Phone –in Programme and Radio Bridge

Phone –in Programme

Phone-in programme gives a chance to the listeners to participate in the

programme directly by raising question queries live on air. Such programmes are
very popular in Metro cities and places where large numbers of people have access
to phone facilities. In Phone-in programmes, experts from different fields are
invited to speak, and later the person anchoring the prograrammes allows the
listeners to raise questions to get clarification on the points, where they have some
doubts. The listener can participate through the phone linets (there may be more
than one and the numbers are announced well in advance), which are connected to
the studios. Thus, the listener can get replies to histher queries in real time. Phone-
ins on health related subjects are a regular feature of programming in several
stations.

These Interactive programmes are proving useful in the field of education. Indira
Gandhi National Open University is using interactive radio as part of its learning
package from 186 AIR radio stations. Students can pose questions to the experts
from their homes and interact freely to seek further information, clarification and
guidance on academic matters. In addition, various issues related to admissions,
submission of assignments, examination, declaration of results etc. are also taken
up during Phone-in sessions. Students enrolled with the university, parents and
prospective students get their doubts clarified by posiilg questions during such
sessions. Toll-free phone facility available in 80 cities helps to reach out to the
listeners and involve them in the broadcasts.

The phone facilities at present are limited and available to a certain sections of
people. However, as the facilities increase, the techniques and formats of
interactive communication will become more useful and popular among the
people.

Technical facilities

When inviting listeners to phone the programme, it is best to have a special number
rather than take the calls through the normal station telephone
The technical means of taking calls have almost infinite variation, but the facilities
should include:
1. Off-air answering of calls.
2. Acceptance of several calls – say four or five simultaneously.
3. Holding a call until required, sending the caller a feed of cue programme.
4. The ability to take two calls simultaneously on the air.
5. Origination of calls from the studio.
6. Picking up a call by the answering position after its on-air use.

Programme classification
The producer of a phone-in must decide the aim of the programme and design it so
that it achieves a particular objective. If the lines are simply thrown open to
listeners, the result can be a hopeless muddle. There are always cranks and
exhibitionists ready to talk without saying anything, and there are the lonely with a
real need to talk.
Types of phone-in include:
1. The open line – conversation with the studio presenter.
2. The specific subject – expert advice on a chosen topic.
3. Consumer affairs – a series providing ‘action’ advice on detailed cases.
4. Personal counselling – problems discussed for the individual rather than the
audience.

The open line

A general programme where topics of a non-specific nature are discussed with the
host in the studio. There need be no theme or continuity between the calls, but
often a discussion will develop on a matter of topical interest. The one-minute
phone-in, or ‘soapbox’, works well when callers are allowed to talk on their own
subject for one minute without interruption, providing they stay within the law.

Support staff
There are several variations on the basic format, in which the presenter simply
takes the calls as they come in. The first of these is that the lines are answered by a
programme assistant or secretary, who ensures that th Staffing a phone-in.

1. The total self-op. The presenter takes the calls.

2. A ‘call-taker’ screens the calls and provides information to the presenter in
advance of each call.
3. An operator controls all technical operation, e.g. discs, levels, etc., while the
producer/presenter concentrates on programme content.
 4. Separate producer in the control area to make programme decisions, e.g. to
initiate‘phone-out’ calls.
5. Guest ‘experts’ in the studio with research support available

Choosing the calls

The person vetting the calls quickly develops an ear for the genuine problem, the
interesting point of view, the practical or the humorous. Such people converse.
They have something to say but can listen as well as speak, they tend to talk in
short sentences and respond quickly to questions put to them.

The role of the presenter

The primary purpose of the programme is democratic – to let people have their say
and express their views on matters which concern them. It is equivalent to the
‘letter to the editor’ column of a newspaper or the soapbox orator stand in the city
square. The role of the presenter or host is not to take sides – although some radio
stations may adopt a positive editorial policy it is to stimulate conversation so that
the matter is made interesting for the listener. The presenter should be well versed
in the law of libel and defamation, and be ready to terminate a caller who becomes
obscene, overtly political, commercial or illegal in accordance with the programme
policy.

Presenter style

The following list may be helpful:

1. To be sincere – say what you really feel and avoid acting.
2. To be friendly – use an ordinary tone of voice and be capable of talking with
an audible smile. Avoid ‘jargon’ and specialist or technical language.
3. To appear human – use normal conversational language and avoid artificial
airs and graces’. Admit when you do not know the answer.
4. To be considerate – demonstrate the capacity to understand views other than
your own.
5. To be helpful – offer useful, constructive practical advice.
6. To appear competent – demonstrate an appreciation of the question and
ensure accuracy of answers. Avoid ‘waffle’ and ‘padding’.
Reference material

The presenter may be faced with a caller actually seeking practical advice and it is
important for the producer to know in advance how far the programme should go
in this direction, otherwise it may assume expectations for the listener which
cannot be fulfilled. Broadcasters are seldom recruited for their practical expertise
outside the medium and there is no reason why they should be expected
spontaneously to answer specialist questions. However, the availability in the
studio of suitable reference material will enable the presenter to direct the caller to
the appropriate source of advice or information. Reference sources may include
telephone directories, names and addresses of councillors, members of parliament
or other elected representatives, government offices, public utilities, social
services, health and education departments, welfare organizations and commercial
PR people. This information is usually given on the air, but itis a matter of
discretion.

Studio operation
At the basic level it is possible for the presenter alone to undertake the operation of
the studio control desk. But as facilities are added, it becomes necessary to have a
specialist panel operator, particularly where there is no automatic equipment to
control the sound levels of the different sources. In this respect, an automatic
‘voice-over’ unit for the presenter is particularly useful, so that when speaking, the
level of the incoming call is decreased. It must, however, be used with care if he or
she is to avoidsounding too dominating.

Additional telephone facilities

If the equipment allows, the presenter may be able to take two calls
simultaneously, so setting up a discussion between callers as well as with the
studio. The advice and cooperation of the telephone company may be required
prior to the initiation of any phone programme. This is because there may well
have to be safeguards taken to prevent the broadcasting function from interfering
with the smooth running of the telephone service. These may take the form of
limitations imposed on the broadcaster in how the telephone might be used in
programmes, or possibly the installation of special equipment either at the
telephone exchange or at the radio station.
Use of ‘delay’
The listening interest of this type of programme depends to an extent on the
random nature of the topics discussed and the consequent possibility of the
unexpected or outrageous. There is a vicarious pleasure to be obtained from a
programme not wholly designed in advance. But it is up to the presenter to ensure
that there is reasonable control. However, as an additional safeguard, it is possible
to introduce a delay time between the programme and the transmission – indeed,
some radio stations and broadcasting authorities insist on it. Should any caller
become libellous, abusive or obscene a delay device, of say 10 seconds, enables
that part of the programme to be deleted before it goes on the air. The programme,
usually a short-term recording, is faded out and is replaced by the ‘live’ presenter’s
voice. With a good operator, this substitution can be made without it being
apparent to the listener. Returning from the ‘live’ to the ‘delayed’ programme is
more difficult, and it is useful to have on hand news, music or other breaks to
allow the presenter time to return to another call.

The specific subject

Here, the subject of the programme is selected in advance so that the appropriate
guest expert, or panel of experts, can be invited to take part. It may be that the
subject lends itself to the giving of factual advice to individual questions – for
example, child care, motoring, medical problems, gardening, pets and animals,
farming, antiques, holidays, cooking, financial issues or citizens’ rights. Or the
programme may be used as an opportunity to developa public discussion of a more
philosophical nature – for instance, the stateof the economy, political attitudes,
education or religious belief.

Early lines’
In order to obtain questions of the right type and quality, the phone lines to the
programme may be opened some time before the start of the transmission– say half
an hour. The calls are taken by a secretary or programme assistant, who notes the
necessary details and passes the information tothe producer, who can then select
the calls wanted for the programme. Forthe broadcast these are originated by the
studio on a phone-back basis.The combination of ‘early’ lines and ‘phone-back’
gives the programmethe following advantages:
1. The calls used are not random but are selected to develop the chosen theme
at a level appropriate to the answering panel and the aim of the programme.
2. The order in which the calls are broadcast is under the control of the
producer and so can represent a logical progression of the subject.
 3. The studio expert, or panel, has advance warning of the questions andcan
prepare more substantial replies.
4. The phone-back principle helps to establish the credentials of the caller and
serves as a deterrent to irresponsible calls. The programme itself may
therefore be broadcast ‘live’ without the use of any delay device.

5. At the beginning of the programme there is no waiting for the first calls to
come in; it can start with a call of strong general interest already established.

6. Poor or noisy lines can be redialled by the studio until a better quality line is
obtained.

Consumer affairs
The consumer phone-in is related to the ‘specific subject’, but its range of content
is so wide that any single panel or expert is unlikely to provide detailed advice in
response to every enquiry. As the range of programme content increases, the type
of advice given tends to become more general, dealing with matters of principle
rather than the action to be taken in a specific case.

The need to be fair

Consumer affairs programmes rightly tend to be on the side of the complainant, but
it should never be forgotten that a large number of complaints disintegrate under
scrutiny and it is possible that such fault as there is lies with the user. Championing
‘the little man’ is all very well, but radio stations have a responsibility to
shopkeepers and manufacturers too. Once involved in a specific case the
programme must be fair, and be seen to be fair. Two further variations on the
phone-in help to provide this balance:
1 The phone-out. A useful facility while taking a call is to be able to originate a
second call and have them both on the air simultaneously. In response to a
particular enquiry, the studio rings the appropriate head of sales, PR department or
council/government official to obtain a detailed answer, or at least an undertaking
that the matter will be looked into.
2 The running story. The responsibility to be fair often needs more information
than the original caller can give or than is immediately available and an enquiry
may need further investigation outside the programme. While the problem can be
posed and discussed initially, it may be that the subject is one which has to be
followed up later.
Linking programmes together
Unlike the ‘specific subject’ programme, which is an individual ‘one-off’, the
broad consumer affairs programme may run in series – weekly, daily or even
morning and afternoon. A complex enquiry may run over several programmes and
while it can be expensive of the station’s resources, it can also be excellent for
retaining and increasing the audience

Personal counselling
With all phone-in programmes, the studio presenter is talking to the individual
caller but has constantly to bear in mind the needs of the general listener. The
material discussed has to be of interest to the very much wider audience who might
never phone the station but who will identify with the points raised by those who
do.
The presenter as listener
As with all phone-in programmes, the presenter in the studio cannot see the caller.
He or she is denied all the usual non-verbal indicators of communication – facial
expression, gesture, etc. This becomes particularly important in a counselling
programme, when the caller’s reaction to the advice given is crucial.

Non-broadcasting effort
Personal counselling or advice programmes also need off-air support – someone to
talk further with the caller or to give names, addresses orphone numbers which are
required to be kept confidential. The giving of a phone number over the air is
always a signal for some people to call it, so blocking it as an effective source for
the one person the programme is trying to help. Again, the broadcaster may need to
be able to pass the problem to another agency for the appropriate follow-up. The
time of day for a broadcast of this type seems to be especially critical. It is
particularly adult in its approach and is probably best at a time when it may be
reasonably assumed that few children will be listening. This indicates a late
evening slot – but not so late as to prevent the availability of unsuspected practical
help arising from the audience itself.
Anonymity
Often, a programme of this type specializing in personal problems allows callers to
remain unidentified. Their name is not given over the air, the studio counsellor
referring to them by first name only or by an agreed pseudonym. This convention
preserves what most callers need – privacy. It is perhaps surprising that people will
call a radio station for advice, rather than ask their family, friends or specialist,
simply because they do not have to meet anyone. It can be done from a position of
security, perhaps in familiar surroundings where they do not feel threatened.
Phone-in checklist
The following list summarizes what is needed for a phone-in programme:
1. Discuss the programme with the telephone service and resolve any
problems caused by the additional traffic which the programme could
generate. Do you want all the calls, even the unanswered ones, to be
counted?
2. Decide the aim and type of the programme.
3. Decide the level of support staff required in the studio. This may involve a
screening process, phone-back, immediate research, operational control and
phone-out.
4. Engage guest speakers.
5. Assemble reference material.
6. Decide if ‘delay’ is to be used.
7. Arrange for ‘recording off transmission’.
8. Establish appropriate ‘follow-up’ links with other, outside, agencies

Radio Bridge

Radio Bridge signifies the extension of Phone-in programmes. In a phone-in

programme, listeners usually interact with the experts located in the studio of a
particular radio station. However, in a Radio Bridge programme four or more
studios of different cities are connected and experts called to discuss a given topic
or issue. Thus, the listeners are able to listen to the opinions or views of different
experts at one time from different places and can also elicit clarification from the
experts 'live'.

Radio bridge means connecting different stations throughout the length and
breadth of the country. In this technique, for example, an expert sitting at
Chennai can interact with the common man in the studio in Delhi. This
format was first used by All India Radio during elections.