Lessons from the Radio

Practical Tips

This is a collection of lessons I took from my one week in Public Radio. Feel free to use them as a reminder for yourself or to get started.

Getting quotes and sound bites:

  • red riding radio reporter

    red riding radio reporter

    Getting there by bike is ultimately more fun (especially when it rains, but that’s just me)

  • Test the level of your mike (pitching is bad, but worse is if your sound is too weak)
  • Check your batteries and have replacements! Seriously. Do it! Just DO IT!
  • Take three minutes before recording anything and think about your story line / concept. Once you have something in mind, you will roughly know what kind of quotes you are looking for.
  • A good journalist does not collect more sound bites than he needs. Read more
2013
05/23
CATEGORY
Practical Journalism
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How to prepare yourself for your first radio story (with Resources)

Getting Radio Active

Ever wondered why they call it "sound bite"?

Ever wondered why they call it “sound bite”?

There are various reasons people get annoyed by me, but the one I am most proud of: I ask too many questions.

I can’t help it, I’m  curious. I want to know how things work, why people do what they do the way they do it. Or sometimes just: what they do!

Do you know how radio news production works?  Read more

2013
05/12
CATEGORY
Practical Journalism
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Mowglie Returns

Want the full story? Click here to start with Question Authority, Question 3v3ryth1nG! – the post that started this little travel adventure.

Where’s the adventure?

On the boat

This beats Joseph Conrad, no?

The way into the forest is no joyride to begin with. The van we get to the park entrance is driven by a maniac. I manage to sleep (because I fall asleep like nothing in moving vehicles), but the girls on board actually yell at the driver several times to drive more slowly and safely.

When I arrive: bad news. Read more

2012
08/30
CATEGORY
From the Peanunt Gallery
On the Road
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On the Road with the Tourist Mafia: Cameron Highlands, Malaysia

With a knife into the jungle

Equipped like Indiana Jones, my blade and I followed the others on the “trek” to the “Giant Rafflesia”

Want the full story? Click here to start with Question Authority, Question 3v3ryth1nG! – the post that started this little travel adventure.

Organizing a trip to the Highlands has a bit of the feel of dealing with the Mafia…

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2012
08/21
CATEGORY
From the Peanunt Gallery
On the Road
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Love-Hate: Kuala Lumpur

Want the full story? Click here to start with Question Authority, Question 3v3ryth1nG! – the post that started this little travel adventure.

Welcome to Concretopia

Concrete Jungle

The big KL seems to like me more than Melaka. For lack of time to research, I drop by the No. 8 guest house, the place Caro stayed at back when she was in KL. With the metro it is easy enough to reach, and after some searching I finally find the place. Although more expensive than anticipated, the hostel is nice except for the construction going on and the bed bugs that I find on my second night. Seriously? Again? The search for an alternative is fairly sobering, however. All other places are really expensive or in worse condition than the hostel under construction. Later I will find out that other places are even worse on the bed bug front and in fact it seems pretty hard to find a bed in KL without them.

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2012
07/18
CATEGORY
From the Peanunt Gallery
On the Road
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F YOU, Melaka

Want the full story? Click here to start with Question Authority, Question 3v3ryth1nG! - the post that started this little travel adventure.
I have finally left Tioman. It took me some time to detach myself from the place. I am not heading to Kuala Lumpur directly, but will try to get to Melaka. Melaka is supposed to be a really nice town with lots of history, however, only worth a day trip. I figured slowly getting used to larger cities again might not be a bad idea. Tim did not say a word about me leaving, no attempts to try and persuade me to stay. I am grateful. He is a liberal soul.
2012
07/16
CATEGORY
From the Peanunt Gallery
On the Road
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Castaway on Tioman

Preface:
What started as simply jotting down notes of the places I have been has changed in Tioman. I felt more inspired writing about this place than any before, so it actually reads more like the chapter out of a novel. Let’s call it realistic travel fiction ;) . If anyone is in contact with publishers who might be interested in material like this, you have my email! :)

Want the full story? Click here to start with Question Authority, Question 3v3ryth1nG! - the post that started this little travel adventure.

March 28

Castaway

I’ve grown wild in the two weeks on the remote Tioman Island ;)

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2012
07/13
CATEGORY
From the Peanunt Gallery
On the Road
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Welcome!

pc2

I am Paul-Christian Britz aka @pcbritz, an aspiring German journalist with a degree in American Studies, Political Science and Film Studies. I am currently traveling the world and am looking for a journalistic traineeship in 2013.

Check out my Photography & Multimedia >>PORTFOLIO!<< or ...continue reading

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