What Do I Need To Start?

I'm going to tell you about some equipment that you will need to either practice on or make actual broadcast content with. First of all you will need a computer or an app source to to edit with. I mainly use premiere pro, but there are many other programs out there to find and they are all similar enough to each other. Then you will need something to capture footage. You can use anything from a DSRL to a mobile device such as an iPhone. Whether you are doing video or radio, you are going to need a mic and a quiet place to record. The Blue Yeti mic is an ideal choice as it's high quality, has setting adjustments, and you can even plug in headphones so you can listen to yourself as you record. With a mix of your video, audio, and software you can create almost anything. Just remember to stay in your budget as not all radio/tv has to be done with pricey gear.  

Don't Get Stressed!

Broadcasting can consist of long stress full hours. Often it is either early morning or very late at night that you are under high stress. It can be hard because you have to be on your toes. You have to be willing to adjust your schedule around the work that you are doing. Not only that, you need to be WIDE awake at all times because if you are on-air you cannot bother to slip-up and if you are off-air you need to pay attention to your queues. If you are out in the field you may spend hours setting up just for one small shot that you need. Broadcasting can be hard work, but it is certainly rewarding in the end.  

Broadcasting Is All Around Us.

Broadcasting is all around us. Everywhere you go it is there. These days there are many mobile broadcasting sources such as periscope. This is excellent for independent broadcasters looking to brush up on their skills (such as students), but can be hard for bigger companies. When I first hear about most things on the news, it's often on sites such as Twitter that I come across people stating their opinions on the various new items. Then I could go to the full article or turn on the radio/tv, but I usually can get everything that I need just from the few sentences that the person has explained. There is so much opportunity in broadcasting like this. Not only that, there are topics on just about anything. You could make an interesting story by doing something simple such as a stroll through a park. The opportunities are truly endless! 

Don't Let The Air Die!

Dead air can be scary. In broadcasting terms it is when there are a few seconds where the viewer hears or see's complete silence.  Maybe your teleprompter when out? Maybe your hosts are lost in the discussion. I have learned that you can be completely prepared, but if you haven't taken time to discus anything with your group that you will all suffer from it. Broadcasting takes MULTIPLE people to all work together as a team. It doesn't matter if one person is completely prepared. If there group is not then everyone will suffer. For example in a Riot Radio show  group I was in, a co-host brought up a topic that not only me and my other co-host new nothing about, but it was very complex for viewers ears as well. This caused dead air. You do not want to mention anything overly complicated on radio as most of your listeners out there are only half-listening due to multitasking doing other things. If something like that is brought up, try to use very basic words in order to explain it better and give your co-hosts notice before hand so they have time to do a bit or research and to prepare for it. 

Let's Interview You!

One of my favorite things to do both radio and television wise is interviews. I'm a very curious person and I use this as a strength in the broadcasting world. Interviews are really just a conversation with another person when everything comes down to it. However, they can take quite a bit of prep along with them. You need to research ahead of time so that you aren't going into the interview blind as to who you are talking to. Then it's also a good idea to have a short pre-interview before going live. Just remember to ask questions that are important yet not too personal. Keep the questions open ended and make sure the interview focuses on whoever you are talking to. The listeners and viewers don't care for the reporters side, they just want to hear what the person being interviewed has to say. Not all interviews will go as planned. Some of the people will be going through speed interviews who already answered the same questions multiple times now. So try to pick questions that are unique yet relevant. 

The Scary Room Of Buttons.

The control room can be quite the scary place for anyone who is in the broadcasting business. I know that most of my classmates were quite intimidated by it at the start. Even now it can still be hard to handle. I remember doing an internship at CityTv where my first few days where actually just sitting and observing the control room during live shows. It got to be quite chaotic at times as there were times that everyone started yelling all at once. I soon realized that it wasn't all that different from my volunteer work that I had done at Rogers Communications in Oshawa. It was just on a larger scale, with a bigger production team. Thankfully I picked up on some things quite fast as I had some experience from doing the live Rogers shows. By the end of both of those internships, I was participating in multiple roles such as floor directing. No matter what you are learning in broadcasting from a specific program or format, at the end of the day if you understand what you are doing and keep trying then you will succeed. There is nothing more chaotic than the control room during a live broadcasting, but you must find a way to get past all of that to truly work as a team with your crew. If one person isn't pulling their weight than the whole crew is suffering. 

Create Your Own Radio Show From Home!

In theory we'd all like to work in your pajamas all day, but what if radio was a way you could do that? There are many different online radio streaming sites that let you listen or create and program your very own station. From what I've seen from most of the online radio channels out there, it's mostly just a way to have fun and experiment with. But I have heard about broadcasts on multiple sites such as Radionomy can get quite serious. In my opinion, it's the perfect way to practice your online skills in a truly professional way. You could even make a demo out of it if it's high quality. The best part about these online radio stations, is that YOU are your own boss. You can talk about whatever you'd like to on air. You could interview friends or various people over Skype. Some of the online radio hosting sites even provide you with music so you don't have to look far to create your own pop or rock station. 

Here are a few websites to check out if you are interested in at home radio:

- http://www.radionomy.com/
- https://www.spreaker.com/
- https://www.airtime.pro/