitful discussion online?

Submissions can be stories, essays, home recordings, sound portraits, interviews, found sound, non-fiction pieces, audio art, whatever, as long as it’s good listening. Material may be submitted by anyone, anywhere — by citizens with stories to tell, by radio producers trying new styles, by writers and artists wanting to experiment with radio. As long as it hasn’t already aired nationally, we’ll consider it.

Audio/Radio, Gigs

More Acquisition Updates from Liaison’s Desk – Pt. 4 SPLENDID TABLE/STUDIO 360

Leave a comment

More updates for radio program acquisitions – thanks to AIRand NPR Liason Paul Ingles! -mia

+++++++++++++++++++++ *The Splendid Table *

*series: *The Splendid Table, starring Lynne Rossetto Kasper, is a show about food — enjoying it, buying it, cooking it — and about eating out, entertaining, health and travel. We’re looking for *produced* field pieces which fit our program. We are always seeking stories about food as a window to a culture; about meals as a memorable part of travel; about food producers (artisans and otherwise), the business of food, and new trends; about food and health; about the behind-the-scenes of restaurants or other food businesses; about festivals, family gatherings, holiday celebrations, and amazing parties — and about people with particular passions about food. Pieces with a quirky point-of-view or a sense of humor are encouraged. Pieces about local restaurants or other food businesses should focus on the exceptional people who run them, or have some other editorial focus which makes the story interesting to our national audience. *compensation:* We will pay $500 for a fully mixed piece that is suitable for air and meets both our editorial and technical standards. We ask for the non-exclusive right to broadcast the piece on radio, and to offer it on the Web (in both”streamed” and/or archival form), both in perpetuity. You would own all rights to the piece other than those granted to us. We ask only that The Splendid Table receive an appropriate credit when the piece, or elements thereof, appears elsewhere. We honor the spirit of the Code published by * AIR*.

*Show*: national one-hour show which airs weekly on over 200 public radio stations across the country and is also podcast weekly. *segments:* we are looking for segments that are 3-5 minutes in length. *pitch:* E-mail a brief description of your piece as well as the edited and mixed piece (mp3, audio link, etc) for our review and consideration. We will respond quickly with ayes or no, or with a proposed modification of the piece. If we say yes, we will send you an Agreement right away. *Contact:* Jennifer Russell, Producer jenrussell@americanpublicmedia.org

*Studio 360*

We are still accepting pitches from independents. Our protocol remains the same – a brief (2 paragraph) pitch to Michele Siegel (mtsiegel@wnyc.org) cc me (dkrasnow@wnyc.org). (We hope to revise our Independent Producer Guidelines in the coming month.)

With regard to rates, we took a tip from the new NPR system and decided that levels based on complexity and labor (rather than arbitrary duration brackets) made a great deal more sense – especially for the kind of feature we make. I’d like to note here that the great majority of stories we assign will fall at Levels 2 or 3.

*A Level 1 Story *would typically:

– Start with topic or subject selection provided by Studio 360 – Consist of interview(s) with a single subject, recorded in person or by remote, or short interviews captured in a brief period of time.

*Fee: $350 **(with mixing bonus: $500)*

*A Level 2 Story *would typically:

– Consist primarily of interview(s) with a single subject, recorded on location or in studio – Involve careful subject selection and research – Use sound richly

*Fee: $475 **(with mixing bonus: $625)*

*A Level 3 Story *would typically:

– Involve significant research – Feature multiple interviews in person or by remote – Require reporting on location – Use sound richly

*Fee: $875 **(with mixing bonus: $1025)*

*A Level 4 Story *would typically:

– Involve significant research and expertise in the subject matter – Require out-of-town travel by the reporter – Involve location reporting at multiple sites – Feature multiple interviews – Use sound richly

*Fee: $1000 **(with mixing bonus: $1150)*

New York Public Radio will apply the mixing bonus of $150 when Producer provides a complete and finished mix of the Piece, upon approval of that mix from the Editor.

Audio/Radio, Freelance Cafe West

“Soup-to-Nuts” documentary storytelling workshop, April 17-18, Berkeley

Leave a comment

Hey all. My friend, mentor, and Freelance Cafe member Claire Schoen is offering her fabulous “Soup To Nuts” documentary storytelling workshop again in April. If you haven’t done this, you should. Details below. Best, Mia

======================================================

“From Soup to Nuts” A 2-day intensive on documentary radio production offered in the San Francisco Bay Area

Logistics: This seminar will be held April 17 and 18, 2010. Each day’s class will run from 10 am to 5:30 pm, including 6 hours of class work, plus lunch and breaks.

It will be held at Claire’s studio in Berkeley, California Class will be limited to 8 students. The cost of the 2-day seminar is $250.

The Course: Through lectures, group discussion, Q & A, written handouts, and lots of audio demos, this two-day class will explore the ins and outs of creating a long-form radio documentary. Designed to meet the needs of mid-level producers, this seminar will also be accessible to individuals who have little or no experience in radio production.

Compelling audio documentary incorporates a creative weave of elements including narration, interviews, music, vérité scenes, character portraits, dramatizations, performances, archival tape and ambience beds. Students learn how these elements serve to paint a picture in sound.

Emphasis will be put on the production process. To this end, the class will examine the steps of concept development, research, pre-production, recording techniques, interviewing, writing, organizing tape, scripting, editing and mixing required to create an audio documentary.

Most importantly, we will focus on the art of storytelling. We will discuss dramatic structure, taking the listener through introduction, development and resolution of a story. And we will explore how character development brings the listener to the heart of the story.

The Teacher: Claire Schoen is a media producer, with a special focus on documentary radio. As a producer/director, she has created over 20 long-form radio documentaries and several documentary films, as well as numerous short works. As a sound designer she has recorded, edited and mixed sound for film, video, radio, webstory, museums and theater productions. Her radio documentaries have garnered numerous awards including NFCB Golden and Silver reels, two Gracies, two Clarion awards and a New York International Festival Silver. She has also shared in both a Peabody and a DuPont-Columbia.

Claire has taught documentary radio production at U.C. Berkeley’s Graduate School of Journalism. She has also taught radio scriptwriting and production at numerous venues including AIR’s mentorship program and the Third Coast Festival Conference.

To Register: Contact Claire Schoen cschoen@earthlink.net • 510-540-5106 • www.claireschoenmedia.com

pdf iconStoN’s Flier (April 10).pdf

Audio/Radio, Gigs, Musings

More Acquisition Updates from Liaison’s Desk

Leave a comment

More freelance radio show updates from Paul Ingles. -mia

+++++++++++++++++++++++

I’m hearing back from other programs now:

*PRI’S THE WORLD*

William Troop: Our program is accepting pitches from independents. The pitches can go to our two planning editors: Jennifer.Goren@bbc.co.uk and Aaron.Schachter@bbc.co.uk. We ask that anybody pitching keep in mind that we are an international news program, so pitches need to be on international angles and be newsy to some degree. Standard feature rate is $115 per minute aired. There are also rates for providing web content (pictures, slideshows, etc.) with the caveat there that the quality of the submissions (as assessed by our web team) affects how much we pay for them.

*HERE AND NOW*

Kathleen McKenna: Due to budget constraints, Here and Now, is not taking pitches from independent producers at this time.

*THE ENVIRONMENT REPORT*

Lester Graham: Yes, we’re accepting pitches from EXPERIENCED independents. Stories must be relevant to the everyday lives of the majority of the audience. We are a national show and stories must have a national perspective. Before pitching, producers should carefully read our Submission Guidelines: http://www.environmentreport.org/about/submissions.php%C2%A0 http://www.environmentreport.org/about/submissions.php

We pay $400 for a 3:50 piece (including lead) and an additional $40 for the same piece cut down to 2:15. We pay $40 for a spot and an additional $20 for a two-way for our daily show.

*MARKETPLACE*

John Haas: All three Marketplace programs are accepting pitches from independents and John is the pitch contact: jhaas@americanpublicmedia.org. The rates for features generally range between $300 – $600 depending on length and reporting difficulty.

John also shared these helpful notes for pitching to Marketplace:

Celeste Wesson, the senior producer for Marketplace, recently did a great workshop for some station reporters on pitching, and wrote up these suggestions. Thought you’d like seeing what she said.

Pitch workshop notes

What is a pitch? A reporter might say… a summary of the story; a sales pitch

From my POV as a show producer… The written pitch may be the only thing I know about you. So not only does it tell me your story idea, it also tells me how well you write, how you think, what kind of reporter you are. You’re not just selling the story, you are selling yourself as the storyteller.

If you eavesdropped on our pitch meeting, you’d probably hear us turning down pitches for reasons like these: I don’t understand what this story is about. That’s not new. Where’s the Marketplace? Too local. Can s/he write in our style?

Turning those negatives into positive pitch guidelines:

* The frame or angle is crucial – what’s the import, the context, and the approach * It’s now, it’s news, it’s fresh * It’s about money, business, the economy – or uses those as a lens on how we live * It’s clear why people all over the country would care * It’s written clearly, conversationally, even cleverly – and gets to the point

Here’s a list of things that may inspire your pitch. But by themselves, they aren’t enough:

* A question * An idea * An overview * An issue * An event (especially not a conference) * A character * An anecdote * An unattributed paragraph from a newspaper story

*FROM JARED WEISSBROT: SOUNDPRINT* is always open for documentary pitches — there’s a submission form linked on our website, and part of your proposal evaluation is based on finding the form :). Responses will generally be slow — production meetings are difficult to schedule and front-loaded with a currently-very-busy production pipeline. Pestering me does help you get results, is entirely appropriate, and will not arise my ire. Go ahead and guilt me — I can take it 🙂 jared@soundprint.org

YOUR BEST BET IS TO HAVE SOMETHING FOR US TO LISTEN TO. I cannot stress that enough. As far as pitches are concerned, we are currently in acquisition mode almost exclusively — especially if we haven’t worked with you before from soup-to-nuts. Our time is 25:30. We’ll listen to any length, but if your piece isn’t going to work at around 5/12ths-hour, you will likely have more success elsewhere. We do not run hour-long specials within the series, but we will take pieces that work at 29:00 (minus :30 for music bed and about 3:00 for host lead, credits, backs, and forward promotion). We will gladly work with you on reversioning longer-form pieces that we like. It’s doubtful that we’d work with you on reversioning longer-form pieces that we *don’t* like.

We pay more than the lower rates, and less than the highest rates, per produced minute (we know you gotta eat; but we’re a volume-buyer). We will gladly offer technical assistance, including some mixing&mastering assistance, without affecting your rate. This is for us, too — the flip side is that we often will request technical adjustments.

We have no set topics or themes that will make your piece more or less likely to be acquired. We like good, rich sound, clear and personal writing/storytelling, and stories which can translate/appeal to a national and international audience (along those lines, national and international rights need to be free and clear — if international is a problem, you have to let us know).

Hope this helps!

jw

Paul Ingles Independent Producer / Reporter NPR Liaison to Independent Producers www.paulingles.com 505-255-1219

Audio/Radio, Gigs, Musings

Acquisitions Update – who is taking what from radio freelancers

Leave a comment

This incredibly valuable information for radio freelancers, from Paul Ingles, the NPR Liaison to Independent Producers. Please note that much of the radio information I send on to this group comes from AIR – the Association of Independents in Radio http://airmedia.org/. I have been a member for a long time and it’s an incredibly valuable resource. Please check them out if you’re interested. Best, Mia

+++++++++++++++++++++++

At the request of Sue Schardt, I have been trying to contact various show producers to get an update on whether they are actively acquiring content from independents, and update rates paid. Response has been fast from some, slower from others, with no response from several – so far. Here’s what I’ve heard from those who’ve responded:

*NPR NEWS*

Ellen Weiss: Fiscal year 2010 looks better but NPR is still chipping away at a deficit so “we are holding the line on expenses – and the close scrutiny and high bar we put into place (on story submissions) remain….and will for the foreseeable future. The current rate system (based on expierence tiers and story enterprise levels) remains the same.”

*LIVING ON EARTH*

Eileen Bolinksy: LOE is accepting a limited number of acquisitions from independents. Producers can pitch to me at this email address bolinsky@loe.org. We pay $100/minute, plus previously approved expenses.

*WORD OF MOUTH (New Hampshire Public Radio)*

Avishay Artsy: We are accepting pitches from independents. We take produced features (at $60/minute) and scripted two-way interviews (for $150). The show’s focus is the same: new ideas and trends in science, technology, popular culture, the arts, and other fields. AArtsy@nhpr.org

*WORLD VISION REPORT*

Leda Hartman: The WVR continues to accept pitches from domestic and overseas reporters. Our pitch meetings take place on Wednesday afternoons, US eastern time. We’re on the lookout for pieces about poverty and justice (broadly defined) that highlight the personal stories of ordinary people, and are rich in scenes and nat sound. We’re especially interested in surprising, out-of-the-box and under-reported stories that tell us something unique about life in the developing world. Our mix is about 80% international stories and 20% domestic. Pitches can be sent to the assignment editor, Leda Hartman, at ledahart@mindspring.com. If you’re pitching for the first time, please include a couple of audio samples of your work.

The WVR pays $450 for a feature under 4 minutes; $650 for a feature 4-6 minutes long; and $750 for a feature more than 6 minutes. We also run shorter, less conventional segments, including reporter’s notebooks ($300); street vendor segments ($250); cooking segments ($250); trackless “in their own words” segments ($200); photos and blogs ($25-$50). After the first piece, we will consider paying travel expenses if the expense estimate is submitted at the time of the pitch.

*AARP PRIME TIME POSTSCRIPT* ** Janelle Haskell: I am definitely still seeking submissions for Prime Time Postscript, the weekly 5-minute feature. Pieces need to be fully produced, between 4:00 and 4:15 in length, have not been broadcast previously *nationally, *and appeal to the 50+ audience (meaning on topics of every variety). We pay $350 for the spot and an extra $50 for fully cleared photos to use on the website. JHaskell@aarp.org

*BBC AMERICANA* ** David Schulman: Not taking many traditional reported pieces from independents as the show draws on the strengths of its host Matt Frei. Are using independents for “enchanced” tape synchs that might involve extra sound gathering. Still, listen to the show and if a story idea that would suit the program’s style comes to mind, pitch away: David.Schulman@bbc.co.uk Rates for a basic tape synch $175 flat fee. Enhanced tape synchs – $225. Buying from PRX (occasionally) at $60 per minute. David suggest keeping your AIR DIRECTORY listing current, because that’s where they go first to look for synch and reporting help where they need it.

These are programs I’m still nudging to hear back from: Studio 360, Latino USA, Splendid Table, Only A Game, Here and Now, Environment Report, Marketplace, The World, Soundprint. If there are other acquirers you are anxious to hear about, let me know and I’ll try to get in touch with them.

Paul

Paul Ingles Independent Producer / Reporter NPR Liaison to Independent Producers www.paulingles.com 505-255-1219

Audio/Radio, Gigs

Destination DIY radio show seeking freelancers

Leave a comment

Hey folks. I fully recognize that this is not a high-paying opportunity, but I can certainly appreciate the labor of love and it sounds like a fun project. Details below if you’re interested. -mia

+++++++++++++++++++++++

From: Julie Sabatier

I am the host and creator of a public radio show and podcast called “Destination DIY.” In a nutshell, the show is about unusual do-it-yourself projects from home birth to home funerals and everything in between (including urban chicken coups, brewing your own beer and riding a unicycle). I’ve been developing the show as a labor of love over the past 4 years and have taken it from a live show on the local community radio station to a documentary series that’s been aired on over 20 stations around the country. This year, the show will be airing on Oregon Public Broadcasting this summer and fall and will go from a half-hour show to a one hour program. I have managed to raise a little bit of money for the six shows I’ll be working on in 2010 and part of that money was raised to pay talented radio producers who want to create material for these programs. I’m afraid I can’t offer much ($200 per piece), but I am hoping you’ll find an idea on the list below that inspires you to make a piece of radio you’ll really enjoy creating. I’ll also gladly accept previously produced pieces that fit the themes of these shows. And I should stress that this is a VERY grassroots project. This is the first year that the project has had any funding, meager as it is, and all of it is going straight to production expenses. I am not making any kind of profit off of this endeavor, nor am I paying myself as executive producer. As I said, it’s a labor of love.

Please send pitches to me by April 14 and by all means, think outside the box (and the state of Oregon as well). More information about Destination DIY can be found here: http://www.destinationdiy.com/about.html Questions? Don’t be shy! Thank you, Julie Sabatier (julie@destinationdiy.org)