Evaluation Answers.

How did you attract your audience?

As i was aiming for my piece of news to be broadcasted at a prime time, I have including different types of news such as local, national, sport and weather. By listening to other local radio stations i have noticed that the main thing they have in common is providing a variety of news. This helps to attract a bigger and wider audience. The weather and local news is more likely to attract the older genereations and the sport and national news is likely to attract the younger generations.


How does your media group represent particular social group?

16 is probably the most common age for people to start taking interest in the news. Also for those who are travelling to places in their cars and vehicles with radios during driving. This is because I have a weather update which is a big interest to those who are travelling and planning a day out.

What kind of media institution might distribute your media product and why?
Listening back on the radio production i have created on my own, it seems to me that a local media instituion such as Heart FM would distribute our product. This is because the news being broadcasted is local so therefore would not be as much of an interest to stations which broadcast all over the UK.


What have you learnt about the technologies from the process of constructing this product?

To successfully construct my piece of local news i first of all neede a programme that i could record on to and then able to edit it. The programme i used is called Audacity which is free from the internet. It allows you to record your own voice and edit it to make a good quality. You can alos add music, jingles, sounds ect. During the course of 6 months i have learnt how to work Audacity, how to record myself and others. I have learnt how to use a microphone in a good manner without creating a disorted effect. I have also been tought how to use our own live radio stations at school. Adding on to the number of things i have learnt, i can also add a jingle and sound effects in to my news piece. For example i added a jingle on to my radio show.


Looking back at your Preliminary task, what do you feel you have learnt in the progession from it to the full product?

My preliminary was just a practice and to help me grasp how to make a intresting piece that would attract my target audience. Looking back, i have learnt a lot. I have learnt how to edit voices and how to copy them onto Audacity. In the Preliminary i did not have a weather forecast neither a voxpop. I have also learnt what a voxpop is as i didnt really understand at the beginning.
The best thing i have which was most beneficial to me was that i was able to work on my own and able to work the equipment without any help. Also organising everything on my own. I have found this task very enjoyable and entertaining and have realised working on your own can be just as fun.

Evaluation Questions

In what ways does your media product use or challenge forms and conventions of real media products?

What would be the audience for you media product?

How did you attract your audience?

How does your media group represent particular social groups?

What kind of media institution might distribute your media product and why?

What ahve you learnt about technologies from the process of constructing this product?

Looking back on your Preliminary task, what do you feel you have learnt in the progression from it to the full product?

Conventions of Local Radio News

Pauses/Slangs/Catch Phrase:

Slang is usually used on less recognised radio stations, slang mainly means words such as 'enit'. I noticed one of the main stations that uses slang is 1Xtra London based radio station. Pauses occur nwo and then but not very often. The likes of Heart FM slang is not used and they are very well spoken.

DJ talks about him/herself:

The radio presenters talk about themselves at time but not very often, however most of the time they talk about peoples affairs. Most listeners just want to listen to music and what is coming up next. On radio 1 they talk about themselves after the weekend however this is normally related to the show. By the time the weekend starts like on a friday night its all music.

DJ talks about the record:

On most radio stations they they explain what song is coming up, who sings it, whether it is good or new. Now and then you will hear general talk about the artist and their album this normally happens if that artist has a nerw album out.

DJ talks about or to the listener:

Near anough every radio stations give listeners a chance to text, phone or email in. If they are lucky then the presenter will read out their emails or talk to them on the phone. This usually if a listener wants to request a song.

DJ digressess to another subject:

DJ's like to change the subject all the time. This is to keep the listeners intrested and tuned in. Radio presenters may start of by talking about music then move on to something completly different. Topics are constantly changing radio stations have to keep updated!

DJ says whats coming up:

Presenters will talk about what music is coming up, also any guests that will be appearing on the show.

DJ promotes another show:

Listening to a number of shows, they did not promote other radio stations however they do promote other DJs which will be appearing on a specific radio station.

Jingles:

Every local radio station will have a jingle which usually includes a short catchphrase i.e. ' this is heart' (Heart FM). A jingle is usually played and normally lasts 5 seconds, they are meant to be short, snappy and quick so it easy to remember.

Vox-pop:

This is where a radio station gets a persons point of view,this could be done on the phone or going out and asking the public. This is mainly used on local news stories and international stories. Heart FM usually has the public call in for their views where as Radio 1 go out.

Outside Broadcast:

This is where presenters will interview or present their news stories outside of the studio. This can also be done if guests cannot make it to the studio but the studio will go to them!

How I Contributed to the Task

When starting this task i organised how i would lay out the show also asking for others opinions and how they thought i did.  

When i started recording my preliminary task, i focused on everthing from editing, sound, speech, jingles, timeings and also getting use to using the equipment. I spent up to 12 hours of my own study time to get this completed and making any changes that were necessary.

I researched into many local radio stations to get as many ideas as possible and see how they interview people on air. I came up with an idea and worked on it, however working on my own i couldnt do everything so i asked two of my friends Eliza Knight and Cameron Woods if they could pretend to be N-Dubz. Thankfully they agreed and i interviewed them on the show. I also found music from my own computer at home and put it onto a CD so i could transfer it onto onto the schools computer, ready to be played on my radio show.

Researching into a Variety of Local Radio Shows

Time Line of My Radio News

Jingle ( Introducing the Host) 30 seconds

Me with the headlines  10 seconds

News beat      20 seconds

Local news  (1 minute 10 seconds)

Roadside Tributes left to daughter  30 seconds

Cannabis to be made available on the NHS    40 seconds

The cast of Skins  40 seconds

News beat ending 20 seconds

Sport updates/news    (45 seconds to 1 minute)

Man City player Robinho    1  minute

Laura Robson Junior singles opener     45 seconds

Weather    30 seconds

Ending Jingle

Local Radio Stations
Heart FM

Pause/slang/catch phrase:
When listening to Heart FM I noticed they speak proper english, there is no slang used. Also they do not use any pauses during on air. Their phrase is 'This is Heart' said in a certain pitched voice.
Talk about themselves:
They hardly ever talk about themselves on air. They mainly talk about the news, any text messages they have coming through or any competitions that they are providing for the listeners.
About the records:
On Heart I have noticed they hardly ever mention the name of the song or the artists who sings it and whether it is new ect. The track plays straight away without any breaks, however they do play all sorts of music from new to old.
About or to the listeners:
It is not very often but when they recieve calls or text messages, that is when they talk to or about the listeners.
Digresses to another subject:
The subject the producers talk about are very much about the same thing. As I have said above on Heart FM oftenly play tracks and keep the talking to a minimum. However when they are on a subject it is just one subject, no more than two I would say.
Say what is coming up:
Before they play a track they sometimes mention what is coming up, however i have started to realise they only say it after the news as been broadcasted or after an advert that has been played.

BBC Newcastle

Pause/slang/catch phrase:
Listening to BBC Newcastle there was not any slang used. The person that presenting the radio show had an english accent, he did not seem like he was from Newcastle. This is so that everyone around the country can understand the show.
Talk about themselves:
I found on BBC Newcastle they would talk about themsleves, if anything funny happened to them or what they did at the weekend however this is not all the time. They speak about the local news i.e. the plane crash in Bladon. They also mention the weather, how it is going to change throughout the day ect.
About the records:
Before they play the record they mention the name of the song and artists who sings it if it new however if it an old classic they will play it straight away. The half an hour when i was listening to the show they played old classics however they did play the odd record that was new or that has been in the charts over the last three years or so.
About or to the listener:
Yes they often talk to the listeners i.e. ask what they think, get them to text in (sometimes) and they also have listeners calling in time to time.
Digresses to another subject:
BBC Newcastle the subject the produces talk about are about everyday things. Subjects are mainly about themselves but they do in away that the listeners will be intrested. They also talk about artists and make jokes such as Dizzee Rascal.
Say what is coming up:
Whilst listening to BBC Newcastle they do not mention what is coming up all the time such as songs however they do mention when the news is coming up. Only now and then do they mention what songs will be coming up through out the day.

MP3 Player