Looking at the photograph of Jim Russell on Transom, you'll note that one side of his mouth turns up and the other side down. This may reflect the attitude necessary to make a life in public radio. Jim has done pretty much everything... produced All Things Considered, substantially created Marketplace and Weekend America, and the concept for The World. He has recently become an independent consultant. Now, on Transom you can avail yourself of Jim's advice for free! Perhaps you'd like to start your own public radio show? Jim will tell you the questions you should ask before you do. And soon, he'll provide the one thing that most would-be Executive Producers ask for most. A budget. And how to write one. This is a great chance to prepare for the big time in public radio, such as it is.
Well, all good things come to an end, and I need to make way for a new guest. I've enjoyed the opportunity to be a guest, though I wish there had been more discussion. Instead, a lot of you wrote very kind notes to me. I'D RATHER FIGHT!!! About something I am passionate about, namely radio production. So, it you want to call me to yell or breathe heavily, please do so. (919) 942-6950. Or, email jim@programdoctor.com.
In the end, radio production IS an art, not a science -- an art of the kind that Jay and Robert Krulwich and Danny Miller and Doug Berman and Steve Rowland and others do magnificently. It isn't a business, and I always lament when I hear of museums that spend more time focused on the sales by the gift shop than the aesthetic value of their art collection. But programs do need to be created and managed in a business-like manner. If they are, producers will have more time and more resources to practice their craft and do their art.
Any regrets after 30+ years of doing this? I wish there was a better farm club approach to training and mentoring young producers. When I was coming up, back in the early days of NPR, there was a friendlier and more supportive environment for creators than I feel exists now. There was more room for experimentation and mistakes -- hell, much of what NPR did in the good old days was a "mistake." Inspired, yes, but often wrong. But, we recovered from those errors, dusted ourselves off, learned the lessons necessary to survive and produce again. I hope producers will find ways to do that now. One way to find that support network is to join AIR. Yes, I am on the Board and this IS a commercial.
Anyway, enough meandering. Thanks for the privilege of talking with and to you. Feel free to contact me if I can be of any help to you.
I agree about the friendliness-to-creators thing, but on the other hand, we have Transom and Third Coast, PRX, AIR, all the youth groups out there, regional media arts centers, some wise and encouraging radio stations, etc. etc. and helpful people like you, so there's plenty of hope.
To post a message, compose your text in the box below, then click on Post My Message (below) to send the message.
You cannot rewrite history, but you will have 30 minutes to make any changes or fixes after you post a message. Just click on the Edit button which follows your message after you post it.
![[F]](/Images/i3/site.gif){kind=small}
Transom Talk
