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Course Syllabus

COMM 1560 Radio Performance I

  • Division: Fine Arts, Comm, and New Media
  • Department: Communications
  • Credit/Time Requirement: Credit: 3; Lecture: 3; Lab: 0
  • Semesters Offered: Fall
  • Semester Approved: Fall 2022
  • Five-Year Review Semester: Summer 2027
  • End Semester: Summer 2028
  • Optimum Class Size: 12
  • Maximum Class Size: 15

Course Description

Students contribute to the Snow College student radio station, KAGE-FM. Lecture and lab situations combine to provide students with the background and skills required to meet the needs of the radio communications industry. Students are exposed to both analog and digital studio systems, including digital multitrack production techniques. Work may include station management, announcing, production of promos, public service announcements, underwriting, news, or sports reporting. Students will learn to create and organize a professional-quality radio portfolio consisting of a broadcast aircheck, production samples, resume, and related materials. Emphasis will be placed on voice, performance, and adapting to an audience.

Justification

This course covers creating, developing, producing, and presenting audio programming elements for broadcast. Emphasis is placed on the proper operation of professional audio equipment and the study of basic physical behavior and perceptual effects of sound.Upon completion, students should be able to correctly operateaudio recording and playback equipment and demonstrate anunderstanding of the basic components of sound, which is a marketable skill. This course will transfer as a COMM Elective to other USHE institutions.

Student Learning Outcomes

  1. Students will learn the techniques and disciplines of radio field and studio production through hands-on experience. As part of assignments, students will operate radio production and studio equipment.
  2. Students will understand and undertake the jobs necessary to produce remote programs. These jobs include: planning, scripting, rehearsing and executing a recording session.
  3. Students will understand the importance of completing work on a deadline.
  4. Students will demonstrate an understanding of the physics of sound, as students produce commercials, public service announcements, and promotional announcements.

Course Content

The following topics will be covered in class: Terminology for broadcast news; Elements of radio broadcast news; Fundamentals of audio recorder operation; Digital editing techniques and principles; Performing techniques for reporters; Electronic news gathering.Students actively participate in scriptwriting, editing, producing commercials, public service announcements, and newscasters in a studio setting. Students will receive practical experience and basic knowledge of audio production, including the principles of sound, announcing, scriptwriting, microphone technique, board operation, storytelling, program production, leadership, and organization.