PRODUCTION AND PLANNING:Principals of Planning a Program

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Radio News, Reporting and Production MCM515

LESSON 31

PRODUCTION AND PLANNING

To produce

To produce is to create something especially when skill is needed.

Production

Production is the process of creating something (film, drama, documentary, musical) with skill and

knowledge.

Producer

Producer is the person who is in-charge of the production.

What is a Program?

"A plan of things that will be done or included in the development of something; something that people

watch on TV or listen to on radio is called a program.

Format

Format is the general arrangement, plan or design of a program. The Basic Structure of a Programme is

called format. For instance,

News

Talk

Feature

Drama

Magazine programme

Stage show

Musicals

Role of a Producer

Producer's role in the process of production is to conceive, plan, and produce a programme.

To conceive means to think of an idea

The idea is actually a concept.

To plan is to make detailed arrangements for the idea you wish to materialize in future.

Where Ideas Come From?

The important areas where ideas can be obtained from are as under:

Society

Social conflicts

Government policies

Art (literature)

Science

Principals of Planning a Program

1. Motive of the program (why this program?)

The first and foremost thing that a producer has to keep forth before producing a program is to face the

most important question, that is; why this program? Which means what is the purpose of this program that

he wishes to produce. The following are the possible purposes or motives which make a producer conceive

a program:

Radio News, Reporting and Production MCM515

To create awareness amongst the listeners about social problems, traffic laws, hazards of narcotics,

need of education, the law, rights and responsibilities, diseases, etc.

To give information about government policies, new inventions, advancements in medicine, new

techniques in agriculture, sports, etc.

To educate the modern methods of sowing, ploughing, harvesting, civic virtues, Qur'aan &

Sunnah

To entertain music, comedy, drama, showbiz, fashion etc.

2. Research of Target Audience

It means, who the program is to be produced for i.e. the target audience. The research of the target

audience is very important step in the pre-production process. Unless a producer does not know exactly the

nature, desires and needs of the target audience, the effective message can not be written.

While conducting research of the target audience following areas are to be focused upon:

The Age group of the target audience ------------ Kids; Youth; Adults

The Gender ------------------------------------------- Men; Women; Both

Socio-cultural Background ------------------------- Rural, Urban, Middle Class, Elite Class

3. Content of the program

The very next question is; what is to be given in the programme. It signifies the content or the matter of the

program.

4. Selection of Format

A producer has to select a format which he thinks will be suitable to convey the message of the program.

The following are some important formats:

Talk, Feature, Drama, Documentary, Magazine Program, Interview etc.

5. Duration of the Program

The duration plays vital in the effectiveness of the program. While making a program a producer must note

that the final duration of the program must be 30 to 40 seconds less than the actual duration so that after

the end of a program the announcer may have sufficient time to make the announcement of the upcoming

program.

5- Minute Program = 4 minutes and 20-30 sec

15- Minute Program = 14 minutes and 20-30 sec

30- Minute Programme = 29 minutes and 20-30 sec

6. Time of Broadcast

Another important question is; what time the program should go on air. It depends on the following points:

The Nature of the Programme

The Availability of the Target Audience

7. Frequency of the Program

Frequency of a program means how often a program should go on air; whether once a week or twice a

week, or on alternate days or daily basis.

Radio News, Reporting and Production MCM515

8. Feedback

Planning to know the feed back of the listeners is very important. A producer has to arrange for a way the

audience may express their views and comments about the program they have listened to. The following are

different modes and routes audience may reach to the producer.

Letters; Telephone; E-mail; Personal Contacts etc.

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