Gathering Advice

I am a little nervous about presenting my pitch but after looking through these sources and the advice that Professor Bell gave I have gained a bit of confidence on how to pitch my idea. The following are three sources that I found helpful.

• CBC  is a reliable source because it is an established broadcasting company that has already established its credibility to the public through years of accurate news programs. CBC gives a lot of advice but these are the few that stood out to me. (This advice is under brainstorming for an idea but I believe that it can be taken into consideration on how to create a good pitch.)

1) To Be Realistic
 The idea being presented should be realistic and something that you can see yourself actually creating.
2) To like your Ideas Enough 
The ideas that your pitch establishes should be ones that you do like but you should also keep in mind that     they might change depending on how things will go with your podcast.  Therefore, it is important for your idea to realistic.
3) To Focus
CBC advises to ask yourself what makes your idea great. It is important to know why it is great because that will help you focus your pitch around that question. It is also because producers are looking for shows that have a unique aspect to them. Therefore, having a clear and focused idea can help producers find your pitch unique.

• This American Life is a reliable source because of it’s professional set up: it has an about us, contact us and staff links. This American life states that their shows are broadcasted to 500 stations and have 2.1 million viewers. They continue by stating that they are produced by Chicago Public Media and Public Radio International. Through further research I found that Chicago Public Media is home to two established radio stations: WBEZ 91.5FM and Vocalo 89.5FM. I also found that Public Radio International delivers radio shows about worldwide issues. They are also partnered with BBC and WGBH. The producers alone show that This American Life is a reliable source because the producers are established broadcasters who are also linked to other established Broadcasters. The advice that This American Life gives is right to the point and as result very helpful.  

1)Have a Story
The pitch should be given in a story like fashion. It should have a plot and characters because it engages the producers attention and adds quality to the pitch.
2) Be Clear
The pitch should be clear on the intention of the podcast when it is told through the story. It should be obvious what the focus of the podcast is going to be through the characters and plot of the story.
3)Be Brief
The pitch should be brief and right to the point. It is important not to bore the producers with long pitches because it can lead to subject changes and confusion.

• The Guardian is a reliable source because it is an established newspaper company that has been around since 1821 under the name The Manchester Guardian. It is later shortened to The Guardian and has recently branched out into online publication. Yes this is a newspaper company and has nothing to do with podcasting or radio shows but the advice about how to pitch can be used for podcasting. The following advice is similar to the advice given from the above sources but that reinforces that the advice given is correct. 

1) Have a Set Focus
The Guardian mentions that it is important to establish the idea of the pitch. It also states that the pitch should explain the research question (the focus) of the idea.
2) What You Do
Establish briefly what your purpose in the show will be—what will you do? For example, are you going to interview or are you going to quote sources or both.
3)Have Characters
 The Guardian advises to sell characters rather then concepts. It is important for your pitch to have characters because it will be more personal and will gain the audiences attention. Plus, usually concepts are associated with facts which are known to be boring while stories are captivating and impressionable.

        After gathering advice, I know that my topic should have a clear focus and should be told in a story like fashion. I need to be brief and to make sure to clearly establish why my pitch should be "bought." If I can create a pitch with the advise I have gained then my podcast will reflect the concepts that I bring forth in my pitch.

                                                                 Works Cited
 "CBC Radio Pitch - Index." CBCnews. CBC/Radio Canada, n.d. Web. 25 Jan. 2014.
 "About Us." This American Life. N.p., n.d. Web. 26 Jan. 2014.
"How to Pitch." Theguardian.com. Guardian News and Media, 09 Mar. 2011. Web. 26 Jan. 2014.