PRODUCER & BUDGETING:Strengths of a Radio Program, Budgeting a Program

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Radio News, Reporting and Production MCM515

LESSON 32

PRODUCER & BUDGETING

Strengths of a Radio Program

1. The very first strength of radio is that it is portable and handy. It does not need to be placed always

on table or on any surface. It can easily be adjusted even in pocket. That is why it is the best

companion of a farmer, a laborer, a mason, and even a person on road.

2. It does not demand that it must be looked at as requires television. That is why women while

cooking or washing up may listen to it and keep themselves amused, informed, entertained and

educated.

3. From production point of view, it is very economical kind of production. It does not require costly

sets, lavish costumes and the make-up of the performers. It simply stirs up the imagination of the

listeners through script, sound effects and music and they create everything in their own mind.

Limitations of radio

The major weakness of the radio program is that the listeners can not see the pictures of the performers

that is why it is not glamorous. But otherwise the radio production requires more skill and professionalism

on the part of the producer because the radio producer is bound to make every kind of impression through

speech, music and sound effects where as, on television the production enjoys the facility of sight to create

effects that is a pretty easier task.

Producer The Captain of the Ship, the Unsung Hero

The producer is the person who heads the team of writers, sound effects men, and actors. The producer is

the person who conceives a program, plans a program, and then makes all the arrangements to materialize

what he/she has thought of. If something gets applause from the listeners, the credit goes to the producer

and if something fails to get applause and gathers criticism instead; again the producer is held responsible. It

follows from it that the producer needs to be different, exceptional, and extraordinary.

The following are the qualities and traits a person must posses if he wishes to be a producer. Some of the

qualities can be learned, some can be polished, but still there are certain qualities which are innate ones and

a person either posses them or not.

At least masters in Mass Communication

Knowledgeable

Creative

Imaginative

Innovative

Decisive

Active

Sharp observer

Jack of all trades

10.

Good ear

11.

Always ready to record.

Budgeting a Program

To make the budget of a program is yet another important responsibility of a producer. The cost of the

program varies from program to program depending upon the fees of the following talents to be booked

for the preparation of the program.

The script writer

The commentator

The compere

Radio News, Reporting and Production MCM515

The narrator

The performers

The musicians

The singers

The composer

In case of outdoor, crew's expenditure

Traveling expenditure

The task of budgeting involves the following steps:

Plan out the whole program on paper.

Pen down talent fees against their names.

Write down extra expenditures such as traveling, outdoor expenditures, etc.

Sum up the whole cost.

Multiply it with the number of total programs or episodes.

Jargons of Production

Absorption

The process of sound going into the walls, ceiling, and floor of a studio is called absorption.

Amplify

To make the sound louder is called to amplify the sound.

Bass

Voice in the lowest tone or frequency is called bass.

Hiss

A high frequency noise problem in the recording process is called hiss.

Sound signal

A sound that has not yet been processed into an electronic form is called sound signal.

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