Webinar on VOICES Standards for enhancing interactive radio programs

Webinar

On Sept. 12, 2023, Farm Radio International hosted a webinar on our VOICES Standards for enhancing interactive radio programs and our lexicon of radio production terms. The event was hosted by Martine Moguem and presented by Sylvie Harrison, Managing specialist of the radio craft team, with an introduction from Doug Ward, former chair of FRI’s board of directors for 20 years and CBC radio producer, station manager, and vice president. Doug Ward was instrumental to authoring both broadcaster resources.

Doug said of the VOICES Standards: “We wanted a short, easy to remember list that contained all of the essential qualities of every rural radio program that every rural radio programmer could remember when producing a program.” These started as the VOICE Standards, and the five elements are:

Value rural Africans, women, men, youth, and children.

Provide Opportunity for rural African to speak and be heard on matters important to them.

Provide Information in a clear way from the best sources.

Broadcast at times that are Convenient and consistent.

Engage. Produce programs with personalities, formats, content, and features that are fresh and entertaining.

These standards caught on. “But over the years, programming has evolved, and so it is time to roll out a revised version – and we have added a sixth essential quality,” Doug adds.

The sixth quality is Support: Our programs support rural Africans as they test, choose, and implement practices they consider beneficial for their families and communities.

Learn more about the VOICES Standards: https://training.farmradio.fm/use-voices-to-make-good-farmer-programming/

Farm Radio has also published a lexicon of radio production terms to provide guidance and clarity for anyone working in broadcasting. These 200 terms include explanations to ensure you, your team, and partners are using common terms to collaborate well. This includes radio terms like mixing and runsheet, FRI terms like Her Voice on Air and Cooking show, and GEI terms like diversity and inclusion.

Find the lexicon here: https://training.farmradio.fm/lexicon-of-radio-program-production-terms/