Ugh. So. The frustration of trying to figure out a way to narrow my topic into a specific, 15 minute-long cohesive presentation continues, with my computer keyboard suffering the brunt of things under irately harsh Google-search typing, and my shoulders now locked in fresh disgruntled-hunch knots... but more to the point (and away from very caffeinated grumblings), here's what I've come up with for this week's post, specifically.
The following are the sources I gathered for pitch-writing, and the highlights of the advice they provided:
1) "BBC Academy - Production":
i) "Know the market -- Research and understand the network and slots that you're writing for." In other words, in the context of this assignment: do enough research to know exactly the type of show you're emulating, and the audience you're meant to be broadcasting it to.
ii) "Build a character -- If you have a great idea for a character, rather than a situation, then you could be onto a winner." Meaning for us that focusing on a specific point rather than a broad topic will give the show clear focus and interest for whoever you're pitching it to.
iii) "Know what's already out there -- Be aware of what's already on radio and tv and don't pitch for similar ideas." This one will certainly be more challenging, but the importance of it is clear in that while we're emulating a specific show using topics likely already explored in other such podcasts or via radio/tv, our own podcast's ability to be successfully pitched, not to mention successfully produced, relies on it being a fresh and (at least in some ways) new take on whatever topic we've picked.
2) "How to Write a Business Pitch" (Not strictly speaking dedicated to podcasting pitching, but upon reading it, the principles apply very well nonetheless):
i) "Get to the Point" -- In your pitch, don't save the core idea of what you're really talking about for the middle of your presentation or the end; get to the heart of the matter quickly to allow for immediate understanding of your idea, and the chance for interest to build.
ii) "Pay Attention to Details" -- Once the idea is established, hammer out the specifics of what makes it such a good idea, such as with the ways which you plan to develop it so that it comes to a good and complete payoff of the core idea.
iii) "Do Your Research" -- Having a range of information (from reliable sources) that you can draw on to fortify and/or validate your idea and the direction you want to take with it goes a long way to making the core idea and principle development of it as concrete and appealing as it can be.
3) "How to Pitch a Podcast" (Written more towards a podcast doing self-promotion for authors, but once again, with applicable core principles):
*This article primarily discusses the physical format of a type-written pitch, but it also discusses the importance of quickly stating the idea and its relevance and making the connection to the target market/audience. It makes the point that you need to catch the attention of whoever you're pitching to, and quickly convince them of the interest and relevance of whatever you're bringing to the table.
Based on the "CRAAP" test mentioned in lecture, I determined these sources were reliable because: the sites are current, with recent copyrights and functioning links; the authors of the articles/sites are authoritative in their credentials and affiliations; the information presented appears reliable and accurate; and the purpose of the sites and articles are not to sell anything or promote any real bias, but are instead meant to be informative.
With all of the information contained in the above three sources, the common line of reasoning going through each seems to determine that for my own podcast pitch, the most important things I can have are a direct purpose and audience, a quick and focused description of what the concept is for my podcast, a fresh take on whatever topic I want to explore, and plenty of research to back it up in order to be confident and informed in the direction I'm presenting in the pitch.
Work Cited
"Tips: Writing Radio Comedy." BBC Academy. BBC, 2014. Web. 26 Jan 2014. <http://www.bbc.co.uk/academy/production/article/art20130702112136343>
"How to Write a Business Pitch." Scribendi. Scribendi.com, 2014. Web. 26 Jan 2014.
<http://www.scribendi.com/advice/how_to_write_a_business_pitch.en.html>
Barko, Stephanie. "How to Pitch a Podcast." San Francisco Book Review. San Francisco Book Review, 13 Feb 2013. Web. 26 Jan 2014.
<http://sanfranciscobookreview.com/2013/02/how-to-pitch-a-podcast/>
Showing posts with label pitching. Show all posts
Showing posts with label pitching. Show all posts
Monday, 27 January 2014
Sunday, 26 January 2014
Bernice Afriyie, W14: Pitching
Hello Professor Jennifer Andreae and class,
As many of you may be experiencing yourselves, pitching a podcast is difficult. The technicality aside, choosing, narrowing and pitching a podcast seems more daunting, I find, than recording the podcast itself. However, after reading a few articles I feel more confident in my abilities to pitch my podcast.
1) The Atlantic: How (Not) to Pitch
This online and print magazine was originally a literary and cultural magazine, established in the 1800. It has published works by Martin Luther King, Julian Ward and Mark Twain. The Atlantic is a pioneering authority on literature, expanding its scope in recent years to include economics, politics, health and other topics. Its history of providing new articles and authors to Americans, as well as its recognition from author authorities such as the New York Times, has lead me to trust The Atlantic.
Garance Franke-Ruta, the author of "How (Not) to Pitch" was a former senior editor at American Prospect, and has appeared in The Washington Monthly, as well as other papers of note. Her history and involvement in journalism lends authority to her words, making them seem reliable and accurate.
In this article she advises journalists not to pitch topics but to pitch stories. In order to captivate my targetted, though imaginary audience I should consider hooking them through a story involving music and its influence. A good topic is great, but a story is easy to see and grounds absact ideas in concrete experiences. I need to have a story that I can use as an opening for my pitch.
2) CBC Radio: Radio Pitch Guide
CBC Radio is a leading producer of Canadian generated content and talent and serves as the national public radio and television broadcasting provider for Canada. This CBC Radio appeared reliable because it has been responsible for providing a primary source of television and radio to Canadians for decades. CBC's body of broadcasts, podcasts and programming speaks to its credibility, as many scholars, journalists and people reference and depend on its work. CBC produces good quality and engaging content, so I trust them to provide me with good tips on how to pitch topics.
On CBC's page for guiding pitches it advises potential writers, producers and hosts to pitch he most interesting part of their idea, often what get's their audience most excited. This seems to be obvious, but what I may find to be interesting as a pitcher, may not necessarily excite an audience that does not have as much information o the topic as I do. Before pitching my show, I will have to pre-pitch it before an audience to see if my idea is captivating.
3)BBC: The Killer Pitch
BBC Academy is an internationally recognized for being a centre for training. It houses a school for journalism, leadership, production and technology. BBC is responsible for British programming and is funded by the government. The British government's investment in the company suggests trust, reliability and authority, and because of this I trust the recommendations and tips BBC provides.
BBC Television's chief creative officer, Pat Younge, provides advice to beginning and seasoned journalists on crafting pitches. Particularly, he addresses the anxiety that plagues most journalists, the fear that everyone else is better than you. I've learned that in order to successfully reach my audience I need to get over my anxiety of inadequacy and focus solely on the podcast. I have to believe that I am the most qualified individual to speak on music and advertising. Therefore I will be conscious that my tone conveys authority and ease. I need to make sure I have done extensive research on my topic, so that I appear knowledgeable and credible during my pitch.
All these pointers seem easier written than said, but I plan to apply each tip in my podcast pitch.
Bernice
Works Cited
Franke-Ruta, "How (Not) to Pitch." The Atlantic. The Atlantic Monthly Group, 30 Aug. 2013. Web. 25 Jan. 2014.
http://www.theatlantic.com/business/archive/2013/08/how-not-to-pitch/279193/
"Pitch to CBC Radio." CBC. CBC, 2014. Web. 26 Jan. 2014.
http://www.cbc.ca/pitch/radiopitchguide.html#lookingfor
Younge, Pat. "The Killer Pitch." BBC. BBC, 2014. Web. 26 Jan. 2014.
http://www.bbc.co.uk/academy/production/article/art20130702112135669
As many of you may be experiencing yourselves, pitching a podcast is difficult. The technicality aside, choosing, narrowing and pitching a podcast seems more daunting, I find, than recording the podcast itself. However, after reading a few articles I feel more confident in my abilities to pitch my podcast.
1) The Atlantic: How (Not) to Pitch
This online and print magazine was originally a literary and cultural magazine, established in the 1800. It has published works by Martin Luther King, Julian Ward and Mark Twain. The Atlantic is a pioneering authority on literature, expanding its scope in recent years to include economics, politics, health and other topics. Its history of providing new articles and authors to Americans, as well as its recognition from author authorities such as the New York Times, has lead me to trust The Atlantic.
Garance Franke-Ruta, the author of "How (Not) to Pitch" was a former senior editor at American Prospect, and has appeared in The Washington Monthly, as well as other papers of note. Her history and involvement in journalism lends authority to her words, making them seem reliable and accurate.
In this article she advises journalists not to pitch topics but to pitch stories. In order to captivate my targetted, though imaginary audience I should consider hooking them through a story involving music and its influence. A good topic is great, but a story is easy to see and grounds absact ideas in concrete experiences. I need to have a story that I can use as an opening for my pitch.
2) CBC Radio: Radio Pitch Guide
CBC Radio is a leading producer of Canadian generated content and talent and serves as the national public radio and television broadcasting provider for Canada. This CBC Radio appeared reliable because it has been responsible for providing a primary source of television and radio to Canadians for decades. CBC's body of broadcasts, podcasts and programming speaks to its credibility, as many scholars, journalists and people reference and depend on its work. CBC produces good quality and engaging content, so I trust them to provide me with good tips on how to pitch topics.
On CBC's page for guiding pitches it advises potential writers, producers and hosts to pitch he most interesting part of their idea, often what get's their audience most excited. This seems to be obvious, but what I may find to be interesting as a pitcher, may not necessarily excite an audience that does not have as much information o the topic as I do. Before pitching my show, I will have to pre-pitch it before an audience to see if my idea is captivating.
3)BBC: The Killer Pitch
BBC Academy is an internationally recognized for being a centre for training. It houses a school for journalism, leadership, production and technology. BBC is responsible for British programming and is funded by the government. The British government's investment in the company suggests trust, reliability and authority, and because of this I trust the recommendations and tips BBC provides.
BBC Television's chief creative officer, Pat Younge, provides advice to beginning and seasoned journalists on crafting pitches. Particularly, he addresses the anxiety that plagues most journalists, the fear that everyone else is better than you. I've learned that in order to successfully reach my audience I need to get over my anxiety of inadequacy and focus solely on the podcast. I have to believe that I am the most qualified individual to speak on music and advertising. Therefore I will be conscious that my tone conveys authority and ease. I need to make sure I have done extensive research on my topic, so that I appear knowledgeable and credible during my pitch.
All these pointers seem easier written than said, but I plan to apply each tip in my podcast pitch.
Bernice
Works Cited
Franke-Ruta, "How (Not) to Pitch." The Atlantic. The Atlantic Monthly Group, 30 Aug. 2013. Web. 25 Jan. 2014.
http://www.theatlantic.com/business/archive/2013/08/how-not-to-pitch/279193/
"Pitch to CBC Radio." CBC. CBC, 2014. Web. 26 Jan. 2014.
http://www.cbc.ca/pitch/radiopitchguide.html#lookingfor
Younge, Pat. "The Killer Pitch." BBC. BBC, 2014. Web. 26 Jan. 2014.
http://www.bbc.co.uk/academy/production/article/art20130702112135669
Adelina Ruffolo, W14: pitching
The first source I found online offering advice on writing a podcast was from the University of Cambridge website. One of the things the suggest that I found important was to have a passion for the topic you are discussing. They also advise to have a good energy in your presentation. That the presenter should be able to tell a compelling story that people want to hear and to answer questions that are difficult. They say to think differently and to think about the audience you are pitching to. (Warren Bennett and Alan Barrell, http://www.cfel.jbs.cam.ac.uk/resources/multimedia/pitching.html)
The second source I found online was advice from the San Francisco Book Review. Stephanie Barko, the author of the article, says she created a template on what a pitch should contain based on advice she received from a radio producer who received tons of pitches. She first suggests that the subject line (if it is an email) should be attention grabbing and interesting. Next is to show the producer you have done your research and find a way to relate to them, whether it is by referring to them by name or by showing you know the type of topics and guests that are featured on the show. Then discuss the relevancy of your topic, things you will reveal to your listeners and why it would be good to book you. Lastly, list where the company can get a hold of you along with web and social links. (Stephanie Barko, http://sanfranciscobookreview.com/2013/02/how-to-pitch-a-podcast/)
The third source I found online was advice from CBC on how to do a radio pitch. The site tells audiences what they are looking for and important things to know (such as that they are looking for Canadian ideas). The also give advice on questions to ask yourself such as: what excites others when you discuss your pitch with them? Is your show original and does something CBC has not done before? Does it fit the Canadian audience? What is the sound of the show? (flow, serious or funny) Who is hosting the show? Is there opportunities for social media? The format of the show? (weekly, monthly, holidays) They go on to say the pitch should include some information about who you are, the roles individuals will take on the show, the role of social media, support, timing and how they can reach you. (CBC, http://www.cbc.ca/pitch/radiopitchguide.html)
I found all these references to be credible because they are reliable sources. CBC is a reputable company that many people have heard of and trust. The San Francisco Book Review article was written by an author who has been published and the website features information about her and her work at the bottom of her article. Lastly, the University of Cambridge is a institutional setting offering advice to students like us on how to do a pitch. The authors of the article have their own podcast discussing business ventures.
Based on the information I gathered I can tell I need to do some work in creating an effective podcast. The best advice I found was from the CBC and the San Francisco Book Review. It is important to know who I am pitching to and the typical audience of their podcast. It is also important to discuss new and original topics that have not been talked about before. A great deal of planning has to go into creating a pitch, one that indicates that I have knowledge and passion about the topic being talked about. I have to make sure I create an outline that covers all the questions a producer may want to know about my podcast.
References
Barrell, Alan & Barrett Warren, Learning How to Pitch Your Ideas,2013, http://www.cfel.jbs.cam.ac.uk/resources/multimedia/pitching.html.
Barko, Stephanie. How to Pitch a Podcast, 2013, http://sanfranciscobookreview.com/2013/02/how-to-pitch-a-podcast/.
CBC Radio Development Group Pitch Guide, August 2013, http://www.cbc.ca/pitch/radiopitchguide.html
My Pitching Sources
There were several ideas that i found on the internet that gave great suggestions on how to present an effective pitch, how ever there were three sources that made enough impact upon me that I chose to implement them.
Here are my selections:
This first source discusses various aspects of pitching an idea. The individual that made the presentation in the video is Adria Richards, she in known as a Developer Evangelist in the technology industry. She pitches tech ideas and products as her livelihood. She covers many aspects about the topic in just over 8 Minutes, but the point that I honed in on was her suggestion on how to engaged the audience from the beginning of the pitch. The Video is entitled, "How To Pitch an Idea" and you can view it on her Youtube channel.
The second source that I used was found at a blog called feld.com. This website does not specifically deal with podcast pitches but focuses mostly on entrepreneurs who have an idea that requires funding and so suggestions are shared on how to pitch these ideas to venture capitalists. The creator of the site is Brad Feld and the blog submission is entitled. "Don't get sick of telling your story". He has founded and co-founded 4 venture capital companies and writes avidly for entrepreneurs who seek funding for their startup companies. What I liked about this site was that it gave various time segments for pitches, (from 15 seconds up to the 30 minutes) and depending on how long the pitch was, it suggested what information should be covered in that amount of time.
The third source I used actually impacted me so much that it caused me to reorganize my entire script. This video first shows an example of a young lady delivering a pitch to an audience. By the end of the pitch a woman by the name of Alexa Fischer is cued in, at which time she analyses the pitch and gives some practical advise on how to make the young lady's pitch better. According to her Youtube Channel and the Internet Movie Database (IMDB), Alexa Fischer is an actress. She coaches, "normal civilians into major public speakers". quoted from her youtube page. Here is a link to her video, "Business 101: The Pitfalls of Pitching."
Two key points have been reiterated from the the sources that I have cited above. The first thing is that I must spend a lot of my time figuring out how to engage those who will be listening to the pitch. The second point is that having an in-depth knowledge of the audience will resolve much of the issues related to preparing and delivering a successful pitch
Here are my selections:
This first source discusses various aspects of pitching an idea. The individual that made the presentation in the video is Adria Richards, she in known as a Developer Evangelist in the technology industry. She pitches tech ideas and products as her livelihood. She covers many aspects about the topic in just over 8 Minutes, but the point that I honed in on was her suggestion on how to engaged the audience from the beginning of the pitch. The Video is entitled, "How To Pitch an Idea" and you can view it on her Youtube channel.
The second source that I used was found at a blog called feld.com. This website does not specifically deal with podcast pitches but focuses mostly on entrepreneurs who have an idea that requires funding and so suggestions are shared on how to pitch these ideas to venture capitalists. The creator of the site is Brad Feld and the blog submission is entitled. "Don't get sick of telling your story". He has founded and co-founded 4 venture capital companies and writes avidly for entrepreneurs who seek funding for their startup companies. What I liked about this site was that it gave various time segments for pitches, (from 15 seconds up to the 30 minutes) and depending on how long the pitch was, it suggested what information should be covered in that amount of time.
The third source I used actually impacted me so much that it caused me to reorganize my entire script. This video first shows an example of a young lady delivering a pitch to an audience. By the end of the pitch a woman by the name of Alexa Fischer is cued in, at which time she analyses the pitch and gives some practical advise on how to make the young lady's pitch better. According to her Youtube Channel and the Internet Movie Database (IMDB), Alexa Fischer is an actress. She coaches, "normal civilians into major public speakers". quoted from her youtube page. Here is a link to her video, "Business 101: The Pitfalls of Pitching."
Two key points have been reiterated from the the sources that I have cited above. The first thing is that I must spend a lot of my time figuring out how to engage those who will be listening to the pitch. The second point is that having an in-depth knowledge of the audience will resolve much of the issues related to preparing and delivering a successful pitch
Pitching and Advice
Pitching advice that I've gathered over the last few days are from three seemingly reliable sources: CBC, BBC, and Business Week. CBC and BBC both have successful podcasts, while Business Week's article was written by Aileen Pincus, who works for Pincus Group Inc. specializing in training people on presenting, speech, and communication.
CBC's tips:
What makes this show a great idea?
This tip really made me thing about whether or not my topic idea was relevant and new. Looking at racism within advertising seems like an "over-done" topic, which is why I altered my idea to looking at the comparison between inner and inter-cultural racism. Something fresh and not looked at often.
Who you are:
In the beginning of our podcast, we were not going to originally specify that we were the hosts. After seeing this tip, it makes sense to specify. When pitching an idea, it is a good idea to specify who will actually be an active part of it, especially the hosts.
BBC's tips:
Be clear:
It's important to our group that we stay on topic, and keep coming back to the advertisements. That's why the majority of our pitch looks directly at the advertisements we'll be discussing. It's important to keep linking back to the original advertisements, and not digress too far in the analysis of inner cultural racism. This clarity tip was helpful in reminding us of that.
Be passionate:
Both Sabike and I are personally touched by this inner-cultural racism we'll be analyzing. This personal connection to the issue brings us the passion and determination to get this topic fully analyzed, and bring awareness to Canadian listeners of this issue.
Business Week's tips:
Always Be Prepared:
Sabike and I planned out our pitch for many hours, continuously asking ourselves the questions that may be asked. I believe we're prepared for any reaction, and ready to take on the challenge of pitching our podcast.
Works Cited:
"CBC Radio Pitch - Index." CBCnews. CBC/Radio Canada, n.d. Web. 25 Jan. 2014.
"The Killer Pitch – Pitching Tips." BBC News. BBC, 2014. Web. 26 Jan. 2014.
"The Perfect (Elevator) Pitch." BloomburgBusinessWeek. Business Week, 2007. Web. 24 Jan. 2014
CBC's tips:
What makes this show a great idea?
This tip really made me thing about whether or not my topic idea was relevant and new. Looking at racism within advertising seems like an "over-done" topic, which is why I altered my idea to looking at the comparison between inner and inter-cultural racism. Something fresh and not looked at often.
Who you are:
In the beginning of our podcast, we were not going to originally specify that we were the hosts. After seeing this tip, it makes sense to specify. When pitching an idea, it is a good idea to specify who will actually be an active part of it, especially the hosts.
BBC's tips:
Be clear:
It's important to our group that we stay on topic, and keep coming back to the advertisements. That's why the majority of our pitch looks directly at the advertisements we'll be discussing. It's important to keep linking back to the original advertisements, and not digress too far in the analysis of inner cultural racism. This clarity tip was helpful in reminding us of that.
Be passionate:
Both Sabike and I are personally touched by this inner-cultural racism we'll be analyzing. This personal connection to the issue brings us the passion and determination to get this topic fully analyzed, and bring awareness to Canadian listeners of this issue.
Business Week's tips:
Always Be Prepared:
Sabike and I planned out our pitch for many hours, continuously asking ourselves the questions that may be asked. I believe we're prepared for any reaction, and ready to take on the challenge of pitching our podcast.
Works Cited:
"CBC Radio Pitch - Index." CBCnews. CBC/Radio Canada, n.d. Web. 25 Jan. 2014.
"The Killer Pitch – Pitching Tips." BBC News. BBC, 2014. Web. 26 Jan. 2014.
"The Perfect (Elevator) Pitch." BloomburgBusinessWeek. Business Week, 2007. Web. 24 Jan. 2014
Week 3: Aliecia Brissett Pitching W14
Since I have a topic for my podcast I know that the real work now begins. When researching for creative ways to make a podcast I came across ALOT of sources saying in and around the same thing; you're gonna need a mic, you're gonna have to be up-to-date with your posts to stay relevant, and all that good stuff. But while researching I found that the difficult part of it all was finding sources that were creditable and just overall legit. So through my findings I found these three sites that answered a lot of my questions, and also gave me insight to look deeper within my podcast theme (SPARK) and be creative.
1. Windows: Create you own podcast
I never knew the Windows site helped people make podcasts and give them helpful advice, I just thought they were merely there for tech support, and debuting new tech; but to my surprise they actually have a lot of helpful tips to help the public make a successful podcast. Aside from the normal stuff like materials you would need to actually produce a podcast, they tell you that marketing your podcast to others is a helpful way to promote your show and get others involved and tune in. They also tell you to do research on topics that are of interest to you, and others, and stress the need to edit your recorded work before putting it out to the public.
2. kdmc Berkley-Berkley Graduate School of Journalism: Podcast
I knew I could trust this site off the bat because this podcast tutorial was written by Berkley Journalism students who are going through, or have already gone through, the same process as we all are. the helpful tips that the students had to offer were how to mix tracks with your podcast, so mixing music with your recorded audio and other cool sound effects. They also gave a step by step instruction how to carefully edit your podcasts before publishing and how to adjust sound levels for the audio so the audio isn't over bearing or pitchy.
3. Make Use Of: How to make a podcast on the go with your mobile phone
This website is dedicated to helping other use their tech devices and give helpful tips to improve those devices. I found this post special because it aids you in how to make a podcast with your phone! The site also tell you good apps that you could download to assist in producing a great podcast. I liked this post a lot because it gives a different way on how to make a podcast (with your phone) which I appreciate because I find that it would be a lot easier to record with your hand held device.
Taking in all my resources tips and advice I think I'm going to go in the direction of recording my podcast with my phone. It seems a lot less difficult to produce and less costly, I would rather purchase an app for $1.99 then go out and buy a microphone for $19.99.
Works Cited
"Podcasting." Mixing Tracks. N.p., n.d. Web. 26 Jan. 2014
Messieh, Nancy. "How To Make Podcast On The Go With Your Mobile Phone." MakeUseOf. N.p., n.d. Web. 26 Jan. 2014.
"Create Your Own Podcast." Windows.microsoft.com. Ed. Byron Ricks. N.p., n.d. Web. 26 Jan. 2014.
1. Windows: Create you own podcast
I never knew the Windows site helped people make podcasts and give them helpful advice, I just thought they were merely there for tech support, and debuting new tech; but to my surprise they actually have a lot of helpful tips to help the public make a successful podcast. Aside from the normal stuff like materials you would need to actually produce a podcast, they tell you that marketing your podcast to others is a helpful way to promote your show and get others involved and tune in. They also tell you to do research on topics that are of interest to you, and others, and stress the need to edit your recorded work before putting it out to the public.
2. kdmc Berkley-Berkley Graduate School of Journalism: Podcast
I knew I could trust this site off the bat because this podcast tutorial was written by Berkley Journalism students who are going through, or have already gone through, the same process as we all are. the helpful tips that the students had to offer were how to mix tracks with your podcast, so mixing music with your recorded audio and other cool sound effects. They also gave a step by step instruction how to carefully edit your podcasts before publishing and how to adjust sound levels for the audio so the audio isn't over bearing or pitchy.
3. Make Use Of: How to make a podcast on the go with your mobile phone
This website is dedicated to helping other use their tech devices and give helpful tips to improve those devices. I found this post special because it aids you in how to make a podcast with your phone! The site also tell you good apps that you could download to assist in producing a great podcast. I liked this post a lot because it gives a different way on how to make a podcast (with your phone) which I appreciate because I find that it would be a lot easier to record with your hand held device.
Taking in all my resources tips and advice I think I'm going to go in the direction of recording my podcast with my phone. It seems a lot less difficult to produce and less costly, I would rather purchase an app for $1.99 then go out and buy a microphone for $19.99.
Works Cited
"Podcasting." Mixing Tracks. N.p., n.d. Web. 26 Jan. 2014
Messieh, Nancy. "How To Make Podcast On The Go With Your Mobile Phone." MakeUseOf. N.p., n.d. Web. 26 Jan. 2014.
"Create Your Own Podcast." Windows.microsoft.com. Ed. Byron Ricks. N.p., n.d. Web. 26 Jan. 2014.
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.
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.
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.
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.
- 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.)
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.
Camellia, W14, Pitching
Well, since pitching our podcast ideas
is just around the corner, I’ve been diligently trying to gather advice on how
to go about it.
Some advice for pitching a
podcast:
1. CBC radio – A few weeks ago, I
was browsing different podcasts and I came across the podcast “The Next Chapter
(with Shelagh Rogers)” where Rogers
discusses literature. This podcast is a part
of CBC radio, so I did some research on the CBC radio website and I came across
their pitch guide. CBC’s pitch guide
definitely offers reliable information because (as many others have also
stated) CBC is one of the most esteemed and professional broadcasters in Canada. CBC is no stranger to the world of podcasting
as it broadcasts many different types of podcasts, one of the podcasts being
“Spark.”
Some helpful advice from CBC radio’s
pitch guide is:
· Say what it is about your idea that gets others very
excited
· How would you describe
your show’s sound?
2. Quick and Dirty Tips – For my own podcast,
I plan to emulate the Grammar Girl podcast so I inputted ‘podcast pitch’ in the
search bar on the Grammar Girl website.
Grammar Girl is one of the many podcasts associated with the Quick and
Dirty Tips website. Thus, the Quick and
Dirty Tips website redirected me to a podcast episode called “How
to Make a Good Pitch” by Lisa B. Marshall aka “The Public Speaker.” The Quick and Dirty Tips website offers
reliable information because it also broadcasts many different types of
podcasts, in particular Grammar Girl (which is definitely a reliable podcast). The Public Speaker podcast is also a reliable
source because her podcast episodes cover a wide range of communication topics (Marshall is very
experienced, especially since she has a degree in Communications) –
specifically, quite a few of her podcast episodes have explored the topic of
creating/communicating in a podcast.
Some helpful advice from the “How to
Make a Good Pitch” podcast episode is:
·
Say why you’re different or the best
· Modify
your pitch based on the feedback you receive
3. San Francisco Book Review – I
did a quick Google search with the words ‘pitch a podcast’ and one of the first
websites that came up was the San Francisco Book Review’s “How to Pitch a
Podcast” by Stephanie Barko, Literary Agent.
Although, this article is about pitching in an e-mail, I can confirm
that this article is indeed credible because Barko’s career is focused on
pitching authors and novelists therefore, she is able to offer reliable advice
on how to go about pitching in any circumstance.
Some helpful advice from the “How
to Pitch a Podcast” article is:
·
The goal is to connect with your “target” aka
“who you’re pitching to”
·
“5
Things You Will Reveal to Listeners” – what is it about you that will
make you good on the air (as the podcast host) and why you will fit well with
the show’s theme
·
How your podcast content ties to current events
Overall, in order
to create an effective podcast pitch, I will have to discuss the sound/tone my
podcast will have, discover peoples’ reactions to my topic before I pitch it,
discover if my topic is relevant enough, and keep the specific target (in my
case, Ms. Grammar Girl herself) in mind.
Works Cited
Canadian Broadcasting Corporation. (2013, August). Cbc radio
program development
group pitch guide. Retrieved from http//www.cbc.ca/pitch/radiopitchguide.html
Marshall, L. B. (Performer) (2011, November
17). How to make a good pitch. The Public Speaker. [Audio podcast].
Retrieved from http://www.quickanddirtytips.com/business-career/public-speaking/how-to-make-a-good-pitch
Barko, S. (2013, February 13). How to
pitch a podcast. Retrieved from http://sanfranciscobookreview.com/2013/02/how-to-pitch-a-podcast/
Subscribe to:
Comments (Atom)