This is a recording of a masterclass from the BBC Academy’s Radio Fast Train event held on 7 February 2012.

Petrie Hosken from BBC Radio Bristol is joined by a panel of guests to discuss how to take risks in radio. All radio producers want to make challenging, provocative and fresh work. But how do you make sure that this work sits on the right side of Ofcom regulations and your in-house compliance team? The panel share their experiences of putting live comedy and edgy drama on air.

The panellists are Steven Canny, acting head of BBC radio comedy, Carina Tillson, head of compliance for Global Radio and Kate Rowland, the BBC’s creative director for new writing

This is a recording of a masterclass from the BBC Academy’s Radio Fast Train event held on 7 February 2012.

Amanda Lyon is joined by three enthusiastic supporters of audio visualisation to talk about what video content adds to audio, and which shows are using visual techniques to best effect. They discuss an early example of audio visualisation from the 1930s and debate if it’s desirable or possible for all audio content to have a visual element.

The guests are Joe Harland, BBC Radio 1 and 1Xtra’s head of short form content, 1Xtra DJ Charlie Sloth and photofilm creator Peter Rudge from digital agency Duckrabbit.

This is a recording of the final masterclass at the BBC Academy’s Radio Fast Train event held on 7 February 2012.

Broadcaster Fi Glover hosts a celebration of all things audio. Fi explains her passion for a medium which she describes as being like the best friend you never had. She reflects on the raw power of audio and talks to the broadcasters behind some of the bravest, brightest sounds you’ll hear.

We hear from Zane Ibrahim of Africa’s oldest community radio station, Bush Radio, which began broadcasting illegally under South Africa’s apartheid regime. And Fi is joined in the studio by Kate Hutchinson of London Fields Radio, to discover how a micro radio revolution is underway in a booth in a café in east London.

This is a recording of a masterclass from the BBC Academy’s Radio Fast Train event held on 7 February 2012.

Country and western singer turned lesbian performance artist Tammy Whynot is the host for this session on getting into radio presenting. Her guests are presenters Annie Mac of Radio 1 and Angie Greaves of Magic FM, along with Paul Sylvester, head of presentation at Absolute Radio and Chris North, head of talent for Wise Buddah.

They share their journeys, knowledge and expertise. Find out how Annie and Angie got their breaks and learn what radio executives listen out for in new talent.

This is a recording of a masterclass from the BBC Academy’s Radio Fast Train event held on 7 February 2012.

Tim Davie, director of BBC Audio & Music, is joined by a panel of guests to debate how audio can exploit new platforms and services. Do online sharing services challenge the future for traditional broadcasters? Does digital split the audience or create greater opportunities for audio producers?

Answering these questions are radio futurologist James Cridland, Ben Fawkes from audio sharing service Soundcloud, Chris Maples of Spotify and Nicky Birch from indie Somethin’ Else.

soundcloud:

Week on week men, women and children get together to sing, chant, shout and cry about their football teams. Each team around the world has their own unique chants, this week in Found Sounds we explore some of these chants.

Who’s your team and what’s your chant?

BBC College of Production Podcast: Making Radio Features

Creating a good radio feature is all about the art of shaping sound to tell compelling stories. Done well, they can provide intimate insights into somebody else’s world, painting vivid pictures in the minds of your listeners.

There are many different ways to make a world class radio documentary. Some are presenter-led, others will have the contributor as presenter, telling their story in their own words. Music and silence can also be extremely powerful dramatic tools.

Joining Hazel Marshall in the studio to discuss how they craft radio documentaries are Russell Finch and Laurence Grissell.

Russell is head of features at Somethin’ Else and won Best Documentary Feature Maker at this year’s Radio Production Awards. Russell’s work includes Stefan Gates’ Cover Story for Radio 4 and Wild Hackney. Laurence is an award winning producer at Radio 4. His documentaries include An Interior Life, Document: A Very British Coup and Lives in a Landscape.

Joining in down the line is Jon Ronson, bestselling author and producer of television and radio documentaries. His series Jon Ronson On… for Radio 4 has had multiple Sony nominations.