1. jn3800
AUDIO

2. Today

3. Origins: Broadcast
 Traditionally a linear
process
 Listening to a
standard broadcast is
passive
 Radio and more
comprehensive
recordings need to
create a ‘texture of
sound’
 Additional editorial
intervention
sometimes needed to
frame audio pieces

4. Kit requirements
 Audio can be recorded by a
number of devices
 Dictaphone
 Telephone
 Conversion between file
types may be required:
 Think about
 compatibility
 compression

5. Quality
 TOP TIP: Always try to acquire recordings at the
highest quality possible
 CD
 Dictaphone
 Telephone
44.1 KHz
22 KHz
8KHz
44.1 KHz means the recording
device will ‘sample’ the sound
44,100 times a second

6. Audio Production: Stylistic approaches
 Clips: Short, sharp bursts of
information that convey
essential information
 Packages: Incorporates
script and interviews on a
specific theme or issue
 Long-form documentaries:
A more in-depth, and
immersive experience
 Bulletins: Live news flash
based around breaking
information

7. How this might work on a
digital platform…
 Combined with other
media elements rather
than a standalone report
 Complements written or
image-based material
 Separate
angles/approaches/opini
on used to augment
central report

8. What’s happening online

9. Journalistic potential

10. Journalistic process
 Ask yourself
 Is audio the appropriate
medium?
 Can it be used to add
breadth or depth to your
piece
 Ensure you follow good
journalistic practice
 Do not misrepresent and
be faithful to your
interviewees intention.

11. Interview technique

Be nice

Control your environment

Ensure the interviewee gives name, rank and
serial number

Aim to ask open questions

Avoid utterances such as: yeah, a-ha, mmm…

Try not to interrupt

Use silence to your advantage

Repeat if required

Say thanks

12. Broadcast
voice
 Scripting: control your audio
 Aim for around three words a
second (a pace that is too fast
or two slow impacts on overall
effect)
 Control your interviewee to
ensure your content is usable

13. Post production considerations
 Editorial
 Sound can be used to illustrate a story, and add texture
 Descriptions need to fuel audience’s imagination
 WARNING: Working with audio (and video) can be time-
consuming
 Technical
 Tidy, remove noise and equalise if required
 FX and other additions
 Music and other sound effects can be used to move story forward
 Additional tools of fade outs/ins, silences and voice manipulation
can prove useful

14. Final checks
 Does it make sense?
 Does it flow?
 Can you hear everything and understand it?
 Is the subject matter and interviewee
responses accurate and in line with original
intentions?

15. Distribution: Podcasts and social
media
 Podcasting
 Publish to the world
 RSS feeds can stream audio to users on demand
 Social tools
 Share audio files with your followers, and add a
social element to your audio work. First person
accounts can be effective and emotive
 Audioboo
 Soundcloud

16. Flickr

Ian Hayhurst


Fernando Candeias


Matt Blaze


tjmwatson


Will Hastings


Joriel "Joz" Jimenez


The National Guard


PolandMFA


formulapuff