Firstcom 
			Music

December 2000 RAP

The RAP Cassette

December 2000 Highlights

Feature: The Virgin's Guide to Consolidation - Part 5, The New Radio Reality

Its been a year now, a year in the brave new world of corporate radio. Was it what I expected? Was it good or bad? What it was, was a year of non-stop surprises. It was a year where I learned a lot more about the radio business than I had the previous fourteen.

Interview: John Mangan - KVTI-FM, Tacoma, Washington

Where are tomorrows radio pros coming from? Some of them are coming from Clover Park Technical College in Tacoma, Washington. The college offers an extensive course in radio, headed by long time RAP member John Mangan, instructor, full-time faculty member, and General Manager of the campus station, KVTI at 90.9 FM, a.k.a. I91. This months RAP Interview peeks at the radio course offered at Clover Park, which includes a healthy dose of production, and we hear some production work from the students on this months RAP Cassette.

Technology: Expanding Your Workstation With Plug-Ins

Just as no production room is complete without its outboard processors, no digital audio workstation is complete without the "plug-ins" that add signal processing features. In fact, one of the best reasons to use a computer-based audio editor instead of a dedicated hardware editor is that you can add features by adding plug-ins. Almost any sort of effect or processor you can imagine, from reverbs and compressors to EQ and flangers, is available as a little file that goes in a folder labeled "Plug-ins." Best of all, many plug-ins are available on the Internet for free or for a small shareware fee.

Production Libraries: Brown Bag Productions - Rocket Science & Firepower

There are certain libraries that require nothing further in the way of description than their names. Brown Bag Productions is in that category. Robert and Michael Lee have been cranking out some of the hottest, well-produced production libraries for as long as I can remember. I have yet to encounter anyone who isn't aware of them. Further, I have yet to encounter anyone whom when admitting that they don't have Brown Bag stuff at their stations, wish that they did. Price would often be listed as the reason for not having Brown Bag. Lets face it, you aren't going to drive a Mercedes for cheap either. But now, the price factor has been aided significantly with Brown Bags new Barter packages, FIREPOWER and ROCKET SCIENCE.

Q It Up: The RAP Network Speaks - Do You Have Enough Production Studios?

Q It Up: Are producers standing in line to use your production studio? For many stations, consolidation has brought with it more work, but not more studios in which to do the work. Is production room availability a problem at your facility? Are people constantly waiting to get into the production room? How do you deal with this problem? How do you deal with the frustration and negativity this can cause?

Radio Hed: Sportscasters

Another game from the world of improv adapted for radio. A play-by-play announcer and a color commentator describe an ordinary activity as if it were the game of the week.

...And Make It Real Creative: How The Pitch Stole Christmas

Every Fool down in Fool-ville thought Christmas was hot,
But the Pitch, at the cities Hot station, did not!
The Pitch hated Christmas, the whole Christmas issue,
(and when you hear why, you might need a tissue!)
Perhaps cuz his books wouldnt balance quite right,
Or perhaps its the bonuses, hes known to be tight,
But the DJs were sure, the best reason of all,
Was that his old heart was as cold as late fall!

The Monday Morning Memo: Lex Luthor & Green Kryptonite

Faster than a speeding bullet. Stronger than a locomotive. Able to leap tall buildings in a single bound! Up in the sky. Its a bird, its a plane!

Its Advertising!

There are only two things that can slow down Superman; an enemy named Lex Luthor and a destroyer called Green Kryptonite. Advertising is exactly like that. The only things that can slow it down are an enemy named Predictability and a destroyer called Sleep.