Audio journalism — Why is it important?
Audio can build a more textured, layered experience for the audience.
As a writer/reporter, you must make the audience feel a part of what you are covering. Show. Don’t tell.
Three characteristics of audio journalism that are also important:
- Presence — On location, a reporter can literally bring readers to the story. The simple fact of being there boosts credibility and interest.
- Emotions — Tone of voice, expressions, intonations and pauses — in the words of either the reporter or the sources–can enhance the message.
- Atmosphere — Natural sound helps pull the listener in close. Weather sounds, crowd sounds, machine noises are all forms of natural sound in the particular setting.
How news organizations use audio:
- Reporter overview — Newspapers post quick, simple audio overviews that accompany reporters’ articles.
- Podcasts — Regular episodes on a selected subject help build an audience. They can be time-consuming and difficult to establish in the beginning.
- Audio slide shows — Photojournalists have discovered the power of adding audio to their images to help tell a richer, more enhancing story.
- Breaking news — A reporter can now file a quick audio report from anywhere by mobile phone to be published on the Web.
Getting started with audio:
Plan and prepare your voice contribution and the rest should come much easier.
- Interviews
- Choose your location
- Gather natural sound
- Prepare your subject
- Watch what you say
- Try delayed recording
- Mark the best spots
- Doing voice-overs:
- Write a script
- Warm up
- Find operative words
- Keep it conversational
To get started with audio journalism, you must get a digital recorder. Here are some tips on what type to choose at different price ranges:
Under $100:
$150-$200
$250-$500
Once this is all taken care of, the next thing to do is vodcasting.
Video + podcasting = vodcasting!
