Students

MMCC8090 – Radio and Podcast Production

2020 – Session 2, Special circumstance

Notice

As part of Phase 3 of our return to campus plan, most units will now run tutorials, seminars and other small group learning activities on campus for the second half-year, while keeping an online version available for those students unable to return or those who choose to continue their studies online.

To check the availability of face to face activities for your unit, please go to timetable viewer. To check detailed information on unit assessments visit your unit's iLearn space or consult your unit convenor.

General Information

Download as PDF
Unit convenor and teaching staff Unit convenor and teaching staff Lecturer
Helen Wolfenden
helen.wolfenden@mq.edu.au
Contact via email
Tutor
Fereydoun Pelarek
fereydoun.pelarek@mq.edu.au
Contact via email
Technical Demonstrator
Peter Ring
peter.ring@mq.edu.au
Contact via email
Credit points Credit points
10
Prerequisites Prerequisites
Admission to MCrInd or MMediaComm
Corequisites Corequisites
Co-badged status Co-badged status
Unit description Unit description

This unit provides students with knowledge of principles and practices of audio production and broadcast radio production. The unit covers radio programming, production and podcasting using local, national and international examples. Practical workshops will incorporate skills and techniques of devising and presenting radio program material including: making location recordings, conducting pre-recorded location and studio interviews, exploring techniques and practices of radio journalism, programming, scripted voice segments, promotion, entertainment, and feature package production using state of the art digital recording/editing/mixing software.

Important Academic Dates

Information about important academic dates including deadlines for withdrawing from units are available at https://www.mq.edu.au/study/calendar-of-dates

Learning Outcomes

On successful completion of this unit, you will be able to:

  • ULO1: demonstrate advanced knowledge of conceptual skills in radio and audio content production for diverse media applications.
  • ULO2: demonstrate advanced communication and expression skills.
  • ULO3: evaluate and implement a range of operational, technical and media industry skills related in particular to audio production and program making.
  • ULO4: collaborate professionally to produce a range of creative and journalistic outputs.
  • ULO5: analyse and evaluate creative and professional media practice, with an emphasis on radio industry audio content.

General Assessment Information

Late Assessment Penalty

Unless a Special Consideration request has been submitted and approved, (a) a penalty for lateness will apply – two (2) marks out of 100 will be deducted per day for assignments submitted after the due date – and (b) no assignment will be accepted more than seven (7) days (incl. weekends) after the original submission deadline. No late submissions will be accepted for timed assessments – e.g. quizzes, online tests.

Assessment Tasks

Name Weighting Hurdle Due
Interview 25% No Week 6
Audio Feature 35% No Week 10
Audio Program 40% No Week 12

Interview

Assessment Type 1: Media presentation
Indicative Time on Task 2: 25 hours
Due: Week 6
Weighting: 25%

Students will plan, record and edit an interview.

Refer to iLearn for further information.


On successful completion you will be able to:
  • demonstrate advanced knowledge of conceptual skills in radio and audio content production for diverse media applications.
  • demonstrate advanced communication and expression skills.
  • evaluate and implement a range of operational, technical and media industry skills related in particular to audio production and program making.
  • analyse and evaluate creative and professional media practice, with an emphasis on radio industry audio content.

Audio Feature

Assessment Type 1: Media presentation
Indicative Time on Task 2: 35 hours
Due: Week 10
Weighting: 35%

Students will research, record, write and construct a feature story or other creative audio piece in sound.

Refer to iLearn for further information.


On successful completion you will be able to:
  • demonstrate advanced knowledge of conceptual skills in radio and audio content production for diverse media applications.
  • demonstrate advanced communication and expression skills.
  • evaluate and implement a range of operational, technical and media industry skills related in particular to audio production and program making.
  • analyse and evaluate creative and professional media practice, with an emphasis on radio industry audio content.

Audio Program

Assessment Type 1: Media presentation
Indicative Time on Task 2: 42 hours
Due: Week 12
Weighting: 40%

Students will collaborate to create an audio program. This will also include a written reflection component.

Refer to iLearn for further information.


On successful completion you will be able to:
  • demonstrate advanced knowledge of conceptual skills in radio and audio content production for diverse media applications.
  • demonstrate advanced communication and expression skills.
  • evaluate and implement a range of operational, technical and media industry skills related in particular to audio production and program making.
  • collaborate professionally to produce a range of creative and journalistic outputs.
  • analyse and evaluate creative and professional media practice, with an emphasis on radio industry audio content.

1 If you need help with your assignment, please contact:

  • the academic teaching staff in your unit for guidance in understanding or completing this type of assessment
  • the Writing Centre for academic skills support.

2 Indicative time-on-task is an estimate of the time required for completion of the assessment task and is subject to individual variation

Delivery and Resources

DELIVERY METHODS

This Unit uses Lectures and Workshop/Tutorials.

Please Note: Lectures and Tutorials/Workshops commence in Week 2. Please attend all classes.

Technical Assistance and Demonstrations are given in Tutorial/Workshops and students need to be able to attend these throughout the semester. The Radio Facilities Manager, Peter Ring, will be assisting with this instruction.

REQUIRED EQUIPMENT

  • One set of good quality closed or semi-closed headphones (compulsory for each student for hygiene and safety reasons). Radio Facilities Manager Peter Ring can advise in class.
  • Memory device to store and transfer audio data.

SOME USEFUL SITES

*Transom web site (really useful for everything on radio and podcasting): https://transom.org/

Examples of Reports

ABC AM: http://www.abc.net.au/am/

ABC PM: http://www.abc.net.au/pm/

ABC The World Today: http://www.abc.net.au/theworldtoday/

Science Vs (originally produced by the ABC): https://gimletmedia.com/shows/science-vs

The Wire: http://www.thewire.org.au/

Examples of Radio Programs and podcasts where 'features' and also often audio postcards can be heard http://www.sonicpostcards.org/

ABC Radio and Podcasts

Podcasts: https://www.abc.net.au/radio/podcasts/

Trace: https://www.abc.net.au/radio/programs/trace/

The Real Thing on ABC RN and podcast: https://www.abc.net.au/radionational/programs/realthing/

fbi All The Best (note many students have made features for this program) http://allthebestradio.com/

American podcasts

Radiotopia https://www.radiotopia.fm/

99% Invisible: https://99percentinvisible.org/

This American Life: https://www.thisamericanlife.org/

Radiolab: https://www.wnycstudios.org/podcasts/radiolab

Start-Up: https://gimletmedia.com/shows/startup

Love & Radio: http://loveandradio.org/

BBC Radio programs: there too many to name however try

Short Cuts: https://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/b01mk3f8

The Documentary Podcast https://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/p02nq0lx/episodes/downloads

Seriously https://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/p02pc9qx/episodes/downloads

Sydney Radio Stations: Public Service Broadcasters

Triple J https://www.abc.net.au/triplej/

ABC Sydney https://www.abc.net.au/radio/sydney/

ABC Radio National https://www.abc.net.au/radionational/

ABC Classic FM https://www.abc.net.au/classic/

ABC News Radio https://www.abc.net.au/radio/newsradio/

Sydney Radio Stations: Commercial

Smooth https://www.smooth.com.au/

Nova FM https://www.novafm.com.au/

2Day Hit FM https://www.hit.com.au/2day

2GB https://www.2gb.com/

Kiis FM https://www.kiis1065.com.au/

Radio Stations: Community

FBi Radio https://fbiradio.com/

2SER https://2ser.com/

HOPE https://hope1032.com.au/

2RRR http://2rrr.org.au/

6EBA World Radio https://www.6eba.com.au/

Other Useful Links

Radio industry news and jobs https://www.radioinfo.com.au/

Jocks' Journal http://www.newmedia.com.au/index.html

***Advice on all aspects of making radio and podcasts - excellent resource https://transom.org/

Tape  (interviews with radio makers) https://overcast.fm/itunes858255920/tape

Longform (interviews with non-fiction producers including audio makers) https://longform.org/podcast

Fitzroy Diaries (ABC drama podcast) https://www.abc.net.au/radionational/programs/the-fitzroy-diaries/ 

Off Track (wildlife and environmental science) https://www.abc.net.au/radionational/programs/offtrack/

Science Friction (science and culture) https://www.abc.net.au/radionational/programs/sciencefriction/

Shooting The Past (Australian history) https://www.abc.net.au/radionational/programs/shootingthepast/

This is About https://www.abc.net.au/radionational/programs/archived/thisisabout/

Investigative journalism podcasts and 'true crime'

Unravel True Crime https://www.abc.net.au/radio/programs/truecrime/

Unravel season 1: Blood On The Tracks https://www.abc.net.au/radio/programs/truecrime/blood-on-the-tracks/

Trace https://www.abc.net.au/radio/programs/trace/

SBS Podcasts https://www.sbs.com.au/programs/true-stories

Mostly Australian newspapers' podcasts

Phoebe’s Fall https://www.smh.com.au/interactive/2016/phoebesfall/index.html

Bowraville https://www.theaustralian.com.au/news/bowraville/news-story/8da9f0d2921de861c40a8e6bfe824ff0

The Teacher's Pet https://www.theaustralian.com.au/podcasts/the-teachers-pet-the-unsolved-murder-of-lyn-dawson/news-story/da4bb90abff76bbe0f2bd932aa987e2a

Wrong Skin https://www.theage.com.au/wrong-skin

Other crime

https://casefilepodcast.com/

https://www.crimetownshow.com/

https://thisiscriminal.com/

https://www.cbc.ca/radio/sks (Canadian CBC - Someone Knows Something)

Other Interesting audio creativity out there: festival, audio books, podcast awards

Third Coast International Audio Festival https://www.thirdcoastfestival.org/

Audiocraft: https://www.audiocraft.com.au/

International Features conference: https://ifc2.wordpress.com/

Charles Parker Prize for the Best Student Radio Feature (UK) https://www.cpatrust.org.uk/prize/

Audible https://www.audible.com.au/

Free public domain audiobooks https://librivox.org/

Australian Podcast Awards https://australianpodcastawards.com/

British Podcast Awards https://www.britishpodcastawards.com/

Audio Samples 

https://freesound.org/

https://www.soundsnap.com/

Web radios and audio sites of interest

ABC ‘360 Docs’ https://www.abc.net.au/radionational/programs/archived/360/

ABC Careers https://www.abc.net.au/careers/

ABC Editorial Policies https://about.abc.net.au/how-the-abc-is-run/what-guides-us/abc-editorial-standards/editorial-policies/

ABC Radio National https://www.abc.net.au/radionational/

All Things Considered American Public radio national show https://www.npr.org/programs/all-things-considered/

Arte-Radio (in French: radio arm of European cultural channel) https://www.arteradio.com/

American Public Media https://www.apmreports.org/

Australian Broadcasting Corporation https://www.abc.net.au/

ABC Radio Eye (Features and Documentaries) https://www.abc.net.au/radionational/programs/archived/radioeye/

Australian Communications and Media Authority https://www.acma.gov.au/

BBC (UK) Sounds https://www.bbc.co.uk/sounds

BBC World service https://www.bbc.co.uk/sounds/play/live:bbc_world_service

BBC Writers Room https://www.bbc.co.uk/writersroom/

BBC Academy https://www.bbc.co.uk/academy/en/

BBC Schools Radio Journalism http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/school_report/5275764.stm

Bournemouth University Internet Radio Station, UK http://www.birst.co.uk/

China Radio International http://chinaplus.cri.cn/

Commercial Radio Australia http://www.commercialradio.com.au/

Community Broadcasters Association https://www.cbaa.org.au/

Deutsche Welle https://www.dw.com/en/top-stories/s-9097

Deutsche Welle Traineeships https://www.dw.com/en/dw-akademie/traineeship/s-12130

Federation of Australian Radio Broadcasters http://www.amfd.com.au/

Goldsmiths Creative Radio https://www.gold.ac.uk/pg/ma-radio/

Griffith University Journalism https://livewirez.wordpress.com/

Here Be Monsters https://www.hbmpodcast.com/

Hearing Voices (selected programs from NPR) https://hearingvoices.com/

Homecoming https://gimletmedia.com/shows/homecoming

How sound tells you tips on making radio https://transom.org/topics/howsound/

Ira Glass on storytelling https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5pFI9UuC_fc&t=3s

NExt radio - future of radio http://nextrad.io/

National Public Radio (USA) https://www.npr.org/

NPR Training https://training.npr.org/

Imaginary Advice https://www.imaginaryadvice.com/

Online radio journalism tutorial (USA) http://www.newscript.com/

Radio-Locator https://radio-locator.com/

RadioLab https://www.wnycstudios.org/podcasts/radiolab (fantastic 'science' radio show)

Radioinfo https://www.radioinfo.com.au/

Radio Diaries show from USA http://www.radiodiaries.org/

Real time world stats https://www.worldometers.info/

Reporters sans frontiers https://rsf.org/index.php?page=rubrique&id_rubrique=280

Resonance FM https://www.resonancefm.com/

Reuters Handbook of Journalism http://handbook.reuters.com/index.php?title=Main_Page

S Town Podcast https://stownpodcast.org/

SALT Institute (USA) https://www.meca.edu/academics/graduate/salt/

Soundprint radio documentaries http://soundprint.org/

Sound Portraits https://storycorps.org/listen/?collection=sound-portraits

Song Exploder http://songexploder.net/

Snap Judgement https://snapjudgment.org/

SBS Radio https://www.sbs.com.au/radio/

2SER https://2ser.com/

Sirius satellite radio https://www.siriusxm.com/

Third Coast Radio festival https://www.thirdcoastfestival.org/

This American Life radio show https://www.thisamericanlife.org/

Triple J https://www.abc.net.au/triplej/programs/

UBU Web radio http://www.ubu.com/sound/radio_radio/index.html

United Nations Radio https://news.un.org/en/audio-hub

The Memory Palace https://thememorypalace.us/

The Wire http://thewire.org.au/

10 Things That Scare Me https://www.wnycstudios.org/podcasts/10-things-scare-me

New York Public radio station: WNYC https://www.wnyc.org/

Walkley Young Journalist of the Year Awards https://www.walkleys.com/awards/young-journalist-of-the-year/

Books/Readings of Interest

Abel, Jessica. Out on the wire: the storytelling secrets of the new masters of radio. Broadway Books, New York, 2015

Ahern, Steve. Making Radio. Allen & Unwin, Sydney, 2011

Alten, Stanley. Audio in Media, Tenth Edition, Wadsworth, Boston, 2013

Barkho, Leon. From Theory to Practice: How to assess and apply impartiality in news and current affairs. Uni of Chicago Press, 2013

Barnard, Stephen. Studying Radio. New York, Hodder Headline/Arnold, 2000

Beaman, Jim. Programme making for radio. London & NY, Routledge, 2006

Biewen, John & Dilworth, Alexa. Reality Radio - Telling True Stories in Sound, Duke University Press: 2010 and 2017 edition

Chantler, Paul & Stewart, Peter. Basic Radio Journalism. Oxford Press, 2003

Crisell, Andrew & Guy Starkey. Radio Journalism, London, Sage 2009

Crisell, Andrew. Ed. Radio (3 Vols). Routledge, London 2009

Fleming, Carole. The Radio Handbook. London, Routledge, 2010

Hausman, Carl et al. Modern Radio Production. Production, Programming, and Performance Belmont CA, Wadsworth/Thomson Learning, 9th Ed. 2013

Hendy, David. Radio in the Global Age. Cambridge, Polity Press, 2000

Geoghegan, Michael W. and Klass, Dan. Podcast Solutions. Berkeley, CA, c2007

Keith, Michael. The Radio Station. London, Focal Press, 2000

Kramer, Mark & Wendy Call (Eds). Telling True Stories, NY, Plume 2007

Jason Loviglio, Michele Hilmes (Eds). Radio's New Wave: Global Sound in the Digital Era, Routledge. New York, London, 2013

McLeish, Robert. Radio Production, 5th Edition, Amsterdam, Focal Press, 2005

Nuzum, Eric. Make Noise: A Creator's Guide to Podcasting and Great Audio Storytelling, Workman Publishing Company, New York, 2019

Patching, Roger & Hirst, Martin. Journalism Ethics: Arguments and cases for the twenty-first century. Macmillan 2013

Phillips, Gail and Mia Lindgren. Australian Broadcast Journalism. South Melbourne: 2013 Shingler, Martin & Wieringa, Cindy. On Air: Methods and Meanings of Radio. London, Arnold, 1998

Squier, Susan. Ed. Communities of the air. London, Duke University Press, 2003

Starkey, Guy. Radio in context. London, Palgrave, 2004

Talbot-Smith, Michael. Sound Assistance. London, Focal Press, 1999

Street Sean. The Poetry of Radio. The Colour of Sound, Routledge, 2013

Winer, Ethan. Audio Expert: Everything you need to know about audio. Taylor and Francis, 2012 [electronic resource]

Radio/Audio academic journals

Radio Journal: international studies in broadcast and audio media (log in via the library)

https://www.intellectbooks.com/radio-journal-international-studies-in-broadcast-audio-media

Journal of Radio & Audio Media (log in via the library)

https://www.tandfonline.com/loi/hjrs20

Policies and Procedures

Macquarie University policies and procedures are accessible from Policy Central (https://staff.mq.edu.au/work/strategy-planning-and-governance/university-policies-and-procedures/policy-central). Students should be aware of the following policies in particular with regard to Learning and Teaching:

Students seeking more policy resources can visit the Student Policy Gateway (https://students.mq.edu.au/support/study/student-policy-gateway). It is your one-stop-shop for the key policies you need to know about throughout your undergraduate student journey.

If you would like to see all the policies relevant to Learning and Teaching visit Policy Central (https://staff.mq.edu.au/work/strategy-planning-and-governance/university-policies-and-procedures/policy-central).

Student Code of Conduct

Macquarie University students have a responsibility to be familiar with the Student Code of Conduct: https://students.mq.edu.au/study/getting-started/student-conduct​

Results

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