PRODUCING HISTORICAL DOCUMENTARIES AND FEATURES FOR RADIO

http://www.albany.edu/faculty/gz580/documentaryproduction

COURSE INTRODUCTION:

For too long, historians neglected radio and other media as respectable instruments of communication; they were too public, too loud, too inhibiting, and too reductive of complex ideas and concepts about politics, the economy, gender, race, and culture. Of course, historians paid a price for their neglect: they rendered themselves culturally invisible. With a few exceptions, historians failed to cultivate audiences that extended far beyond their peers.

In recent years, though, this has begun to change. The History Channel, the documentaries of Ken Burns and other independent producers, and the immensely popular historical radio documentaries and interviews aired by National Public Radio (NPR), Public Radio International (PRI), and many local radio stations, have begun to bring more and more historians and more and more history into living rooms, neighborhoods, and into our car radios. This course (like its new sister course, Readings and Practicum in Historical Film and Video Documentary Production (http://www.albany.edu/faculty/gz580/histdocfilms), aims to contribute to this trend. It is part of the History Department's developing History and Multimedia program, a program devoted to bringing history to the airwaves, to the Internet, to television and theaters, and to the streets -- in essence, to make historical thinking a larger part of American life and discourse. More specifically, it is designed to train graduate and advanced undergraduate students in the use of radio and radio technologies to communicate historical ideas to broad audiences -- and to do it in a way that does not dilute or oversimplify serious historical scholarship.

This course focuses on teaching students the full range of skills needed to complete historical radio documentaries and features: developing story ideas and treatments, conducting aural and textual research in general and specialized archives, scriptwriting, recording and interviewing, logging/indexing tapes, editing and mixing audio elements, and much more. It will introduce students to the theory and practice of radio documentary production (exploring various formats and styles that have proven successful), giving plenty of attention to the aesthetic and technical aspects of the art: audio theory and technology; collecting historical audio source materials (including sound effects, actualities, and archival audio recordings); copyright, releases, and other legal matters; digital audio editing; mixing down and producing CD masters. We'll end by discussing distribution and promotion of the finished radio documentary (equivalent to how to get a history article or a book published).

In addition to working our way through the research and technical skills of historical audio documentary production, we'll also examine the history and politics of radio broadcasting -- focusing mainly on non-commercial radio where documentaries have been most frequently aired. We'll also critically examine what's been done with history on radio, listening to such recent productions as "Leonard Bernstein: An American Life," "Grandma was an Activist," "Rosewood Reborn," "The Yiddish Radio Project," "Remembering Jim Crow," "Mandela: An Audio History," "Blacklisted: A Personal History of the Hollywood Blacklist" -- as well as classics from more than a half-century ago.

Along with several assignments/projects, students will be expected to write a script and produce a 20-minute historical documentary over the course of the semester, one that would be worthy of being aired on radio. In fact, most will hopefully be showcased on the air and on the Internet. Productions will be broadcast on Talking History on WRPI-FM.

GRADING:

Grades will be based on class participation (20%), projects and short writing assignments (40%), and a final 20-minute audio documentary—including script (footnoted and with a bibliography), and recording of the final production (40%). Please type all writing assignments and submit them electronically . No paper submission!

ACADEMIC DISHONESTY:

The following statement of policy is required by the University at Albany: It is assumed that your intellectual labor is your own. If there is any evidence of academic dishonesty, including plagiarism, the minimum penalty will be an automatic failing grade for that piece of work. Plagiarism is taking (which includes purchasing) the words and ideas of another and passing them off as one’s own work. If another person’s work is quoted directly in a formal paper, this must be indicated with quotation marks and a citation. Paraphrased or borrowed ideas are to be identified by proper citations.

READINGS, RECOMMENDED TEXTS, AND AUDIO RESOURCES:

• Susan J. Douglas, Listening In: Radio and the American Imagination . . . from Amos 'n' Andy and Edward R. Murrow to Wolfman Jack and Howard Stern (Times Books, 1999). Selections (available on electronic reserve.)
• Audio programs and documentaries, articles, chapters, and additional readings are available on library reserve, on the World Wide Web, or on electronic reserve. Some items, due to copyright/fair use restrictions are ONLY available to enrolled class members on electronic reserve. Selective assignments will be made from the following texts/resources. More details on access to these readings will be provided in class.
• Durand R. Begault, The Sonic CD-ROM for Desktop Audio Production (Academic Press, Inc., 1996).
• Horst J. P. Bergmeir & Rainer E. Lotz, Hitler's Airwaves: The Inside Story of Nazi Radio Broadcasting and Propaganda Swing (Yale University Press, 1997). [Includes audio CD].
• Howard Blue, Words at War: World War II era radio drama and the postwar broadcasting industry blacklist. (Lanham: Scarecrow Press, 2002). Selections (available on electronic reserve.)
• Ralph Engelman, Public Radio and Television in America (Sage Publications, 1996).
• David E. Reese and Lynne S. Gross, Radio Production Worktext, 3rd edition ((Focal Press, 1998).
• Charles Hardy III, "Authoring in Sound," [Essay available on the WWW. See this entry for link. My thanks to Charles Hardy for permission to post the essay on the WWW.] Also, "'Thinking Sound' Tape Samples" selected by Hardy to illustrate various production and recording techniques/approaches are available on the WWW though links below.
• Michele Hilmes and Jason Lovigilio, eds., Radio Reader: Essays in the Cultural History of Radio (Routledge, 2002).
• Marcus D. Rosenbaum & John Dinges, eds., Sound Reporting: The National Public Radio Guide to Radio Journalism and Production (Kendall/Hunt Publishing Company, 1992).
• Randy Thom, Audiocraft: An Introduction to the Tools and Techniques of Audio Production, 2nd edition (National Federation of Community Broadcasters, 1989). [A new digital production edition is currently in draft form and may become available during the course of the semester].
• Linda Wertheimer, Ed., Listening to America: 25 Years in the Life of a Nation, as Heard on National Public Radio (Houghton Mifflin Company, 1995).
• Uganda Radio Network ~ Handbook for the URN Advanced Radio Journalism Course in Political Reporting: http://www.iwpr.net/pdf/urn_hbook_01.pdf

WEB SITES

• Talking History: Aural History Productions. Based at the University at Albany, a production, distribution, and instructional center for all forms of "aural" history. Its weekly radio show is broadcast over the air and via the internet. Contributing and consulting producers include: David Cohen (New Jersey Historical Commission), Dan Collison (On the Job Productions), Curtis Fox (The Past Present), Charles Hardy (West Chester University), David Isay (Sound Portraits), George King, James David Moran (The History Show), Joe Richman, George Liston Seay (Dialogue), and many more.
• Radio College <http://www.radiocollege.org/>. An outstanding radio training Web site. We will use many articles posted on it in this course.
• MATRIX (Recording & Audio Guides): http://www.historicalvoices.org/oralhistory/audio-tech.html
• Joe Richman's Radio Diaries Web Site. Description from the Web site: "Radio Diaries, Inc. is committed to producing a new kind of oral history. We work with people to document their own lives for public radio; teenagers, the elderly, workers, prison inmates and people in the forgotten corners of America. Our mission is to find extraordinary stories in ordinary places, and preserve these voices for generations to come."
• Transom.org [http://www.transom.org]. An outstanding radio production resource site, administered by Atlantic Public Media [http://www.atlantic.org], a non-profit organization, founded by Jay Allison. Based in Woods Hole, Massachusetts, it is devoted to serving "public broadcasting through training and mentorship, and through support for creative and experimental approaches to program production and distribution."
• The Audio Dimensions of History: A Bibliography and Guide to Audio and Textual Guide to Audio and Textual Sources on Historical Documentary Production for Radio, General Radio Production Techniques, and related Topics and Resources. [This document will be updated and enlarged periodically. Students and others are encouraged to recommend additions to the list. The bibliography is intended to be a resource for scholars, students, and the general public.]
• AIROS: American Indian Radio on Satellite. A radio distribution service created to "inform, educate and encourage the awareness of tribal histories, cultures, languages, opportunities and aspirations through the fullest participation of American Indians and Alaska Natives in creating and employing all forms of educational and public telecommunications programs and services, thereby supporting tribal sovereignty."
• Current. The on-line version of Current, a biweekly newspaper that covers news about U.S. public TV and radio.
• Soundprint. Homesite of a major documentary production center.
• American Radio Works. A major producer of public radio documentaries: "AMERICAN RADIOWORKS is public radio's largest documentary production unit. American RadioWorks creates documentaries, series projects, and investigative reports for the public radio system and the Internet. ARW is based at Minnesota Public Radio in St. Paul and also has staff journalists based in Washington and New York."
• Association of Independents in Radio (AIR). Major organization that promotes excellence in radio production work. Education and advocacy organization.
• The Canadian Society For Independent Radio Production. An organization founded in 1998 to serve the needs of professional and amateur radio producers and sound artists in Canada.
• Battery Radio <http://www.batteryradio.com/>. Battery Radio, headed by award-winning Chris Brookes, is an audio production company specializing in radio documentary features. Their work has been aired by stations around the world. Their studios are located in St. John's, Newfoundland (near the birthplace of radio).
• David Isay's Sound Portraits WWW Home Site. Examples of excellent documentary production work; see also the quick guide to documentary production available at that site.
• Documentary Sound. [http://wlt4.home.mindspring.com/adventures/documentary.htm]. Looking for specific sounds for a documentary? This Web site may help you find it. It's "a partial discography and guide to resources for documentary sound (son verite, field recordings, etc). These are things like recordings of the sounds heard at specific locations (beaches and forests, junkyards, highways), of animals/insects, of certain processes, etc."
• Lost and Found Sound. "Lost and Found Sound: An American Record is a collection of richly layered stories—evocative and haunting—that chronicle, reflect and celebrate the changing century-that mark the turn in sound. A special series designed to air on public radio throughout 1999 and into the year 2000."
• Canada's Version of Lost and Found Sound. [http://www.radio.cbc.ca/programs/thismorning/lfnsound/index.html]
• InterWorldRadio [http://www.interworldradio.org/index.cfm]. InterWorld Radio is a source of daily news bulletins and broadcast quality features for radio stations and online listeners. You can listen on line, or download audio files.
• This American Life. One of the best and most original shows on public/non-commercial radio. Features long-form and short-form documentaries and much, much more. Some history pieces, but mainly contemporary subjects.
• Third Coast International Audio Festival. [http://www.thirdcoastfestival.org/]. "The Third Coast International Audio Festival is a celebration of the best feature and documentary work heard worldwide on the radio and the Internet. Organized by a team based at Chicago Public Radio, the festival includes a competition, nationwide broadcast, conference, website and Chicago-based listening series, making it the first of its kind in North America. The Third Coast Festival (TCIAF) was designed to bring extraordinary and format-breaking radio to broader audiences, drawing listeners to radio's powerful ability to document the world we live in. Our mission is to enrich the opportunities available to veteran and rookie producers who are working to perpetuate this craft in fresh and vital ways."
• Listening Between the Lines [http://www.listeningbetweenthelines.org/]. Alan Lipke, Senior Producer/Project Director. Produces an ongoing series which "explores roots of and remedies for what may be America's most powerful and lasting predicament: the racial divide resulting from the longest, bloodiest, most successful campaign of domestic terrorism and propaganda in U.S. history. It highlights the historic (and heroic) role of minorities in fighting for democratic values and justice nationwide."
• Race With History / Creative Change Productions [http://www.racewithistory.org/]. "The Race With History project seeks oral histories, music, dance, poetry and all forms of cultural expression that can help tell the untold stories of people whose roots are in Africa, Asia, Latin America, and all parts of the globe. Many such stories remain to be told, discussed, turned over in our minds for their meaning, like cave drawings or trail maps of broken twigs, like moss on the side of a tree or the drinking gourd in the sky." Creator and Producer: Alan Lipke; Executive Producer and Managing Editor: Jude Thilman.
• Broadcasting History Links (from Elizabeth McLeod).
  "There's a lot of information available on the World Wide Web for those interested in the history of radio and television-- the programs, the personalities, the networks and the stations. Much of it is useful -- but there's also a lot of misinformation out there! The purpose of this site is to sift thru the mass of material found on-line and suggest some of the most worthwhile resources for the serious student of broadcasting history."

Please note most of the audio files available locally through this syllabus are encoded as "streaming" compressed audio files. That means that you will not have to wait for minutes or hours to download the whole file before starting to listen to it. Files begin playing as soon as usable audio packets have streamed down from the server to the client (your computer). However, you'll need appropriate audio streaming browser plug-in programs to hear audio files. Specifically, you'll need RealPlayer/RealOne compatible software. Whenever possible, I've also tried to provide you with MP3 versions of files that can be downloaded and played on an MP3 player. Most of you probably already have software capable of playing RealMedia and MP3 files installed on your computers, but they may be older versions that are incompatible with the present encoding. It's fairly easy and free to upgrade your older versions! For RealMedia files, click here and select "Free RealOne Player" to obtain RealOne software: RealOne.

EQUIPMENT AND SOFTWARE:

There are a variety of recorders now available for high quality audio recording: analog cassette, minidisc, DAT, CD-R, and hard-drive/flash card. There is also lots of "junk" out there that is absolutely inappropriate for recording production quality audio; if you have a cheap cassette recorder with a built in microphone at home that you think might be useful in preparing assignments for this course, forget it. Leave it at home. Chances are, it simply doesn't meet the technical standards necessary for radio production -- and using a recorder with a built-in microphone is never acceptable. Some pro-level analog and digital recording equipment (cassette and minidisk) will be available to you on short-term loan. Ideally, however, for more extensive recording and maximum flexibility, you should consider purchasing a good quality portable recorder and a stand-alone microphone (you can get them through local vendors or through professional audio suppliers such as B&H Photo-Video-Pro Audio Corp [www.bhphotovideo.com], BSW [http://www.bswusa.com], Bradley Broadcast [http://www.bradleybroadcast.com], Sweetwater [http://www.sweetwater.com], and Full Compass [http://www.fullcompass.com]). E-Bay is a good source of used equipment, though there are many other used equipment and auction sites now on the Internet.

Various software options are available to students for computer-based digital audio editing. Although we will utilize mainly Audacity -- a free program available for PC and Mac users -- and Cool Edit Pro (now known as Adobe "Audition") in class, some of you might already be familiar with Pro Tools or other digital editing suites. Feel free to use whatever you are most comfortable with. You can obtain information or purchase software at the following sites (as well as through third party vendors--some of whom offer educational discounts):

1) http://www.adobe.com/products/audition/main.html Adobe Audition. (formerly Synrillium's Cool Edit Pro).

2) Audacity <audacity.sourceforge.net>.

3) http://www.sonicfoundry.com or http://mediasoftware.sonypictures.com/ (Sony's Sound Forge and Vegas)

4) http://www.digidesign.com or http://www.protools.com (Pro Tools Free -- for Windows 98 and ME operating systems).

Class 1 (Monday, Sept. 11): "The Creative Treatment of Actuality": An Introduction to the Elements of Radio Documentary and Feature Production

Class 2 (Monday, Sept. 18): The Art and Range of Audio Documentaries and Features / Introduction to Audio Recording and Recorders

Readings:

[1] Charles Hardy, "You Work at Stetson's?" Produced in 1982. [Part of Hardy's "I Remember When" series]. Real Media | MP3.
By 1886, John B. Stetson owned the world’s biggest Hat factory in Philadelphia and employed nearly 4,000 workers. The factory was putting out about 2 million hats a year by 1906. Stetson was a pioneer in mechanizing the art of hat manufacturing. He was also part of a movement of liberal business reform in the early 20th century, now referred to as "welfare capitalism." He offered a variety of benefits to his employees, including free health care -- and gave shares in his company to valued workers. As a philanthropist, he founded Stetson University in Deland, Florida, and built a Philadelphia hospital. This documentary, based on oral interviews with former Stetson employees, looks as the industrial world that Stetson created. It was produced by Charles Hardy as part of his "I Remember When" documentary series on Philadephia history.

[2] Henry Sapoznik, Dave Isay, and Yair Reiner, "The Radio Dramas of Nahum Stutchkoff." Part of the Yiddish Radio Project. To listen, go to: http://yiddishradioproject.org/exhibits/stutchkoff/. "Yiddish playwright, actor, and linguist Nahum Stutchkoff (1893-1965) authored some of the most intensely emotional dramas ever broadcast on radio. Every week, his Yiddish radio plays portrayed a different fictional Jewish family struggling to adapt to life in America."

[3] Dan Collison, "Mississippi Freedom Democratic Party." Producer: Dan Collison.
28.8 | 56. "In 1964, most people assumed that the Democratic National Convention would serve as little more than a coronation of Lyndon Johnson as the Democratic nominee for President. However, controversy erupted when the mostly black Mississippi Freedom Democratic party challenged the all white regular Mississippi Democratic delegation on the convention floor." This piece chronicles their efforts.

[4] "Remembering Stonewall." Producer: David Isay (1989).
28.8 | 56 | ISDN. Produced in 1989 by David Isay to commemorate the 20th anniversary of the Stonewall Riots in New York City. It was the first documentary--in any medium--about Stonewall. An excerpt from the Sound Portraits WWW site notes: "On Friday, June 27, 1969, eight officers from the public morals section of the first division New York City Police Department pulled up in front of the Stonewall Inn, one of the city's largest and most popular gay bars. At the time, the vice squad routinely raided gay bars. Patrons always complied with the police, frightened by the prospect of being identified in the newspaper. But this particular Friday night at the Stonewall Inn was different. It sparked a revolution, and a hidden subculture was transformed into a vibrant political movement. What began with a drag queen clobbering her arresting officer soon escalated into a full-fledged riot, and modern gay activism was born."

[5] "A Year in the Life: Beginning the Struggle for Gay and Lesbian Rights in Albany New York, 1987-88," by Stephanie Madnick (2000).
28.8 | 56. The Stonewall Riots brought national attention to the struggle for lesbian and gay rights; however, most legislative initiatives originated in city councils and state legislatures as a result of grassroots efforts. This work looks at the the political and policy history of gay rights legislation in one upstate New York community. Stephanie Madnick, a doctoral student in the University at Albany History Department, produced A Year in the Life as a project for this course in 2000. It is part of her ongoing research into how the gay and lesbian community in Albany, NY learned to operate in the world of legislative and machine politics, and how, in a city with the longest running Democratic machine in American history, the emergence of gay rights activists into the political arena fundamentally altered party politics.

[6] "Remembering Kent State, 1970," by Mark Urycki (2002).
"When thirteen students were shot by Ohio National Guard Troops during a war demonstration on the Kent State University Campus on the first week of May 1970, four young lives were ended and a nation was stunned. More than 30 years later, the world at war is a different place. However, those thirteen seconds in May, 1970 still remain scorched into an Ohio hillside. Through archival tape and interviews, Remembering Kent State tracks the events that led up to the shootings. (59:10) Aired on WKSU-FM on May 5, 2002." To listen, go to Talking History, at: http://www.albany.edu/talkinghistory/arch2003jan-june.html (scroll down to the May 8, 2003 broadcast) OR go to the Third Coast Festival 2002 Winners' page and scroll down to the documentary: http://www.thirdcoastfestival.org/pages/extras/competition/winners_full_2002.html.

[7] "The WASPs: Women Pilots of WWII." Producer Joe Richman/Radio Diaries (Dec. 2002).
Real Media | MP3. "In the early 1940s, the US Airforce faced a dilemma. Thousands of new airplanes were coming off assembly lines and needed to be delivered to military bases nationwide, yet most of America's pilots were overseas fighting the war. To solve the problem, the government launched an experimental program to train women pilots. They were known as the WASPs, the Women Airforce Service Pilots." This is their story.

[8] "Emma Goldman: The Courage to Struggle" (1991).
Real Media | MP3. This documentary, produced by Trish Valva in 1991 for Pacifica Radio, offers a fascinating look at a 20th century anarchist and feminist who struggled her whole life for free speech, the right to birth control, and women’s equality. It includes interviews with Dr. Candace Falk, editor of the Emma Goldman Papers, Mollie Ackerman, Goldman’s personal secretary, and Ora Robbins, whose family provided a home while Robbins was a teenager.

[9] "Little Bits of Diamonds: Jimmy Breslin's Reinvention of the Urban Newspaper Column." This is Vonnie Quinn's Columbia University Radio Masters project in radio journalism. To listen, go to: http://www.jrn.columbia.edu/studentwork/radio/masters/2005/index.asp.

[10] Crossing East (2006), episode 3 ("Raising Cane"). Available on electronic reserve. Crossing East is an 8-part series of one-hour documentaries on the history of Asian American immigration, from the 1600s to the present. This episode focuses on the earliest encounters between Asians and North Americans and Europeans. For more information on Crossing East, go to:<www.crossingeast.org>.

Class 4 (Monday, Oct. 2): NO CLASS

Class 4 (Monday, Oct. 9): Recording and Producing Interviews, II/ Introduction to Digital Editing

Readings:

• Tips for Interviewers. From Willa K. Baum, Oral History for the Local Historical Society. Tips for Interviewers.
• Terry Gross on the art of interviewing (recorded speech, Union College, 11/13/2002). Audio. Available only on the course electronic reserve site and not to the general public. Sorry (Terry's restriction!).
• Jay Allison, "Recording/Interviewing." From the Transom.org Web site.
• Selections from Pete Seeger: A Life, a highly produced interview by Alan Chartock. Audio. MP3 | RealMedia
• Selections from Jan Weiner interview by Alan Chartock.
  Audio. MP3 | RealMedia.
• Marcus D. Rosenbaum & John Dinges, eds., Sound Reporting: The National Public Radio Guide to Radio Journalism and Production (Kendall/Hunt Publishing Company, 1992), pp. 35-45; 81-89; 283-288. On electronic reserve.
• Transom.org ~ short introduction to digital editing: <http://www.transom.org/tools/editing_mixing/200101.editing.bgolding.html>
• Cool Edit Pro tutorial (BBC), parts 1- 4. http://www.bbctraining.com/onlineCourse.asp?tID=2292&cat=2772.
  or
  Audacity Tutorial: http://audacity.sourceforge.net/manual-1.2/tutorials.html (see also the guide at Transom.org: http://www.transom.org/tools/editing_mixing/200404.audacity.html)
• Chapter 3 ("Conducting Interviews") in Donald A. Ritchie, Doing Oral History (New York, 1995). On electronic reserve.
• Tape synchs: http://www.airmedia.org/PageInfo.php?PageID=172

Listen To:

Counter Cultures by Shoshana Stein. Produced for the Capital Voices ~ Capital Lives project. RealMedia | MP3

Project/Assignment: Record a short interview, ideally one that will be useful to you for your final documentary project. This might be an interview with a scholar who is very familiar with the topic of the documentary (and can provide perspective and information), or with a principal witness/character. Submit the recording on tape, CD, DAT, or minidisk.

Recommended Readings:

• Office of Sponsored Research ~ Human Subject Research Information and Forms. http://www.albany.edu/tree-tops/research/osp/humansubjects_page.html
• The Belmont Report. Office of the Secretary Ethical Principles and Guidelines for the Protection of Human Sbjects of Research. The National Commission for the Protection of Human Subjects of Biomedical and Behavioral Research (April 18, 1979). http://ohrp.osophs.dhhs.gov/humansubjects/guidance/belmont.htm.
• Principles and Standards of the Oral History Association (Rev., 2000) http://www.dickinson.edu/organizations/oha/EvaluationGuidelines.html
• Marantz PMD 222 User Manual. Available on electronic reserve and at: http://www.marantzpro.com/Products/PMD222.html
• Interview Release Form (Oral History Program, SUNYA).
• Principles of Digital Audio. Prof. Jeffrey Hass, Center for Electronic and Computer Music, Indiana University. Check out the other chapters in this "on-line" book.

Class 5 (Monday, Oct. 16): Working with Archival and Heritage Audio / Digital Editing, II

Archival Resources:

WWW Links:

Class 8 (Monday, Nov. 6): Short-Form Documentaries: Structure and Function in Aural Composition

Class 9 (Monday, Nov. 13): Legal, Ethical, and Political Issues in Broadcasting

WWW Links:

Class 12 (Monday, Dec. 4): Getting Your Programming on the Air and to the Public: Traditional Broadcasting, Podcasting, and Internet Program Delivery

WWW Links: