Archives for : radio

David Vs. Friday the 13th

Posted by :David Manly On : February 15, 2009
0

Category: bad day, broken technology, radio

Well, it is reading week, and I back home in good ol’ T.O. It is nice to be home!

Let’s discuss Friday, but not just any Friday. That’s right, it was Friday the 13th … Ooooo!!!!

It was the last day of radio and the last newscast, and I had spent the few days prior doing research and interviewing people for my assignment, which I completed ON TIME!

Then, during the newsday, I had to trim it down from a 90 second voicer (where you would hear my voice on-air) to a 40 second script and clip (not my voice).

However, I did it, despite my voicer’s awesomeness. Then I was told to run around campus, LITERALLY, to find information regarding a story.

I walked around campus in circles, for about 2 hours, and found nothing. Then, I ran back to the studio, edited my clips AND wrote my story in record time. Only for it to get slimmed down … again.

Then, after the noon newscast, I was told to run around campus YET AGAIN and find student reactions ASAP. I couldn’t even have lunch!!!!

So, I ran around and interviewed students for another 2.5 hours, ran back to the studio, wrote my script and edited my clips (with the help of my audio editor).

At 3 p.m., I was finally allowed to have lunch, which consisted of a solitary muffin.

I then got to read the news with a friend of mine, which was fun.

We did a great job 🙂

And, ready for the worst part of that day??

My recorder, the single most important tool in the journalists tool kit BROKE.
The tiny little LCD screen broke, because it was in my pocket and I accidentally hit a table.

And then my microphone stopped working!

Both the recorder and my microphone are VITALLY IMPORTANT for radio!!!!!

Luckily, I was able to borrow other people’s equipment, but it was very annoying.

And now, I have to purchase a new recorder (as the warranty doesn’t cover my accidentally banging it into the corner of a table) and possibly a new microphone (as I forgot the receipt back in Ottawa, and I don’t know if the warranty covers acts of god).

And after all that, my initial story which I worked on for days before, never even got to air.

I don’t believe in superstitions or anything like that, but let’s just leave it with that it was not a good day.

Radio and … Xanadu?

Posted by :David Manly On : February 2, 2009
1

Category: anonymous source, Hell week, radio, same-day reporter, Xanadu

Well, THAT was an interesting week, let me tell you.

As many university students know, every now and then, there is a week where the stars and planets align, where everything just comes together. You know the ones. Where it seems professors meet in dark rooms and plan assignment due dates together to screw with the students.

It is know, rather affectionately, as HELL WEEK.

Two things of note happened.

We had to create a radio broadcast on Friday, and I already had one piece done, and an interview later. I was a same-day reporter, so my job was to report on things happening THAT day. So, I decided to go to school a little early before my interview, so that I could leave my bag and stuff among my fellow MJs.

I was told that I should not go to my interview, and that I should await the aftermath of a story meeting.

When the editor came out, she told me that my original idea was scrapped and that I will pursue a new angle with another reporter. Our story was school/student reactions to the end of the bus strike. We ran around so much in crappy weather, and proceeded to get directed in circles by the administration.

But, it all came together and we ended up creating 3 pretty good radio segments based on our stuff. And, I must admit, she was a great person to work with. And, kudos go to her, because it wasn’t even her job for the day! She already had something done about the strike, but since it was over, her piece wasn’t ‘relevant’ anymore.

Being a same-day reporter was hectic, and not as fun as others who got to cover city hall and do live call-ins, but it was definitely a learning experience.

Now, the second interesting thing.

We had to write a business story this week, and proceeded to pursue a story about Wal-Mart. However, they gave me the run-around and couldn’t help me because i was a student.

Stupid Wal-Mart.

Anyway, I made a bunch of calls to management anyway, and none were returned, until …

*Phone rings*
Me – Hello?
Voice – Is this David? The reporter?
Me – Ummm, who is asking?
Voice – I work for Wal-Mart, I’m in upper management.
Me – GREAT! Can you say and spell your name for the record please?
Voice – No can do.
Me – Huh?.
Voice – No siree bob howdy.
Me – Zuh?
Voice – You may call me … Xanadu.
Me – You mean like the movie/song?
Voice – I have it on my iPod, and I am listening to it on my iTunes. I happen to like it. Do you have a problem with Xanadu? Because we can end this right now, you ungrateful *expletive deleted* stupid *expletive deleted* lobster!!
Me – No … no problem. So, how can I help you … Xanadu?
Voice – I’ll get fired for speaking with you, so I need to be an anonymous source
Me – *DANGER! DANGER! Anonymous sources are bad!*
Me – Ummmm, We’re really not supposed to do this
Voice – You got enough for your story?
Me – Well, ye … no, not particularly
Voice – Then shaddup! Here’s what I’ll tell you …

And then, Xanadu, told me a bit about Wal-Mart. Which, to be honest, wasn’t all that ground breaking. But still, a confidential source … pretty cool, eh?

By the way, according to Wikipedia, Xanadu stars: “Olivia Newton-John, Michael Beck, and Gene Kelly, and features music by Newton-John, Electric Light Orchestra, Cliff Richard, and The Tubes. The film also features animation by Don Bluth”.

Apparently, it is about a girl, played by Newton-John, who can make dreams come true.

As if it didn’t sound ridiculous enough, here is the plot according to imdb.com. I’ll let you judge it for yourselves 😉

“The Greek muses incarnate themselves on Earth to inspire men to achieve. One of them, incarnated as a girl named Kira, encounters an artist named Sonny Malone. With the help of Danny McGuire, a man Kira had inspired forty years earlier, Sonny builds a huge disco roller rink.”