Be a One-Man Radio Network
(Page 4 of 4)
May/June 1971
By Chuck Crouse
You can spend $12 for an induction coil to feed audio into the phone or, for two dollars, you can make your own. Wind about 80 turns of No. 22 enameled wire onto something slightly larger in diameter than the earpiece of a telephone. I found that the plastic top from a can of roach spray did very nicely! Wrap the finished coil tightly with plastic electrical tape. Solder the leads to about three feet of `coax' (single conductor with shield) and solder the other end of the coax to a male plug which will fit the output jack of your recorder. With that done, you're well equipped to enter the field of freelance radio reporting.
RELATED CONTENT
The advantages of my job are numerous and obvious. I work for no boss, I deal with interesting people, I cover news which is interesting and—usually—of greater importance than that which I covered from a station newsroom and I get the egosatisfaction of being heard on several radio stations.
I get paid too! My list of clients has now grown to eight and I've taken on a partner who works half time. I pay him with checks from the three most recent stations for which I string, and the two of us bill from $180 to $240 per week.
Some final thoughts: Much of what I've said here can be adapted to other situations. You may work for a small studio in a largish city . . . and be able to report local news of statewide interest to stations in other parts of the state. If you happen to live in a quiet area which suddenly becomes the locale for a major news story, you can use these same techniques to sell your coverage of the event.
And remember: six months of feeding news to a list of stations is the best possible preparation should you decide to go back on a payroll. The stations you've been stringing for will be particularly good prospective employers; they'll know you, and their listeners will be familiar with your voice and style. You'll be selling in a oneman seller's market!
Page:
<< Previous 1 |
2 |
3 | 4 |
