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 Siri and Alexa, podcasting, and Itunes and digital audio and Sirius/XM and I Heart Radio and blogtalk radio and streaming 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 growing.
There is no better place to look to for what’s next in sound than on college campuses, and College Radio Day celebrated the growth of audio this month. I was reminded of the value of college radio again this week while reading Dave Halberstam’s story on the great Marty Glickman, who helped to mold so many careers as the radio coach at both Syracuse and Fordham.
College and high school stations, on air, on line from no less than 25 nations and all 50 states take part in the program, which is 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.
Now is it all about the money on the college level? No. Do you have to learn about good writing skills, string notetaking 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.
For more on College Radio Day take a look at the site and tune in.
