Audio Resources for Multimedia Reporters

How-To Guides, Tutorials and Tools

Gathering Audio

» Reporting with Sound
This is a 21-page PDF with lots of great advice for multimedia reporters about gathering and editing clips and sound and using sound in storytelling, based on the practices used by radio journalists at National Public Radio.
One of the best parts of the document is the detailed advice about good interviewing.

A guide to gathering audio for multimedia and photo journalists, from Mediastorm
» Part 1
» Part 2

» How to gather audio for multimedia and photojournalism projects
Great advice from MSNBC.com, similar to the links above, but with much more about good recorders and microphones. (If the page looks blank when it loads, just scroll down)

» How to Record Audio for the Web

Editing Audio

» Audacity
Free audio editing software for downloading

Guides to editing audio with Audacity from Mindy McAdams, journalism educator and blogger.

» Super Fast Guide to Audio Editing

» Editing Audio with Audacity (Part 2)

» Setting up Preferences in Audacity

» Online tutorial about using Audacity

» Ethical guidelines for editing audio
My list of do’s and don’ts about editing interviews and clips

Recording reports

» Recording narration or voiceovers
Some basic tips with links to lists of good breathing exercises, vocal warm ups and tongue twisters

Tips from the BBC
About everything from interviewing to writing for broadcast to using your microphone and recording equipment

Using Sound in Storytelling, Online or On the Radio

Ira Glass, the executive producer of This American Life, the very popular program on National Public Radio in the U.S., has some great advice about gathering good audio and using it to tell stories in these four You Tube videos. They rung between 3-6 minutes each.

» Ira Glass on Storytelling #1

» Ira Glass on Storytelling #2

» Ira Glass on Storytelling #3

» Ira Glass on Storytelling #4