Doing Radio Documentary

What is Radio Documentary?

Radio documentary is a form of mass communication that allows for informative programs to be broadcast through the airwaves straight to the homes of the public. These documentaries tend to consist of recorded interviews, debates, and factual information to be shared with listeners. The subject matter covered by documentaries often includes historical events, people of influence, and current issues, but are not restricted to such categories. As with radio dramas, radio documentaries rely heavily on audio techniques to engage the audience, allowing them to visualize what is being described. Sound is therefore a key instrument in developing a quality program.

Radio shows are a very popular means of communication, and are largely accessible to many communities. It has been estimated that there are on average more than two radio sets per person in the United States, one radio set per person in France, and one radio set per five people in Nigeria. With the expanding range of radio technology, the broadcasting of documentaries is an ideal source for HIV/AIDS education, as it can empower people worldwide.

The Ups and Downs of Radio Documentary as an HIV/AIDS Awareness Tool

As radio is a familiar tool of communication around the world, airing educational documentary programs for HIV/AIDS awareness is beneficial in that it has the potential to be acknowledged by millions. Attention must be paid, however, to be sure that the information that is broadcast through a radio documentary is up-to-date, reliable, and true.

Pros:

✓ Radio documentaries can be accessed by large populations and demographics
✓ Radio is an efficient means of spreading information and communicating ideas and concepts
✓ Radio documentaries offer a voice to both people and matters that might otherwise go unnoticed

Cons:

x There may be production costs required in the processes of developing a documentary, recording the program, and having it broadcast through a station
x Producing a well-informed documentary with a variety of presentable material for an audience can take a lot of time, which may not be desirable
x Various radio stations may be regulated in such a way that does not allow them the liberty of presenting topics of a sensitive nature

How to Create a Radio Documentary in 9 Easy Steps

The procedures involved in developing a documentary to be broadcast through a radio station may vary depending on the station involved, the budget allotted to the project, and the area of the world in which one wishes to air such a program. The following nine steps will give a basic overview of how to go about creating a radio documentary for the purpose of HIV/AIDS education.

1. Develop an idea: Coming up with a unique and flexible idea is the first proponent of creating a documentary program. The topics covered by the radio show must be appropriate for the desired audience, and ideas should be both communicable and universal.

2. Outline the project and define the details: Consider such things as materials one might need for recording, whether a budget will be necessary, and if you’ll need a team to be involved. Friends and family are a great place to start when recruiting volunteers for a social awareness campaign, as are community centers, health clinics, and schools.

3.Decide who to approach with the newfound concept: Executive producers are the people in charge of the programming for radio stations. Radio stations are usually designed to appeal to a specific audience, so it is very important to choose the right station when approaching producer about potential programming. Local stations, as well as university/college stations, are a good place to begin when searching for the right match for the airing of the documentary.

4.Write a proposal: Writing a detailed idea proposal that incorporates logistics such as the program’s subject matter, the show’s proposed length of time, the people who will be involved, and the purpose of the project, will give the producer all the necessary information he or she will need when being approached with the new idea, and for making the crucial decisions that will allow the radio documentary to move forward.

5.Research: When developing a social awareness project, especially one that is devoted to promoting HIV/AIDS awareness, doing the proper research is mandatory! The information dispersed by such a show must be accurate, reliable, and current. Research can be accessed via the Internet, library, school, or local health clinic. Doing research for the radio documentary may also involved finding people who have something to contribute to the documentary, either by providing an interview, a story, or any other bits of material that can give the show some added substance.

6.Write a script: As with any type of show, a radio documentary will need a beginning, middle, and end. When writing the script for the documentary, it must be kept in mind that radio is dependent on the use of sound—incorporating music, background noises, and other types of audio techniques will help to illustrate the stories that are told and the information that is divulged. It is also important to ensure that ideas are communicated clearly and effectively, and that the written language is used in such a way so as to avoid stigma and marginalization of specific groups.

7.Record the show: It can take a full day in the studio to record a half-hour radio program, so when it comes time to recording, patience is a virtue. Be sure to ask questions, and have the station’s producer send someone in who can help with the equipment and give recording advice. An expert will be able to make certain that the recording goes as smoothly as possible. Recording the show will give insight into whether the program has enough flow, where it will need to be tweaked, and how to better convey thoughts so as to maximize the audiences’ entertainment and understanding.

8.Edit: Once the show has been recorded, the editing may take place. Listening to the show in full will give an idea of what the audience will hear. Is the language appropriate for the audience? Will the audience be engaged? Which parts of the show will need to be recorded over again so as to ensure clarity?

9.Broadcast: Its show time! But first, when will the show be aired? Again, the time that the program is broadcast on the radio should be dependant on the audience. For a youth demographic, school-schedules and other youth activity should be taken into account. Youth will most likely be tuned-in to the radio after school hours and on weekends, making these time-slots the most practical for broadcasting the show.

After the Show: Keeping the Message Alive

Listener feedback is a wonderful way of getting the audience involved in the campaign. Allowing the audience to have a say in the subject matter of the radio documentary gives them a chance to not only sit back and listen, but to participate in the social change. Having the radio station make time for listener phone-calls, or reading letters sent by the public will add to the messages conveyed by the show.

Hardcopies of the radio documentary may also be made accessible to the public by being converted to cassette, CD, or DVD format. These may then be donated to local community centers, schools, libraries, or health clinics. The documentary script may also be printed and made accessible to the public, allowing the topics discussed by the radio documentary to be understood long after the show has shone under the spotlight.

World Wide Web: Information on Existing HIV/AIDS Radio Documentaries and Programs

ADRA Denmark's Breaking the Silence children's radio programme (Burundi). Retrieved April 2012, from http://www.comminit.com/community-radio-africa/content/breaking-silence

Children's Radio Foundation (Africa). Retrieved April 2012, from
http://transom.org/?p=19726

Love4Gambia 2011 Radio Documentary (Canada / Gambia). Retrieved April 2012, from
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nj1pnbJaqGg (Additional blog post)

Radio Youthology (UK and International). Retrieved April 2012, from
http://radioyouthology.net/

Saathi Sanga Man Ka Kura youth radio show (Nepal). Retrieved November 2010, from
http://unicef.org.np/voy/story/changing-lives-through-radio-waves

Radio Documentary and Social Change Bibliography

AIDS Action (1987-2006) Retrieved July 2007, from
http://www.aidsaction.info/aa/aa40.html

Chambers, Catherine. (2001). Behind Media: Radio. Chicago: Heinemann Library

Girard, Bruce. (1992). A Passion For Radio. Montreal: Black Rose Books LTD.

Hesse, Jurgen. (1987). The Radio Documentary Handbook: Creating, Producing, and Selling for Broadcast. Toronto: Self-Counsel Series

The YAHAnet team thanks Rafael Gracia-Machuca, PhD, at the University of Puerto Rico for making this how-to guide required reading in his seminar course on radio documentary production!