Hi folks, as we move focus onto the impending school year, this week will be
the last playlist contest and programming tip until October.
This week's playlist winner is Bart Cummins, host of Unscripted (Sunday 6-7
PM). Bart played a track from Clout Game's new album (#104 on the playlist) and
wins a CD from the playlist.
Keep exploring the playlist for underheard and underplayed music to keep your
show fresh! We'll be back to more programming contests in a few weeks!
--
For this week's programming tip, we're going to talk about show transitions.
Specifically, the importance of smooth and orderly transitions between shows
and from host to host.
Transitions between shows are an important aspect of any program. Each
programmer plans to fill up an hour of programming, and smooth transitions
between shows ensures that each programmer will get the time they need to both
do their program, and properly prepare for doing that program. If a host takes
too much time transitioning out of the booth and letting the next host into the
booth, the next host then has to adjust their program since some of their time
has been taken up. This counts for any program, whether that program is a live
host, or a syndicated program, since both are designed to fill up an hour.
To consider first and foremost, in booth organization is key to getting
yourself ready for transitions. For example, if you have all the material you
brought into the booth neatly organized and ready to move, then it makes
everything much easier to get out of the way for the next host coming in. If
you are disorganized and have the material you brought into the booth all over
the place, it takes much more time to get your stuff together and get out of
the chair for the next host. This is just common sense. This also applies to
not only the music you bring in, but things like public service announcements,
pre-recorded spots and logging. Always work ahead when you are in the booth and
always consider what you are doing next. This ensures a mindful attitude
towards the in booth space and primes you to be more organized.
When you finish your show, you should be thinking about how you will end it
long before the end comes. Start thinking about your timing about 15 minutes
before the end of your show. Consider what you will be playing and the length
of each segment. How many songs are left in your show and how long are they?
Will you be speaking and how long will that take? Will this take you close to
the top of the hour, or will you be over or under the top of the hour? This can
be tricky, since you may have talked more than you wanted to, or played songs a
bit longer than you expected, so your timing may be off. Make sure, no matter
what the show, that you finish your show as near to the top of the hour as
possible. Going 2 or 3 minutes short or long is not acceptable. If you notice
you are short, then make sure you have a song that will fill up that space. If
you are going long, then choose a shorter song to finish off your show. You
should have choices when the end of your show comes around, so have an extra
song ready, or a shorter song ready if you need it. Always have more music than
you can use in your show specifically for this event. Always finish with music
too, never with speaking on the microphone, no matter what the show. You always
want to give the next host the change to get into the booth, cue up their first
song or element, and set up the board and booth the way they want it. If you
don't give the next host that time, they will be flustered and off balance, and
the quality of their show will suffer.
It may seem obvious, but make sure you finish your logging before you finish
your show. Don't expect the next host to give you the time or space to finish
logging, since they will need the time and space to get their own show started.
Log your show as you go, do not wait until the end of the show to do all your
logging. This is an bad habit that can develop if you are used to a syndicated
program coming after yours, since you will usually have time to log at the end
of your show. But, if a new live host comes on the following week, which will
happen as new volunteers come into the station, you will be caught unprepared.
Once you have your last song on the air, your log should be finished and
submitted, since that is the last element of your show. Save your log off,
quickly sanitize the equipment, gather your stuff, and get out of the way for
the next host. You can sanitize your CDs outside of the booth as you wait for
the next host to start.
Transitioning is also important for the host coming on. If you are going to
start your show, also be organized. Make sure you have everything you need to
start your show ready to go, like your first song, your script, your notes and
anything else you need immediately ready to be used. Like ending your show and
transitions, you don't want to be disorganized and have to look for what you
need, because it will affect your show and cut into your time. Once the
previous host's last song plays, take the time to give the music back to the
host. No host should expect other hosts to refile their music. If the previous
host's show goes long or short, make sure the host knows that is unacceptable.
Also, feel free to fade a song down if it goes long and cuts into your show
time. If the previous host is cutting into your time or disorganized, make sure
they know that you need more time and space to get your own show together.
Hosts won't know what other hosts need unless you let them know.
Hosts need to be respectful of each other. We each have a set time we need to
fill and that time is precious to each of us. We need time to get comfortable
in the booth and organize ourselves to get things in place to do a great show.
If you feel the hosts before you or after you are affecting your own
performance by not transitioning properly, make sure they know. Remember to
offer suggestions and tips to help them get the process right, especially with
new hosts. Hosts can even get other hosts to play their first song for them, if
needed, to add more time to preparation. Make sure you talk with each other,
since you and the other hosts around you will be working together for months,
so smooth communication and mutual respect for each other's needs is key. Of
course, if a problem arises that you and other hosts can't solve, be sure to
contact management and we can help you through the issue.
--
Steve Marlow, Programming Coordinator
CFBX 92.5 FM www.thex.ca
Campus/Community Radio for TRU and Kamloops
