The People and Nature Centre team held a workshop in ‘Community Radio – Best Practices in Recording and Producing a Programme’ with the Radio Kotagiri team from 17th to 21st August. The team had an immersive week with theory and practical sessions – where they practiced and learned about the various concepts of sound, recording, studio equipment and audience engagement.
The team fleshed out programme workflows in the studio, and on the field while experimenting with techniques in recording, editing and broadcasting new content effectively. In addition, they also devised new modes of remote working which is particularly important during the COVID-19 scenario, through mastering low-quality phone recordings and phone-based editing.
One of the days in the workshop was conducted in collaboration with the Kwol Radio team and Community Foundations group – Porivarai, in Malligoppaiyur village, Aracode region. The participants undertook recording and editing for various ongoing programmes such as Chutties Kutties (Children’s Programme); Namma Vyavasayam (Programme of Traditional Agriculture). Furthermore, they created audio transitions, jingles and various other components that will be broadcast on Radio Kotagiri 90.4 MHz.
The participants of the workshop also practiced recording a live jamming session and drum circle with a group of young craft practitioners and musicians in Aracode, facilitated by Porivarai. This was imagined as a ‘Training of Trainers’ and will be followed up with subsequent training of volunteers, field reporters and freelance content creators for Radio Kotagiri.
By Ranjani Prasad
