Earshot with Steve Martin
Leading practitioners in radio promotions, production, advertising and imaging play and discuss their work with Steve Martin.
Sun, May 24, 2020
Adam Venton and Matt Podd
Earshot is a celebration of great radio production, shared by the people who make it. Matt Podd (left) and Adam Venton Play or download this podcast Duration 43’21”, 192kb/s stereo mp3, file size 61 MB. Loudness -16 LUFS. If you enjoy the show please rate and review it. Show notes A lockdown edition of the Earshot podcast as Matt Podd in rural Essex and Adam Venton on the South West coastal town of Portishead play and discuss their creative audio production. Hear Adam’s latest work for stations in the UK and the US, Matt’s Iron Imager entry and some of his work for the BBC. We also discuss working in lockdown (nothing’s changed really) and RadioCentre’s current ad promoting the benefits of radio advertising. Links Adam Venton <a href="https://www.linkedin.com/in/mattcpod
Fri, March 22, 2019
Inside BBC Creative
The Earshot podcast is packed with great radio production, shared by the people who make it. Play or download this podcast Michaela Hallam, Kate Dinsdale and Debbie Dillon Duration 39’27”, 192kb/s stereo mp3, file size 55.5 MB. Loudness -16 LUFS. Subscribe to the whole series with your favourite podcast app, Google Podcasts , Spotify , or iTunes . If you enjoy the show please rate and review it. Show notes In this edition, Michaela Hallam, Debbie Dillon and Kate Dinsdale demonstrate how the BBC’s in-house creative agency approaches radio. They play trails that promote Audio Description for viewers with restricted sight, their Wimbledon 2018 campaign that was much-loved by Chris Evans a
Tue, October 16, 2018
BBC Radio 1 with Ben Stones and Liam Hadley
The Earshot podcast is packed with great radio production, shared by the people who make it. Just weeks after launching its new breakfast show, station sound producers Ben Stones and Liam Hadley share the production secrets of Radio 1’s imaging. We hear also from host Greg James and ReelWorld music director Erik Huber who created the show’s theme. Play or download this podcast Ben Stones and Liam Hadley Duration 45’44”, 192kb/s stereo mp3, file size 64 MB. Loudness -16 LUFS. Subscribe to the whole series with your favourite podcast app, Google Podcasts or iTunes . If you enjoy the show please rate and review it. Show notes The sound of BBC Radio 1 is heard by more than nine million people in the UK every week. In this edition of Earshot, producers Ben and Liam explai
Sun, August 26, 2018
World’s best contests with Jonathan Lumley & John Simons
The Earshot podcast is packed with great radio promotion ideas, shared by the people who make them. Playing games This time, two of planet Earth’s leading commercial radio practitioners explore the world’s greatest contest and competition mechanics and what makes them so effective for audiences and sponsors alike. Play or download this podcast Jonathan Lumley and John Simons Duration 47’45”, 192kb/s stereo mp3, file size 71.2 MB. Loudness -16 LUFS. Subscribe to the whole series with your favourite podcast app, Google Podcasts or iTunes . If you enjoy the show please rate it so its utter brilliance can be in no doubt to anybody. Thanks to you, Earshot recently hit number 377 in the Apple podcast chart for Marketing and Management in the UK. Yes, 377. In this world one takes what one can get. Show notes From the Cash Call to the Bong Game ® to the Real Radio Renegade , Jonathan Lumley from East Coast Radio and Jacaranda FM in South Africa and international radio consultant John Simons from the UK reveal their favourite competition ideas, both as set-piece promotional moments and everyday benchmarks. In conversation with Earshot’s Steve Martin, they explain how their favourite competition mechanics work, the critical dos and don’ts for any pro
Tue, June 26, 2018
Podcast: Gordon Lundy, Matt Shields and Gavin Pearson
Earshot is great radio production, shared by the people who make it. Play or download this podcast Gordon Lundy, Matt Shields and Gavin Pearson. Duration 49’51”, 192kb/s stereo mp3, file size 69.7 MB. Loudness -16 LUFS. Subscribe to every new edition of Earshot with your favourite podcast app or iTunes . If you enjoy the show please rate it so its utter brilliance can be in no doubt to anybody. Show notes With a live audience of media students in an even more live acoustic, this is possibly the greatest radio production podcast ever recorded from the other side of a room. Guests Gordon Lundy (Absolute Radio, Kerrang!), Matt Shields (Wave FM) and Gavin Pearson (Bauer City production hub) share examples of their on-air imaging work and explain how they approach it. Presented by Steve Martin. Gordon Lundy Gordon started in radio production in 2001, in New Zealand, and has been a jack of varying trades since. He picked up a couple of NZ Radio Awards and returned to his native Edinburgh in 2009 to produce imaging for Radio Forth, and then the Bauer Scotland network in general. In 2012 he moved to Birmingham as imaging and S&P producer for Kerrang! Radio, later adding Planet Rock and a new base in London. After 2 years in London, he escaped and ran away to Edinburgh working remotely in the same position. And since 2017 Gordon has been part of the imaging production team for the Absolute Radio Network. He’s also finds it impossible to
Tue, January 23, 2018
Podcast: A Million Ads, dynamic audio and personalised ads
Sam and Steve of A Million Ads The Earshot podcast is all about great radio production, shared by the people who make it. Play or download this podcast A Million Ads, with and Steve Dunlop & Sam Crowther. Duration 43’23”, 192kb/s stereo mp3, file size 60.89 MB. Loudness -16 LUFS. Subscribe to every new edition of Earshot with your favourite podcast app, or iTunes . If you enjoy the show please rate it so positively on iTunes that its brilliance can be in no doubt to anybody. Show notes <img data-recalc-dims="1" loading="lazy" decoding="async" class="alignright wp-image-17220 size-thumbnail" src="https://i0.wp.com/earshotcreative.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/01/amads-Logo-FULL-500px-JPG-150x150.jpg?resize=150%2C150" alt="" width="150" height="150" srcset="https://i0.wp.com/earshotcreative.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/01/amads-Logo-FULL-500px-JPG.jpg?resize=150%2C150&ssl=1 150w, https://i0.wp.com/earshotcreative.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/01/amads-Logo-FULL-500px-JPG.jpg?resize=300%2C300&ssl=1 300w, https://i0.wp.com/earshotcreative.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/01/amads-Logo-FULL-500px-JPG.jpg?resize=200%2C200&ssl=1 200w, https://i0.wp.com/earshotcreative.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/01/amads-Logo-FULL-500px-JPG.jpg?resize=130%2C130&ssl=1 130w, https://i0.wp.com/earshotcreative.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/01/amads-Logo-FULL-500px-JPG.jpg?resize
Mon, November 27, 2017
Earshot podcast: Adam Burgess and Tom Cross
Tom Cross and Adam Burgess of Contraband Media The Earshot podcast is all about great radio production, shared by the people who make it. In this edition Steve Martin meets Adam Burgess and Tom Cross: two thirds of the production house Contraband Media . Together with music director Small Paul, Adam and Tom have built Contraband into one of the UK’s leading independent radio imaging companies with clients here, in the US, New Zealand and Australia. They were nominated in the 2017 Audible Audio Production Awards for their CHR imaging work. In the Earshot podcast you’ll hear how they made the transition from technical operators on Southern England’s 103.2 Power FM to station imaging producers and then directors of their own business. Tom and Adam share production secrets from their branded song intros from the BBC Radio 1 breakfast show with Nick Grimshaw and their Imaging Blueprint CHR imaging service and play some great examples of this work. They also explain how their work for Radio 1 is puzzle of micro-editing, pitch-shifting, tuned voices, soft synths and the cheekiest individual syllables smuggled from song lyrics. Generously, Tom and Adam share business advice for you if you’re thinking you might leave a salaried job and set-up your own production company or enter the freelance world. …and we enjoy a simple, beautiful radio ad from one of the longest-running FMCG campaigns in Britain. It’s a monthly winner from the Aerial Awards scheme which honours the most creative and effective radio advertising in the UK. Play the podcast <a id="mbmaplayer_1482241476475" class="mb_map {skin:'Earshotplayer', animate:true, width:'100%', volume:0.8, autoplay:false, loop:false, showVolumeLevel:true, showTime:true, allowMute:true, showRew:true, addGradientOverlay:true, downloadable:true, downloadablesecurity:false, id3: false}
Tue, May 30, 2017
Earshot podcast: Konsky, Tarrant & Lisle
Three of the world’s leading entertainment radio imaging producers join Steve Martin to discuss their craft and play their work. Left to right: David Konsky, Steve Martin, Ron Tarrant and Victor Lisle. Play the podcast Konsky, Ron Tarrant & Victor Lisle at Reelmix. (duration 33’04”, 192kb/s stereo mp3, file size 49.2 MB) Subscribe to Earshot with your favourite podcast app or iTunes . If you listen and enjoy the show please give it a star rating on your podcast portal so others can be confident of its quality. David Konsky Head of Production at Southern Cross Austereo’s Hit Network and 2DAYFM in Australia, Konsky got into radio by doing graveyard and swing shifts at Triple M. Today, he also produces for ReelWorld’s Production Vault service through which is work is heard on stations worldwide, including Z100 in New York. He’s a self-confessed ideas magpie: Everything is a remix so steal like an artist. His LinkedIn page has more. Victor Lisle A former on air personality and creative services director for Clear Channel, Victor has run ReelWorld’s Production Vault service for the NewsTalk format for the last nine years. He’s also the voice of the Rogers NewsTalk network in Canada and is a leading prop
Mon, March 13, 2017
Earshot podcast: Chris Ward of Bauer Media UK
Steve, Chris and Hayley, complete with knitwear in a panelled room. Chris Ward Bauer Media is one of the UK’s leading commercial radio operators. Chris Ward is the Content Operations Director and Group Production Director for its Bauer City Network of around 50 outlets. Every week this network reaches around 7 million listeners and generates more than 60 million hours of total listening. Its stations are based in large cities across the North and Midlands of England, and Scotland. They operate under heritage brand names like Hallam, Clyde, Metro and Viking, tiered in three networks with local speech content among the tracks: Bauer City 1 operates a hot AC format, recently repositioned, and it drives the biggest audience, Bauer City 2 plays classic hits and Bauer City 3 is a punchy CHR network. Chris’s team is largely based in Salford, near Manchester but he has a couple of team members in Glasgow and Birmingham too. In this Earshot podcast, hear audio that communicates the new music positioning of the Bauer City 1 network, creative production to support S&P activity and examples of customised sung vocals on playlist tracks that Chris’s team uses on many of the network’s major promotions. Play the audio Chris Ward of Bauer Media. (duration 49’00”, 192kb/s stereo mp3, file size 67.7 MB) Subscribe to the Earshot podcast via iTunes or PocketCasts
Tue, December 20, 2016
Earshot podcast: John Vorhaus and Dr Becky Spelman
Creativity Steve Martin and Hayley Hayes are back with another edition of the radio promotions, marketing and production podcast. Only one of them has a cold: see if you can work out who. This time, the Earshot podcast is all about creativity. Our two interview guests are experts in creative thinking and the processes that support it: Play here Earshot podcast: Dr Becky Spelman and John Vorhaus (duration 33’18”, 192kb/s stereo mp3, file size 46.2 MB) Subscribe to the Earshot podcast via iTunes or PocketCasts or Google Play Music. John Vorhaus John Vorhaus is a writer and creative trainer. His work as an advertising copywriter and television sit-com developer has helped feed a string of books on creativity and comedy writing. We discuss The Comedy Toolbox: how to be funny even when you’re not in this show. You’ll hear tips on overcoming the fear of not being funny and learn some great ways to work towards genuinely funny characters, situations and jokes. There’s something for writers, producers and on air personalities in John’s advice. <iframe loading="lazy" style="width: 120px; height: 240px;" src="//ws-eu.amazon-adsystem.com/widgets/q?ServiceVersion=20070822&OneJS=1&Operation=GetAdHtml&MarketPlace=GB&source=ac&ref=qf_sp_asin_til&ad_type=product_link&tracking_id=earshot0c-21&marketplace=amazon®ion=GB&placement=1879505215&asins=1879505215&linkId=&show_border=
Sun, September 25, 2016
Earshot podcast: 5 Live and 2FM imaging
Ollie Raphael at BBC Radio 5 Live Play here Earshot podcast: 5 Live and 2FM imaging Download the mp3 (duration 45’17”, 192kb/s stereo mp3, file size 63.4 MB) Subscribe to the Earshot podcast via iTunes or PocketCasts or Google Play Music. 5 Live and 2FM imaging show notes Explore two strikingly different approaches to radio station imaging in this edition of Earshot. Pete Maguire from RTÉ Ireland explains how 2 FM ‘s new imaging completes a modernisation journey for the station and Paul Fernley of ReelWorld describes the search across Ireland for vocalists and voice artists that led to a highly original and authentic sound for the national CHR brand. Ollie Raphael of Delicious Digital demonstrates the thought and musicianship that his organisation put into new work for BBC Radio 5 Live . Hear how the new package unifies the network’s wide range of news and sports programming and learn about Delicious Digital’s approach to media branding. Hayley Hayes is in the house too with Hayley’s Homework, answering a listener’s question from the previous edition. If you’d like to get in touch or share your production just <a
Thu, August 11, 2016
Earshot podcast: Sara Hashem, Rick Loynes & Dan Seavers
Play here Earshot podcast: Commercial production with Sara, Rick and Dan Download the mp3 (duration 49’56”, 192kb/s stereo mp3, size 75.1MB) Find the Earshot podcast via iTunes or PocketCasts , Deezer, Acast or Google Play Music. Show notes This edition of Earshot is all about commercial production. Our guests are Sara Hashem, senior creative producer from Maple Street Studios and Radioworks, a major London-based production centre for commercial work, and the Wireless Group creative team of Rick Loynes, group commercial producer and Dan Seavers, senior commercial copywriter, both based in Stoke on Trent, a city in the English Midlands. In this show Sara, Rick and Dan explain how they work with clients on a national and local level, and the challenges they must overcome to deliver great work on air. They play spots they’ve made for clients from insurance companies to a local car dealership and reveal the audio that inspires them to stay creative and make effective advertising. We also hear from Clare Bowen with the latest on Radiocentre’s lobbying work to change the regulation that governs the inclusion of the Terms and Conditions in radio ads. The radio industry wants to lose them because they are ineffective and add clutter to good creative work. If you’d like to get in touch or share your production just email us. We love to play audio from around the world – any station – any format, especially if it has an interesting
Mon, May 09, 2016
Earshot podcast: Women in Imaging with Stephanie Hirst
Laura Mather of ReelWorld, Stephanie Hirst and the BBC’s Kathy Clugston This edition of the Earshot podcast is happily sponsored by Broadcast Bionics . Play here Earshot podcast: Women in Imaging with Stephanie Hirst Download the mp3 (duration 46’10”, 192kb/s stereo mp3, size 69.1 MB) Subscribe to the Earshot podcast via iTunes or PocketCasts or Google Play Music. What is the role of women in radio imaging? In this edition of the Earshot podcast, broadcaster and radio imaging enthusiast Stephanie Hirst explores the role of women in imaging with guests from opposite ends of the radio production spectrum. Laura Mather is a multi award-winning imaging producer and the European Production Manager at ReelWorld , writing and producing creative audio for client stations worldwide. Kathy Clugston helps shape the sound of BBC Radio 4 , Radio 4 Extra and the BBC World Service
Mon, April 25, 2016
Earshot podcast: Mitch von Arx from Kiss
Mitch Von Arx and Hayley Hayes Play here Earshot podcast: Mitch von Arx
Mon, February 08, 2016
Earshot podcast: Richard Newby and Mariana O’Kelly
Hayley Hayes and Richard Newby at the Earshot bar. Play the show Earshot podcast: Richard Newby and Mariana O’Kelly Download the mp3 (duration 33’07”, 192kb/s stereo mp3, size 46 MB) Subscribe to the Earshot podcast via iTunes or PocketCasts or Google Play Music. Show notes In this edition of the Earshot podcast Richard Newby plays his work from BBC Radio 1, BBC Radio 6 Music and Global’s Chill. <img data-recalc-dims="1" loading="lazy" decoding="async" class="alignright size-thumbnail wp-image-14517" src="https://i0.wp.com/earshotcreative.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/02/richard-newby-thumbnail-150x150.png?resize=150%2C150" alt="Richard Newby thumb comp" width="150" height="150" srcset="https://i0.wp.com/earshotcreative.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/02/richard-newby-thumbnail.png?resize=150%2C150&ssl=1 150w, https://i0.wp.com/earshotcreative.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/02/richard-newby-thumbnail.png?resize=200%2C200&ssl=1 200w, https://i0.wp.com/earshotcreative.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/02/richard-newby-thumbnail.png?resize=130%2C130&ssl=1 130w, https://i
Wed, December 23, 2015
Earshot podcast: David Lloyd and Colin Kelly
Play here Earshot podcast: David LLoyd and Colin Kelly Download the mp3 (duration 43’05”, 192kb/s stereo mp3, size 61.1 MB) Subscribe to the Earshot podcast via iTunes or PocketCasts or, eventually, Google Play Music. Show notes There are few true ‘bibles’ of radio broadcasting craft. In this Earshot podcast, David Lloyd explains how he identified the need for a different kind of radio book and why he wanted to be the one to write it. He introduces a thoughtful approach to hooking and teasing, prioritises positive writing over fussy production and explains how radio promotions producers can make their work more effective with a focus on listener benefits. How to make great radio – David LLoyd Colin Kelly’s with us too – he has just launched a children’s radio project for schools in Scotland. Hear the results of Scottish Schools Radio in the show, including one schoolgirl who gives Steve Wright a run for his money with her take on Factoids. And because it’s Christmas enjoy a couple of remarkable radio ads from the USA and Ireland. If you’d like to get in touch or share your production just email us. We love to share great audio from around the world – any station – any format, especially if it has an interesting story behind it. Buy David’s book Buy How to Make Great Radio from Amazon . Proceeds
Tue, December 01, 2015
Earshot podcast: Ollie Melville-Smith & Peter Gordon
Eagle Radio in Surrey and Hampshire launched new jingles today written by local composer and former station intern Ollie Melville-Smith. Play here Earshot podcast: Ollie Melville-Smith Download the mp3 (27’59”, 192kb/s stereo mp3, 39.9 MB) Subscribe to the Earshot podcast via iTunes or PocketCasts . It might even be in Google Play soon. Show notes In the Earshot podcast Ollie discusses the art of jingle composition with Steve Martin, explains how the Tonmeister course at the University of Surrey gave him a musical grounding and we hear from breakfast presenter Peter Gordon immediately after he played Ollie’s work on air for the first time. All that, and of course we play the jingles written by Ollie with Wise Buddah jingles for Eagle Radio. If you’d lik
Fri, August 22, 2014
Earshot podcast: Mark Goodier, Anthony Gay, Tony Blackburn, Colin Kelly and many many more
Tony Blackburn and Steve Martin I love it when we do a magazine format edition of the podcast. Not just for the stories and the people but also because I get to do a high-energy menu sequence at the top! Play here Earshot podcast: Imaging special Download the mp3 (53’20”, 160kb/s stereo mp3, 61.1 MB) Subscribe to the Earshot Creative Review via iTunes or PocketCasts . Show notes Two of the world’s leading station imaging production companies pitch their demos head-to-head. Wise Buddah’s Mark Goodier and Anthony Gay from Reelworld Europe explain how their organisations are tracking the changing needs of radio stations across the world. Paul Plant introduces No Sheet Music – a new production library designed to lift the production standards of radio and more. Tony Blackburn shares his enthusiasm for the radio jingles that help give his programmes such popular appeal. PAMS are his favourite. Anthony Timmers invites you to attend the first Imaging Days event, taking place in Amsterdam on 8 and 9 September. Apparently Amsterdam has the most imaging per square metre. <a title="Colin Kelly" href="http://www.colinkelly.net/" target="_bla
Mon, June 23, 2014
Earshot podcast: Pat Gill at Dublin’s FM104
Pat Gill of Dublin’s market-leading FM104 is my guest in this edition of the Earshot production podcast. Play here Earshot podcast: Pat Gill at Dublin’s FM104 Download the mp3 (34’35”, 160kb/s stereo mp3, 39.7 MB) Subscribe to the Earshot Creative Review via iTunes or PocketCasts . Show notes Pat’s been at FM104 for eleven years and boasts a string of awards for his audio work. In the podcast Pat plays a bunch of FM104 production – from morning show jingles and music imaging to punchy and provocative trailers. FM104 itself is living proof that market leading doesn’t have to mean narrowly-focused. The playlist is hit music with a few surprises but the station also broadcasts a comedy-rich breakfast show and a real appointment listen in the late night phone show. I always love to meet creative people who are happy in their work and Pat is a wonderful example of that. Hear how enthusiastic he is about the station and his creative work in our half-hour converstion recorded in Pat’s production studio. If you’d like to get in touch or share your production just email us. We love to play audio from around the world – any station – any format, especially if it has an interesting story behind it. Credits <img data-recalc-dims="1" loading="lazy" decoding="async" class="size-thumbnail wp-image-656
Sat, April 05, 2014
Earshot podcast: Nathan Freeman and James Espley
Play here Earshot podcast: Nathan Freeman and James Espley Download the mp3 (40’02”, 160kb/s stereo mp3, 45.8 MB) Subscribe to the Earshot Creative Review via iTunes or PocketCasts . Show notes In this edition of our production podcast we welcome Nathan Freeman of BBC Radio 6 Music and winner of the 2013 Creative prize in the Radio Production Awards and James Espley of new national rock station TeamRock Radio. Both are nominated in this year’s Radio Academy Awards with their respective teams and, as you’ll hear, producing some great work for their different styles of music radio. As well as playing some of their recent trails and imaging elements, Nathan and James explain how they come up with the ideas that convey their promotional messages and share great production tips that we can all learn from. They also look to Australian radio and cinema for their creative inspiration. If you’d like to get in touch or share your production just email us. We love to play audio from around the world – any station – any format, especially if it has an interesting story behind it. Right now we’re collecting your secret tips for better and more efficient production. What little production secrets do you rely on every day? Gravity Here’s the movie trailer Nathan references in the podcast Credits <img data-recalc-dims="1" loading="lazy" decoding="async" class="size-thumbnail wp-image-6569 alignleft" title="earshot creative review - hobsons square logo" alt="" src="https://i0.w
Sat, December 07, 2013
Earshot podcast: Gerald Jackson, Eloise Whitmore and Chuck Knight
Gerald Jackson (centre) receives his Gillard award from BBC Trust Chairman, Lord Patten (left) and David Holdsworth, Controller of BBC English Regions BBC Local Radio’s Gerald Jackson celebrates 45 years of production. A local radio legend, Gerald Jackson has recently been awarded in the Gillards for his outstanding contribution to BBC Local Radio. Radio production, music and technology have played leading roles throughout Gerald’s 45 years in BBC Local Radio. In our podcast, Gerald steps us through the history of the network’s promotional production and identity and explains how, today, he manages the audio image of the 40 local stations. Eloise Whitmore Beds, water parks, mics on poles and motorbikes: the newly-honoured Radio Production Awards producer of the year shares some of the secrets behind her award winning approach to dramatic sound design. Chuck Knight Philadelphia’s market-leading B101 runs voiced “song tags” off the end of every song it plays. With its PD we discover what audiences insights led to this innovative technique and hear how song tags have changed the sound of the whole station. Play here [audio:http://s3-eu-west-1.amazonaws.com/earshot/podcast/earshot-11-2013.mp3|tit
Sun, July 28, 2013
Earshot podcast: 2013 Sony winners
James Stodd, Richard Culver and Chris Reay Meet this year’s Sony Radio Academy promotion and imaging winners. James Stodd from the South Coast’s Jack FM and The Breeze , Richard Culver from BBC Radio 4 and BBC Radio 2 ‘s Chris Reay play the audio that gained them and their teams recognition this year in the UK’s leading radio awards. In conversation with ambassador of radio Steve Martin they also explain the creative processes behind their audio, the challenges that make their work so enjoyable and they reveal where they find some of their creative inspiration. If you’re looking to learn from the industry’s brightest, there’s nowhere better to start than with James, Richard and Chris. Play here [audio:http://s3-eu-west-1.amazonaws.com/earshot/podcast/earshot-06-2013.mp3|titles=”James Stodd Richard Culver and Chris Reay – all within Earshot”] Download the mp3 (47’04”, 160kb/s stereo mp3, 54.6MB) Subscribe to the Earshot Creative Review via iTunes or PocketCasts . The Earshout If you’d like to get in touch or share your production work, we’ll play it in “The Earshout” feature. Just email us. We love to play audio from around the world – any station – any format, especially if it has an interesting story behind it. Credits <img data-recalc-dims="1" loading="lazy" decoding="async" class="size-thumbnail wp-image-65
Fri, May 31, 2013
Earshot podcast: VOX 2013
Hello to a new series of the Earshot podcast For the first show in the new run we’re at VOX, the annual conference for voiceovers, to explore the critical relationship between voice artist and radio producer. Steve Martin asks voiceovers and producers about the changing nature of work in the radio production and advertising sector. You’ll also hear Sara Hashem on directing technique, John Myers on the Equity ratecard, Andrew Wright on production workflow, Steve Barreton on setting up microphones and a huge number of voice artists including Chas Rowe , Chris Stevens , Della Phillips , Oliver Dukcevic , Emma Hignett , Gayanne Potter , Louisa Gummer , Piers Gibbon , Hannah Patterson , Mike Cooper , Noni Lewis and Ian Brannan . If you hear your voice on the podcast and we’ve missed you off the list please let us know and we’ll fix it. Play here [audio:http://s3-eu-west-1.amazonaws.com/earshot/podcast/earshot-05-2013.mp3|titles=”Earshot at VOX 2013″] <a
Sat, December 22, 2012
Earshot Creative Review, December 2012
from left: Mark Hulmes, Matt Deegan, Sefa Nyki, Tim Johns, Clare Bowen, Chris Wood, Jake Yapp, Helen Quigley and Jumoke Ogunkoya. Seasons greetings The Earshot Creative Review podcast plays great radio production with the people who make it. This is the last in the present series. This festive edition comes direct from the Hippodrome Casino in London’s Leicester Square where some of our closest friends have gathered to enjoy some fun audio together and talk about radio production. Clare Bowen of the RAB plays comedy radio ads that really sell, comedian Jake Yapp reveals what happened in the studio when he auditioned for the voice of cheese strings, Matt Deegan from Folder Media shares one of the latest “ D Love ” digital radio ads, producers Tim Johns and Chris Wood compare their experiences making trails for BBC Local Radio, Steve Martin plays an ad he heard on the radio in Liberia, competition finalists Mark Hulmes, Sefa Nyki and Jumoke Ogunkoya look back over the Hobsons Voicesearch 2012 challenge and voice artist and producer Helen Quigley shares her tips for the winner. You’ll also hear audio from Gremlins Audio, a Church, a fish and chip shop, Jake Yapp’s radio show and Armstrong & Miller. Hobsons Voicesearch 2012 We announce the ultimate winner of our competition to find and reward new British voice talent. Jumoke, Sefa, Mark
Fri, November 30, 2012
Earshot Creative Review, November 2012
Producer Brionne Olsen from South Africa’s 5FM. South African radio production This month we drop below the equator for a taste of AC and CHR imaging in South Africa. Our guest is Brionne Olsen, current imaging producer at national CHR station 5FM and formerly of regional AC brand, Jacaranda 94.2 . In conversation with Steve Martin, Brionne explains how he approached the challenges of imaging those two stations with some interesting examples that demonstrate his points. We also hear audio from the Eric Chase in the US and Australia’s David Konsky that inspires Brionne’s work and we learn how radio can ruin a marriage – especially if you’re always practicing your voice work at home in the kitchen. Hobsons Voicesearch Our shortlisted finalists Jumoke, Sefa, Mark and Scott enter the studios of high-end production powerhouse Reelworld with Andy Jackson to voice a selection of sweepers for the Student Radio Chart Show .
Mon, October 22, 2012
Earshot Creative Review, October 2012
Gateshead Millennium Bridge. Photograph by Karen Bullock Frank Gillard Awards Meet two of the finalists for best station promotion in this year’s BBC Local Radio awards. Chris Wood produced an energetic and multiplatform campaign for a local music festival in Oxfordshire while Richard Latto steered a sensitive course through coverage of the Titanic’s 100th anniversary on BBC Radio Solent. Hear them describe how they approached these two large-scale local projects and the resulting creative production. Hobsons Voicesearch Jumoke, Sefa, Mark and Scott continue their quest to win a year’s professional representation with Hobsons. This time they each voice an insurance ad at Global Radio, complete with caveat terms and conditions read at 900 miles an hour. Play here [audio:http://s3-eu-west-1.amazonaws.com/earshot/podcast/ecr_october2012.mp3|titles=”Earshot Creative Review for October 2012″] Download the mp3 (40’02”, 160kb/s stereo mp3, 47.1MB) Subscribe to the Earshot Creative Review via iTunes . Bonus audio [audio:http://s3-eu-west-1.amazonaws.com/earshot/podcast/gillards-solent.mp3|titles=”BBC Radio Solent entry by Richard Latto”] Competition entry audio by Richard Latto. [
Fri, September 28, 2012
Earshot Creative Review, September 2012
Clare Bowen and Lenja Papp Radio Advertising Some secrets of great radio advertising with Clare Bowen, head of creative development at the UK Radio Advertising Bureau and Lenja Papp , European radio writer and consultant. Discover why Lenja wants to seduce – not shout in any language, how the comedy of Ricky Gervais, Karl Pilkinton and Stephen Merchant can address serious medical matters and how the RAB is working to improve the creative quality and effectiveness of radio advertising in Britain. Hobsons Voicesearch Meet Jumoke, Sefa, Mark and Scott : the shortlisted candidates in our competition to find and reward new, unsigned UK voice talent and hear them face a real-life studio challenge at the BBC with producer James Stodd. Play here [audio:http://s3-eu-west-1.amazonaws.com/earshot/podcast/ecr_september2012.mp3|titles=”Earshot Creative Review for September 2012″] Download the mp3 (53’09”, 160kb/s stereo mp3, 62.4MB) Subscribe to the Earshot Creative Review via iTunes . Links Clare recommends the <a title="Inspired by Audio" href="http://
Mon, July 16, 2012
Earshot Creative Review, July 2012
Chris Reay of BBC Radio 2. Today BBC Radio 2 airs its new jingle package. It’s the first time in fifteen years that Britain’s most popular radio station has commissioned a completely new package. The new work comes from London-based production house Wise Buddah who produced the jingles using the heritage logo from Grooveworx after a long commissioning process. It is the result of considerable collaboration. The package includes performances from some of the BBC Radio 2 presenters including Clare Teal , Beverley Knight and Paul Jones . It also features the BBC Concert Orchestra and the London Community Gospel Choir . A few days ago, locked behind two levels of BBC security and sworn to total secrecy, Chris and I opened some drinks, discussed the package then played all the cuts back-to-back. Perfectly normal behaviour for a beer & jingles lock-in, as you’ll hear in this month’s podcast. Play here [audio:http://s3-eu-west-1.amazonaws.com/earshot/podcast/ecr_july2012_embargo.mp3|titles=”Earshot Creative Review for July 2012″] Download the mp3 (28’13”, 160kb/s stereo mp3, 32.5MB) Subscribe to the Earshot Creative Review via iTunes . Credits <img data-recalc-dims="1" loading="lazy" decoding="async" class="size-thumbnail wp-image-6569 alignleft" title="earshot creative review - hobsons square logo" alt="" src="https://i0.wp.com/earshotcreative.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/03/e
Wed, June 20, 2012
Earshot Creative Review, June 2012
Dan Mumford and Brian Murphy. Picture:Steve Martin Download our June podcast to celebrate a couple of Sony Radio Academy Award winners and their winning audio. Guests this month are Dan Mumford , Manager of Station Sound at BBC Radio 1 and BBC Radio 1 Xtra and Absolute Radio Senior Producer, Brian Murphy . You’ll hear an “awesome foursome” promo from the winning BBC Radio 1 Xtra station sound entry and the Geoff Lloyd “complaints” promo from Absolute Radio that was awarded the top prize for Best Single Promo or Ad. This month we also discover how Absolute Radio is promoting online listening, hear the demo of Radio 1’s new imaging from PURE Jingles and why Radio 1 went overseas for it, and Dan Mumford reveals who does Fearne Cotton’s segues. Clue: it’s not Fearne. Our producers’ inspiration comes from Dollar Shave Club and the BBC Radiophonic Workshop and… “from the mountains to the sea”… we mark the lost art of the local radio station song. Play here [audio:http://s3-eu-west-1.amazonaws.com/earshot/podcast/ecr_june2012.mp3|titles=”Earshot Creative Review for June 2012″] Download the mp3 (43’43”, 160kb/s stereo mp3, 50.1MB) Subscribe to the Earshot Creative Review via iTunes . Last gasp This is also your last chance to enter the Hobsons Voicesearch 2012 competition . If you’d like the chance to start a career in voice work with a 12 month artist representation contract with Hobsons then entries close on 30 June. Credits Audio from the Sony Radio Academy Awards courtesy of <a title="Radio Today" href="http://www.
Sun, May 27, 2012
Earshot Creative Review, May 2012
This Month, we’re recorded live (you know what we mean) at the Creative Loop student media festival in Glasgow. On the panel are Paul Tyler from commercial production at Radio Clyde, Gavin Pearson , head of creative for all of Bauer Scotland and Steve Martin , the regular host of the Earshot Creative Review. The podcast is hosted by Colin Kelly and produced and engineered by John Collins . Play here [audio:http://s3-eu-west-1.amazonaws.com/earshot/podcast/ecr_may2012.mp3|titles=”Earshot Creative Review for May 2012″] Download the mp3 (39’50”, 160kb/s stereo mp3, 47.1MB) Subscribe to the Earshot Creative Review via iTunes . Credits Photographs by Creative Loop (yep, that’s Jim Gellatly up there, and John Collins on the faders). Earshot Creative Review imaging by Chris Nichol at Wizz FX , music bed by Radiobeds with custom vocals by <a title="Session Singer Online" href="http://www.sessionsing
Tue, April 24, 2012
Earshot Creative Review, April 2012
Sony Radio Academy Awards nominees edition Bernard Achampong of BBC Radio 1 Xtra, Neil Cowling of Fresh Air Production and Chris Howell from Eagle Radio. This month we meet three radio producers whose recent promotional and imaging work has been recognised by this year’s Sony Radio Academy Awards judges. As our guest producers wait to discover whether their nominations will be converted into coveted awards we hear their nominated audio and the stories behind its development. Bernard Achampong is station sound producer at BBC Radio 1 Xtra and his station is nominated in the Best Station Imaging category. Neil Cowling runs Fresh Air Production which has produced two entries for the BBC which are nominated in the Best Promotional/Advertising Campaign category. He’s up against Surrey and Hampshire’s Eagle Radio where Chris Howell has earned a nomination too. Play the podcast to hear exerpts from the BBC Radio 1 Xtra imaging entry, Fresh Air Production’s work on the BBC Comic Relief and Wimbledon campaigns, Eagle Radio’s anti-car crime campaign for Surrey Police and a whole bunch of other audio that has inspired and excited Bernard, Chris and Neil to make great creative work for their clients, employers and listeners. Play here [audio:http://s3-eu-west-1.amazonaws.com/earshot/podcast/ecr_april12.mp3|titles=”Earshot Creative Review for April 2012″] Download the mp3 (46’54”, 160kb/s stereo mp3, 53.8MB) Subscribe to the Earshot Creative Review <a title="Ea
Wed, March 28, 2012
Earshot Creative Review, March 2012
Chris Reay of BBC Radio 2 and Matt Clark from Magic 105.4 at Elton John’s piano In this month’s podcast, Chris Reay, senior producer at BBC Radio 2 and Matt Clark, station imaging producer at London’s Magic 105.4 play and discuss their favourite pieces of station production. With Radio 2’s huge range of styles and content set against Magic’s highly consistent ‘more music’ promise you’ll hear a great demonstration of how different these two stations really are. We also discuss how research can inform the production of station promos, the best places to source artist acapellas, the latest on BBC Radio 2’s new jingles commissioning process that aims to follow the current trend of bringing music publishing revenue back to the broadcaster who commissioned it and you’ll hear inspirational audio from the US and musician and producer DJ Earworm . Play here [audio:http://s3-eu-west-1.amazonaws.com/earshot/podcast/ecr_march12.mp3|titles=”Earshot Creative Review for March 2012″] Download the mp3 (47’50”, 160kb/s stereo mp3, 52.6M) Subscribe to the Earshot Creative Review via iTunes . <img data-recalc-dims="1" loading="lazy" decoding="async" class="size-thumbnail wp-image-6569 alignleft" title="earshot creative review - hobsons square logo" alt="" src="https://i0.wp.com/earshotcreative.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/03/earshot-creative-review-hobsons-square-logo-150x150.jpg?resize=150%2C150" width="150" height="150" srcset="https://i0.wp.com/earshotcreative.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/03/earshot-creative-review-hobsons-square-logo.jpg?resize=150%2C150&ssl=1 150w, https://i0.wp.com/earshotcreative.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/03/earshot-creative-review-hobsons-square-logo.jpg?resize=300%2C300&ssl=1 300w, https://i0.wp.com/earshotcreative.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/03/earshot-creative-review-hobsons-sq
Tue, February 21, 2012
Earshot Creative Review, February 2012
Stuart Barrett, Kate Cocker and Chris Stevens in Salford, Greater Manchester As if it wasn’t chilly enough, we’ve travelled North to present the Earshot Creative Review podcast from Salford* this month. Play the audio to hear freelance producer and leading member of SoundWomen Kate Cocker , GMG ‘s Chris Stevens and Stuart Barrett of BBC Radio Manchester run some of their favourite production work and discuss it with Steve Martin. Play here [audio:http://s3-eu-west-1.amazonaws.com/earshot/podcast/ecr_february12.mp3|titles=”Earshot Creative Review for February 2012″] Download the mp3 (160kb/s stereo mp3, 52.3M) Subscribe to the Earshot Creative Review via iTunes . Why has Real Radio brought its jingles in-house? Do women and men make different kinds of production? Can you really rebrand a station for just one day and make it successful? So many questions it’s like an Andrew Neill promo. There’s also a special treat for fans of vintage radio comedy and the sound of children playing Angry Birds in the background. Work-life balance, ok? The Earshot Creative Review is kindly sponsored by Hobsons . If you’re unfamiliar with UK geography, Salford is a city in Northern England that is fast becoming the UK’s second largest hub for broadcast media. The BBC, GMG, Global Radio, Sky and others all have bases there while others like itv
Fri, December 23, 2011
Earshot Creative Review, festive show
Left to right: Lou Nash, John Myers, Nik Goodman, Steve Martin, James Stodd, James Cridland and Jacob Rickard. Direct from the heart of London’s Theatreland, some of the UK radio’s leading creative producers and commentators play their favourite promotional audio of the year and discuss why they love it so much. Download the podcasts and you’ll hear sixteen pieces of great audio from stations like BBC Radio 1, URN, Capital FM, Choice FM and Classic FM, Norway’s P1 and Xfm. You’ll also hear the informed views, expertise and experience of James Cridland , John Myers , Nik Goodman , James Stodd , Lou Nash and Jacob Rickard . Part one Play here [audio:http://s3-eu-west-1.amazonaws.com/earshot/podcast/ecr_festive2011_1.mp3|titles=”Earshot Creative Review festive show part one.”] Download part one (160kb/s mp3, 41.6M) Part two Play here [audio:http://s3-eu-west-1.amazonaws.com/earshot/podcast/ecr_festive2011_2.mp3|titles=”Earshot Creative Review festive show part two.”] Download part two (160kb/s mp3, 27.5M) Subscribe to the Earshot Creative Review via iTunes . Credits Recorded at London’s Novello Theatre by Steve Martin , imaging by Wizz FX , sponsorship by <a title="Hobsons" href="http://w
Thu, December 22, 2011
Earshot Creative Review, festive show
Left to right: Lou Nash, John Myers, Nik Goodman, Steve Martin, James Stodd, James Cridland and Jacob Rickard. Direct from the heart of London’s Theatreland, some of the UK radio’s leading creative producers and commentators play their favourite promotional audio of the year and discuss why they love it so much. Download the podcasts and you’ll hear sixteen pieces of great audio from stations like BBC Radio 1, URN, Capital FM, Choice FM and Classic FM, Norway’s P1 and Xfm. You’ll also hear the informed views, expertise and experience of James Cridland , John Myers , Nik Goodman , James Stodd , Lou Nash and Jacob Rickard . Part one Play here [audio:http://s3-eu-west-1.amazonaws.com/earshot/podcast/ecr_festive2011_1.mp3|titles=”Earshot Creative Review festive show part one.”] Download part one (160kb/s mp3, 41.6M) Part two Play here [audio:http://s3-eu-west-1.amazonaws.com/earshot/podcast/ecr_festive2011_2.mp3|titles=”Earshot Creative Review festive show part two.”] Download part two (160kb/s mp3, 27.5M) Subscribe to the Earshot Creative Review via iTunes . Credits Recorded at London’s Novello Theatre by Steve Martin , imaging by Wizz FX , sponsorship by <a title="Hobsons" href="http://w
Tue, December 13, 2011
Earshot Creative Review, December 2011
Capital FM’s imaging king Chris Nicoll and voice artist and producer Helen Quigley. Chris Nicoll reveals the secrets behind Capital FM’s hot new imaging style, Helen Quigley shares her work from radio and television and together we discuss voice selection, productivity tips and the sources of our inspiration. You’ll also hear Harvey McCabe from Kings College, London and audio from the voice session he won in our recent competition. Note that this was recorded before Capital announced Dave Berry as their new breakfast host and that is why we don’t talk about him. And Chris plays some cool 90s promo videos from MTV. Here are the video files so you can see what we saw. MTV Promo 1 MTV Promo 2 MTV Promo 3 Get the audio Play here: Duration 46’14” [audio:http://s3-eu-west-1.amazonaws.com/earshot/podcast/ecr_december2011.mp3|titles=”Earshot Creative Review, December 2011.”] Download the audio (160kb/s mp3, 54.3M) Subscribe to the Earshot Creative Review via iTunes . Credits Presented by Steve Martin , imaging by Wizz FX , beds by Radiobeds , sponsorship by Hobsons . Next time John Myers, Nik Goodman, James Stodd, James Cridland, Jacob Rickard and student radio production winner Lou Nash play their favourite pr
Sat, October 22, 2011
Earshot Creative Review, October 2011
Simon Rushton, Jardin Lobo and Tim Johns. They never actually met. Recorded at the height of London’s recent Indian Summer heatwave this podcast brings together radio creatives from India, Kenya and the rural British county of Lincolnshire. You’ll hear Jardin Lobo explain how spot advertising and live talk-ups work on Indian FM stations and get a wider sense of the changing nature of radio in that huge country. You’ll also hear Gillard award-winning producer Tim Johns from BBC Radio Lincolnshire play his promos and show production. Together Jardin and Tim compare their work and generally try to keep a conversation going over a flaky Skype connection. Also this time, Nairobi-based radio advertising consultant Simon Rushton says we should always prioritise effective advertising over creative advertising and he explains how to do it. On a beach. Get the audio Play the audio here: Duration 43’12” [audio:http://s3-eu-west-1.amazonaws.com/earshot/podcast/ecr_october2011.mp3|titles=”Earshot Creative Review, October 2011.”] Download the audio (160kb/s mp3, 49.6M) Subscribe to the Earshot Creative Review via iTunes . Photographs from our beach location in Sierra Leone <img data-recalc-dims="1" loading="lazy" decoding="async" alt="Lakka beach in the rainy season" src="https://i0.wp.com/farm7.static.flickr.com/6193/6035433420_8faeca2c23.jpg?resiz
Sun, July 31, 2011
Earshot Creative Review, holiday edition
It’s a lock-in. Enjoy an extended edition with James Stodd of the BBC and Matt Lomax from Kiss. At an hour long, it’s perfect listening on your Summer holiday. James’s audio shows how the BBC is using smart promotional techniques to convey public service messages while Matt demonstrates how he puts listeners at the centre of the Kiss imaging. Together we discuss monitoring for the real-world, studio sound design techniques and we share your comments and reaction in a new feature: the EarShout. Big reveal We also reveal the answers and the winners of the Hobsons Mystery Voice competition, hear from the Radio Academy Sound Designer of the Year Peregrine Andrews and play production from one of the world’s youngest professional radio imaging producers. Get the audio Play the audio here: Duration 59’55” [audio:http://s3-eu-west-1.amazonaws.com/earshot/podcast/ecr_july2011.mp3|titles=”Earshot Creative Review, July 2011.”] Download the audio (160kb/s mp3, 70.3M) Subscribe to the Earshot Creative Review via iTunes . Credits Imaging by Chris Nichol at Wizz FX , beds by Radiobeds , sponsorship by Hobsons . Thanks to The Coal Hole on London’s Strand for hosting us. Next time We meet British radio advertising copywriter and producer Simon Rushton who now works in Kenya a
Sun, June 19, 2011
Earshot Creative Review, June 2011
This month we celebrate TalkSPORT’s remarkable achievements at the Sony Radio Academy Awards with senior writer and producer Jonathan Young. Jonathan has been one of the leading creative forces on the station since it launched and in this month’s podcast (recorded before TalkSPORT gained further honours at the Radio Academy Production Awards ) you’ll hear him play some of TalkSPORT’s brave, fun promos, describe how they make this stuff and how they get away with it. You’ll also hear Peter Gordon of 96.4 Eagle Radio try to help us with our Hobsons Mystery Voice competition , a funny ad from Peperami and some music inspired by the London Olympics – already. Get the audio Play the audio here: Duration 39’01” [audio:http://s3-eu-west-1.amazonaws.com/earshot/podcast/ecr_june2011.mp3|titles=”Earshot Creative Review, June 2011.”] Download the audio (160kb/s mp3, 45.9M) Subscribe to the Earshot Creative Review via iTunes . Win a voice session with a Hobsons artist The competition is still open with a top prize of a one-hour voice session with a Hobsons voice artist and runners-up prizes of designer T shirts from myradiofashion.com If you haven’t entered yet, here’s the full detail . Jonathan’s awards Winner Sony Radio Academy Best Promotional Advertising campaign Gold Award 2011<b
Fri, May 06, 2011
Earshot Creative Review, April 2011
Recorded in Glasgow towards the end of April, this is one of my favourite Earshot Creative Reviews yet – a thoroughly enjoyable celebration of some superb creative radio production, played by a couple of really great producers. Play it and you’ll hear Ken Lindsay of BBC Radio Scotland, Gavin Pearson from Bauer Scotland and a nasty shock for me. Radio production in the podcast comes from Clyde 1, Forth 1, Manchester’s Key 103 and BBC Radio Scotland and we also discuss architecture and ageing. The audio Play the audio here: Duration 35’42” [audio:http://s3-eu-west-1.amazonaws.com/earshot/podcast/ecr_april11.mp3|titles=”Earshot Creative Review, April 2011.”] Download the audio (160kb/s mp3, 41.9M) Subscribe via iTunes . Win a voice session with a Hobsons artist It’s also your first chance to enter the much-vaunted Hobsons Mystery Voice competition in which you could win a one-hour voice session with a Hobsons voice artist or a designer T shirt from myradiofashion.com Full details of the competition are in the audio. You’ll also need the rules and the entry form . Good luck. Ken Lindsay As BBC Scotland’s senior promotions producer Ken keeps-up a creative production tradition that I contributed to in the early 90s a
Fri, April 08, 2011
Earshot Creative Review, March 2011
Steve, Sam and Clive. Photograph by Sony-nominated* Matt Deegan. *not nominated for photography. This edition of the Earshot Creative Review was recorded in March at the RadioDays Europe conference held in Copenhagen and features three eminent radio leaders: Clive Dickens , Absolute Radio ‘s Chief Operating Officer. In this podcast, recorded before reports circulated of a possible sale of Absolute Radio, Clive explains how he considers the radio group’s imaging and production to be a significant part of its value. International radio consultant Sam Zniber who’s also vice president of Radio Intelligence . Sam began his career in the production studio and remains as passionate as ever about production’s contribution to station success. and Mark Barber of the UK’s Radio Advertising Bureau , a key figure behind RadioGuage who was in Copenhagen to introduce the measurement service to broadcasters in new territories. You’ll hear what RadioGuage can teach station producers. Other discussion themes include remote working and achiveing flow in CHR formats, plus we all listen in awe of work by production legend Jeff Thomas . In addition to our chat you’ll hear bags of production from Absolute Radio and Absolute 80s, KIIS and Kiss, and RadioGuage-proven ads from CocoPops and Autoglass. The audio Play the audio here: Duration 37’00” [audio:http://s3-eu-west-1.amazonaws.com/earshot/podcast/ecr_march11.mp3|titles=”Earshot Creative Review for March 2011.”]
Tue, March 22, 2011
Earshot Creative Review – bonus edition
Play here: duration 24’46” [audio:http://s3-eu-west-1.amazonaws.com/earshot/podcast/ecr_bonus_311.mp3|titles=”Earshot bonus edition from Radiodays Europe.”] Download the audio (160kb/s mp3, 28.4M) Subscribe via iTunes . This is a 25 minute snip of conversations I shared at the Radiodays Europe conference with various creative, production and imaging people. Play it and you’ll hear: Lee Harris , the top-of-the-hour morning news voice on New York’s all news, all the time station, 1010 WINS. Lee describes how the station carefully modernised its imaging, partly in response to insights gained from PPM audience data. Worry not – the famous teletype effect is still there. It’s the soul of the station. Wise Buddah ‘s Russ Williams and Dave Albers of TopFormat updating us on current imaging trends in Europe and the latest work they’ve been creating for their respective clients. The guys from myradiofashion.com who were in Copenhagen with a selection of radio-themed merchanside, mostly t shirts. If you like their stuff then you can get 30% off any item before 31 March 2011. Just use the exclusive discount code “earshot30” when you order. Belgian radio advertising writer and consultant Philip Maes who has some truck with current advertising creative but quite likes some older gems which we play. Thanks as always to Hobsons for their sponsorship and to all those who kindly gave their time and audio to make this as interesting as it is. Ok, it’s highly disingenuous to label this as a ‘bonus’ edition given the sorry gap since the last podcast. But you’ll understand the need to distinguish between this and the regular Earshot Creative Review which is coming soon and also
Sun, January 23, 2011
Earshot Creative Review for January 2011
Ben Townsend, Steve Martin and Jonathan JJ Jacob. Our guests this month are JJ (Jonathan Jacob) of First Radio Sales and recent graduate from the University of Nottingham Ben Townsend who helped secure URN ‘s recent clutch of student radio awards . In the podcast you’ll hear audio from Liverpool’s Juice FM , City Beat of Belfast, Surrey and Hampshire’s Eagle Radio and URN. We also discuss how student radio is feeding mainstream stations with new talent on both sides of the mic, and play some great audio from Australia’s 2Day network and the new Capital FM network. You’ll also get a head start in our new competition to win a voice session with Hobsons. The audio Play the audio here: Duration 42’38” [audio:http://s3-eu-west-1.amazonaws.com/earshot/podcast/ecr_jan11.mp3|titles=”Earshot Creative Review for January 2011.”] Download the audio (160kb/s mp3, 51.2M) Subscribe via iTunes . Jonathan Jacob JonathanJacob2011CV <object id="doc_934863645528592" style="outline: none;" width="100%" height="400" classid="clsid:d27cdb6e-ae6d-11cf-96b8-444553540000" codebase="http://download.macromedia.com/pu
Wed, December 22, 2010
Creative Review of 2010
Left to right: David Couch, Chris Nicoll, Joe Thomas, Jonathan from Hobsons, James Stodd, James Cridland and Donna from Hobsons. In December’s hot-rocking, flame-throwing podcast, some of the loveliest people in UK radio production play their favourite audio of the year. Now that’s a format. They are: David Couch of Maple Street Studios, Chris Nicoll of WizzFX, Joe Thomas from Absolute Radio, James Cridland of Media UK, James Stodd from the BBC, and Jonathan of our sponsor, Hobsons. You’ll also hear audio from BBC Radio 7 and BBC Suffolk and we predict the major radio events of 2011. Yes, all of them. Play the audio here: Duration 53’03” [audio:http://s3-eu-west-1.amazonaws.com/earshot/podcast/ecr_december10.mp3|titles=”Earshot Creative Review for December 2010.”] Download the audio (128kb/s mp3, 49.9M) Download in HD Sound (192kb/s AAC, 73.9M) Subscribe via iTunes . HD Sound – how HD is it? It’s better* than the normal file in three ways: 1. It has more data in it… 192kb/s rather than 128kb/s. 2. It’s encoded with a super-efficient codec… AAC-HE rather than mp3. 3. It has around 10dB more dynamic range and virtually no peak limiting. *yes, it’s subjective – you might quite like the sound of multiband compression. Credits Imaging by Chris Nicol at WizzFX using the voices of Elly Fairman and Andrew Burt . Thanks to radiobeds.co.uk for the music beds and Session Singer Online for the vocal cut. Also, the <a title="Strand Palace Hotel" href="http://www.strandpalacehotel.co.uk/" target="_
Tue, November 23, 2010
Creative Review for November
Left to right: Chris Stevens, Steve Martin and Steve Taylor. Picture by Channelle Stacey. November’s review is here with Chris Stevens, GMG’s Group Production Director and Steve Taylor, Commercial Creative Director from Bauer. We play promos, jingles and S&P audio this month, and we consider how branded content might sound should Ofcom relax the restrictions that govern that kind of programming. There’s also an unhealthy preoccupation with biscuits. Play the audio here: Duration 46’22” [audio:http://s3-eu-west-1.amazonaws.com/earshot/podcast/ecr-november-10.mp3|titles=”Earshot Creative Review for November 2010.”] Download the mp3 (160kbps, 54.5M). Subscribe via iTunes . You’ll also hear the creators of award-winning promotional work from BBC Local Radio and Sri Lanka’s Shree FM, and there’s classic archive audio from a famous US CHR war plus news of a new online sung jingles service… Session Singer Online This service takes any music backing track to which you have rights and then scores and sings your lyrics to it. They have singers in the UK and US and, as you’ll hear in the podcast, we put them to the test. Credits Imaging by Chris Nicol at WizzFX using the voices of <
Mon, October 25, 2010
Creative Review for October
BBC London’s Paul Hilton with Ben Motley of BBC Global News at the piano. This month, the sound of London. Paul Hilton runs production at BBC London 94.9 while BBC Radio 7’s Ben Motley has spent the last year at BBC Global News where he produces promotional campaigns heard on the English language channels of the BBC World Service . If you’re confused, I’ll draw you a diagram. You’ll hear a huge range of production designed to appeal to both local and global audiences of speech radio. Discover how BBC London tries to position itself apart from LBC, how to connect with listeners overseas who speak English as a second language and why comedy and Christmas means pulling out the creative stops at BBC Radio 7. There’s also music from Coldcut, brand imaging heard on speech radio podcasts and we endure a tortuous play on words which helps you remember a text number. Play the audio here: Duration 39’06” [audio:http://s3-eu-west-1.amazonaws.com/earshot/podcast/ecr_october10.mp3|titles=”Earshot Creative Review for October 2010.”] Download the mp3 (36.8M). Subscribe via iTunes . Credits Imaging by Chris Nicol at WizzFX using the voice of Elly Fairman . Thanks to radiobeds.co.uk for the music beds and to the Waldorf Hilton for use of a table and 3 chairs. The Earshot Creative Review is sponsored by Hobsons. Find out more on their Hello Hobsons blog. Next Month Chris Stevens of GMG on the new national Smooth Radio and Bauer’s Steve Taylor explores the latest innovations in S&P. Any views expressed are those of the contributors and not of the BBC. We acknowledge all rights held by the owners, creators and performers of the recorded works which are included solely for the purposes of education and review. From <a href="https://earshotcreative.c
Wed, September 15, 2010
Creative Review for September
Chris Reay is in charge of station sound and promotions at BBC Radio 2 and BBC 6 Music. This month we get inside the creative hubs of stations big and small. From BBC Radio 2 and BBC 6 Music to the remarkable promotions-led arrival of Oxfordshire’s Glide FM , we hear creative radio production and discover the strategies and techniques behind it. Also – what it’s like to work with Chris Evans, how a tiny team in Oxford secured worldwide media attention for their new station launch with their Glee stunt and we discuss the challenges of staying creative when time is tight. Play the audio here: Duration 40’00” [audio:http://s3-eu-west-1.amazonaws.com/earshot/podcast/ecr_september10.mp3|titles=”Earshot Creative Review for September 2010.”] Download the mp3 (39.7M). Subscribe via iTunes . Glide FM’s Sue Carter (left) and Sophie Bruce in their Oxford Studio. Corporate headquarters. Look, we tried everything… sunny weather, sporty car pass… but it still looks like this. This month’s stars As senior producer at BBC Radio 2 and BBC 6 Music, Chris Reay is responsible for promotions, imaging and steering the overall sound of these stations. He also leads the creative team of writers and producers. Sue Carter is programme director of Oxfordshire’s Jack FM and <a title="Glide FM" href=
Mon, August 23, 2010
Creative Review for August
James Cridland and David Couch in typical showbusiness mood. Picture by Sally Walker. You’ll learn a lot from this month’s Earshot Creative Review with David Couch and James Cridland. And you’ll hear a lot of radio ads. Discover how Spotify is allowing advertisers to target audiences by postcode, what is the most important content to have on your radio station web site and what not to do with cameras in the studio. Hear ads from Cuervo, Kwik Fit, Transport for London and the Bentall Centre, plus an educational promo from Absolute Radio. Play the audio here: Duration 42’17” [audio:http://s3-eu-west-1.amazonaws.com/earshot/podcast/ecr_august10.mp3|titles=”Earshot Creative Review for August 2010.”] Download the mp3 (39.7M). Subscribe via iTunes . David Couch is Managing Director of Maple Street Studios and a former creative head at GCap and Global. You’ll hear him enthuse about some superb radio ads and discuss the freedom and new opportunities of product placement. Radio futurologist James Cridland divulges tip after tip on radio’s multiplatform future. Be sure to take notes – James’s clients spend vast sums of money on his advice. You only have to pay attention. And, as always, there’s tons of great audio including leading entrants to The Cow Moo Challenge and its ultimate winner. Thank goodness that’s over. Credits Thanks to London’s Somerset House for hosting our recording on their wonderful sunny terrace, thanks to radiobeds.co.uk for the music beds and thanks to Pascal Standaert from Belgium for the ident used towards the end of the podcast. Next Month Inside Glide – the story of the year’s biggest radio stunt so far direct from the people who pulled it off, and what’s going on at <a title="BBC Radio 2" href="http://www.bbc.co.uk/radio2" target="_bla
Mon, July 19, 2010
Creative Review for July
Russ Williams of Wise Buddah and Peter Gee from TalkSPORT. Featuring creative from TalkSPORT , imaging from Wise Buddah and introducing The Cow Moo Challenge, it’s July’s Earshot Creative Review. Play the audio here: Duration 37’45” [audio:http://s3-eu-west-1.amazonaws.com/earshot/podcast/ecr_july10.mp3|titles=”Earshot Creative Review for July 2010.”] Download the mp3 (34.6M). Subscribe via iTunes . In this month’s edition, you’ll hear a great selection of audio production from TalkSPORT when Peter Gee delivers a masterclass in engaging, memorable ideas, sharp writing and clever casting. Russ Williams from Wise Buddah is also with us, showcasing the music imaging he’s created for BRMB in Birmingham, the Chris Evans Breakfast Show on BBC Radio 2 and music stations who wanted to embed World Cup content into their output without diluting their audio brand. You’ll also discover why you might want to put your radio promos on YouTube, what’s happening on the frontline of Manchester’s strapline war and we introduce “The Cow Moo Challenge” – your chance to win, just by being part of the latest bovine craze in UK radio imaging. Introducing the Cow Moo Challenge Original photo (c) Rick Harrison . Used with kind permission. You could win! Best use of a cow moo in a piece of radio imaging wins the entire joint. And we mean that. It’s a joint of beef. Here’s what to do 1. Make a radio promo, trail, sweeper or other imaging element that includes the sound of a cow moo. 2. Put it on the radio. 3. Email the evidence to earshot@smartin.me 4. List
Sat, June 19, 2010
Creative Review for June
Matt Fisher of the BBC and James Beckingham of Global Radio Featuring BBC Radio 1 and Fun Kids, it’s June’s Earshot Creative Review. Play the audio here: Duration 33’16” [audio:http://s3-eu-west-1.amazonaws.com/earshot/podcast/ecr_june10.mp3|titles=”Earshot Creative Review for June 2010.”] Download the mp3 (31.2M). Subscribe via iTunes . This review features James Beckingham from Global Radio who’s playing and talking about his work on the Fun Kids brand and Matt Fisher from the BBC who runs imaging for BBC Radio 1 and BBC Radio 1 Xtra . It’s rather a relaxed summery meander through some of their recent audio despite the fact that we recorded early on Friday morning in a stiff breeze in Regents Park, London. If you listen carefully, you can hear James audibly shiver at one point. You’ll also hear audio from NME Radio , Absolute 80s and Capital FM . And that’s hot. Plus we receive a question crowdsourced via AudioBoo . Look at us with the meme. If you’d like to follow us, James is on Twitter as @tweetjamesb , Matt is @mrmatthewfisher and I’m @smartin . James Beckingham James started in the industry as a tech-op at Invicta FM and Capital Gold Kent, before doing some TO-ing on a station which he’d never heard of, but fell instantly in love with, called ‘Capital Disney’. James stayed here, presenting, producing and running the show alongside the superb programme controller, while doing bits at Capital’s various other ventures, includ
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