Q It Up: Still not using Pro Tools? Why haven't you made the switch? -- Part 1
Q It Up: Still not using Pro Tools? Why haven't you made the switch? What program are you using now, and why have you stayed with this one? Have you tried any others along the way? And if you are a Pro Tools user, have you always been, or did you switch from some other program? Which one or ones did you migrate from and how did they compare to Pro Tools?
(This question has been carried over to the RAPforum for further discussion.)
Feature: Is Branding B.S? Do "branding" campaigns have a place in local advertising?
by Sheldon Hovde
A while ago, I had one of our Sales Reps drop a book on my desk called "The Ad Contrarian – Getting Beyond the Fleeting Trends, False Goals, and Dreadful Jargon of Contemporary Advertising." Well, with a title like that it sounded interesting enough, so I took it home, read it over, and I liked it... a lot. Without going over the book in its entirety, this particular point stuck with me: "They go to Target today, and Wal-Mart tomorrow. They wear Nikes today, and Adidas tomorrow. They sign up for Verizon today and Sprint tomorrow. Most of their buying decisions are for specific, immediate reasons. Not for mysterious sociological, cultural, or emotional reasons. Most brands are so similar, and their so-called brand personalities are so transparently contrived, that consumers have become nearly immune to "branding."
Production 212: Please Pass the Gouda
by Dave Foxx
I've just returned from a most marvelous experience in Holland, speaking to hundreds of radio folks in Hilversum at The Netherland's "Radiodag" or Radio Days. For those who've never been there, just visiting Holland is a very special treat. The people are incredibly friendly and thanks in some part to American TV shows, most of them speak excellent English. The food is good, the cheese divine and the climate is usually a lot like Seattle. After the first day though, the clouds parted and we had glorious sunshine all week. But rather than give you a complete travelogue, I want to share with you what I spoke about over three different sessions with broadcast producers from all over the region. You will no doubt recognize bits and pieces of things I've written about before here; they form the base of what I consider to be the most important things you can know and use in radio production.
Test Drive: Recording and Editing on iGizmos
by Steve Cunningham
As I write this it's early June, which means I am not teaching at the university, and I am waiting for a dialog recording gig to start in a couple of weeks. So this month we won't be diving headlong into some deep recording software or comprehensive suite of plug-in processors. Instead we'll take a look at some fun, inexpensive (but useful) iGoodies for doing our jobs. We're talking widgets that will let you record and edit, after a fashion, on your iPod Touch, iPhone or especially your iPad.
...And Make It Real Creative: Being Wally Wingert, Act I
by Trent Rentsch
I don't think there's a radio Creative on the planet (present company included) who hasn't at one time or another dreamed of doing high profile National voice-over. For most, dreaming is as far as they take it. Wally Wingert wasn't content to simply dream. I still remember the day word buzzed through the KELO studios back in the late '80s. "Wally is moving to LA! He's going to give it a shot!" I'm sure there was both skepticism and envy in all of our minds... working in Sioux Falls, SD, he might as well have announced that he was walking to Jupiter. But even then, I knew that when push comes to shove, you always bet on Wally. Pity I didn't put down some cash. Today, he does countless voices for Family Guy, brings Ant-Man to life on the Avengers... Earth's Mightiest Heroes, and those are just the beginning. For instance, he's the announcer for a little talk show you might have heard of... The Jay Leno Show. Yet, for all his success, he's still the friendly, engaging, funny guy from South Dakota. I consider it my honor to introduce Wally Wingert...
Radio Hed: This May Not Be For You
by Jeffrey Hedquist
We once created a radio commercial that aired in New York City -- to reach one person -- a certain media buyer. Yes, it was an extremely high cost per thousand buy, but it worked. The dollars that went into the radio schedule and creation of the spot got the results we wanted which justified the investment. As an added benefit, it not only motivated that media buyer to respond, but also got the attention of several others.
Personal Computing: Is the PC Really Dying?
by Reid Goldsborough
The death knell of the venerable personal computer has been particularly loud lately. Among the most boisterous auguries: ♦ Bill Gates' successor as chief software architect at Microsoft, Ray Ozzie, predicted a "post-PC world" in a farewell blog post this past October (ozzie.net/docs/dawn-of-a-new-day). The reason is the burgeoning popularity of media tablets, smartphones, and "cloud"-based software.
The Monday Morning Memo: Sheepdogs Be Damned
by Roy H. Williams
People are infuriated by ads that get their attention. The public doesn't want to pay attention. They're working hard at not paying attention. "Why can't you just bury your dollars in the Yellow Pages like everyone else? Why won't you sound like other people on the radio so we can ignore your ads the way we ignore theirs? Give us a break. We really, really, really want to ignore you."
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