How To Produce A Story
Charles is a graduate of Youth Voices. He did his radio story on the digital divide. Here, he gives some tips on how to create a radio story.
1. Pick a Story
The story has to be interesting to many groups of people. For example, I did a story about how it’s sometimes hard for teenagers to get access to computers in schools, libraries and neighborhood centers. This could be interesting to a lot of different people — other teenagers, parents, teachers, principals, librarians, and people in the community who want to help teenagers.
2. Narrow Down the Story
I wanted to do a story about the digital divide. I decided to report on how it affects teenagers in Washington, DC. That helped narrow down the story. I also decided to focus on students getting access to computers. That also helped focus the story.
3. Getting Started
You want to find out if there are reports or data about your topic. I looked at the website for the National Telecommunications and Information Administration and found out how many homes in Washington, DC don’t have computers in their study, “A Nation Online”. I wanted to know how many students at my school don’t have computers. No-one had that information so I took a random poll of 102 Wilson High students.
You also have to think about who to interview for your story. I decided to interview students and teachers at my high school, the librarian at my neighborhood library, and people in Washington, DC's technology office.
You next have to write up questions for your interviews. For example, these are questions I asked students at my school:
- What’s your name and grade?
- Why don’t you have a computer at home?
- Where do you get access to a computer?
- If that doesn’t work, do you have other ways to access a computer?
- How does not having a computer affect your schoolwork?
4. Doing Interviews
Make sure you have tested your recording equipment to see if it works before going out on an interview. Bring extra batteries and extra minidisks to record on. Always wear your headphones during the interview.
Don’t be so serious during your interview, because that could cause tension and stress. The best way of making things cool and smooth is to talk to the person a little bit before you turn on your recording equipment. Do a pre-interview, and tell the person a little bit about your story. It helps warm people up.
Unless you want ambient sound, try to interview people in a quiet place. Always get 30 seconds of ambient sound before starting your interview.
5. Choosing Quotes:
Now its time to look for quotes! Look for the ones that are important for your story and can answer the audiences’ questions. For example, my digital divide story makes the point that it’s sometimes hard to get access to public computers. I chose a quote from a student that explains why it’s hard. He talks about how the waiting lists for computers at public libraries are booked up:
Student: Sometimes the library will be full of names; the list will be full, so it’s a little bit kind of difficult for me.
6. Writing the Script
Writing a script for a radio story is like proving your point. For example, my story proves in three different ways how it can be hard to access public computers. It can be hard to get enough time on computers at school libraries, neighborhood libraries and community centers.
The script will have quotes that back up or explain a point. For example, I say we have to use computers for school assignments. I back up that point by using a quote from my teacher Mr. Jonathan Loomis:
Nothing could be handwritten or taped. Students had to use a computer to finish the project.
The style of writing is also important. In radio you write as if you are talking with a friend. Here’s an example of writing from my story:
It was my father's idea to send me to school in the United States, where I can get a good education in English. But at Woodrow Wilson Senior High School, you need a computer to get a lot of your work done.
I hope these tips help!