Analytic listening: a case study of radio production

Radio is the ultimate auditory display: all information is conveyed aurally to a listener. Sound from a radio invokes visual images in the imagination of a listener, the theatre of the mind. Listening to a radio voice creates images of a person talking from a studio live to their audience, providing information and entertainment. However, much radio is pre-recorded, produced in a radio studio at a different time and replayed on cue, often controlled by sophisticated computer systems. The art of radio production relies on developing excellent listening skills. The craft of radio production now relies extensively on digital audio technology. How has the process of radio production changed with the introduction of new technology, particularly the visualization of audio on a computer screen? Have these changes affected the listening skills of radio producers and has this affected the quality of radio production? This paper explores these issues based on individual interviews with experienced radio producers and the author’s experience in training new producers.