There was a time not too long ago when many thought that audio as a medium was almost dead. We live in a video world, we need to see things, no one has time to sit by a radio… Then along came podcasting, and itunes and digital audio and Sirius/XM and I Heart Radio and blogtalk radio and suddenly the spoken voice was transformed once again. By many accounts more people listen to broadcasts today than ever before…you can be very choosy about your interests, and if you have the means, can create your own broadcasts online for you, or whomever you want, to hear.
Audio is back.
Where can it grow the most? Back to school. College and high school stations, on air, on line from no less than 25 nations and all 50 states take part each fall in college radio day a program, which was designed to draw attention to the value of college radio as a training ground not just for DJ’s, but for engineers, writers, bloggers, vloggers and broadcasters. Today, enterprising students, especially in politics, news and sports, can find a niche that was impossible to break into in years past. Want to host a sports radio show and get guests? Be professional in your approach and just ask whomever runs the station where you are in school. Some call letters and some informed opinions and you can build your own portfolio, and some great references. The cost of production has dropped astronomically, so the ability to record and broadcast, even live sporting events from high school games in a town to collegiate events, is more of an opportunity now than ever before. More importantly for the enterprising young man or woman, the ability to market oneself and be heard by the mainstream is easier than ever before. Educational outlets which once reached a few blocks can now be heard online around the world, and the ability to customize files and pass them along to those who may have missed a key broadcast can give anyone the ability to have an amazing career through the spoken voice.
Want to parlay the word into written as well, or find a platform for brand activation. How about the fact that a recent New York Times story showed that there are almost 1,000 MORE college newspapers in the US than there are daily commercial newspapers, and in markets like Ann Arbour, Michigan, the college paper is now the primary news source for residents.
Now is it all about the money on the college level? No. Do you have to learn about good writing skills, string note-taking and the ability to ask smart questions from professionals in the industry? Yes. Should shock jock and smart ass opinions be your forte? Hope not. However for those looking for an entree into the media field, the world of audio is alive and kicking.
