CREATE A RADIO STATION FOR YOUR SCHOOL

1 Hour Media Enterprise Workshop

1. Aims and Objectives

2. Resources

3. Background

4. Pupil Activity:

Stage 1 - A Brief Discussion About Audio Broadcasting (Radio)

Stage 2 - Our School Radio Station - Whats on?

Stage 3 - Creating the Station

Stage 4 - Presentation & Review

1. Aims and Objectives

This workshop will challenge teams of pupils to create (on paper) a school radio station. To beginthey will decide upon the various considerations for a radio station including target audience, aimsof the station and programme content ideas.

These decisions will form the brief for their school station from which the pupils will create anexciting identity and communicate their objectives through a catchy slogan/jingle which will thenbe written up on a poster and presented to the other groups.

It is envisaged that during the workshop the pupils should take part in the following:

Work collaboratively in a team to produce creative concepts.

Communicate complex ideas in a simple and engaging way.

Understand the interests and issues that affect school/pupil body as a whole. Discover creative ways to meet the communication needs within the school.

Solve problems in a work-like scenario.

Presentation of ideas to peer group.

2. Resources

The following resources will be required for the workshop:

Large sheets of paper for each group to present their ideas on flip chart paper or similar.

Black and coloured pens to record ideas on the poster. Other art style items could also beprovided to allow the decoration on the presentation poster if desired and this can occupygroups who finish ahead of time.

A flip chart for presentation or blue tack to affix posters to chalkboard or wall.

3. Background

A key activity in an enterprise or media environment is collaborating on creative ideas.There are two key factors required in order to do this successfully:

1. A clear understanding of the groups objectives including what they are trying tocommunicate to their listeners and who their listeners actually are.

2. Everyone should contribute, even those ideas which some individuals might considerto be not very good some of the best creative content comes from mistakes and veryrarely does a finished article come straight from someones mouth. It is much more likelythe final outcome will be the result of different ideas being brought together as a groupbefore deciding on the right and final idea.

4. Pupil Activity

Stage 1 - A Brief Discussion About Audio Broadcasting (Radio) Stage 1

This should last approximately 10 mins

Start the workshop with a brief discussion about the pupils experience of radio including whatstations they listen to, how and where do they listen - in the kitchen, bedroom or in the car or theway to school and if it is via the radio, internet or a podcast. And finally what these programmesinclude i.e. news, weather, drama, comedy, sports commentary and discussion, phone-ins, jingles,adverts, music, competitions, documentary, outside broadcasts etc.

Stage 2 - Our School Radio Station Whats On?

This should last approximately 15 mins

Pupils should work in groups and use the flipchart paper to discuss ideas as to the who, what andhow of their radio station. They should decide or be directed as to who their target audience mightbe and work towards what they feel will interest their audience and how they can put the contentacross. Here are some examples of questions groups should consider:

Please note it may be useful to work on the following three elements simultaneously rather thanindividually as one area will often inspire the other

Who? Who will your radio station be for?Who is your target audience?

What? What are the audience interested in?What ideas and content would you like to communicate?What information would be helpful to the group?What would make them excited by your station?What will get the group involved?

How? How can the above ideas be put on the radio?How would you make shows containing the content above?How will you get people involved?

The difference between What and How stages can be difficult to appreciate but essentially this iswhat the pupils want to do with their radio station and how they will do it. For example a groupputting together a radio station for senior pupils might decide on Study Notes under the Whatsection. However reading Study Notes over the radio might sound quite dull therefore ideasshould be discussed under the How section as to how to make Study Notes sound more exciting.This might include a phone-in style show using different subject teachers to answer commonlyasked questions and providing study tips.

Stage 3 - Creating the Station

The groups should now be able to create ideas for the identity of the station. Using ideas relevantto the target audience and what the group aims to achieve, the identity should include thefollowing:

Please note as with Stage 2 it may be useful to work on these three elements simultaneously in orderto generate inspiration for the other.

Station Name

Pick a name for the station

The name should be short (three words or less) and capture the concept of the station and/oridentify the target audience. Using creative word play such as double meanings or alliteration willbe extremely effective in this exercise.

Some Commercial Examples:

Radio Clyde This name identifies with any listener near the River Clyde or Clyde valley. Thiscovers all of west central Scotland which fits with the stations coverage areaand creates the concept of locality and relevance.

XFM Is a youth station that operates in several different localities so rather thangeography it sums up its concept with XFM relating to Generation X or the Xfactor (magic ingredient rather than TV show)

Capital Radio Based in London this station combines concept and geography in its nameidentifying itself to its audience in the capital city as well as using capital in itsmeaning as first rate or highly important.

Station Jingle

Create a Jingle for your station by coming up with a short phrase that sums up what you are tryingto get across to your audience.

Station Slogan

The group should now create a slogan for the station. This piece of text will give the targetaudience more information about the station and what kind of content they can expect to hear andshould therefore be longer than the jingle.

Stage 4 - Presentation and Review

Once pupils have decided upon their station identity their ideas should be written up on a flip chartor large piece of paper. Theses ideas should be written up in the form of the six sections of thisbrief (see front page) and should be done in the form of a presentation poster.

The groups should now present their ideas to their class, with each member explaining at least oneof the six sections and how they arrived at their idea. Other groups should be given theopportunity to ask questions about the station and feedback should be given, highlightingcommunication techniques where possible.