Modern Radio Programs

[happyfilmluvguy]

When I say modern, I mean new radio shows that fit today's standards, not reflect the past.

Do you believe modern radio programs could bring in audiences today?

Do you think the format would have to change to suite the listeners?

Do you think it could steer towards a younger audience as well?

 

[dhermann1]

Boy, other than Prairie Home Companion, there's not much. I think the BBC and the Canadian Broadcasting Company still produce shows, but not much. Of course there are shows like "When Radio Was", which present rebroadcasts of old shows, but that's not what you're talking about, right?

 

[happyfilmluvguy]

no. I'm talking more along the lines of new shows being produced like the ones BBC produces.

 

[LizzieMaine]

I think the main problem with a lot of "modern era" attempts at radio drama is that they try to camp it up -- they think of radio drama as some kind of cheesy old-fashioned cliche that was nothing but masked superheroes and "golly gee whiz" kiddie adventure, and sappy soap operas. So they try to be all ironic and clever, and they end up being inept and insulting to the listener's intelligence.

Or, they go to the other extreme and get so caught up in the sound effects and production techniques that they overlook the need for a decent script and believeable characters. I've heard modern drama productions where they have layer and layer of sound effects -- the rustle of a coat being taken off, every single tick of a clock in the background, the creak of a chair when a character sits down -- but with all this Technical Wizardry in support of a punk script, what's the point?

I think until these issues are resolved, radio drama is stuck with being just a niche interest. Which is too bad, because it's potentially the most creative form of drama there is.

 

[happyfilmluvguy]

I've been listening to CBS Radio Mystery Theater today and some, not all, but some of the format is not campy. I think radio is also one of the most accessible forms of media too. Not everyone has a television. Not everyone has a computer and internet. But everyone, and I mean everyone most likely has a radio or has access to one.

 

[Fletch]

Where did you specify drama in the OP, happy? It passed me by.

I do see acceptance among younger folks - at least educated 20-40somethings - of storytelling (if not drama) at public radio: This American Life, the pop culture profiles by the Kitchen Sisters, or the documentarians Dave Isay and Jay Allison.

As of yet, the scope of these programs is limited. The material has to be at least loosely real-life. It helps if there's a sociological or journalistic angle to it. And it has to be read and presented in a manner so low-key it's almost ostentatious. Nothing a finely honed hipster irony might snag on gets into the pieces.

But it's a start. At least radio is being recognized again as a medium for something more than music, news and call-in bloviating.

 

[happyfilmluvguy]

What's an OP? I didn't mean just drama. I'm talking more along the lines of general story telling in the form of radio programming. I have to agree with you it has to be at least loosely based on real life. There'd have to be a certain format that would fit a general listener too. I'm 21 and my interests are cut down the middle. Some new things I like, some old things I like. It varies.

Even the rap and rock crowds could appreciate it if a show fed their needs. They could really listen in as if it's the story of their own life. I've never listened to This American Life. I only heard about it this past month. Is it a variety show of some sort?

I also think that there has to be at first a reason for anyone to tune their radio into a show. Maybe guest actors and actresses having speaking parts like old radio shows have?

What kind of subjects do you think would work for a modern audience? How about the genre (I can't think of another name for it) ?. Mystery? Romance? Thriller? Variety Show? Comedy? Drama?

One of the issues I've realized is how fast a younger person's mind can be into one activity, then they turn their head, forget about the activity, and move onto another activity. Let's say they are playing a video game. They get bored quickly, go get food, go into another room, turn on the television, flip through channels, turn the television off, and go back to video games. You really need to capture a young person's attention.

I'm wondering how a radio program that is more along the lines of story telling could get their attention.

How about older folks? 30-50 years old? My dad is a good example of someone who can't make up their mind. It's hard to get his attention. Do you think it would be for someone between those ages?

 

[patrick1987]

Could OP be opening post? Anyway, I would like this idea. I am 19 and would definitely be interested in hearing something like this, as a theatre major and a radio listener. Mystery and thriller gets my vote.

 

[happyfilmluvguy]

Could OP be opening post? Anyway, I would like this idea. I am 19 and would definitely be interested in hearing something like this, as a theatre major and a radio listener. Mystery and thriller gets my vote.

Let me ask you this Patrick. Would you listen to a fast paced mystery/thriller or a slow paced one? The pace would show which would get your attention. With some people, they get bored after a while of slow paced media. They want that "edge of your seat" experience. Others like to be more intimate with the story and want to take their time.

 

[patrick1987]

Slow-paced. Things go by too quickly as it is. Thank you for asking.

 

[The Wolf]

I would like to hear radio dramas or adventures set in modern times with top notch sound effects. Some audio books almost do it. I want stories written for the radio, acted ernestly, trying be believable and have me pulled into the story so I can see it. Like the old radio plays but modern.

Sincerely,
The Wolf

 

[Helen Troy]

Warning: This post contains enthusiastic ramblings about national radio in a very small country, and might be utterly irrelevant to others than inhabitants in said very small country. If so, I apologise in advance.

I'm geographically lucky then, because the Radio Theater at NRK, (Norwegian National Broadcasting) has all you could ask for! They have all the old and old fashioned crime plays in made by their "department for mystic and dark deeds" (as they call it). Those plays are great and very popular, but the rest of the reportoar is absolutely modern, challenging, very well produced and with great variety. Just very good theater, on radio!

Norways best and most popular actors star in the plays, and the many of the best authors have started in, or moved on to, radio theater. Actually, this years Ibsenprice, Norways only price for playwritghts, was rewarded to a young writer for his two outstanding audio plays. Many classical plays, like a lot of Henrik Ibsens, are also adapted to the audio theater in great, modern productions.

The result is that the Radio Theater is relativly popular. It is not like everybody listens to the radiotheater. (As it was in the 60s when the crime play "Good evening, my name is Cox" is said to have emptied streets and resturants on the nights it was on the radio.) But, by the countings of the total amount of listeners, it is Norways most popular and also "biggest" theater with the largest audience!

 

[Helen Troy]

Too bad i can't share the Norwegian radio theater with you. But BBC has great radio theater as well, (I have just discovered it, so I haven't heard many yet,) and you can find many of them here. For free, I think!

 

[happyfilmluvguy]

Slow-paced. Things go by too quickly as it is. Thank you for asking.

You're welcome. Thanks for answering. I think fast paced radio may work with some but not all. I like to take my time too.

I also believe that children's radio could be well put together. Television has it's advantages when the parents are busy at the moment or because some shows are good for kids, as are toys, but radio to a child could be like a story being read to them, and it would expand their imagination as they listen. If anyone has ever heard of Teddy Ruxpin, the original toy had a cassette player built into the doll. The cassettes were stories, much like radio programs and when Teddy spoke on the cassette, the doll's mouth would move. This applied to the other characters as well.

 

[The Wolf]

that reminds me

I have a cassette (with a book) that is a re-telling of Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade. Rhys-Davies narrates buck it is similar to a radio show. Phil Proctor even does a voice.

Sincerely,
The Wolf

 

[Fletch]

I've never listened to This American Life. I only heard about it this past month. Is it a variety show of some sort?

It's hard to explain. Here's how they describe it.

What kind of subjects do you think would work for a modern audience? How about the genre (I can't think of another name for it) ?. Mystery? Romance? Thriller? Variety Show? Comedy? Drama?

Drama or mystery would have to be something that established itself fully in terse, compelling language – no creaky "look-there-goes-the-girl-in-the-green-hat" passages. No obvious turning the visuals into talk – outline them simply and effectively or pass 'em by. It would have to be of an almost literary quality.

Romance could work as a cerebral, "docu" sort of drama - the internal dialogue of two people, their internal monologues. It might not have to be so literary.

Variety would have to be almost, but not quite, entirely unlike A Prairie Home Companion. If that's possible.

It would be great to have hip audio comedy again, altho I can't see it happening on a large scale in the USA. Wait Wait Don't Tell Me, the NPR news quiz, works by bringing in smart, funny people to poke fun at the news (world or weird news, doesn't matter). Otherwise you either get goofy hammy political sketches on NPR a few times a year, or stuff that's so understated it barely registers as funny, like Le Show.

 

[happyfilmluvguy]

I just subcribed to their podcast. I'm going to listen to an episode tonight. The description sounds interesting, though.

Mystery or horror definitely couldn't be obvious as a radio show. It would have to have more realism, yet is fictional on it's own. I don't believe people today get as frightened as they did back then, because we have been exposed so much more since. It would have to scare the heck out of a person for them to tune in again to hear more.

Drama would have to also be less fictional as well and would need to be something a general audience could relate to or understand. Comedy I can't say could be comedic like Jack Benny or Burns and Allen. I can imagine a more hip show where the jokes are either like Everybody loves Raymond or Scary Movie. It would still need an established story.

Variety shows of then are much like reality shows of today. Conan O' Brian, The Daily Show, and The Tonight Show are more variety show than talk show. I don't know about a variety show either.

 

[happyfilmluvguy]

I'm listening to an episode of This American Life. I like it. Great narratives.

 

[Mr. Pinstripe Suit]

If you want Modern Audio Theater...

Too bad i can't share the Norwegian radio theater with you. But BBC has great radio theater as well, (I have just discovered it, so I haven't heard many yet,) and you can find many of them here. For free, I think!

I own 2,000+ hours (not a typo) of English-language modern audio theater (not Old-Time Radio) from all over the world and can say authoritatively that there are genres and qualities as varied as any other kind of medium; something for everyone of any mind. And yes, many--if not most--are either free or really inexpensive.

The only "free" source of 24/7 audio theater is BBC7 at http://www.bbc.co.uk/bbc7, but you can also catch BBC Radio 4's "Afternoon Play" M-F and even offerings on Sat/Sun for the Classic Serial (classic stories, not UK OTR) or Saturday Play. Early risers on the U.S. East coast might get to catch Radio 4's streams "live" on the web, but anyone anywhere can stream any of the BBC's A.T. for up to seven days via their "Listen Again" link.

Particularly for mystery and sci-fi fans, if you feel you'd rather own/buy something you're interested in, the BBC Shop at http://www.bbcshop.com will cheerfully sell you LOADS of things. Just look under "Audiobooks" (even though they're not books) for the CD's.

Aside from the BBC, you can find some outstanding US-made audio theater on XM Radio's "Sonic Theater" (channel 163) that plays things from creators like Jim French Productions and his popular character "Harry Nile" and Orson Scott Card's Universe with his famous character "Ender" as of just this March! Also playing for some time on XM163 are perennial favorites like "LA Theater Works" (the best-produced high-end modern A.T. around) and ZBS' "Ruby the Galactic Gumshoe" series.

In June (I think) KFAI.ORG will begin airing another chapter in the life of Jerry Stearns' "Sound Affects" modern audio theater showcase, but it may be under another name at that time. The show's about to take a very brief hiatus after a decade under that original double entendre'd name, but we've been promised it will return in a month or so.

You might also like Decoder Ring Theater's "Black Jack Justice" and/or "The Red Panda Adventures" every two weeks at http://www.decoderringtheater.com/ either via podcast or download. You can dive in on the latest episode but once you've listened to a few of the newer ones, dig into their archives and start a couple years' back to the beginning to really see Red Panda develop.

Apologies for the LONG post, but I hope this gives a good sourcing for modern audio theater you can all enjoy for a long time. I've mostly entertained myself via audio theater since the ancient times of 3 B.I. (Before Ipod, about 8 years) and it's happily kept me from camping out (excluding TCM!) in front of the TV except for about an hour a day. You'd be surprised how much time you gain in your life when you can be entertained even while doing the most miserable yard work, painting, oil-changing, etc. Oh, and it makes going to the gym something to actually look forward to!!

-Kevin

 

[happyfilmluvguy]

thanks for the information Mr. Pinstripe. I've heard one or two modern radio programs, even the live theater that is just sold on CDs. I was thinking more along the lines of shows actually broadcasting and if people would listen to it. But there are still great shows which you can purchase as a set.