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Audio Production – Editing within words (VIDEO)

Editing words in a clean, impossible-to-detect, way is easier than you’d expect. In this video, Rivet production wiz George Drake, Jr. walks you through how to edit within (rather than between) words.

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Top 5 talk show don’ts

There are as many ways to make a great talk show as there are people to host them. Your point-of-view, background, and voice combine to create something unique in the audience’s ears. But there are...

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Voiceover resources

Professionally-voiced intros can make a show “pop,” and help enhance a show’s brand. Here are some ways to find voiceovers on the cheap. It’s important to point out we haven’t used all of these...

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Fair use of audio

Just because you can find something on the on the web doesn’t mean you have the right to use it; crediting a source isn’t always enough. If you want to use third party audio, you’ll want to seek...

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The social media ‘traveling trophy’ winner for June, 2015

Which Rivet newsroom story got shared the most in June, and what was the secret to its success?  Rivet’s most-visited story (as determined by Google Analytics’ unique pageviews) for June was written...

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What’s the ideal length?

What’s the optimal length for your content? This Adweek piece says 22 minutes is the sweet spot for podcasters. Then again, this site says to keep it under 15. The advice we give our team is to produce...

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Self-critiquing

Critiquing yourself is one of the best things you can do to improve your show. Forcing yourself to listen–really listen–to your work allows you to learn from your successes and mistakes. When I hosted...

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Using music as an intro (VIDEO)

Want to use music to kick off your story or show? Rivet audio production ace George Drake, Jr. shows you how.

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Covering politics in your show? Here are some tweeps to follow

If the past few months have been any indication, we’re in for a long, fluffy, gaffe- and poll-filled ramp-up to the 2016 presidential elections. As the former producer and social media manager for Ken...

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Finding your point of view

Want to host a show but don’t know where to start? The most effective web content, from blogs to podcasts, serves a niche audience. What’s your niche? What are you truly passionate about? Zero in on...

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Where to find sound for your content (VIDEO)

As we’ve mentioned before in our Fair Use post, you need to be careful when sourcing external audio content. Rivet production whiz George Drake, Jr. shows you some essential resources and ways to get...

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Your voice

When confronted with a live microphone, people tend to alter their voices to sound more “radio-like.” If you’re one of those people, stop it. Trust yourself to be yourself. “Radio voices” are cornball...

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The social media ‘traveling trophy’ winner for July, 2015

Which Rivet newsroom story got shared the most in July, and what was the secret to its success?  Rivet’s most-visited story (as determined by Google Analytics’ unique pageviews) for July was produced...

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How did I do that? Anatomy of a story’s creation

I recently published a piece about why the tech industry favors female names/voices in modern technology. To help you understand what’s involved with building content like this, I’ve broken down every...

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Time elements

When you publish audio content, it may not be heard for a while. Someone may discover it hours later, or perhaps the next day or week.  This calls for a different approach to time elements. Here are a...

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How to tell a memorable sports story

Sports stories are so easy to write, even robots can do it. The Associated Press is using automated technology to write thousands of stories about college games. It uses software which takes game data...

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Top 5 things you need to broadcast on a budget

As an amateur podcaster with small pockets, I know how difficult making a quality audio program can be. I’ve spent a fair amount of money on high-quality accessories, but I still have nowhere close to...

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The virtues of being yourself

Very few essays about talk radio begin with a quote from a long dead French novelist, but I feel it’s important that Jean Giraudoux gets the credit that he so richly deserves. That’s because he’s the...

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What’s next? The art of teasing

If you want your listeners to come back for the next episode, give them a reason. Always be thinking ahead about what the next 2-5 shows might include (guests, topics, features). Tease what’s coming up...

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Interview style tips

The key to a successful interview on Rivet is to ensure it fights for its audience’s attention — that it’s engaging from the first word, so listeners get right up front a reason not to skip. That means...

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Covering press conferences or news-related events

Extreme weather, traffic jams, limited parking and large crowds are just some of the many variables that can come into play when heading out to an event. Ideally, it’s good to get there 15-30 minutes...

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Recommendations for On-Air Oral Interpretation: ‘Speak in thoughts. Not in...

With his permission, I’m sharing this news writing and delivery advice from legendary TV news manager Paul Davis. — CM   1. Never read “words.” Communicate “thoughts” and phrases. For example, a name...

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All guests are not created equal

When it comes to booking interview guests, conventional wisdom says to book the person most conversant on the topic you’re covering. But what if there are a few guests who can get the job done? Who...

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The social media ‘traveling trophy’ winner for September, 2015

Which Rivet newsroom story got shared the most in September, and what was the secret to its success? Rivet’s most-visited story (as determined by Google Analytics’ unique pageviews) for September was a...

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Don’t be afraid of silence

Make your peace with silence. There will be moments as you’re recording your show when your brain simply stops working. That clever comment you had banked for just the right moment will fall into...

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From the Excellence in Journalism convention: New tools, audio tips, delivery...

Notes from some great sessions at the Excellence in Journalism 2015 convention in Orlando, Fla. NEW TOOLS From the great Al Tompkins at the Poynter Institute: Ringr: “Lets you connect with virtually...

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Stop beating a dead horse

Know when it’s time to move on. It takes practice and work to develop an instinct that tells you when enough’s enough, and that a topic or idea has been exhausted. You know that rule, “Leave ’em...

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Know what you don’t know

You can’t possibly know everything. There’s no way to have a PhD-level understanding of everything you talk about, and you shouldn’t pretend you know more than you do. Listeners can tell when you’re...

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Three secrets for writing and reading the way you talk

One of the toughest jobs in the world of audio and broadcasting is to sound like you’re not reading. Even when you are. But your goal should be to write something that, when read, doesn’t sound like it...

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Live and local? Try being real and relevant. (GUEST BLOG)

I have a confession. I was, once, a radio presenter. I fact, I held this job down for over ten years. I was doing this alongside other things I was doing. One of those “other” jobs was as a trainer for...

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‘The Onion’ gets it right: Don’t be this podcaster.

The headline says it all: Podcaster Makes Solemn Promise To Improve Sound Quality Next Episode Don’t apologize for things listeners likely don’t care about or realize. Little things that may bug you,...

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Using music as a segment break (VIDEO)

Wanna “hit the post?” Rivet production whiz George Drake, Jr. shows you how to use music for segment breaks.

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Audience participation

Hosting a show should never be a one-way dialog. The main disadvantage you have as a host is that your show isn’t live and “in the moment.” All the more reason to keep your audience engaged. Here are...

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Eliminating ‘pops’ in voiced content (VIDEO)

“Popped Ps” can kill a story. If you don’t have a pop filter on your mic, Rivet production whiz George Drake, Jr. shows you how to remove pops in an audio editor.

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When it’s time to make changes to your podcast

I started a podcast in May 2014 called Car Con Carne: The World’s Only Barbecue Podcast Recorded in a Car. The show’s title served as the elevator pitch: It’s a podcast recorded in my car outside...

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Get personal

The easiest way to make a connection with your listeners is to simply be you. You experience the same things your audience does, and talking about those everyday things will make you instantly more...

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How to Aircheck Your Podcast (GUEST BLOG)

In radio, there is a tried and true practice to help on-air talent up their game: Airchecking. Airchecking is an exercise where radio DJs can get constructive feedback on their performance. Typically,...

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How To Keep A Podcast Going (GUEST BLOG)

When it comes to podcasting, keeping a podcast going can come with a unique set of challenges. There’s the matter of finding a topic or topics to cover, or booking regular or rotating guests to...

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Ending a piece with music (VIDEO)

How should you add music to the end of your piece? Rivet production whiz George Drake, Jr. walks you through some best practices.

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One-on-one delivery

Even if you have thousands of listeners for each show you produce (and if so, that’s awesome!), remember: You’re always talking to one person. Podcasting is an intimate medium. When you speak, you’re...

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Your 3 Pillars to creating Engaging, Quality Content for Social Media (GUEST...

A growing trend amongst people lately is to label themselves quite easily and freely as a social media expert. The truth is, nobody is the ultimate guru and expert as the landscape is in constant flux....

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Happy Holidays

It would be easy to ignore working on your show while the rest of the world is checking out for the holidays, but you shouldn’t. Remember, consistency is one of the key ingredients to building...

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New Year’s Resolutions for Your Podcast

Time to start making resolutions for the new year. Here are five recommendations: Take stock of what’s working and what’s not: 86 the stuff that isn’t. Tell everyone you know about your podcast, but...

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Get yourself (and your show) organized!

With the majority of 2016 spread out in front of you, it’s a great time to refocus and get yourself organized. I keep my shows organized using a Google Sheet. I prefer using Google Drive/cloud-based...

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Monetizing Your Podcast, Part One: Assigning a Value to the Show

I’ve struggled for a while with how to monetize my podcast. I don’t think it’s a stretch to say that (most) podcast creators aren’t used to hustling their creations for money. Rolling into the new...

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Tips to make your podcast successful: An interview with Orbit Media’s Andy...

  What steps can you take to elevate your podcast? To help answer that question, we turn to Andy Crestodina, co-founder of Orbit Media in Chicago. Andy’s a web strategist, author and marketer whose...

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The history of podcasting (GUEST BLOG)

In 2004, the word “Podcast” appeared for the first time in history. Think about that for a second – the word “Podcast” isn’t even a teenager yet. The official definition is, “Podcasts offer in-depth...

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Don’t force the ‘funny’

One of podcasting’s unspoken rules flies in the face of what you were told in grade school: Don’t try so hard. We’ve all heard broadcasters and podcasters who work really hard at being funny but fall...

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Radiodays Europe 2016: Thoughts and Observations

I had the great fortune to be part of James Cridland‘s panel, “Mobile Apps: Hearing from the Listener,” at the Radiodays Europe convention earlier this month. To summarize the panel’s focus, listeners...

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‘Podcasting is the New Radio’

As the value of podcasting continues to become more obvious, I moderated a panel on the topic (“Podcasting is the New Radio”) at this year’s CIMMfest (Chicago International Music & Movies...

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