Where to go to learn
One of the best parts of my job is learning. Please don’t tell my family this, but–gasp!–I do not have all of the answers. In fact, I think I have very few of the answers when it comes to writing, editing or producing, but I do have a lot of questions. So, when I’m starting a new project, I try to ask, “Who could help me with this or teach me more about it?”
Here’s what I’ve found thus far. The truly best part of my job is helping others so, with that in mind, I wanted to share with you the newsletters, organizations, training programs and podcasts that continue to teach me about excellence in writing, audio production and being a better human to others.
Public Media For All
This is a volunteer group of public media professionals, pressing public media organizations to adopt their 11 Actions Items to make diversity, equity and inclusion an integral part of all business and content decisions. Last November, I virtually attended Public Media For All’s Day of Action: From Ally To All-In and it was terrific. You can read the transcript from that virtual gathering and find out more here.
OIGO Newsletter
I started subscribing to this newsletter last February and it has been a year’s worth of great reads. Ernesto Aguilar, currently Director of Radio Programming, writes this bi-monthly dispatch, focused on Latino/a, Latine, Latinx content, audiences and engagement in public media. It’s a mix of interviews with content creators, deep-dive research on audience trends and interests, and a curated list of interesting Latino-centered news stories plus new story ideas. I appreciate OIGO’s deep thinking about audience and institutional issues and the round-up of well-reported stories from the last month is not-to-be-missed.
Radio Boot Camp
Somehow I kept typing “Radio Book Camp,” which is kind of fitting, too. Here is your BEST ONLINE EDUCATION in audio production, in business planning for a series, in better writing and better hosting. I’ve taken one course with this group, which was excellent. Sally Herships has recruited top-of-the-field professionals who are great instructors as well. If you’re not ready to sign up for a course, make sure you’re following Radio Boot Camp on LinkedIn to find out about terrific audio-related opportunities.
Sound Judgment Newsletter and Podcast
This newsletter and podcast are created by Elaine Appleton Grant and her colleagues at Podcast Allies. If Radio Boot Camp is your online education, Sound Judgment is your master’s degree (though Podcast Allies offers training and coaching for all experience levels). I think the newsletter and podcast are especially useful to seasoned producers and hosts who know they have fallen into some writing or presentation ruts and are ready to push their skills to the next level. In particular, I love that Elaine always shows, doesn’t tell. You can hear in the audio examples how someone elevated a good story to an unforgettable one. Because why settle for good when you are capable of great?
AIR Media
From webinars, to grant opportunities, to free tools (like negotiating your pay rate) to networking to mentorships, AIR is the place to start. There is an annual fee for membership to access these resources, but to me, it’s worth it. In the unlikely event that you don’t find the information or education you’re looking for among their webinars, you’re connected to a whole network of generous producers and talent who, in my experience, are happy to help and advise.
As I said, these are my favorites THUS FAR. What should I add to my list? Where and how are you learning to take your writing, producing, project management, host whispering skills to the next level?
