Nonogirl Radio

Radio Finds the HEAT

This commentary about another murder in New Orleans aired on January 11. The report that preceded it said there have been NINE  homicides so far this year, almost one a day.

The next day, Dick Brooks pointed out that radio is a HOT medium. It's not good with numbers and facts (cold), but rather emotion (heat).

The commentary about the murder of filmmaker Helen Hill is hot. It takes the statistics and makes it human. It gives a face to the number and takes us to the frustration in the community.

Dear God, Thank you

I generally don't like commentary and stories. I love David Sedaris, but am bummed when he's on This American Life in lieu of a more technically produced piece.

But this story by Kevin Kling caught me off-guard. Maybe I was surprised that such a profound sentiment could come out of the voice of a dude (I'd say surfer dude, but my Midwestern friend said he's so Minnesotan).

Rather than asking for some thing, I should remember to be thankful for what I've got. Nice sentiment to contemplate at the beginning of the year.

Verbs not Adjectives

On my way to the final day of AIR's Dick Brooks intensive workshop, I heard this narration-less piece produced by Liane Hansen, who is also on sabbatical.

Now, you can't really go wrong doing a piece on Martin Luther King, Jr.'s oration, but this piece exemplifies Brooks teachings of using verbs rather than adjectives to get your audience to paint the scene.

Some might think the music that punctuates the end of King's speech might be inappropriate; it's not an organic part of the story. What do you think?

On Writing Well

I took a writing class this winter. The class was called Putting the There in There and I thought it would help my writing for radio in terms of creating vivid scenes for the listener.

  Tonantsin Renace 
  Originally uploaded by ehoyer.

It did a lot more than that. It introduced me to a deeper appreciation of the written word and also pushed me to meet a neighbor who I only knew through the political posters he placed on his window.

Catherine Stifter, the editor for Crossing East, suggested a book to strengthen radio writing called On Writing Well.

And while we're at it, here's an interview Michele Norris did with the author in April 2006.

Constructing a Program

Last week, I talked with someone at my radio job about what to think about in determining the story order. I noticed that they lead with hard news and end with the softer arts segment. She also said that if there is an obituary, it goes at the end.

I understood that because how do you come out of something sad like an obit?

But this morning's Weekend Edition placed a lovely tribute to Tille Olsen third from the end. I wonder what thought process went into that placement...

Fire on the Radio

I thought the Crucible's annual fire opera/ballet would make an interesting story. My approach would have been to follow the seemingly hoity toity high arts performer from their opera/ballet rehearsal over the bay bridge and into the Crucible's industrial warehouse.

But I decided it was better to stay away from the Crucible for a while.

And thanks to Artery,  (launches mp3) I can hear how another person covered it! Her approach was to look at the danger of fire and why we are attracted to it. She also included information about the organization's other programs and a description from their first year's performance.

Ripe in the New Year

Bad transit be gone!

This new year brings a new vitality and a reboot in so many directions! I'm excited about my radio producing. It seems that my years of community involvement are paying off by way of story generation. I'm also re-fashioning myself as an organized person (whoda thunk?)!

I've also come full circle, whether it be watching a radio program be directed in what I thought was an old school style with someone cueing the host and directing an engineer, playing Pong and Ricochet on new years eve, or meeting someone who looks vaguely familiar from Brotherhood Sisterhood.

So here's to a new year with an exciting year of the pig just around the corner!