Radio and science given @Máster en Comunicación Científica, Médica y Ambiental, UPF, Barcelona, 2009 y 2010

1. science on air
Elisabetta Tola
formicablu s.r.l, Bologna, Italy
SCIRAB, Science in radio broadcasting
www.formicablu.it
www.scienceonair.org
formicablu srl

2. formicablu srl

3. Paolo Cavallina e Luca Liguori
formicablu srl

4. intimacy and linearity
• flexible and able to enter hidden places: listens
without being seen nor heard (candid microphone,
1947)
• fragmentary and narrative: it has a rhythm and deals
by and large with anecdote and episodes
• chance to share cultural excitement provided by
scientific discovery
• good at communicating emotion and mood
formicablu srl

5. radio as a civil tool…
Jean Dominique,
Radio Haiti Inter, 2000
Peppino Impastato,
Radio Aut, 1978
formicablu srl

6. A cognitive experience
• “(…) radio is an extension of our nervous central
system closer only to human discourse” (M. Mc
Luhan)
• Whoever is speaking is speaking for you
• A conversation with a scientist
• Phone ins: a strong interactive experience (M.
Merzagora and S. Coyaud)
formicablu srl

7. Creating images in your mind
• Reflection and thought: radio has a pace and creates
a mental space
• Reflection and thought: two fondamental aspects
of science communication
• “Pictures can get in the way in the explanation of
scientific ideas” (D. Cohen, BBC)
formicablu srl

8. Radio language
formicablu srl

9. Soundscape
Listening
formicablu srl

10. The players?
formicablu srl

11. How scientists play the game
• Conversation: at the centre of radio broadcasting, at
the centre of scientific enterprise (“la ciencia es una
conversacion con la natura”, J. Wagensberg)
• More relaxed time to talk about their science: not
treated like actors
• Involvement: scientists are driven by hopes and
desires, more communicable than hard facts
formicablu srl

12. The journalist
• Translator
• The public
Interpreter
• Animator
• Commentator
• Activist
• ... The scientist
formicablu srl

13. science radio programmes
• news story: science as politics or as light hearted final
news (typically 3-5 minutes)
• documentaries: science in a more explanatory and
narrative way (typ. 10-30 min.)
• debates: pro and cons in controversial issues (typ. 20-60
min.)
formicablu srl

14. science radio programmes
• phone ins: the listeners’ voices (typ. 20-60 min)
• feature stories: magazines, discussions, debates, put
findings in context and with comment
• radio drama: from “War of the worlds” on...
• podcast: recorded feature or talk, downloadable in
mp3
formicablu srl

15. preparing your programme
• choose the format
• choose the topic
• choose the expert
• work with the expert:
– you need to know a lot about the subject
– you need to get the right information and the right story and
metaphors from him/her
– you need to know how he/she speaks
– you need to test if you can joke, talk about politics, if he/she is
didactical, enthusiastic, serious, boring, an intellectual, a technician, ...
TALK WITH THE EXPERT!
formicablu srl

16. Styles
• live/recorded
• as it is/edited
• dirty/clean
• speak as you eat/speak as you should
• excite/relax
• the choice depends on:
– 1) the content;
– 2) what you want to communicate;
– 3) which relationship you want with the listeners
– 4) the format, the radio “character”
formicablu srl

17. rules?
• in science journalism, very few general rules
• on the radio, even less...
– short sentences
– repeat the subject
– reduce relatives, parenthesis,etc.
– use spoken language expressions (!?)
– make use of tones, pauses, exclamations
– consider rhythm
– restate the coordinates of the exposition
– recall who’s talking
– never try to prove your competence: be brave, show ignorance (but never be
ignorant)!
• give value to accents, enthusiasm, embarrassment, emotional
statements
formicablu srl

18. interviews
• Informative
• Interpretive
• Emotional
• Oral history
• Preparation:
– Studying before
– Question technique
– Devil’s advocate
formicablu srl

19. formicablu srl

20. Podcasting
• 2004: a new word, a new world
• Mp3 meets RSS
• To be or not to be a
podcaster...
Copyleft:
• Freesound project
• Creative commons music
• Flickr
formicablu srl

21. formicablu srl

22. science on air
Elisabetta Tola
formicablu s.r.l, Bologna, Italy
SCIRAB, Science in radio broadcasting
www.formicablu.it
www.scienceonair.org
formicablu srl
1

23. formicablu srl
2

24. Paolo Cavallina e Luca Liguori
formicablu srl
3

25. intimacy and linearity
• flexible and able to enter hidden places: listens
without being seen nor heard (candid microphone,
1947)
• fragmentary and narrative: it has a rhythm and deals
by and large with anecdote and episodes
• chance to share cultural excitement provided by
scientific discovery
• good at communicating emotion and mood
formicablu srl
4

26. radio as a civil tool…
Jean Dominique,
Radio Haiti Inter, 2000
Peppino Impastato,
Radio Aut, 1978
formicablu srl

27. A cognitive experience
• “(…) radio is an extension of our nervous central
system closer only to human discourse” (M. Mc
Luhan)
• Whoever is speaking is speaking for you
• A conversation with a scientist
• Phone ins: a strong interactive experience (M.
Merzagora and S. Coyaud)
formicablu srl
6

28. Creating images in your mind
• Reflection and thought: radio has a pace and creates
a mental space
• Reflection and thought: two fondamental aspects
of science communication
• “Pictures can get in the way in the explanation of
scientific ideas” (D. Cohen, BBC)
formicablu srl
7

29. Radio language
formicablu srl
8

30. Soundscape
Listening
formicablu srl
9

31. The players?
formicablu srl
10

32. How scientists play the game
• Conversation: at the centre of radio broadcasting, at
the centre of scientific enterprise (“la ciencia es una
conversacion con la natura”, J. Wagensberg)
• More relaxed time to talk about their science: not
treated like actors
• Involvement: scientists are driven by hopes and
desires, more communicable than hard facts
formicablu srl
11

33. The journalist
• Translator
• The public
Interpreter
• Animator
• Commentator
• Activist
• ... The scientist
formicablu srl
12

34. science radio programmes
• news story: science as politics or as light hearted final
news (typically 3-5 minutes)
• documentaries: science in a more explanatory and
narrative way (typ. 10-30 min.)
• debates: pro and cons in controversial issues (typ. 20-60
min.)
formicablu srl
13

35. science radio programmes
• phone ins: the listeners’ voices (typ. 20-60 min)
• feature stories: magazines, discussions, debates, put
findings in context and with comment
• radio drama: from “War of the worlds” on...
• podcast: recorded feature or talk, downloadable in
mp3
formicablu srl
14

36. preparing your programme
• choose the format
• choose the topic
• choose the expert
• work with the expert:
– you need to know a lot about the subject
– you need to get the right information and the right story and
metaphors from him/her
– you need to know how he/she speaks
– you need to test if you can joke, talk about politics, if he/she is
didactical, enthusiastic, serious, boring, an intellectual, a technician, ...
TALK WITH THE EXPERT!
formicablu srl
15

37. Styles
• live/recorded
• as it is/edited
• dirty/clean
• speak as you eat/speak as you should
• excite/relax
• the choice depends on:
– 1) the content;
– 2) what you want to communicate;
– 3) which relationship you want with the listeners
– 4) the format, the radio “character”
formicablu srl
16

38. rules?
• in science journalism, very few general rules
• on the radio, even less...
– short sentences
– repeat the subject
– reduce relatives, parenthesis,etc.
– use spoken language expressions (!?)
– make use of tones, pauses, exclamations
– consider rhythm
– restate the coordinates of the exposition
– recall who’s talking
– never try to prove your competence: be brave, show ignorance (but never be
ignorant)!
• give value to accents, enthusiasm, embarrassment, emotional
statements
formicablu srl
17

39. interviews
• Informative
• Interpretive
• Emotional
• Oral history
• Preparation:
– Studying before
– Question technique
– Devil’s advocate
formicablu srl

40. formicablu srl

41. Podcasting
• 2004: a new word, a new world
• Mp3 meets RSS
• To be or not to be a
podcaster...
Copyleft:
• Freesound project
• Creative commons music
• Flickr
formicablu srl
20

42. formicablu srl
21