2010 Radio And Production Awards: Finalists Announced!
Congratulations to the finalists of the 2010 Radio And Production Awards! Now it's time for R.A.P. Members to cast their votes!
Production 212: The King's Speech (NOT the Movie)
by Dave Foxx
I have to say up front that this particular issue of RAP Magazine is my favorite of the year, every year. Most folks who are willing to put their best work up against all comers rate a special tip of the 'prod hat' for being willing to let it all hang out in front of their peers. It takes a special kind of daring to do that. I salute ALL who submitted work for this year's awards. If you're one of them, thank you for letting us all learn how it should be done. For the many of you who meant to make a submission, but never got around to it, really try to make it a point to do it next year. I've been a judge in the past and I have to admit, I learned a lot. If you take the time to really dig into this year's crop of contestants, I can guarantee you will too. I wanted to mention that before I got into this month's column because my topic this month is a little... sad.
R.A.P. Interview: Chris Cunnold, Sound Designer, Beijing, China
When the RAP Interview visits a producer, this person is usually in radio or at least has a radio background. Chris Cunnold has never worked at a radio station, never interviewed for a job at a radio station. But his work can be heard on hundreds of stations worldwide. Chris currently produces for Jeff Thomas and Killer Hertz, and his background has lots to teach us about being an independent producer and putting that home studio to work. Even if that home studio is in Beijing! If you are an independent producer, or plan to be one day, Chris offers some valuable insights to help you get your feet wet or expand your current business. Be sure to check out this month's RAP CD for some awesome audio from Chris.
Radio Hed: You Know Too Much
by Jeffrey Hedquist
You can't go back. Once you've learned something, had an experience, you can't pretend you never had it. It's hard to become innocent again. In the case of your clients, they're deep into whatever it is they do – making, selling, managing, marketing, and networking. It's difficult for them to pull back and put themselves in the shoes or mindset of someone who doesn't know what they know – someone like their potential customers. We're the same way - we think we know how radio or advertising or marketing or selling works. That's why it's useful to speak with customers or potential customers to find out what they need, what they want. Be a child. If we don't come to the table with innocence, we might end up speaking to our client's perception of what their customer wants or needs and we might miss the boat completely. Then our cleverly crafted message will be out there echoing in the void, instead of connecting with the hearts of the intended audience.
Feature: Pride
by Michael R. Lee, Ph.D.
Motivation is a curious thing. One person's goal is another person's anathema. Money, fame and power have long been considered the trifecta of motivation. Dream vacations on sun drenched winter-time Caribbean islands and beautiful women responding to your every whim are not bad back-up motivators. For Lebron James, Dwayne Wade and countless other star athletes, they don't need any more of the above. They say that championships are all that matter. If you image a radio station anywhere on this planet, you can pretty much cross out all of the above. Even your bosses are unlikely to accrue any of the trifecta. Islands and beautiful women are images you create for others to salivate about. And championships are not something for which you are likely to get much, if any, credit.
Technology: The Year Of The Penguin - Part Five: Debian Linux
by Andrew Frame
About ten years ago we purchased a Compaq laptop. It was built before built-in Wi-Fi, touch screens, netbooks, or tablets -- a pretty simple machine compared to the toys now available. Heavy as a brick, it also works as a self-defense device, like Mom's cast-iron fry pan. Though the packaging decals said it was optimized for Windows XP, it had some deficiencies. A bad software patch meant the inboard cooling fan wouldn't cycle on, eventually destroying the hard drive and invoking a warranty service call; and the 128Mb of RAM was insufficient to run Windows smoothly once Service Pack 2 came out. Playing a DVD was out of the question. If you could put up with the staccato playback, the DVD would eject physically too hot to touch. (I never tried it, but I suppose it would run Windows 98 like a rocket.) After acquiring an iBook G4 five years later, the Compaq gathered dust, occasionally brought out to have an OS loaded for experimentation, or do service as a light duty media player. We ran an early version of Ubuntu for a while, but crashes, slow performance and lockups while trying to turn it off put it back on the shelf.
...And Make It Real Creative
by Trent Rentsch
Maybe it's because I was an only child for the first 14 years of my life, but hand-me-downs never bothered me. On the contrary, I thought I scored some cool ones from my Dad. He went through a big fitness phase when I was really little. This was back before work-out "uniforms" became an industry... the closest thing he had to official workout duds was an old beer company sweatshirt and the t-shirts he got for joining the "Prairie Striders Running Club," which featured a copyright-iffy "road runner bird." By the time I hit middle school, his fitness kick was over and I was large enough to take advantage of his hand-me-downs. Logo shirts were still a novelty then; I wore out those shirts featuring the Hamm's Bear and "NOT THEE Road Runner."
The Monday Morning Memo: Selling: Civic vs. Idealist
by Roy H. Williams
You want an example? Romulus Whitaker is saving the rainforest in Tamil Nadu, and with it, dozens of species of animals. The problem is complex, but so is Romulus Whitaker. Tim Bauer is fighting air pollution in the Philippines with a 2-stroke cylinder head that reduces hydrocarbon emissions by 89 percent. Thousands of engines must be retrofitted. The work is rugged, but so is Tim Bauer. Gomel Apaza teaches villagers about sustainable food production high in the Andes Mountains of Peru. His techniques are reliable, so the villagers live happier lives. Reliable. Rugged. Complex. Apaza, Bauer and Whitaker: making a difference. Making the world better for everyone. And the watch they wear is a Rolex: Reliable. Rugged. Complex. Because time is important to people who get things done. Your Rolex is waiting patiently for you to come and pick it up at Nevland Jewelers. I'm Dave Nevland and I've got a Rolex... for you.
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