Students

MMCC2070 – Radio: 'On Air'

2024 – Session 2, In person-scheduled-weekday, North Ryde

General Information

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Unit convenor and teaching staff Unit convenor and teaching staff Convenor, Lecturer and Tutor
Helen Wolfenden
helen.wolfenden@mq.edu.au
Contact via Email. (Note that I don't access messages on my desk phone.)
10HA 147 (Office159)
Please email Helen for consultations.
Tutor
Danny Chifley
danny.chifley@mq.edu.au
Contact via Email only
Contact via Helen
Credit points Credit points
10
Prerequisites Prerequisites
40cp at 1000 level or above
Corequisites Corequisites
Co-badged status Co-badged status
Unit description Unit description

Ever wanted to know what it is like to be on the radio? This unit, in collaboration with 2SER radio station, provides that opportunity. Students' to gain experience and knowledge of radio through live broadcast situations and professional roles. This connects students to the latest developments in radio, podcast and audio programming.

Workshops incorporate techniques of devising live to air program material: location recordings, interviews, voice segments, entertainment, promotion and feature packages. A live magazine style program for 2SER is one outcome, extending students' team and presentation skills, while consolidating the critical, research and production expertise required to produce an extended program of this genre.

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: apply a range of communication and expression skills for electronic audio media productions.
  • ULO2: demonstrate journalistic and program making craft skills related to audio/radio productions.
  • ULO3: analyse the dynamics and methods necessary for successful communication with audiences and listeners.
  • ULO4: apply and communicate specialist skills to creative and collaborative roles in radio program production, broadcast audio media journalism, and presentation of collaboratively devised projects.
  • ULO5: apply and consolidate a range of technical and operational skills in radio broadcast and related audio media productions.
  • ULO6: reflect on practice and theory.

General Assessment Information

Unless a Special Consideration request has been submitted and approved, a 5% penalty (of the total possible mark) will be applied each day an assessment is not submitted, up until the 7th day (including weekends). After the 7th day, a mark of ‘0’ (zero) will be awarded even if the assessment is submitted. Submission time for all written assessments is set at 11.55pm. A 1-hour grace period is provided to students who experience a technical issue. This late penalty will apply to written reports and recordings only. Late submission of time sensitive tasks (such as tests/exams, performance assessments/presentations, scheduled practical assessments/labs will be addressed by the unit convenor in a Special consideration application.

Assessment Tasks

Name Weighting Hurdle Due
Radio Show 25% No 23/08/2024
Radio Feature 40% No 27/09/2024
Role in radio show 35% No Week 13

Radio Show

Assessment Type 1: Media presentation
Indicative Time on Task 2: 19 hours
Due: 23/08/2024
Weighting: 25%

 

Present and record an ‘as live’ radio show. Refer to iLearn for further information.

 
On successful completion you will be able to:
  • apply a range of communication and expression skills for electronic audio media productions.
  • demonstrate journalistic and program making craft skills related to audio/radio productions.
  • analyse the dynamics and methods necessary for successful communication with audiences and listeners.

Radio Feature

Assessment Type 1: Media presentation
Indicative Time on Task 2: 30 hours
Due: 27/09/2024
Weighting: 40%

 

Create a radio feature. Refer to iLearn for further information.

 
On successful completion you will be able to:
  • apply a range of communication and expression skills for electronic audio media productions.
  • demonstrate journalistic and program making craft skills related to audio/radio productions.
  • analyse the dynamics and methods necessary for successful communication with audiences and listeners.
  • apply and communicate specialist skills to creative and collaborative roles in radio program production, broadcast audio media journalism, and presentation of collaboratively devised projects.
  • apply and consolidate a range of technical and operational skills in radio broadcast and related audio media productions.

Role in radio show

Assessment Type 1: Performance
Indicative Time on Task 2: 26 hours
Due: Week 13
Weighting: 35%

 

This assessment is based on your individual performance in your role for the radio show. Refer to iLearn for further information.

 
On successful completion you will be able to:
  • apply a range of communication and expression skills for electronic audio media productions.
  • demonstrate journalistic and program making craft skills related to audio/radio productions.
  • analyse the dynamics and methods necessary for successful communication with audiences and listeners.
  • apply and communicate specialist skills to creative and collaborative roles in radio program production, broadcast audio media journalism, and presentation of collaboratively devised projects.
  • apply and consolidate a range of technical and operational skills in radio broadcast and related audio media productions.
  • reflect on practice and theory.

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

This unit uses in-person lectures and workshop/tutorials.

Please Note: Lectures commence in week 1 and tutorials/workshops commence in week 2. Please attend all classes. Please check the unit schedule for more detail.

Technical assistance and demonstrations are given in tutorial/workshops and students need to be able to attend these throughout the semester. 

It is a requirement that an appropriate number of radio/audio programs be included as sources in scholarly reflections for all of the assessments and referenced accordingly in reference lists. These programs will form part of lectures and workshops, or be suggested for self-directed listening. Thus, you should aim not to miss lectures or workshops. Please inform the tutor/lecturer if you cannot attend.

There are two-hour weekly tutorial and/or technical workshop sessions. You are required to attend all tutorials and workshops. As participation in the process of learning is linked to and underpins the unit Learning Outcomes, you will need to either apply for Special Consideration to cover any missed tutorial/workshop or supply appropriate documentation to your unit convenor for any missed tutorial/workshop.

iLearn is a major component of this unit. Please refer to iLearn on a weekly basis and undertake the readings and activities and participate in discussions. It is very important to check announcements on iLearn regularly. If there are any changes to assessments, notifications will be made via iLearn "announcements" so it is the responsibility of every student to keep themselves informed.

REQUIRED EQUIPMENT

You will be required to purchase:

  1. One set of good quality closed or semi-closed headphones (for hygiene reasons these are compulsory for each student). You may have these if you have already completed MMCC2160.
  2. At least one portable memory device to use to transfer audio projects.

REQUIRED READING

A selection of readings and listenings are detailed on iLearn.

Readings/listenings are accessed via Leganto http://libguides.mq.edu.au/leganto

NOTE that you MUST access Leganto via the block in iLearn in the first instance. This is how the system verifies you as a student in this unit.

There are some other recommended readings. Students should draw on at least two sources for their written reflections, required in the documentation portion of the assessments.

Recommended Readings

  • Abel, Jessica. 2015. Out on the Wire: The Storytelling Secrets of the New Masters of Radio. Penguin Random House.
  • Ahern, Steve. Making Radio. Allen and Unwin. Latest Edition in the Library.
  • Alten, Stanley. Audio in Media. Belmont CA: Most recent edition is best. (Should be in the library.) The bible of audio production for those really serious about sound.
  • Atton, Chris (Ed). The Routledge companion to alternative and community media
  • Barnard, Stephen. Studying Radio. New York: 2000
  • Beaman, Jim. Programme making for radio. London & NY: 2006
  • Beaman, Jim. Interviewing for Radio. London & NY: 2012
  • Biewen, John. Reality radio: telling true stories in sound, Durham, 2010 plus new edition as ebook.
  • Bonini, Tiziano; Monclus, Belen. Eds. Radio Audiences and Participation in the Age of Network Society, New York, NY, 2015
  • Burns, Maureen et al. Histories of Public Service Broadcasters on the web, New York: 2011
  • Chantler, Paul & Stewart, Peter. Basic Radio Journalism. 2003
  • Chignell, Hugh. Key Concepts in Radio Studies. Sage: 2009
  • Chignell, Hugh. Public Issue Radio: Talks, News and Current Affairs in the Twentieth Century: 2011
  • Crisell, Andrew & Guy Starkey. Radio Journalism, London: 2009
  • Crisell, Andrew. Ed. Radio (3 Vols). London 2009 Crook, Tim. The Sound Handbook. London. Routledge 2012
  • Dubber, Andrew. Radio in the Digital Age, Polity, London: 2013
  • Emm, Adèle. Researching for the media: television, radio and journalism, London; New York 2014. Online resource.
  • Fleming, Carole. The Radio Handbook. London: 2010
  • Frangi, Anthony. Radio toolbox: everything you need to get started in broadcasting. Palgrave Macmillan 2012.
  • Geller, Valerie. Beyond Powerful radio: a communicator's guide to the Internet age. Belmont CA: 2006.
  • Griffen-Foley, Bridget. Changing Stations: The story of Australian Commercial Radio, Sydney: 2009 Hendy, David. Radio in the Global Age. Cambridge: 2000.
  • Hicks, Wynford. English for Journalists. London & New York, 2nd Edition 2003.
  • Keith, Michael. The Radio Station. London: Focal Press, 2000
  • Keeble, Richard. Ethics for Journalists. London & New York, 2001
  • Kern, Jonathon. Sound Reporting: The NPR Guide to audio journalism and production, Chicago: 2008
  • Kramer, Mark & Wendy Call (Eds). Telling True Stories, NY: 2007
  • Lingren, Mia, and Philips, Gail. Australian Broadcast Journalism. 3rd Ed. Oxford Uni Press: 2013.
  • Loviglio, Jason & Hilmes, Michele (Eds) Radio's New Wave: Global Sound in the Digital Age, Routledge: 2013.
  • McLeish, Robert. Radio Production, 4th Edition, Oxford: 1999
  • Nuzum, Eric. Make Noise: A Creator's Guide to Podcasting and Great Audio Storytelling, Workman Publishing Company, New York: 2019.
  • Shingler & Wieringa. On Air: Methods and Meanings of Radio. London: 1998.
  • Squier, Susan. Ed. Communities of the air. London: 2003
  • Starkey, Guy. Radio in context. London: 2004
  • Street, Sean, The Poetry of Radio, the Colour of Sound. London, New York, 2011.
  • Talbot-Smith, Michael. Sound Assistance. London: 1999
  • Turner, Graeme. 'Politics, Radio and Journalism in Australia', in Journalism, Vol 10, no 4, August 2009

Journals of relevance (in library/electronic available)

  • The Radio Journal: international studies in broadcast and audio media, (UK/international).
  • Journal of Radio and Audio Media, (USA)
  • Australian Journalism Review (articles on all kinds of journalism)
  • Radiodoc Review: online journal reviewing documentary radio/audio (international) http://ro.uow.edu.au/rdr/

Podcasts

New podcasts are popping up all the time. Some good ones are:

  • Australian: ABC has quite a few: try Earshot, This is About, Sum of All Parts, Trace, What Keeps Me Awake, Background Briefing, Conversations, Download this Show, Off Track...
  • Also see the full list of finalists from the Australian Podcast Awards: https://australianpodcastawards.com/thefinalists
  • Community radio: FBi's All The Best is very much the model for our features https://fbiradio.com/podcast/all-the-best/. 2SER also has some great podcasts https://2ser.com/podcasts/
  • International: From USA: Radiotopia; Serial; S-Town; This American Life; Freakonomics; Radiolab; Out on the Wire; Benjamin Walker's Theory of Everything, Story Club, StoryCorp, Radio Rookies, The Truth, She Does, Handpicked Mix, Another Round, Documentary on One, The New Yorker Radio Hour, HowSound, From Our Own Correspondent, Third Coast International Audio Festival, Home of the Brave, The Heart, Love + Radio, Death, Sex & Money, 99% Invisible. Also try The Kitchen Sisters programs/projects (Davia Nelson & Nikki Silva are award-winning producers based in USA): http://www.kitchensisters.org
  • UK: BBC Sounds; Between the Ears, Intrigue: Murder in the Lucky Hotel, and many more via the BBC https://www.bbc.co.uk/sounds/podcasts . Also check the latest audio documentaries from The Guardian (UK): https://www.theguardian.com/podcasts

Web radio and audio sites of interest

Policies and Procedures

Macquarie University policies and procedures are accessible from Policy Central (https://policies.mq.edu.au). Students should be aware of the following policies in particular with regard to Learning and Teaching:

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

To find other policies relating to Teaching and Learning, visit Policy Central (https://policies.mq.edu.au) and use the search tool.

Student Code of Conduct

Macquarie University students have a responsibility to be familiar with the Student Code of Conduct: https://students.mq.edu.au/admin/other-resources/student-conduct

Results

Results published on platform other than eStudent, (eg. iLearn, Coursera etc.) or released directly by your Unit Convenor, are not confirmed as they are subject to final approval by the University. Once approved, final results will be sent to your student email address and will be made available in eStudent. For more information visit connect.mq.edu.au or if you are a Global MBA student contact globalmba.support@mq.edu.au

Academic Integrity

At Macquarie, we believe academic integrity – honesty, respect, trust, responsibility, fairness and courage – is at the core of learning, teaching and research. We recognise that meeting the expectations required to complete your assessments can be challenging. So, we offer you a range of resources and services to help you reach your potential, including free online writing and maths support, academic skills development and wellbeing consultations.

Student Support

Macquarie University provides a range of support services for students. For details, visit http://students.mq.edu.au/support/

The Writing Centre

The Writing Centre provides resources to develop your English language proficiency, academic writing, and communication skills.

The Library provides online and face to face support to help you find and use relevant information resources. 

Student Services and Support

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Student Enquiries

Got a question? Ask us via the Service Connect Portal, or contact Service Connect.

IT Help

For help with University computer systems and technology, visit http://www.mq.edu.au/about_us/offices_and_units/information_technology/help/. 

When using the University's IT, you must adhere to the Acceptable Use of IT Resources Policy. The policy applies to all who connect to the MQ network including students.

Unit information based on version 2024.01R of the Handbook