Online Journalism News

Meet the Trainers: Richard Scrase - Podcasting for journalists and other communicators

Journalism.co.uk has lined up a host of great trainers for our short courses covering social media, podcasting and search engine optimisation for journalists and other communications professionals.

On June 24, Richard Scrase (pictured), freelance producer and journalist, takes our one-day course on podcasting: what equipment you'll need, best editing practice and how to package your audio.

In the next in our series of interviews with the trainers, Journalism.co.uk asks Scrase for his top tips on podcasting as a tool for journalists and other communications professionals:

When did you first start podcasting/making audio packages yourself?
In 2002 during my MSc in Science Media Communication at Imperial College. My tutor was Gareth Mitchell, who works for the BBC presenting Digital Planet amongst a variety of other activities. We started off preparing packages for the Imperial College online radio station and I ended the year recording and presenting my first documentary - for the BBC World Service.

What are the benefits for journalists and news organisations in podcasting?
The benefit to news organisations is that they can extend their audience. They can re-work material they have already gathered into another medium, that people will listen to while doing other work, as you might to the radio. There is also material that means so much more as audio - take the podcasts produced by music magazines froots and Songlines for example.

The utilitarian benefit to journalists is that they extend the range of work they can do. I do think that producing audio packages allows another route to reflecting on your own work - how you interview, how well you listen. This can improve your written work too.

I also think it's good to refresh yourself by having a go at something different. What's more, if you are managing people producing audio material, it gives you an insight into their working process. 

What are your top tips for getting started in this medium?
Persuade your manager/customer that hearing the interviewee(s) would add interest to your piece. Most journalists already record their interviews.

Buy a new digital recorder with decent quality built-in microphones (around £200 - £300). This will allow you to record sound files that can be transferred into your computer as easily as you transfer images from your camera.

Take a little more care with the recording process, record yourself asking questions, and then have a go at making a five-minute piece using the recordings.

What's your biggest 'don't' or most frequently spotted podcast problem on publishers' sites?
Over long pieces that add nothing to the written story and poor audio quality, which is particularly a problem with video podcasts.

A full list of Journalism.co.uk's courses can be see on the training pages. For more information or to book a place, contact ed at journalism.co.uk.

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