On-Air Presenter Guide

‘ON-AIR’ PRESENTER GUIDE.
DOC Issue 1: Effective: 31st January, 2011 Page 2 of 58

A.B.N. 48 549 819 471
Title Page
A Bit of the History of Radio ................................................................................................... 5

Community Radio and TankFM ............................................................................................. 6
The Studio ................................................................................................................................. 7

The "Kestrel-16" 'On-Air' Mixer ........................................................................................... 8
Compact Discs ........................................................................................................................... 9
CD Players 1 & 2 ...................................................................................................................... 9
MINIDISC Player 1 (MD-1) ................................................................................................... 10
MINIDISC Player 2 (MD-2) ................................................................................................... 10
Digital Delivery Network ('DDN').......................................................................................... 11
Computers and Radio ............................................................................................................ 12
Playing Music from a Laptop Computer .............................................................................. 12
SAM Party DJ ......................................................................................................................... 13
'Tank Digital Network' ('TDN') ............................................................................................. 16
Turntables and Vinyl ............................................................................................................. 17
Introduction to Radio Presentation ...................................................................................... 18

Changeover Procedure ........................................................................................................... 19
Microphones ............................................................................................................................ 19
Monitoring ............................................................................................................................... 20
Use the VU Meters! ................................................................................................................. 20
Preparing Your Show ............................................................................................................. 21
Getting Organised .................................................................................................................. 21
Announcing ............................................................................................................................. 22
Run-Sheets ............................................................................................................................... 29
The News ................................................................................................................................. 31
The Weather ............................................................................................................................ 31
SES Flood Bulletins ................................................................................................................ 35
Community Service Announcements .................................................................................... 36
Sponsors’ 'Promos' ................................................................................................................. 36
Traffic Reports ........................................................................................................................ 37
Reporting Deaths .................................................................................................................... 37
Cont….
‘ON-AIR’ PRESENTER GUIDE.DOC Issue 1: Effective: 31st January, 2011 Page 3 of 58

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Funeral Notices ....................................................................................................................... 37
Links ......................................................................................................................................... 38
The Filler ................................................................................................................................. 38
Requests – Don’t Go Overboard! .......................................................................................... 40
Sensitive Material ................................................................................................................... 41
Australian Content ................................................................................................................. 45
Some Final Points about Presentation .................................................................................. 46
Some Legal Aspects of Presenting ......................................................................................... 47
Complaint Handling ............................................................................................................... 48
Supplementary Procedures .................................................................................................... 49

Un-Scheduled Power Outages (Power Failures) .................................................................. 50
Un-Scheduled Power Outage – Transmitter ........................................... 50
Un-Scheduled Power Outage – Studio (at night) .......................... 51
'TDN' Failure .......................................................................................................................... 52
Starting Up the Station ........................................................................................................... 52
Shutting Down the Station ..................................................................................................... 53
Amendments ............................................................................................................................ 54
Notes for User .......................................................................................................................... 55
Abbreviations .......................................................................................................................... 56
Acknowledgements ................................................................................................................. 56

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A Bit of the History of Radio
In the late 1800’s, a handful of people were working on 'wireless voice transmission', but a
Serbian named Nikola Tesla1 in 1893, was the first person to achieve success. The first radio
broadcast to carry voice and music was accomplished in 1906 by Reginald Fessenden. On
Christmas Eve, he broadcast “O Holy Night” and read passages from the Bible, to ships at sea
from Massachusetts. In 1910, Charles Herrold began the first regularly scheduled broadcast of
information and entertainment. He broadcast from San Jose, California and his signal was picked
up 90 miles away. XWA-AM, later renamed CFCF-AM, broadcasting out of Montreal, Quebec,
Canada was the first licensed commercial radio station. Before governments required radio
stations to be licensed, just about all broadcasting was being done by Amateur (ham) operators.
In Australia, early experimentation in radio went un-acknowledged by the public and
government until, in 1905, the Wireless Telegraphy Act was introduced. Amalgamated Wireless
Australia (AWA), provided the push for the radio industry and the first radio broadcast to
listeners in Sydney and Melbourne took place in 1919. After introducing regulations to govern
radio broadcasting the Australian government licensed four stations in 1923.
FM radio first hit the air-waves when Fairleigh Dickinson University received a license for
WFDU 89.1. While still in its infancy, various governments throughout the world recognised the
importance of radio. Radio could educate, inform, entertain, stimulate and incite.
As technology advanced, the physical size of the radio receiver was shrinking. Countries
around the world saw the military benefits of radio and as soon as size permitted, the radio was
being used by troops in the field. From the early 1920’s police departments in most major cities
had one-way communications with their patrol cars but in 1933 the small town of Bayonne, New
Jersey, U.S.A. established the first two-way system with their officers on patrol.
Although there were 'portable' radio receivers as early as the late 1920’s, the early 'portable'
sets were fairly big things that required lots of power for the valves (vacuum tubes). To get that
power these radios used large batteries that were not rechargeable and were very expensive. The
radio didn’t really become portable until the 1950’s.with the discovery of the transistor. The
transistor replaced the valves, required very little power, and allowed the size of the radio
receiver to shrink considerably. Further advances in electronic technology saw the transistor
shrink in size, power needs were reduced, and the 'portable radio' being replaced with an all-in-
one, telephone, camera, television, pager, radio and multi-media units.
In the beginning, all radio transmissions were amplitude modulated (AM). Amplitude
Modulation means that the signal strength (carrier) is varied according to the information being
transmitted, while the frequency remained constant. Because many things, such as fluorescent
lights, passing vehicles, household appliance motors, could interfere with receiving the AM
signal, a number of people were looking at other methods of transmitting radio signals. Edwin
Armstrong, in 1935, demonstrated a method of reducing disturbances in radio transmissions.
This was accomplished by a technique called Frequency Modulation. With frequency
modulation (FM), the amplitude of the carrier remains constant while the frequency is varied
according to the information being transmitted.
'School of the Air', a network of stations dedicated to education, was a uniquely Australian
usage of radio.
1
Tesla’s first demonstration of 'wireless communications' took place in 1893, two years before Marconi’s. The documents
(drawings) that Marconi used when applying for his patents, were very similar to documents published years earlier by Tesla.

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Community Radio and TankFM
There are about 350 Community Radio stations broadcasting across Australia, and
community radio is not just an Australian thing, there are more than 2,500 community (public
radio in some countries) radio stations throughout the world. The transmitter power of these
stations varies from as little as 8 watts to as much as 55,000 watts. 'Pirate' radio was the
forerunner of community Radio in the U.K.
Volunteers, over 20,000 in Australia alone, staff most community radio stations; the
presenters who go 'on air', the people who work in the office, the people who maintain every
aspect of the station, are all volunteers. Very few community radio stations are able to afford any
paid staff.
The idea of TankFM was spawned at a public meeting held in 1992. From this meeting
emerged a dedicated team that forged forward towards the ultimate goal of obtaining a
Community Broadcasting license for the Macleay Valley.
During the next five years, leading up to our first test transmission in March 1997, a tireless
and dedicated group of volunteers put in a lot of hard work to sell the idea of Macleay Valley’s
own radio station to the community. These dedicated volunteers surmounted the mountains of
government red tape and paper work, and raised much needed money to finance the proposal.
Two years later, in 1999, and after a series of test transmissions, the station was issued a
Community Broadcasting license.
Although our official name is Macleay Valley Community FM Radio Station Incorporated,
and our call sign is 2WET, the station is known locally as TankFM because the studio complex
is housed in a disused concrete water reservoir, some 12 metres (40 feet) in diameter, in Rudder
Park, overlooking the Macleay River and the town of Kempsey.
It is estimated that one-third of Australians tune into Community Radio. Why do so many
people, with the vast array of media available, listen to Community Radio? Well, there are a
number of reasons, but the main ones are entertainment, local news and weather.
To a great many people, especially the elderly and those with impaired mobility, radio is
their primary source of entertainment and quite often their only companion! Radio wakes them
in the morning, accompanies them throughout the day, and then puts them to bed at night. 'The
theatre of the mind', radio, being that it is a non-visual medium, has the ability to entertain and
inform while the listener is engaged in other activities.
The thing to remember is that, even though many people are listening, a radio audience is
made up of individual listeners. You should try to present your program as if it's for an
individual. Radio is a very personal medium, and you are creating images in the mind of each
listener — hence it has been called 'the theatre of the mind'.
You, as the presenter, (whilst 'on air'), are TankFM.
What can TankFM Community Radio do for you? That would depend on what you expect.
One way to answer that question, is for the presenter to ask, and look around to see what it has
done for some of the other presenters. Quite a few people involved with 'commercial radio and
television' got their start at a community station.
Community Radio is an excellent training ground for those who might be interested in
becoming a professional presenter. If you are open to constructive criticism, your fellow
presenters and the community will definitely give it. But if you are honest with yourself, you will
become your own worst critic and best teacher. Whilst at TankFM, you will develop your radio
voice and style.
Even though we are all volunteering our time, once we make a commitment to do a show, we
must fulfill that commitment. There will be times when you feel that you would rather be doing
something else, there is a good show on television, or your mates are having a barbeque, or you
just feel a bit tired; get past it. If you are unable to do your show, you should arrange for a fill-in.

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The Studio
Before we get into the operation of the studio and the equipment, it is important to address a few
subjects before they become issues. Courtesy, Neatness, Punctuality.
Because many people* are sharing TankFM’s studio, Courtesy is extremely important.
* Fire Regulations DO NOT PERMIT any more than a total of 5 people in the building
(studio and adjoining rooms and reception areas), at any one time.
1. When you arrive at the 'Tank', don’t walk into the studio un-announced or when the
microphone is open.
2. If the 'on-air' presenter allows you into the studio during their show, don’t stay any longer
than is absolutely necessary.
3. Do not stand in the lobby or right outside the 'Tank' talking loudly or laughing.
4. Don’t distract the presenter when they are 'on air'.
Courtesy, Neatness, and Punctuality allows for a smooth and stress-free changeover. The 'on-
air' presenter should be prepared to give up the seat to the incoming presenter with enough time
for the incoming presenter to 'cue' their first item and get settled.
Broadcasting is the selective use of sound; creating the noises you wish to be heard, and
excluding unwanted sounds. That’s why most broadcasting comes from a studio; a reasonably
sound-proofed room, acoustically treated to minimise unwanted noise, and to avoid reflection or
echoing of sounds created, filled with pieces of equipment which create sound.
The studio is the heart of the station and there are strict guidelines about its use. Keep your
friends, pets, food, drinks, and cigarettes out of the studio. They are distractions, and can damage
the equipment.
TankFM is a SMOKE-FREE ZONE

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"The Kestrel-16" 'On-Air' Mixer
The centre-piece of the studio is the Mixing Desk or Mixing Console, usually referred to as the
'Desk' or the 'Console'. Although referred to in catalogues as an 'On-Air Audio Mixer', this
terminology is rarely, if ever, used in a studio environment. The words 'On-Air' are used to
differentiate this style of mixer from other Audio Mixers that are not suitable for broadcasting
applications. 'On-Air', or 'Broadcast', Mixers have features specific to the requirements of a
broadcast station, such as 'Off-Air' monitor selection and muting of studio speakers whenever a
microphone is 'open'.
Other pieces of studio equipment; CD Players, MiniDisc (MD) Players, Turntable, Microphones,
Digital Delivery Network ('DDN') Computer, 'Tank Digital Network' ('TDN') Computer, Laptop
Computers and other Auxiliary (AUX) sources are connected to the desk, which prepares the
audio from those devices for transmission.
The desk provides for the selection of various sources of audio and allows the level of those
sources to be adjusted and, mixed together prior to be sent along the transmission chain for
further processing before being sent to the transmitter or the Internet.
Refer to separate manual and PowerPoint presentation:-
Operating Instructions for the "Kestrel-16" 'On-Air' Mixer.
See also Section -4 Supplementary, for other procedures involving various pieces of
equipment in including the "Kestrel-16" 'On-Air' Mixer.

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Compact Discs
The compact disc (CD) has virtually made vinyl records obsolete. Much of the music that
TankFM receives for airplay now comes in the form of a compact disc. For broadcasters, they
are much simpler to 'cue', have better functionality and usually sound better than historic
recording mediums such as tape or vinyl records.
CD Players 1 & 2
'Cueing' CD players for airplay:

1. Ensure 'SINGLE' is displayed in the window. If not, press the 'PLAY MODE' button until
'SINGLE' is displayed.
2. If 'CONTINUOUS' play is desired, press the 'PLAY MODE' until 'CONTINUOUS' appears
on the screen.
3. Insert a CD, when the player recognises the CD it will automatically 'cue' to track 1 and be
ready to play.
4. To play a different track, turn the 'TRACK' knob to the desired track.
5. Press 'PLAY' to 'air' the selected track.
When the current track ends, the player will automatically 'cue' to the start of the next track.
Trivia: If you were able to roll out the recordable spiral of a CD, its length would be 5.38km.

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MINIDISC Player 1 (MD-1)
The MINIDISC is usually used for short announcements or recordings such as theme
music and sponsorship announcements. Some presenters use the MINIDISC in the same way
that most people would use a CD. The advantage that the MINIDISC has over the normal CD is
that the MINIDISC, like the floppy disc, can be erased and re-used many times.
'Cueing' MD-1 for airplay:
1. Insert the MINIDISC in the player, making sure that Disc is label side up and the 'door' is to
the right. In a second or two, the MD player will recognise the disc, then display the number of
tracks and the total MD playing time.
2. Once the MINIDISC player recognises the disc, turn the 'PUSH MARK/ENTER' knob to
select the track you want to 'air'.
3. Press 'PAUSE', to 'cue' the selected track.
4. When you are ready to 'air' the track, press 'PLAY' or 'PAUSE'.
or
5. Insert disc and press 'PAUSE'.
a. After player has read the disc, use the knob to dial up the required track.
With the MINIDISC player, you will have to wait until one track is completed before
'cueing' the next track. Try to stay ahead of the equipment. One way is to 'cue' the next track on
the MINIDISC, as soon as you start playing a track on a CD or the 'DDN'.
Mini-Disc Player 2 (MD-2)
'Cueing' MD-2 for airplay:

1. Insert MINIDISC in player and wait for the disc to be read.
2. Turn the 'TRACK' knob to the desired track, which will then be 'cued' and ready to be played.
3. Press 'PLAY' to 'air' the selected track.
4. When the current track ends, the player will automatically 'cue' to the start of the next track.

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Digital Delivery Network ('DDN')
The 'DDN' computer
receives and stores
programs such as Rural
Reports and specialist
programs via the
Community Radio
Satellite Service
(ComRadSat). The bulk
of TankFM's
Sponsorship
Announcements,
Community Service
Announcements (CSA)
and other promotional
audio tracks (promos)
are also stored on the
'DDN'.
Selecting a sponsor's announcement, Community Service Announcement, or other

promotional track ('promo') on the 'DDN'.
1. To display the drop-
down menu, double
left-click on the Title
Bar with the black
background, above the
twelve menu items F1
to F12.
2. From the drop-
down menu, select and
double left-click on the
required menu item.
3. From the new list,
select the item you wish
to 'air'.
4. When it is time to
play the item, click on it
once using the left
mouse button.
When using the 'DDN';
to avoid having silent gaps (known as 'dead-air') between items, you will need to prepare for the
next 'DDN' item while the current item is playing. Changing to a new menu group (steps 1 and 2
above) will not stop the current item playing. However, clicking on a new item within a menu
group will stop the item that is currently playing and start the next item. Single left-clicking the
'STOP' button will stop an item that is playing.

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Computers and Radio
Volunteers, no matter how dedicated, while attempting to present a 'professional' show, will
look for the easiest way to achieve that goal. Like it or not, computers have found their way into
the presenter’s life. One presenter did a (four-hour) show with an Ipod and another was bringing
their home computer to the studio, but if you can afford it, a laptop is the way to go. Think about
it, no more lugging boxes of CD’s, no more shuffling CD’s and no more forgetting to 'cue' your
next song.
If you have a Laptop computer, you can use it to play music on your show.
You will need:-
● A 3.5mm stereo plug to 2 x RCA plug cable. This is
needed to interface between your laptop computer's
'Line Out' or 'Headphone' socket and the Laptop Input
sockets provided for the purpose of connecting laptop
computers to the desk.
● Music on your laptop’s hard disk (or on an
External/portable hard drive).
● A good professional DJ software program on your
Laptop.
Many presenters at 'Tank', who use Laptops, use a program called OtsDJ. (http://www.otsdj.com).
Playing Music from a Laptop Computer

a. Connect Laptop to the input sockets using the 3.5mm stereo jack to 2 RCA plug cable.
b. Ensure that the volume control on your laptop is not muted and that it is set to no more than
90% of maximum level. You MUST ensure that all Windows System Sounds and Alerts are
turned OFF and, if you normally use a Graphic Equaliser (EQ) when playing your music at
home, it also MUST be turned off or set with all adjustments on zero; also known as 'FLAT'
c. You control the laptop's audio level for the correct VU Meter deflection with the fader on the
laptop input module you have chosen to use, Laptop 1 or Laptop 2.
d. It is a good idea to always have a few CD’s or Mini-discs with you. Problems are bound to
happen, and when they do, they will certainly happen at the most inconvenient time.
e. If you are using a compression program, (mp3, OGG Vorbis or other format), when
downloading the music to your computer, use the highest formatting level possible*.
* Please note that 256kb/s is the recommended minimum for broadcast purposes.

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SAM Party DJ
SAM Party DJ is a computer based music 'playout' system comprising two pseudo CD players
labelled 'Deck A' and 'Deck B'. The windows that are normally displayed on the main screen,
shown below, are, from left to right, top to bottom;
1. Standard Windows Bars with the usual entries, These are not normally used by presenters.
2. SAM Control Buttons. The only Button used by presenters is the 'mode' button marked
'Manual' in the image shown below. Operation of this button is described in detail later in this
document.
3. 'Deck A', 'Clock' & 'Deck B'
4. 'Sound FX'. Three groups of sound effects are available by toggling the arrows each side of
the Page Number window. Three pages of sound effects are available.
5. 'Playlist Categories'. The music library is catalogued by year and a broad music description.
6. 'Queue'. Tracks selected from the 'Playlist' window are added to this window which serves
as a “waitlist”.
7. 'History'. A list of the tracks already played. The list included the time played and track
running time.
8. 'Playlist'. A list of tracks available in the 'Selected Playlist Category'.
9. Windows® Task Bar.
SAM Party DJ Main Screen
SAM Party DJ music tracks, which are generally in mp3 format (but can also be wav), are stored in
'Playlist Categories' in a library. 'Library' tracks may be accessed either by scrolling through the
lists of entries in the 'Playlist' window and then dragging to 'Deck A', 'Deck B' or to the 'Queue'
window, using standard, left-mouse click and drag operations.

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Tracks may also be searched by artist or track name. To search, click on the magnifying glass icon
in the 'Playlist' window.
Another window titled 'Search' will open that contains a typing area titled Search String.
Commence typing in this box. Any track entry containing the letter sequence you typed will
appear in the window titled 'Artist – Title'. Note that, in the example shown, the results for
entering “slim” include items with that letter sequence in either the artist name or the title. The
word “slime”, for example, would also appear if it existed in an artist's name or a track name.
The search is not case sensitive, meaning that upper case or lower case letters will work.
SAM Party DJ Search Window
If no entries appear in the 'Artist – Title' window it indicates one of two conditions; either what
you are looking for is not in the 'Library' or, you have typed the name incorrectly. Keeping
search criteria as short as possible will facilitate a quicker and more predictable result. Keep
watching the results window for likely results.
When you have found what you are looking for, click and drag it to Deck A, Deck B or to the
'Queue'. The 'Search' window is closed by clicking 'Exit'.
Mode Button
There are normally two modes of operation available by clicking this button – 'Manual' and
'AutoDJ'. The usual mode of operation is 'Manual'. In this mode, the decks are loaded
manually by the click and drag method described above. The deck is started by clicking the left
hand button shown in the group of three blue buttons for each deck. In this mode, the deck stops
at the conclusion of the track that was playing.
In 'AutoDJ' mode, when the deck that is playing gets to ten seconds from the end of the track
that is playing, the other deck is automatically loaded with the next track, chosen randomly, from
the 'Playlist' and, at an appropriate point, as decided by the program, the next deck commences
playing.
Cont….

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This sequence will continue until either, the stop button on the deck is clicked or, 'Manual'
mode is again selected.
Working in conjunction with the 'Manual/AutoDJ' button is a
drop-down window that is activated by clicking the down arrow
shown to the immediate right of the word Manual in the image to
the right. A third option, 'Play Queue', is available from that
window. With the 'Play Queue' option selected, operation is
automatic, with each deck being loaded, in turn, and playing the
tracks that have been added to the 'Queue' window that was
described on a previous page.
The Decks
Both 'Deck A' and 'Deck B' are
identical with the image pictured right.
The controls of most interest to the
presenter are those with a blue
background. Their functions, from left to
right, are 'Play/Pause', 'Stop' & (go to)
'End'.
Of the next group of five buttons to the
right, only the second and third buttons,
Eject and Fade to End are
permitted to be used by presenters.
The CP EQ and buttons are NOT to be used or altered.
The various window functions are as follows:-
The top window displays Artist and Track names for the track 'queued' or currently playing.
Below that, the square window showing the 'SAM Logo' will display a picture of the album
playing, if a picture is available. Next is a group of four windows displaying 'Cur'rent Playing
Time, from the start of the track, 'Tot'al Time of the track, 'Rem'aining Time of the track and,
finally 'Intro' provides an enhanced segue* function that is unlikely to be introduced at
TankFM in the foreseeable future due to the time consuming task of manually modifying every
library track.
* segue (pronounced seg-way) - a gradual un-interrupted transition between two audio sources.
The next group of four windows display mp3 data rate in 'kbps', track sample rate in 'kHz',
playing mode as 'Mono' or 'Stereo'. The 'bpm' (beats per minute) window would mostly
remain empty. The 'Volume' fader is normally set in the default position adjacent to the small
square to the left of the fader. The 'Fader', 'Air', 'Cue', 'V', 'P' and 'T' buttons must NOT be
adjusted by presenters. Other components of SAM Party DJ have been set to ensure those
controls are at the correct settings. The twin 'VU meters' display level into SAM Party DJ from
the program source. Don't be alarmed by their low readings compared with the VU meters on the
desk, this is both normal and correct in digital audio.
A word of caution regarding the inbuilt audio processing in SAM Party DJ is in order. The
processing has been set up in a particular way to marry up well with TankFM's main audio
processing unit and must NEVER be altered by presenters. SAM Party DJ maintains a log of all
events, keeping a timed record of tracks played and any program adjustments.
Be warned! If you feel inclined to think you know better than the technical staff, we will know
exactly who made the adjustments because they will be timed in the log – to the second.

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'Tank Digital Network' ('TDN')
The 'Tank Digital Network' ('TDN') runs on a dedicated computer located in the computer room
at the studio in Rudder Park.
The heart of the 'TDN' is 'SAM Broadcaster'; the big brother to 'SAM Party DJ' found in the
studio.
'SAM Broadcaster' has a library containing music tracks (almost identical to the library on 'SAM
Party DJ' in the studio), as well as Sponsorship Announcements and Community Service
Announcements.
'SAM Broadcaster' is responsible for the time scheduling of all 'TDN' events on any given day,
including National Radio News.
Overnight, 'SAM' schedules sponsorships, weather updates, featured programs and, of course,
the music.
Apart from the input channel on the "Kestrel-16" Desk, there are no other presenter accessible
components of the 'TDN'.

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Turntables and Vinyl
Records, the turntable, and the stylus are fragile, sensitive and expensive. They deserve
special care. Do not leave records lying around gathering dust and scratches. Put them in their
dust covers.
The studio turntable has two speed-settings; 33⅓ and 45 rpm (revolutions per minute).
Before playing a record, clean it. Dust will damage the stylus and the recording will sound
'crackly' on air.
When presenting a radio program, you want recordings to start at precisely the moment they are
required. Therefore they will have to be prepared beforehand; sitting ready for the time you want
to use them. This is what is meant by 'cueing'.
Studio turntables are different from those used in the home, as they can be stopped and
wound forward or backward by hand without damage to the record or stylus. This used to be one
of the most routine technical operations carried out by presenters, although of course the
introduction of compact discs has changed that. Every record which goes 'to air' must be 'cued'
first.
To 'Cue' a Record:
a. Lower the tone arm onto the record close to the start of the track you want to play.
b. Switch the turntable channel on the broadcast panel into 'cue' mode.
c. Start the turntable (using the start control on the turntable, not the mixer panel) and when
the track starts, switch it off (again from the turntable).
d. Rewind the record with one hand on the outside edge of the turntable (not on the record),
until you find the first sound on the track. You will hear the somewhat unusual sound of the
opening bars of your track playing backwards and at slow speed.
e. Once the record has been turned anti-clockwise to the start of the track continue for a
three quarters of a turn further. This will allow the turntable time to get up to full speed
before the music starts and not distort, or 'wow-in'. Your record is now ready to go 'to air'.
NOTE: This is a general principle for 'cueing'; prior to it being played 'on air'. With a live
recording, you may have to vary this slightly, because the music will almost always be preceded
by audience noise, most of which you will want to leave out. The solution is to 'cue' to the
beginning of the music and back off three-quarters of a turn from that point and, be sure to have
the fader down at the time you start the turntable, so the 'wind-up' is not broadcast.
Bring the fader up during the applause so that you have reached a suitable level by the time the
music starts.
Trivia: It was the cueing of vinyl records that gave rise to presenters being called Disc Jockeys
or DJ's.

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Introduction to Radio Presentation
Radio is the most universal form of mass communication. With receivers priced as low as a
couple of dollars, radio gives listeners instant access to unlimited hours of entertainment, news,
information, and views from an ever-increasing number of radio stations.
As a medium of communication, radio has many advantages — its relative cheapness and
simplicity, its ability to distribute information quickly, and its warmth. The continued advances
in communications technology have greatly benefited radio broadcasters. The equipment is
becoming easier to use, cheaper to buy and more effective. Television's technology is far more
complex and expensive. Newspapers still need the processes of typesetting, layout and printing.
Radio, however, can almost instantly be covering events around the world, or the
neighbourhood, by the use of a microphone or telephone.
Newspapers and television are visual media. You see what you read or view. Radio is the
medium of imagination. The words and sounds the program-maker selects, stimulate the minds
of listeners, who create the 'pictures' themselves. Thus the range and intensity of emotions,
events, moods, and situations radio can create, is limited only by the imagination of each listener.
Together with the strengths of radio come its weaknesses. Radio is limited by time. A person
reading a newspaper can take as much time as necessary to absorb an article and can also be
selective about which articles to read. A person watching television is likely to be enticed by the
visual 'cues'. It is also more difficult to convey complex or large amounts of information over
radio.
The term 'mass communication' is misleading. It suggests that an announcer is addressing a
huge, massed audience. In reality radio is highly personal. It is usually just one person talking
with another. The program-maker is 'right there', with the distance between announcer and
listener usually not more than a couple of metres. Never, ever refer to your audience as
“listeners” or “all you people out there” - to the person in the kitchen doing the dishes, you are
talking to them as an individual. By referring to listeners collectively, you can alienate the
individual. Radio can be a warm, intimate medium.
You, as the presenter, (whilst 'on air'), are TankFM.
Announcing is a skill that only develops through well directed effort and lots of practice.
Having a great voice, or the gift of the gab, won't necessarily make you a great radio announcer.
To be a good announcer you must have the will to practice at all the skills involved, and to do the
best job that you can.
Smile when 'on air'. If you are not enjoying what you are doing, the listener will know by
your voice and presentation.

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Changeover Procedure
The incoming presenter is not to enter the studio until 5 minutes before the beginning of their
show, unless there has been a prior arrangement with the 'on-air' presenter.
If you are doing your show with a laptop, it is suggested that you please bring enough CD’s to do
your complete show. There are three reasons for this request:-
1. If there is a problem during changeover, you can start your show from CD while your
computer is 'booting up'.
2. If your computer fails during your show, you will have something familiar with which to
continue.
3. At the end of your show, you can play a few tracks from the CD’s while shutting down your
computer, to facilitate a quicker changeover.
The 'on-air' presenter, prior to vacating the chair, must:-
a. Gather up all their personal gear.
b. Ensure that the upcoming hour is displayed on the 'Run-Sheet' screen.
c. Set the 'DDN' to the proper news/weather 'outro'.
d. Set the MINIDISC player to the proper track.
e. Ensure that the latest weather reports are in the appropriate folders and in proper
sequence for the incoming presenter.
f. At the start of the news, remove all personal gear from the desk and vacate the chair for
the incoming presenter.
g. When leaving the studio complex, make sure you close the outer steel door.
Refer also to 'Starting Up the Station' in Section 4 - Supplementary
Microphones
Unless you are going to speak 'on air', it is very important that you are quiet when the 'ON-AIR'
(red light) is lit. As soon as a microphone channel is opened, the microphone will pick up most
sounds in the studio, including rustling of paper, open and closing CD players, and some sound
from outside.
You and your trainer should mutually agree on an appropriate signal to indicate that you or
the trainer are about to open the microphone, or that the microphone is open.
We have all seen people using a microphone and it looked as though they were about to swallow
it. That is not the proper way. The distance between your mouth and the microphone should be
about 20cm, the width of a sheet of paper or two fists.2
Always treat every microphone as being 'alive'. It could save you embarrassment (or
worse), if you say something 'off-air' that you shouldn’t have.
2
Make two fists and put them end to end, this is the distance your mouth should be from the microphone when
speaking 'on air'.

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Monitoring
It is essential to grasp the crucial difference between monitoring signal levels by listening,
compared with visually on the VU meters and the 'Overload' indicators on the desk. The volume
that you hear through the studio Monitor Speakers or headphones is only very loosely related to
the level of the signal being transmitted, because the volume control for the speakers and,
possibly also on your headphones, can be operated independently of the signal that is being
broadcast.
The level being broadcast is totally reliant on the levels displayed on the VU meters.
The studio is equipped with Monitor Speakers that let you hear what is being broadcast from all
program sources except the microphones. The Studio Monitors are muted whenever any
microphone is open, to avoid acoustic feedback. This function makes it mandatory to wear
headphones whenever you have a microphone open, so you can be sure you are broadcasting
audio, rather than 'dead-air'.
It's worthwhile getting into the habit of removing your headphones as soon as you finish talking.
By doing so, the silence in the studio will remind you that a microphone is still open. You may
just save yourself the embarrassment of broadcasting private conversation by adopting this
technique.
Use the VU meters!
As previously mentioned, the Studio Monitors and your headphones cannot be used to determine
correct program levels. The ONLY way to ensure the correct level is being broadcast is to set the
program source fader to produce the correct deflection of the VU Meters.
Maintaining the correct level on the VU Meters is quite important.
The ideal program level setting is that which causes the VU meters to deflect to the zero mark on
their scale. However, producing this 'ideal' setting is rarely possible in practice. Generally, if the
meters are within the range of -6 to 0, with an occasional deflection into the red area of 0 to +3,
the fader setting is adequate. Constant deflection into the red may make the program source
sound harsh and this is to be avoided, whilst levels constantly below -6 will result in a program
that sounds 'soft', or low in volume.
There is another 'however'. Classical music, in particular, generally has a large dynamic range
(the difference between the loudest and the softest passages) compared with 'pop' music, and it is
generally considered ideal to allow the levels of a classical piece being broadcast to retain its
proper audio level range, rather than 'ride' the fader — a term used when the fader is constantly
being adjusted to ensure correct VU Meter deflection. Even with Classical Music, it is important
that there is not constant VU Meter deflection above the 0 (zero) mark on the scale.
Between the Left and Right VU Meters are two red indicators, labelled 'O'LOAD', whose purpose
is to indicate when a program source is excessively high in level. Ideally, these indicators should
not illuminate, however, because their response time to audio peaks in a program source is much
faster than the response time of the VU Meter needles, it is possible for the 'O'LOAD' indicators
to be 'on', even though the VU Meters are not indicating excessive level. In this case, be guided
by the 'O'LOAD' indicators and reduce the program level to minimise the frequency of
illumination of the red indicators.
Because program sources vary in level (even adjacent tracks on a CD can be vastly different),
constant monitoring of the VU Meters is essential to maintaining a constant volume level for our
listeners who do not want to be continually adjusting the volume control on their radio, simply
because you are not doing your job properly.

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Preparing Your Show
The main difference between the good and bad presenter is preparation. Know what you
want to do before going to the station. Unless you are an extremely organised person, your first
attempt at preparing a show will take a bit of time. After a while, the preparation for a two hour
show might take all of 20 minutes. In any case, the time spent in preparation will save you
embarrassment 'on air'. It will cut down on dead air, fumbling through your CD collection and
allow you to present a 'new' show each week.
Some presenters have their shows planned to the second. If the 'Run-Sheet' calls for a promo
to be aired at 9:15am, the presenter will air that promo, at exactly 9:15am, without cutting short a
song, or filling time with small talk.
Do you have to be that exacting to do a good show? The answer is no. If the 'Run-Sheet' calls
for a certain 'promo' to be aired at 6:20pm, although it is recommended that you do it as close to
6:20pm as possible, it wouldn’t hurt if you aired it within ±2 minutes. With experience and
planning ahead, you will soon be airing the 'promos' within ±30 seconds of their scheduled time.
The news is a different matter! You MUST cross to the 'Tank Digital Network' ('TDN')
news before the news presenter begins to speak. Even if they only miss one word, the listener
wouldn’t know that, and might believe that they missed a good portion of a story. There are a
number of ways to get ready for the news;
1. You could plan your show to the second.
2. You could talk to fill the gap, or
3. You could play an instrumental track leading up to the news.
If you plan your show to the second, you leave no room for minor or, heaven forbid, major
mishaps. Unless you have something interesting to share with the listeners, your talking will only
work for about 30 – 45 seconds. If there is more than 45 seconds between your last song and the
news, play an instrumental. It sounds much more professional when you fade out an instrumental
rather than fading a vocalist.
Getting Organised
Good preparation and organisation by the presenter are of the utmost importance.
Planning will make your shift at the studio easier, and in time, you will present a
'professional-quality' show. You need to keep ahead of yourself, and the first step is Punctuality.
As soon as you take over the chair, make sure that all necessary channels are on and the faders
are up, between 0 and -10db. Lay out any necessary paper work, and arrange your CD’s in the
order in which you plan to use them, and 'cue' as many items as possible.
There is nothing better than experience in broadcasting, but as you become more familiar
with the equipment, and the proper operation of that equipment, the smoother your show will go
and you will be prepared for the inevitable problem, when it decides to rear its ugly head.
Once your show starts, and the news is coming to an end, have the pointer on the 'DDN' on
the correct 'promo' to be aired and your fingers over the 'NEWS' fader, and slide it to the bottom
of travel before pressing the 'OFF' buttons on the control panel. This gives you a professional
sound, when the outro music is faded; not cut off.
During your show, stay ahead of the game by having your finger over the 'PLAY' button of
the next CD player while the one going 'to air' is finishing, and by 'cueing' the next item on a
piece of equipment as soon as the previous item ends.
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Example 1:
CD-2 is playing and you want CD-1 next.
a. As CD-2 is fading out, press 'PLAY' on CD-1.
b. When CD-2 has stopped and CD-1 is playing, insert the next CD in player CD-2, 'cue' the
track you want next and, check and set its level using the 'CUE' VU Meter.
Example 2:
CD-1 is playing and the 'Run-Sheet' calls for an item from MINIDISC-01/02, followed by 'DDN'
items GIG01/01, SP01/07 and SP03/11.
a. While CD-1 is playing, insert MINIDISC-01 in a player and 'cue' to track 2.
b. When CD-1 fades out, press 'PLAY' on the MiniDisc player.
c. Select GIG-01 from the 'DDN' menu and have the mouse cursor ready on item 1
d. As soon as MINIDISC-01/02 finishes, start GIG-01/01.
e. While GIG-01/01 is playing, select SP01 from the 'DDN' menu and prepare to play item 7
as soon as the current item finishes playing.
f. While SP01/07 is playing, select SP03 from the 'DDN' menu and prepare to play item 11 as
soon as the current item finishes playing.
g. While SP03/11 is playing you can prepare for the next MiniDisc track or check you have the
CD Players loaded with a disc and a track cued.
Record your training sessions. This will allow you to listen to and learn from your mistakes and
help you find ways to better your program. Because we all get complacent and fall into a
comfortable pattern, it would be a good idea to continue to randomly record your program after
you have completed training.
Announcing
General Considerations
The first time in front of a microphone is terrifying for most people. Don't feel as if you're
any different. Just remember that you are communicating to one person and it becomes less
frightening for you and more comfortable for the listener.
Microphones are sensitive pieces of equipment. They will pick up and amplify what you say
and how you say it. So try to relax. Give yourself plenty of time to settle into the studio; to have
your notes or script, music or tapes organised. Take a few moments to breathe deeply and let
your body relax. A tense, grim face will be reflected in how you sound. A smile while you are
talking has a wonderful effect; you'll sound friendly and at ease. The human voice is a marvelous
instrument — use its warmth, modulation, tone and power.
You are not on the stage. The effective distance between the announcer and the listener isn't
very great. There is no need to use a loud tone, exaggerate diction or to get too close to the
microphone. It will only sound artificial and confusing. Let the natural acoustics of the studio
work for you — keep back a bit from the microphone and aim for your natural conversational
voice. Keep a steady, resonant tone, with subtle use of emphasis, loudness and pace.
There are very few broadcasters able to 'ad-lib' effectively for long periods. Use notes, or
even scripts, to keep track of what you’re saying if you find you keep getting lost. It is very easy
to lose your train of thought, especially if you're also concentrating on which button to press
next. Try to avoid the old “this next track is...is..hang on; I’ll have a look for the cover which is
here somewhere... (rustle rustle... silence...)” If you lose your way, it's often easier to just get the
next item on and work out exactly what's happening without the microphone on.
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A good trick is to rehearse — even if it’s an 'ad-lib'. Running through things a few times
aloud will help you keep focused when you actually turn the microphone on. To sound sincere
and convincing you must understand quite clearly what you are talking about. Remember that a
script should be written to be heard, not to be read.
'Dead air' is that period of time when nothing is being transmitted. It might only be a few
seconds, but to the listener it might seem like hours. The best way to avoid dead air is to plan
ahead, always have a backup plan. Dead air is usually the result of the presenter’s failure to
properly 'cue' the 'DDN', MINIDISC or CD player. Dead air will causes a bit of confusion and
panic for the budding presenter.
Smile when 'on air', if you are not enjoying what you are doing, the listener will know by
your voice and presentation.
Relax, the training won’t hurt and the trainer is there to help you. If you make a mistake,
don’t panic, move on. Being relaxed helps make a good show. If you are not relaxed, it will be
very evident to the listeners and will detract from your show.
During the first session your trainer will give you a quick overview of what the training will
involve, introduce you to the studio equipment, and set up some guidelines that you and the
trainer will need to follow, whilst 'on air'. TankFM has a strict policy, forbidding foul/obscene
language 'on air', especially the F*** and C*** words, and strongly recommends that no foul or
obscene language be used, at any time, while in the studio.
If your trainer asks you to read the weather 'off-air', don’t get embarrassed or insulted, it is
done for a number of reasons.
1. It helps you to relax
2. It tests your ability to read the weather.
3. It prepares you mentally, before going 'on air'.
The importance that you are on time for your show can not be stressed enough. It is a good
idea that you arrive at the studio 5 – 15 minutes before the news, this gives you time to preview
the weather report, sort out and arrange your music and paperwork for a smooth flow and helps
with a smooth changeover.
Always write numbers out in full and try to have numbers rounded off if possible. Large
numbers are a trap for the reader. Be careful with sports results too — most sports have a highly
elaborate jargon attached to them. For example, the figure 0 (zero) would be 'love' in tennis and
'nil' in soccer.
Radio is a very simple form of communication and listeners need not be constantly reminded
of the advances in technology that separate them from the 'radio makers'. Where the television
viewer is constantly reminded that the picture is coming from a box in the corner, radio listeners
are usually only aware of the sound. Therefore they don't need to .be made aware of the
mechanics of broadcasting.
Try not to say things like “the CD player is stuffing up” or “oops the microphone wasn't
switched on”. These technical details are part of your environment — not part of your
audience's. Try not to refer to the 'DDN' or computer 'on air'. The listener hears a program or an
announcement not the 'DDN' or computer.
As a general rule, never apologies for a slight mishap, on the whole, most people won't have
noticed that what you have done was not intentional anyway, and if you have put a record on the
wrong speed, for example, the listener will realise and won't need to be told. Just remedy the
situation as quickly and as smoothly as possible. AVOID the phrase “due to technical
difficulties...” - it makes the station sound as if it is falling apart.
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The only exception might be if there is an obvious major technical problem affecting the
overall quality of our broadcasts, such as losing signal strength from our transmitter. Then just a
short acknowledgement of the problem, and if possible an indication of when it may be rectified,
are all that is necessary.
If you make a mistake with actual words while reading a script, you'll need to make a quick
judgment as to whether an apology is called for or not. In general, it won't be necessary, but if
you think that the listener may misconstrue the meaning of the words, you must make a
correction. “I'm sorry, I’ll read that again” has become somewhat of a cliché, but something
similar like “I'm sorry - that should be...” might be in order.
Whatever you do, try not to get flustered — it is not the end of the world even though it may
seem awfully close. Even if the listener has noticed the stumble (and often it won't be noticed at
all), a simple correction is all that's called for. Often, you just need to stop and re-read the item
correctly...no apology necessary.
Be careful with pronunciations. If you are not 100% sure how a word is pronounced, make
every effort to find out. Listeners are extremely sensitive to mispronunciations of local names
and the station that broadcasts these mistakes will lose credibility — the presenter will be
regarded as either ignorant or rude.
As a TankFM presenter you could be involved in a number of diverse program types. Be
aware of the style of the program you are presenting; what sort of material it contains, and what
sorts of music-breaks are suitable. Familiarise yourself with the 'Run-Sheet' and Program
Schedule; these will tell you which sponsorship announcements must be played during your shift
and what presenter comes on after you.
Remember that your program doesn't happen in isolation. Your program, along with all the
other TankFM programs, 'Tank Digital Network' ('TDN') and/or Satellite is part of 24 hours of
continuous broadcasting, seven days a week.
Give some thought to your greetings as well – “It's good to be with you” or “It's good to
have your company” puts you on a more even footing with the listener. Remember that you are
endeavouring to reach out and communicate with the listener, not expecting the listener to fall at
your feet.
Some programs or program items are pre-recorded, so your task will be to provide the links
between them. It is up to you to make sure that the transition to the next program or segment is
as smooth as possible.
The points at which programs end or begin are of vital importance. They are very tempting
'switch-off' points for listeners who may be uncertain whether or not the program to follow is
worth waiting for. A good presenter will give listeners a very good reason to keep listening.
If you want to speak over the start of a song, the music should be at least -15db and make
sure that you time the instrumental beginning before you 'cue' up the item. Never speak over
lyrics — it's confusing to listen to.
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Some tips
● Sugar thickens the saliva — don't eat chocolate before going 'on air'.
● Always keep a pen or pencil with you, for last minute alterations.
● Make sure you have your glasses if you need them!
● Avoid wearing bracelets, chunky watches, or anything else that might rattle or knock on the
studio console.
● Check where the clock is and how it reads before you go 'on air' — you'll need to be able to
glance at it and tell the time almost instantaneously.
● Check that you are comfortable with your headphone-level before you go 'on air', but
remember, the volume of your headphones should exceed all other sounds in the studio.
● Stay alert at all times, but relax.
Vocal technique
Your voice is a highly sensitive musical instrument capable of great things, but it requires
tender loving care and regular exercise to function at anywhere near its capabilities.
Vocalisation is an active physical process, the more that you understand how the voice
works; the better able you will be to use it to its best advantage. People are not born with 'great
radio voices'. In fact what actually constitutes 'a great radio voice' is a matter for some
conjecture. Some training programs will put an emphasis on a particular vocal sound — the sort
of sound that appeals to stations that strive for absolute seamlessness in their overall sound. In
other words, all the announcers sound the same.
In community radio, the emphasis tends to be on vocal techniques that get the best out of
YOUR voice, while maintaining YOUR personality and allowing you scope for individual
expression. The emphasis is on being a friend to your listener and communicating meaning. A
good radio voice is one that sounds relaxed, friendly and authentic. It doesn't sound 'phony' or as
though the owner is 'putting it on'.
Your voice is very much a part of your individual self and is capable of 'giving away' your
most intimate thoughts and feelings. This can be both a limitation and a great asset. It is up to
you to learn to control the balance.
We all have different voices for different occasions — some reserved for people we hardly
know, for people we dislike, for people we love dearly. We have different voices for addressing
large numbers of people and for intimate conversation. You must choose one of these 'voices' to
suit the context of radio.
There are two aspects to vocal delivery. There is the sound and colour of the voice; the actual
frequencies. and then there is the way those sounds form various patterns; the way the voice goes
up and down, the speed of delivery, the extent of the pauses between words and phrases.
The voice is capable of communicating an enormous amount. Far more than the actual words
would if they were written on paper. If you are stressed, if you are nervous, if you don't agree
with the statement you are making, if you don't like the person you are interviewing, your voice
will give these things away. Take positive control of your voice, use it to communicate what
mere words cannot, and learn to control what you might not want your voice to communicate.
You can always hear if someone is smiling even if you can't see their face. Always smile; it
is one of the few aspects of actual body language that can be conveyed through your voice. Your
voice will readily convey what you are feeling on the inside, but has a little more difficulty
expressing your outward body movements.
Be aware that the listener cannot see you shrug your shoulders for example — you will have
to find a way to communicate that through your vocal inflections or actual words.
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You should experiment with and develop a wide range of different variations in your vocal
delivery, and then consciously choose the most appropriate ones to communicate your particular
message.
It almost goes without saying that, if you are to put this much effort into how you will deliver
the words, you must be utterly at home with the words themselves.
Be aware of your vocal inflections, the way your voice goes up and down. It is very easy to
get into a pattern where every sentence sounds the same.
A common sentence shape is a bit like an upside down bowl; starting low, gradually rising
and arriving at the bottom again by the end. Sentences like this, placed end on end will gradually
mesmerise the listener and the ends of sentences will merge with the beginnings of others.
Your words will have no meaning. Communication of meaning tends to decrease in
proportion to the lack of variation in the shape of the sentences. Think about where the important
words are, make every stress and rise mean something.
Record yourself and listen critically to every vocal inflection, is your voice rising and falling
just for the sake of it or are you really being sensitive to the meaning of every word? Is the pitch
high or low? Is it higher or lower than in normal conversation? Is the tone hard and grating or is
it mellow and warm? Analyse the pace — is it too fast or too slow? Do you trip over words
regularly? Are there any idiosyncrasies that you wouldn't normally hear like clicks, pops, and
whistles? You may notice that the mouth makes an involuntary popping sound when you open
your mouth to speak which you should try to eliminate.
Listen to the volume and practice until you are able to maintain a constant level. There is a
natural tendency to drop in volume at the end of a line of text. Try to think beyond that point and
the tendency to drop will disappear.
The pace of your delivery will greatly affect the clarity of your message. Most people speak
much too fast when confronted with any sort of public speaking for the first time. You will find
that you can afford to speak far more slowly than you might at first think.
This simple exercise will help you control your reading speed. Select a short piece of text and
read it through aloud at your natural pace. Now go back to the start and read each word and
syllable deliberately and slowly leaving a pause of at least half a second between each syllable.
Pay special attention to the consonants on the ends of words and words with several syllables.
Now go back at read at a more natural pace — you will find that you are much more aware of
each word, less likely to stumble and you will have slowed down slightly, increasing the clarity.
Record all the voice exercises you do if possible so that you can really hear the difference.
All this may sound contrived and might sound highly exaggerated when you first try it. But
without the aid of body language and with the thinning out effect of the transmission process you
can afford to use more colour and inflection than you would use in normal conversation. This
doesn't mean you should radically change the way you speak, but should exaggerate the vocal
patterns that are already there in order to counteract the opposing forces. The key is to find the
balance and that will only happen with heaps of practice, and lots of critical listening.
Diction practice will help your clarity enormously, and also helps to exercise the throat
muscles. It is something you should always do before you go 'on air', not just now while you are
learning.
Here a few exercises to help you along (and amuse your kids/partner/friends);
Prefix the vowel sounds with all the consonants from B to Z including diphthongs like br, cl, pl,
st, etc.
Use the vowel sounds ah, ay, ee, ay, ah, aw, ooh. For example; bah, bay, bee, bay, bah, baw, boo,
baw. Try getting faster and faster.
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Tongue twisters are fabulous for getting the mouth, tongue and brain moving. Try these —
they'll help you with "s's"
● Six thick thistle sticks
● The shrewd shrew sold Sarah seven silver fish slices
● Theophilus Thistler, the thistle sifter, in sifting a sieve of unsifted thistles, thrust three
thousand thistles through the thick of his thumb.
These will help with consonants:
● Betty bought a bit of butter but she found the butter bitter, so Betty bought a bit of better
butter to make the bitter butter better.
● Five flippant Frenchmen flew from France for fashions.
● Quickly, quickly, quickly, quickly, quickly, quickly, quickly.
● These will strengthen the tongue. Say them over and over getting faster and faster:
● Red leather, yellow leather; red lorry, yellow lorry.
This old favourite gets the lips moving:
● Peter Piper picked a peck of pickled peppers. If Peter Piper picked a peck of pickled peppers,
where's the peck of pickled peppers Peter Piper picked?
Humming will help you feel where the resonant spaces are inside your head. Try to imagine the
sound resonating in those spaces one at a time — in your forehead, creeks, nose and ears. Try to
fill the holes with sound.
Never underestimate the difference exercises like this can make to your performance. Your
voice, your mouth, your breathing and your brain will all be engaged and ready for the
microphone to be opened.
Breathing control and relaxation are as important to the radio announcer as they are to
singers and actors.
Good breath control will help you to relax and will also enable you to breathe only at natural
pauses in the text. Taking breaths in the middle of sentences tends to muddle the sense of the
message. (Try to write copy that allows for breathing only at the full stops and commas.) You
will also need to be able to control your breathing to eliminate 'breathy' noises being picked up
by the microphone. The first thing to go when you are nervous will be your ability not to run out
of breath, so you need to take steps to relax.
Settle yourself in the studio chair and take a series of long, slow, deep breaths. Place your
hands on either side of your stomach. Breath in slowly through your nose allowing the stomach
to expand first (your hands will rise), then the diaphragm and finally the chest. It is breathing
with the chest only that will cause you to be short of breath.
Roll your head from left to right so that your chin forms an arc. This will help relax the throat
and neck and therefore the voice.
Tense your muscles in turn, starting with the toes, and relax them. Your posture is a vitally
important aspect of voice production. Make sure your feet are flat on the floor and your script is
placed so that you don't need to drop your head to read it. You should be able to draw an
imaginary straight line from the top of your head through to the base of your spine. By sitting up
straight you will have created an unobstructed path for your breath and voice and opened up
spaces in which the voice can resonate. It is the resonance that gives your voice its warmth.
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There are many other exercises for breath control and voice production. If you would like
some more exercises consult another presenter who should be able to point you in the right
direction.
Experiment with different microphone positions until you find one that allows you to
communicate intimately with your listener. If you are too far away from the microphone, you
will need to increase the volume of your voice and you will then sound more forced and distant;
too close and you risk distortion, popping and sibilance.
No matter how you have trained your voice, the microphone is the ultimate mediator between
you and the listener and must be used to its best advantage. You need to find a balance between
the distance you are from the microphone and the volume of your voice. And one more thing,
move the microphone to you, don't move to it — you'll ruin that beautiful posture

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Run-Sheets
The 'Run-Sheet' MUST be followed as closely as possible. Normally, if you are following
another presenter, the news should be on, while you are changing over.
The 'Run-Sheet' is arguably one of the most important instruments in the studio, providing the
timing 'cues' a presenter needs to ensure that sponsorships and other essential commitments are
aired in a staged manner that spreads them throughout an hour. This creates an even spread of
program and commitments.
Preparation of the 'Run-Sheets' is done in a carefully considered way to ensure that;
1. Community Service Announcements are played, to meet the station's obligations.
2. Each sponsor receives the number of announcements they have paid for, and,
3. The maximum permitted sponsorship time of 300 seconds (5 minutes) per hour is not
exceeded.
Referring to the image above, near the bottom
is a box that reads:-
To the right is the number of seconds (283 in
the example) and, further to the right, the word 'VERIFIED'. This is telling you that the total
sponsorship time for the hour is 283 seconds of a possible 300 seconds.
This figure is calculated by the Spread-Sheet that is used to aid in production of the 'Run-Sheet'.
If the figure is less than 300 the computer lists the time as 'VERIFIED'.
If the time exceeds 300 seconds the computer reports 'TIME EXCEEDED' You should never see a
'TIME EXCEEDED' warning but, if you do, please advise the Programming Committee or another
senior member of management as soon as practicable.
Cont…

A.B.N. 48 549 819 471
Other information displayed in the example image is:-
1. 'TIME' - this is the time you are required to play the items. The actual time played should be
within ± 2 minutes of the listed time. Events scheduled for the top of the hour – News, Lunch
Box, for example – MUST occur at precisely the time indicated. The clock shown on the 'DDN'
screen is accurate to better than one second, to assist with that timing requirement.
2. 'LOCATION' - this indicates the location of the item listed under 'SPONSOR'. There are two
possible locations, the 'DDN' computer to the left of the presenter or, a MiniDisc which may be
played in either MD1 or MD2, the choice being with the presenter. Examples of 'DDN' tracks
include SP06/04, CSA15/04 and GIG0-1/07. Each item breaks down as follows. SP06 indicates
you need to select SP06 in the drop-down menu available on the 'DDN' screen. The second part,
/04 indicates the track number to play in SP04. When a track is required to be played from a
MiniDisc, the LOCATION entry will start with MINIDISC. An example would be MINIDISC-01/12,
indicating you need to use Minidisc 01 and select track 12.
An additional title that appears in the 'LOCATION' field periodically is 'SURVEY' which serves to
remind presenters that they are obliged to complete the bi-monthly music survey logs.
3. 'SPONSOR' - echoes the title displayed in the 'DDN' screen or the MINIDISC display for this
item. Other information or instructions may appear here from time to time.
Note: The Minidisc display may not show the entire line due to a displayed character count
limit. The title will, however, scroll through when the track is first selected.
4. 'DURATION' - indicates the playing time of this item, in seconds. This is the time that is used
to calculate the total sponsorship time for the hour.
Note: Community Service Announcements (CSA’s) are exempt from inclusion in the hourly
sponsorship time limit, which explains the figure of zero shown for CSA15/08 at 11.50am.
5. 'PLEASE NOTE' - advises that the tracks listed as Group Play are to be
played as a consecutive group, with no other items to be inserted between the
items listed. Under no circumstances are multiple groups to be played in one
bracket.
6. 'PERFORMED BY' - lists the name(s) of the person(s) whose voice was used in the
announcement.
Across the bottom of the 'Run-Sheet' window is a list of dates. The correct 'Run-Sheet' for any
day is accessed by clicking on the
correct date from those displayed. The
date tab is colour-coded to match the background in the 'LOCATION' column. To the right of the
date tabs is another tab marked 'Sponsor Listing' which, as the name implies, provides a list of
sponsors.
As a courtesy to the next presenter, please leave the 'Run-Sheet' positioned for the next
sponsorship time. The top of the screen is the preferred location for the next event time. If you
are the last presenter for the day, please select the next day's date. The 'Run-Sheet' will
automatically position for the first announcement on that day.
It is important that all presenters follow the 'Run-Sheet' as closely as possible; our sponsors
are the financial lifeblood of the station.
Recognising that mistakes can happen, should you happen to make a mistake, – forget to play an
announcement or play an incorrect item — it is best to not try to correct it. Proceed to the next
correct item on the 'Run-Sheet' but, be sure to advise the Programming Committee or a senior
member of management, so that appropriate remedial action may be commenced. You need to
make contact as soon as possible but, no later than the next morning.
Cont….

A.B.N. 48 549 819 471
Remember, EVERY aspect of radio presentation revolves around time and the best way to be
continually reminded of the time and, hence, your timed commitments on the 'Run-Sheet', is to
give frequent time-calls. This will make you ever mindful of what you need to prepare for next.
The News
News reports are a very important part of a majority of radio stations throughout the world.
Although the listener might go about their business and not pay close attention to most of what is
on the radio, many will stop what they are doing to listen to the news. If you 'cue' the news late,
even if they only miss one word, the listener might believe that they have missed a complete
story.
Therefore it is imperative that you fade into the 'Tank Digital Network' ('TDN') before the news
presenter starts speaking.
The best way to do that is:
1. If you have 45+ seconds between your last song and the news, play an instrumental leading
into the news.
2. About 30 seconds before the hour, 'cue' the news and turn up the volume for the 'cue' speaker
and/or headphones. Ideally, you should use headphones.
3. On the first pip, turn the channel ON and fade out your music.
4. At the end of the TankFM news 'outro' on the 'TDN', fade out the 'TDN' and play the
appropriate news and weather sponsorships from the 'DDN'.
The Weather
TankFM receives a variety of forecasts and warnings from the Bureau of Meteorology (BoM).
These are currently distributed by facsimile (fax) and include;
1. Mid North Coast District Forecast (previously called North East District Forecast).
2. Northern Zones - Coastal Waters Forecasts. (Includes Byron, Coffs, Macquarie and
Hunter Coasts).
3. Coastal Waters Wind Warning.
4. Severe Thunderstorm Warnings.
5. Severe Weather Warnings.
6. Flood Warnings.
7. Interstate Précis Forecast.
8. Tsunami Warnings.
The layout of the content of each of these documents varies widely and it is important for 'on-air'
presenters to acquaint themselves with the different formats used and to know what information
is duplicated from one document to the next, in order to avoid reading duplicated information in
a weather segment. For example, Documents 1 and 2 will each contain a Weather Description
that can be identical, or nearly identical. It makes no sense to read that information twice in the
same bulletin.
How do you know what information is duplicated? Like everything else you read 'on air', it is
strongly recommended that you pre-read the weather information, either before you go 'on air',
during the news, or when a song is playing. That practice also enables you to find any
grammatical errors that can sometimes be found in the documents from the BoM.

A.B.N. 48 549 819 471
In some cases it is appropriate to summarise certain aspects of the weather forecasts but to do
this without omitting essential detail is an acquired skill that comes from experience. Ask your
trainer or another experienced presenter about what detail can be left out and what detail must
not be left out. Under no circumstances are presenters to put their own perspective on the
weather. Whilst a summary may be acceptable at times, the information given must be as
provided by the BoM.
Whilst summarising bulletins may be acceptable, summarising warnings is not, and the warning
section of the document MUST be read verbatim. This applies particularly to Documents 3, 6, and 8.
It is particularly important with warnings that presenters don't add additional information
or present the warning in such a way as to cause alarm to listeners. Warnings must be read
EXACTLY as they are written and, with no additional information. Peoples’ lives may
depend on the accuracy of what you read.
Document 2 covers four Coastal Waters Forecast districts. Only the Coffs and Macquarie Coasts
are relevant to Kempsey and these must be read, either as separate items when the forecast in
each coastal segment is different, or as a combined item when both segments are the same.
Please DO NOT read the Byron Coast or Hunter Coast forecasts.
Documents 4 and 5 often include a number of forecast districts, some or none of which will apply
to the local area. It's also possible for a warning to be issued for the Mid North Coast but the event
is nowhere near Kempsey. A severe thunderstorm affecting Taree, for example, is on the Mid
North Coast but is most unlikely to affect Kempsey. If a storm event changes its characteristics
such that other areas are likely to be affected, the BoM will issue a fresh warning. When a severe
thunderstorm event has expended its energy the BoM will issue a cancellation and that also needs
to be read 'on air'.
When reading documents 4 and 5, it is futile to read a warning that does not encompass the
immediate or adjoining areas. Once again, pre-read the document to first ascertain if it affects the
Mid North Coast. If a warning mentions multiple weather districts, including the Mid North
Coast, read the portion affecting the Mid North Coast but do not mention other weather districts.
Updates
The Bureau of Meteorology issues updated bulletins when required and there are usually only 2
bulletins issued per day for normal weather conditions. Stay alert for bulletins that could be
issued for unusual or un-predicted conditions.
Do not announce that we “haven’t received any updates”.
The first bulletin of the day is usually issued at 5:40 am.
If there haven’t been any bulletins received at the studio, check that the fax is working.
If this is O.K., then call the studio technician.
Cont….

A.B.N. 48 549 819 471
Display
Whilst the BoM provides forecast information, they do not provide current weather conditions –
temperature, wind, rain, etc. Visible in the window between the studio and the computer room is a
screen displaying a region map and current weather information from automated weather stations
at various airports. The map, with a typical array of weather information is shown below.
Each location usually displays 'T'emperature, 'H'umidity, 'R'ainfall (since 9.00am), wind
'S'peed, wind 'G'ust, and wind 'C'ourse (direction). Enlarged images of several stations are
shown to the right.
The top image on the right, is a typical set of figures from a weather
station. The red 'Barb' shows wind direction and the number of 'tails'
is an indication of wind speed. A single 'tail' indicates wind speed
below 30kmph, a twin 'tail' indicates speed in excess of 30kmph, as
shown in the image for COFFS (Harbour). Note that the 'Barb' is
longer and has two 'tails'. Visibility of the 'Barb' is affected by other
mapping information and wind direction. If the wind is from those
directions where data is displayed, the data will hide the 'Barb'.
There are two other display conditions that need to be mentioned and
these are also shown to the right. The image of ALDAVILLA shows
a CALM wind condition. Note there is no 'S' data, 'G' is reading
zero, and that there is no 'C' data. The image of TAMWORTH
shows a station from which no data has been received. This can be a
result of a station failure or an internet problem. In the event that no
data is received from a station, the wind course displayed will be the
last known direction stored by the program. This is a characteristic
of the conversion process mentioned on the following page.
Cont….

A.B.N. 48 549 819 471
The BoM issues wind direction in compass points, N, NE, SSW, etc. whereas the display
program is capable of finer indications and displays in Compass Degrees. A conversion table is
located adjacent to the weather display computer for quick cross-reference purposes. It is
repeated here for completeness of this document. The program does not display decimal places
for wind course and, accordingly, 22.5 degrees (NNE), for example, displays as 22 degrees.
Degrees Direction/(Meaning) Direction Name Other Name

0 ............................(CALM)...................................... Not Applicable
22 ..........................NNE........................................... North Northeast ........................................nor’ nor’east
45 ..........................NE ............................................. Northeast .........................................................nor’east
67 ..........................ENE........................................... East Northeast .........................................east nor’east
90 ..........................E................................................ East
112 ........................ESE ........................................... East Southeast ....................................... east sou’east
135 ........................SE ............................................. Southeast ........................................................ sou’east
157 ........................SSE ........................................... South Southeast ................................... south sou’east
180 ........................S................................................ South
202 ........................SSW .......................................... South Southwest ...................................south sou’west
225 ........................SW ............................................ Southwest ...................................................... sou’west
247 ........................WSW ......................................... West Southwest ..................................... west sou’west
270 ........................W............................................... West
292 ........................WNW......................................... West Northwest .......................................west nor’west
315 ........................NW ............................................ Northwest ........................................................ nor’west
337 ........................NNW.......................................... North Northwest ....................................... nor’ nor’west
360 ........................N................................................ North
Note that wind from the North displays as 360 degrees, since zero indicates a CALM condition.
The display program has a nine character limit for station names, which is why Coffs Harbour is
abbreviated to COFFS and Port Macquarie is shortened to PORTMAC. When an abbreviated name is
used, that name will be logical and meaningful.

A.B.N. 48 549 819 471
The weather screen is also capable of displaying various warnings which include 'ALERT' and
'FLOOD' for land-based advice and, 'STRONG WIND' and 'GALE' for coastal waters
districts. The areas covered for each warning is based on shire boundaries (shown as Counties
for international compliance) or coastal waters forecast boundaries. The map shown below
shows a segment of an 'ALERT' for a Severe Thunderstorm event. Note the on-screen label,
'MNC-STS' for Mid North Coast-Severe ThunderStorm.
An 'ALERT' may also be issued for a
Severe Weather Warning. This may be
for a land-based wind warning, Sheep
Grazier's Alert, etc.
A 'FLOOD' watch would be shown in
Yellow, with the word 'FLOOD'.
A Coastal Strong Wind Warning is
shown in blue with the word 'WIND'
and a Gale Warning is shown in red with
the word 'GALE'.
It MUST be remembered by presenters
that warnings shown on the display are
only meant to serve as a 'heads-up'.
You MUST check BoM faxes for the exact details of any 'ALERT' and report ONLY the
official information.
Another icon and label that will be seen from time to time resembles a small fire, with an alpha-
numerical label such as MNC-430BZ.
This indicates a bushfire or controlled burn by Rural Fire Service staff. Early data for a fire will
be centred in the Local Government Area (Shire or County) affected. Once a fire's boundaries
are known the RFS will issue accurate coordinates for that event. The RFS, presently, does not
issue bushfire advice to TankFM so these icons on the display are for presenter advice ONLY
and must not be broadcast.
On a previous page, reference was made to not reporting an event flagged as
Mid North Coast when only a small portion of that weather district, not
affecting Kempsey, is affected. The Severe Thunderstorm Alert shown in
the image above was flagged as Mid North Coast. The small area affected
by that event is clearly seen in the image to the right from the BoM web site.
Clearly, only Kempsey and a small area to the South West of Kempsey were affected by this
event.
SES Flood Bulletins
During times of extended rainfall there exists the possibility of Kempsey Shire State Emergency
Service 'Flood Bulletins' being faxed to the studio. The purpose of those bulletins is to provide
Tank FM with information to broadcast about river heights, rainfall that will affect river heights
and road, bridge or causeway closures. The bulletins serve to provide Tank FM listeners with
VITAL information that may impact upon their safety or well-being.
The issue frequency of 'Flood Bulletins' varies from event to event and during the currency of
any particular event. During a typical flood event bulletins are issued at 5.00 am and at other
times throughout the day on a needs basis, as determined by the SES which is constantly
receiving river height and other data. Because the rate of change in river heights can be very
slow at times, it may not be necessary for the SES to issue an update for several hours.
Cont….

A.B.N. 48 549 819 471
Extended periods of possibly several hours between updates does not imply that the data
contained in the most recent bulletin is stale or not current and you must NOT, under any
circumstances, announce that you do not have updated information.
It is CRUCIAL that you read fresh bulletins upon receipt and once each half hour thereafter,
unless directed otherwise by a member of management. It is MANDATORY that you read the
information EXACTLY as it is written and that you do not apply your own interpretation.
● EVERY presenter is required to continually check the fax machine for replacement bulletins
and other flood related information which may come from a variety of sources such as the Oxley
Regional Headquarters of the SES in Taree and the Bureau of Meteorology.
● EVERY presenter is required to read official flood related information in accordance with
the following directions.
● Kempsey Shire SES Flood Bulletins - read upon receipt and once each half hour.
● Oxley Region SES Media Releases affecting the Macleay River - read upon receipt and
once each hour. For other river systems, read upon receipt.
● Bureau of Meteorology Flood Advice – read upon receipt, and once each hour.
● Presenters MUST NOT deviate from officially sanctioned sources and not use other
information from the Internet etc., unless sanctioned by management, prior to being broadcast.
NEVER ANNOUNCE THAT YOU DO NOT HAVE UPDATED INFORMATION.

Some Difficult Local Names
Aldavilla .............................. Awl – dah – villa
Bellimbopinni ....................... Bell’m – bopinny (emphasis on the underlined section)
Boonanghi ............................ B’ – nan – gi (g as in 'giddy')
Moparrabah .......................... M’ - parra - bar
Toorooka .............................. T’ - roo - ka
Wittitrin ................................ W’ - tit - rin
Community Service Announcements

If, when scheduled on the 'Run-Sheet', each presenter reads two or three community
announcements, all the announcements will have been read at least once during the day. If you
happen to select a couple of long announcements or announcements with two or three telephone
numbers, keep it to two, and no more than three, if they are short and sweet. Any more and you
will lose your listeners. Think about it, if you were the listener, would you like to hear some
presenter drone on and on?
Sponsors’ 'Promos'
Sponsors payments are the main source of income for TankFM. Without them, the radio
station would soon be 'off the air'.
Community radio stations are limited to 5 minutes of sponsorships per hour. If you miss a
sponsor, don’t carry it over to the next hour, you might exceed the limit. You must advise the
Program Manager.
A sponsor (pays) donates money to TankFM to have their particular announcement heard;
they want their sponsorship to STAND OUT. When you bunch the sponsorships, you start
losing listeners after the third one. If you play more than three sponsorships in a row, five
minutes later, many of the listeners wouldn’t be able too recall the names of two of the sponsors.

A.B.N. 48 549 819 471
Traffic Reports
Once a week, The Roads and Traffic Authority (RTA) sends to TankFM by facsimile
transmission, a report of planned work sites occurring along the Pacific Highway, from Hexham
to the Queensland Border, for the coming week.
When reading this report, please, only read the sections from Taree to Kempsey and, Kempsey to
Coffs Harbour. It is not necessary to read the entire report.
The RTA also advises, by facsimile transmission, major accidents that cause full or partial
closure of the Pacific Highway. The advice also includes a map showing the site location and
notifies of alternate routes around the accident site, if they exist.
From time to time listeners telephone TankFM with reports of motor vehicle accidents. Such
calls can be particularly inaccurate in detail and, in general, should NOT be broadcast without
official verification. That same warning applies if those reports come from other presenters, who
are generally no better skilled than the general public in assessing an accident scene. The
Kempsey Police Station telephone number is available on Speed Dial from studio telephones.
Please telephone the police and ask if any information is available. Be sure to advise them you
are from TankFM and provide your name.
As an indication of how inaccurate telephone reports can be, a TankFM presenter once
telephoned the studio to advise that the Macleay River in Kempsey had broken its banks. In
reality, the river, at 1.8m at the time, was nowhere near flooding level. This is a perfect example
of how people perceive things to be, and perceptions can be particularly inaccurate when they
see two vehicles with a bit of bent metal and some broken glass. Remember, news reporting is
required by the Community Radio Codes of Practice, to be accurate, and it must not be reported
in a manner that may cause alarm to listeners.
Reporting Deaths
'On-air' presenters occasionally receive advice of the passing of a local resident.
No matter how well you know the person providing the information or how true you know the
information to be, under NO circumstances are you permitted to announce the passing of
anyone, without the TankFM office or a member of management first receiving the express
approval of the family, preferably in writing.
A member of management, whilst 'on air', was contacted by another TankFM member with
advice that a well-known local resident had passed away. The information was not broadcast at
the time, pending verification.
The resident who had passed away had the same surname but it was not the well known identity
named by the caller.
Funeral Notices
It is permissible for TankFM presenters to read funeral notices, provided clearance has first been
obtained from a senior member of the Management Committee who will ensure the notice is
written in an appropriate manner.

A.B.N. 48 549 819 471
Links
The planning of links requires careful thought. Even when you become fully confident and
competent, you may prefer to continue scripting much of what you plan to say; and it will remain
essential for you to know how long each component of a link is going to take.
If you thoroughly practice timing and scripting yourself, and apply yourself diligently, then
you will eventually develop a sense of timing which will save you much anxiety and hard work,
as well as making your links smooth and 'tight'. It's tedious at first, but it rapidly becomes a
matter of habit. The challenge then, is to practice reading scripts until it doesn't sound as if you
are reading them.
'Timing out' your program, so that you finish precisely when the next one must begin, requires
careful planning and a lot of practice — it can be one of the most difficult tasks, but one of the
most rewarding, in acquiring presentation skills.
Some or all the following elements can appear in a general link between programs or program-
segments:
● A filler (see below) - usually only if for some reason the program before you finishes early,
particularly if it's a taped or satellite program.
● A promotion ('promo') for the next edition of the program, if appropriate, or a 'promo' of the
program which is to follow;
● A 'musical bridge' or theme – is handy if timing is critical, it also allows for a smoother
change over between programs;
● A station identification ('Station ID') and time call;
● A sponsorship announcement if scheduled;
● Other program 'promos' - either live, on 'DDN' or MINIDISC;
● The local weather details and current temperature.
● A community service announcement, a box of Community Diary announcements is kept in
the studio for you to use at your discretion. Just check the details, especially relevant dates, to
make sure the announcement is still current. Other items may be placed in the studio for you to
promote from time to time, keep an eye out and make use of them!
We'll consider each of these in more detail.
The Filler
If the program before you is on CD or is coming from the 'TDN', think about whether a 'filler'
will be required. A pre-recorded program, on CD or 'DDN' should include a script or 'cue-sheet'
outlining program details such as duration and end 'cues'. The ultimate test is what you actually
hear on the air. And while you are the 'live' presenter, you are responsible for everything that
goes 'to air'. This means that you must listen to the program as it finishes, verifying that the 'cue-
sheet' is correct.
If you think you are going to be caught out by a program that finishes ahead of schedule, you
may need to fill some time with an instrumental track or community service announcement for
example. Always choose appropriate 'filler' — the 'filler' following a rock music program will
need to be different from that following a classical music program.
Promotion of the Next Edition
If possible, promote something about the next edition of the program. A casual listener may
need some incentive to remember ahead to listen for the same program, and you may be able to
give some encouragement to do that if you can give some enticing information. If you share a
shift with someone, give them a plug too: “I’ll be with you again next Tuesday, but join Jo Smith
at the same time tomorrow for more easy listening music".
Cont….

A.B.N. 48 549 819 471
Promotion of the Program Following You
A live 'promo' of the program immediately following yours needs only a brief, simple
mention. “In a few moments time Education Review looks at the development of dance in our
Secondary Schools”, — for example. It is best not to play a 'promo' for a program that’s just
about to start. Such 'promos' are really designed to be used quite apart from the programs they
advertise, and it can be misleading or confusing if you play one within about five minutes before
the program itself begins.
There are no hard and fast rules, talk to the presenter following you to see what they think,
and how they'd like their program promoted.
Musical Bridge or Theme
Your aim in selecting and playing a musical bridge is to make it worth listening to for its
own sake, rather than sounding like a boring fill-in between two interesting programs. The little
pieces of music that are sandwiched between programs often catch people's attention because
they stand out from their context. IF these pieces are very bland and uninteresting, they may
drive the listener to 'switch off' — either literally (by turning the radio off), or metaphorically (by
losing concentration). Ideally the piece will keep the listener tuned in until the next program
starts, when it is then up to that program and/or presenter to keep their attention.
Avoid the following sort of announcement: “Well, we seem to have a few minutes to spare,
so let's fill in until our next program with...” As far as the listener is concerned the program is
continuous and does not stop and start when your time in the studio stops and starts.
A useful technique is to 'time out' your program with music. To do this, you will need to
know how long the music track will run. Both MINIDISC and CD players can display the
remaining time for the track being played. Start a music track with the fader down, and fade it up
when you need it, so that it finishes precisely when you want it to.
General program promotion
This means a 'promo' for some program other than the one which is about to go 'on air'. It
could take the form of a 'pre-recorded promo', or a 'live promo' which you give yourself —
assuming you know enough correct information about the program. General program promotions
can be a vital part of the station's 'on-air' sound and can play a large part in how listeners
perceive the station.
Promotions are designed to 'sell' something; usually a particular program, and it is up to you
as the presenter to give it every chance of doing just that. This means a bit of sensitivity on your
part in terms of the material that you play before and after it.
NEVER play a sponsorship announcement unless it is scheduled in your program.
When promoting a program or activity, always think about what the listener needs to know:
● Have I given too much information to be absorbed?
● Have I given enough information?
● Have I expressed it simply enough for someone who does not have a paper and pen
immediately at hand to remember?
Sometimes you may feel you need to repeat information you have already given. Do this
sparingly, but by all means do it when you think the information is complicated. It is certainly
helpful to repeat telephone numbers.
Cont….

A.B.N. 48 549 819 471
Where possible, try to be talking just prior to or just after playing a pre-recorded
announcement. To sandwich a pre-recorded announcement disrupts the flow of music more than
is necessary. The only exception might be a short 'Station I.D.' That in itself, can help link two
musical pieces together.
Station Identification and Time Calls
There are a number of variations you can use for 'Station I.D.s'. Don't get stuck using the
same one all the time unless current station policy dictates that you must. Now and again the
station management and presenters may come up with new ways, so be awake to shifting trends.
If there is a change it will be for a good reason, and don't be afraid to suggest ideas yourself.
Standard examples include:
“You're listening to....” “ This is...”
“...Macleay Valley Community Radio, TankFM”
“...TankFM, FM 103.1, 103.1 FM”
“...Your community station, TankFM”
“...TankFM, Your Voice, One Choice”
Be careful NOT to over-use these examples. They can become repetitive.
We broadcast to a number of villages and towns in the valley. By concentrating on one area
too much, you can alienate a lot of people very quickly. Over-use of a phrase like “here in
Kempsey” can make someone in those other areas feel like an eavesdropper, instead of a member
of the wider community we serve.
Similarly, steer away from too many 'in-jokes' or personal references.
Time Calls
You should also vary the way you make time calls but don't get into the habit of using
unnecessary words. Telling the time is a simple operation. Don't say “5 past 3 o'clock” or “10 to
5 o'clock”. “10 to 5” is just fine. Both “half past four” and “4:30” are OK as is “quarter past”
and “4:15”. If we were to get really pedantic we could say that “The time is 1 o'clock” is almost
a tautology, and that “It is 1 o'clock” couldn't be anything but a time call.
Local weather Details / Current Temperature
A valuable part of the service we provide is local weather information. The Bureau of
Meteorology faxes us regular bulletins and forecasts — learn to use them. Every half hour or so
is a good time to give a quick summary, or at least the current temperature. The thermometer is
located on the wall by the window. Ask another presenter to clue you in on how to make sense of
the faxes if you haven't been shown already. The weather is sometimes scheduled with a
sponsorship announcement, so check the 'Run-Sheet'. When giving the temperature, round it off
to the nearest degree; i.e. don't say “its 25 point three degrees”.
Requests - Don't Go Overboard!
Sometimes it can feel as though no one is listening, and many presenters, desperate for some
sort of indication of life out there, start pleading for people to phone in requests. The problem is
that once the phone starts ringing you can easily spend more time looking for songs than
concentrating on your program. You could lose input into the program and have it totally
dictated by others and find that you're always having to apologise 'on air' for not being able to
find so-and-so's request. All that said; you could end up feeling even worse because no one rings
up.

A.B.N. 48 549 819 471
Sensitive Material
It is important to remember that some of your audience may be much more conservative or
much more liberal than you are, about certain issues. Don't make judgments according to your
own sensitivities on certain subjects. TankFM deliberately seeks an audience from diverse
sectors of the community so it is important to be mindful of the sensitivities of different groups.
If you are planning to discuss matters involving a deceased member of the Indigenous
community, check with the elders first. Mentioning the name of a deceased person is an affront
to the sensitivities of some Indigenous communities.
The acceptability of 'dirty words' has changed markedly in the last few years but this does not
give presenters a right to say, or play, what they like. Much depends on the context, delivery and
the target audience. As is always the case in broadcasting, if in doubt, leave it out until you've
had time to check with a member of the Management Committee.
Do not assume that just because you've heard words or phrases used elsewhere on TankFM, that
it's automatically acceptable on your program. A literature program or a documentary special on
language may be permitted a more liberal use of the language than a regular magazine program.
Gratuitous use of expletives by presenters is specifically forbidden as a matter

of station policy.
See following page

A.B.N. 48 549 819 471
TankFM Policy on Coarse Language in Recorded material for Broadcast
Macleay Valley Community FM Radio Station Inc (Known as TankFM)
Policy Pursuant to Code 3, Community Radio Codes of Practice - Programming
3.1 Macleay Valley Community Radio will not broadcast material that may:
(a) incite, encourage, or present for its own sake violence or brutality,
(b) mislead or alarm listeners by simulating news or events,
(c) present as desirable the use of illegal drugs, the misuse of tobacco or alcohol
as well as other harmful substances, and
(d) glamorise, sensationalise, or present suicide as a solution to life problems. In particular,
broadcast material should not provide explicit details about the method and/or location of a
suicide attempt or death.
3.2 We will attempt to avoid censorship where possible. However, in our programming decisions
we will consider our community expectations, community interest, context, degree of
explicitness, the possibility of alarming the listener, the potential for distress or shock, prevailing
Indigenous laws or community standards and the social importance of the broadcast.
3.3 We will not broadcast material that is likely to stereotype, incite, vilify, or perpetuate hatred
against, or attempt to demean any person or group, on the basis of ethnicity, nationality, race,
language, gender, sexuality, religion, age, physical or mental ability, occupation, cultural belief
or political affiliation. The requirement is not intended to prevent the broadcast of material which
is factual, or the expression of genuinely held opinion in a news or current affairs program or in
the legitimate context of a humorous, satirical or dramatic work.
3.4 We will have programming practices that protect children from harmful material but will
avoid concealing the real world from them. We will be guided in this regard by community
expectations.
3.5 We will follow applicable privacy laws by:
(a) respecting people’s legitimate right to protection from unjustified use of material which is
obtained without consent or through an invasion of privacy,
(b) only broadcasting the words of an identifiable person where:
(i) that person has been told in advance that the words may be broadcast,
or
(ii) it was clearly indicated at the time the recording was made that the material would be
broadcast, or
(iii) in the case of words that have been recorded without the knowledge of a person, that person
has indicated his/her agreement prior to broadcast.
3.6 News, current affairs (including news updates and promotions), documentaries, feature
programs and interviews shall:
(a) provide access to views not adequately represented by other broadcasting sectors,
(b) present factual material accurately and ensure that reasonable efforts are made to correct
substantial errors of fact as quickly as possible,
(c) clearly distinguish factual material from commentary and analysis,
(d) present news in such a way that it does not create public panic or unnecessary distress to
listeners, and
(e) represent viewpoints fairly without having a misleading emphasis, editing out of context or
withholding relevant and available material.
3.7 Macleay Valley Community Radio recognises its responsibility to the community to
broadcast applicable information in respect of any emergency affecting local communities and
will:
(a) have in place procedures to enable appropriate local emergency broadcasts,
(b) liaise with appropriate emergency and essential service organisations, and
(c) ensure the accuracy of emergency information.
Last amended 28th July 2009
Cont….

A.B.N. 48 549 819 471
In conjunction with 3.2, 3.3 and 3.4 of the Draft Policy, TankFM accepts the use of certain
language, which might be considered coarse and/or offensive by some people, in recorded
material which is broadcast.
However, mindful of our responsibilities to the community, and especially children in the
community, the following conditions apply where presenters wish to 'air' such material:-
1. Prior to broadcasting any such material, a presenter is required to provide examples of the
material they wish to 'air', to the nominated representative of the Management Committee.
2. Material containing the word f*ck is acceptable as long as it is not used to excess, is not
gratuitous, and is relevant to the context of the material in which it is contained.
3. Such material may only be broadcast between the hours of 9:30 pm and midnight, and on
Monday to Saturday only.
4. A warning is to be issued, prior to each track, to the effect that the track contains language
that some may consider coarse and/or offensive.
5. The terms "m****r f***er" and "c**t" are not permitted at any time.*
*Note: This paragraph MUST be read to presenters under 16 years of age, by
a parent or guardian.
Sexist Language
As a community radio station, language which may reinforce negative stereotypes should not
be used. The presenters and management committee at TankFM aim to remove discrimination.
Titles
Titles of address, rank, occupation and status should be used in a manner which treats
everyone equally, regardless of sex: “John Jones and Eva Davis will be responsible for the
seminar”, not “Dr John Jones and Miss Eva Davis will be responsible for the seminar”.
There is no reason to use titles indicating marital status as only women are identified by such
titles. The practice is discriminatory and marital status is usually irrelevant to the topic being
discussed. Use a first name, an academic title, a neutral role description, or nothing at all.
For example: “Susan Smith”, “Susan Smith, Senior Lecturer in English”, “Dr Susan Smith”
but not “Mrs. Susan Smith”.
When listing names, use alphabetical order except when order of seniority is more important.
Word Endings
Nouns denoting occupation or function which have feminine endings should not be used. Use
manager not manageress.
Job titles which have man as an ending carry explicit overtones of exclusion for women and
can be avoided with a little imagination. Ground staff or keeper not groundsman, security officer
not security man. The word chairman has caused considerable debate and is frequently amended
to chairperson or simply to chair. Convener is often now used for committees.
Personal Pronouns
Personal pronouns cause the most headaches. It is usual to use the word he as a blanket term
for a noun of unspecified gender but this has the effect of excluding women so completely that
they virtually cease to exist. There are several solutions. The most cumbersome is to say he or
she or he/she. It is better to rewrite the sentence in the plural so that “the good manager will give
his staff regular pay rises” becomes “good managers will give their staff regular pay rises”. Or
the sentence can be re-cast in the impersonal. “The seniority of an officer is based on his length
of service” becomes “seniority of officers is determined on the basis of length of service”.

A.B.N. 48 549 819 471
Generic Use of the Word 'man'.
The use of the word 'man', meaning 'people', 'humanity', 'human beings', or the 'human
species', also has the effect of excluding women. Re-phrasing is possible:-
● 'mankind' becomes 'human beings', 'people' or 'society';
● 'the man in the street' becomes 'the average person' or 'people in general';
● 'manning a project' becomes 'staffing a project', 'hiring personnel or employing staff';
● 'man-hours' becomes 'hours or workdays';
● 'manpower' becomes 'workforce', 'personnel' etc.
Race, Age and Sex Specification
Gratuitous race, age or sex specification is to be avoided. The age, race or sex of a person
should not be mentioned if it is irrelevant to the topic. For example: “the officer, a woman in her
fifties, recommended that Lenora Chou, an Aborigine, be offered the position”. The
offensiveness and irrelevance of these descriptions becomes more apparent if the race and sex
are reversed: “The officer, a man in his fifties, recommended that Tom Jones, an Anglo Saxon, be
offered the position”.
People can be discriminated against on the basis of their age. There is no need to mention it
unless it is important — such as in reference to a court appearance where the age of the person
helps clearly identify them.
Sexual Orientation
You have a responsibility to avoid reinforcing bias against people on the basis of their sexual
orientation.
As a general rule, avoid gratuitous references to sexual orientation. Any discussion of issues
related to sexual orientation should be accurate and informed.
Avoid negative stereotyping of gay and lesbian people, and do not encourage discrimination or
sensationalism.
Use terms like 'partner' instead of spouse, and don't assume everyone belongs to a traditional
family.
Disabilities
Generally you should avoid words which imply a lack of something, or some kind of inferiority.
It is negative to talk about what is absent or lacking, rather than a person's capabilities.
'Acceptable' terminology changes all the time, but as a rough guide you should use terms which
are accurate, un-emotive, and non-degrading.
Cont……

A.B.N. 48 549 819 471
Some examples:
Instead of .......'cripple'.....We suggest,”...........confined to a wheelchair”, "uses a wheelchair”,
“is a wheelchair user”.
'crippled' .................................................................... “has a physical or mobility disability”
'the blind' ................................................................... “people with a visual impairment”
'the deaf (and dumb) ' ................................................ “hearing impaired”
'defective, deformed, abnormal' ................................ specify the disability
'insane, mental, psycho, demented, lunatic, etc'. ...... “psychiatric condition”, or specify the
condition
'Mongol', 'Mongoloid' ............................................... “has Down's Syndrome”
'the disabled' ..............................................................“people with a disability”
'the epileptic' .............................................................“person/people with epilepsy”
Community radio is proud of its efforts to provide access and information to people with a
disability. As with all of these 'sensitive language' issues, the main requirement is to simply be
fair and accurate when dealing with matters relating to disability. Avoid terms like 'sufferer' and
'patient'.
Word Order or Word Choice
It is customary to list pairs of nouns in the same order: he and she, men and women, doctors
and nurses, husbands and wives. Where there is no reason for this order and where it implies a
stereotyped view of status, the order should be varied as a means of breaking down the
stereotype. Be careful in your choice of adjectives. The use of different adjectives to describe the
same characteristics denotes bias. For example; ambitious men and aggressive women, cautious
men and timid women, strong men and dominating women.
Australian Content
Before recent changes in broadcasting regulations, TankFM had to broadcast a minimum of
20% Australian music in its programs. On the issue of what constitutes Australian music, the
regulations stated:
“An Australian performer is one who is a citizen of or who is ordinarily resident in Australia.
Where more than one performer is involved, the performance should be predominantly by
Australians “
The Australian content quota is now self-regulated. It has been set at 25% for stations like
TankFM that feature diverse formats. Incidentally, many community stations were consistently
broadcasting above and beyond that quota.
The community broadcasting sector has a long tradition of supporting Australian music, and
in fact is often the first source of airplay for musicians in a wide variety of music styles. You are
encouraged to support Australian music at every opportunity.
We realised some specialist music programs find this difficult, if not impossible. As a general
rule programs that have a diverse or contemporary format should aim for 25% or above in
Australian content. Specialist programs should still try and attain 10% or more when possible, all
other programs should seek to keep to that quota, or more, as required in the Community
Broadcasting Codes of Practice. (see separate document).
At certain times of the year you will be required to keep a record of all the music played in
your programs. This is to check on Australian content and to attribute copyright fees to artists.

A.B.N. 48 549 819 471
Some Final Points about Presentation
In addition to becoming familiar with this module, make sure you are aware of the various
legal considerations pertaining to broadcasting, such as defamation.
There is no substitute for hours of practice when it comes to announcing. Don't underestimate
the value of listening critically to other presenters both on TankFM and other stations. You will
pick up valuable information on what is successful and what is not and you will develop
sensitivity to the radio medium. Tape yourself regularly, (this applies to experienced presenters
as well as beginners) and critically evaluate your performance. There is always more to be learnt,
so there is no room for complacency.
There is no doubt that radio announcing is a very personal thing. It is a communication be-
tween you and your listener. But, even though the individual style of each presenter is one of the
things that makes community radio so appealing, there are still certain do’s and don'ts that apply
across the board. Take note of these and you can become, with practice, a professional
broadcaster.
If you are sincerely trying your best, nobody can ask for more. No one likes to make
mistakes, but they will occur. If you do make a mistake, don’t get frustrated, don’t panic; learn
from it, relax and move on.

A.B.N. 48 549 819 471
Some Legal Aspects of Presenting
Definitions
Contempt of Court
You can comment3 on a crime, before somebody is about to be charged with an offence, and
after the person has been convicted and the appeal time has expired; but not after the person has
been charged or while the case is being, or is about to be considered by a court. During this time
the matter is considered "sub-judice" - i.e. under consideration of the Court. Remember that a
court case is not over until any appeals have been heard. During the trial a fair and accurate
report of the proceedings can be given; but no comment. To make such comments whilst the
matter is "sub-judice" would be considered to be a Contempt of Court.
Defamation*
While the laws of defamation even in common law systems vary from country to country, a basic
definition can be found in the British Defamation Act of 1962 which says defamation is:
The publication of any false imputation concerning a person, or a member of his family, whether
living or dead, by which (a) the reputation of that person is likely to be injured or (b) he is likely
to be injured in his profession or trade or (c) other persons are likely to be induced to shun,
avoid, ridicule or despise him.
Publication of defamatory matter can be by (a) spoken words or audible sound or (b) words
intended to be read by sight or touch or (c) signs, signals, gestures or visible representations,
and must be done to a person other than the person defamed.
What You Cannot Say
● You cannot make defamatory remarks.
● You cannot comment on matters which would be considered to be in Contempt of Court.
● You cannot make slanderous, blasphemous, obscene, or seditious statements, nor any
statements which may be considered to be in contradiction of any Anti-Terrorism legislation.
What You Can Say
● Basically nothing relevant to Legal Matters.
● The Golden Rule is "IF IN DOUBT, LEAVE IT OUT"
● Always check with Management first.
* An Mp3 sound file titled "Defamation" is included on the CD supplied to all presenters. It
was recorded by the CBAA and permission was granted to use it.
I, ....................................................., have read and understood the contents of this page, and
agree to its directives, or (if under 18) agree to have a responsible adult* sign on my behalf.
Signed: ........................................... Dated: ......................................
* A "responsible adult", in relation to a minor, means an adult who is:
(a) a parent, step-parent or guardian of the minor, or
(b) the minor’s spouse or de facto partner, or
(c) for the time being standing in as the parent of the minor.
Refer also to the latest issue of the Presenter’s Agreement
Presenters who wish to progress further with the contents of this section must attend a
separate Training Session, conducted by a suitably qualified person.
3
Take care that your comments do not contain defamatory remarks.

A.B.N. 48 549 819 471
Complaint Handling
Periodically, an 'on-air' presenter will receive complaints from members of the public about
something they have heard on TankFM.
EVERY COMPLAINT* RECEIVED FROM MEMBERS OF THE PUBLIC MUST BE
TAKEN SERIOUSLY, AND IT IS MANDATORY THAT YOU RECORD THE EVENT
IN THE COMPLAINTS BOOK, WHICH IS PROVIDED FOR THAT PURPOSE.
* The ACMA requires community radio stations to record all complaints and act on them in a
timely manner. This is a condition of holding a Community Broadcasting Licence.
How are complaints received at the Studio?
1. Via the telephone — more likely
2. Via the Fax — less likely
As an 'on-air' presenter you are required to carry out the following steps:-
1. Telephone
a. Treat each call seriously.
b. Do not argue with the caller.
c. Record the details* in the book provided, then proceed to step e. if d. does not apply.
* You must record the caller's name and contact details; telephone number and/or an
address, (postal and/or email), as well as details of the complaint (including date and time).
d. When the caller refuses to provide contact details, then note the time and date of the call in the
book, and take no further action. However under the same conditions, and ONLY if the call is in
regard to TankFM exceeding the sponsorship time limit/hour, the matter is to be recorded and then
you must proceed to the next step.
e. You must contact a senior member of management immediately after receiving the call and
advise the details of the complaint.
2. Fax
a. Faxes normally contain the sender’s number at the top of the sheet.
b. Record brief details in the complaints book, and arrange to physically transfer the fax to the
office for filing as soon as you can.
c. If there are no sender details on the fax, carry out steps (c. – e.) as set out in the Telephone
section..
Failure to follow these instructions is a serious breach of TankFM procedures.
Complaints between individual members of TANKFM or between TANKFM and individual

members, or between individual members and TANKFM, are covered in the TANKFM
Constitution under 'Part 12 - Resolution of Internal Disputes - Grievance Procedure'.

A.B.N. 48 549 819 471
Supplementary Procedures
The supplementary procedures include actions which involve various pieces of studio equipment
as well as the "Kestrel-16" 'On-Air' Mixer. Presenters should read the manual and view the
PowerPoint® presentations for the "Kestrel-16" 'On-Air' Mixer and Supplementary Procedures
Including the "Kestrel-16" 'On-Air' Mixer.
As a presenter for TankFM, you must be aware that whist you are behind the desk, you are in
charge, and therefore you must be familiar with the following procedures and required actions.
● Un-Scheduled Power Outages or Power Failures.
● Un-Scheduled Power Outage – Transmitter.
● Un-Scheduled Power Outage - Studio (at night).
● 'TDN' Failure
● Starting up the Station.
● Shutting down the Station.
These last two procedures may seem irrelevant to most presenters, who don’t do the breakfast
show or the last show of the day, or who usually follow another presenter.
However, at some stage you will encounter the situations where you will not be following on
from a previous presenter, because they can’t do their show, and when you arrive at your
appropriate time, the station is running on the ‘TDN’ (or maybe it’s not)
or take the other situation perhaps,
during your show, the phone rings and the presenter who is due to follow you cannot make it and
a substitute cannot be found in time,
and what happens if during your show or when you have to shut down or start up the station, you
find that the ‘TDN’ is not working?
What should you be doing in these situations?
Any concerns you may have had about these situations, will be covered on the following pages.
For all subjects in this Section, refer also to the following:-

"Kestrel-16" Manual – Supplementary Procedures
PowerPoint® Presentation:-
Supplementary Procedures involving the "Kestrel-16" 'On-Air' Mixer

A.B.N. 48 549 819 471
Un-scheduled Power Outages (Power Failures)
Power outages, in general, can occur for a number of reasons:-
Vehicles hitting power poles, and scheduled outages by the power company are the most
common. Lightning strikes are far less common causes of power outages than generally thought.
Scheduled power outages by the power company, are normally advised well in advance, so the
Technical and programming staff at TankFM, can plan for the event, however, an un-scheduled
power outage, as the name suggests, is unpredictable and can last for an indeterminate length of
time.
Un-scheduled Power Outage – Transmitter
This will have no effect on the mains power at the studio. The desk will give the visual
appearance that nothing is wrong; that is, all channel lamps will be lit and the meters will
continue to indicate normally.
The first indication that there is a power outage at the transmitter (if you’re paying attention), is
that the 'on-air' signal cannot be heard over the studio monitor speaker or through the
headphones via the MONITOR SELECT EXT button in conjunction with the OFF AIR button
on the MONITOR SELECT switch group situated on the riser panel. Both these buttons should
be selected AT ALL TIMES.
It is vitally important that ALL presenters ensure that the MONITOR SELECT EXT is
used when they are 'on air', unless issued with a specific, alternative instruction. As the 'on-
air' presenter, you MUST be the first person to be aware of a transmission problem, and
you achieve this requirement by monitoring 'OFF AIR'.
At the same time, the ALARM, TRANSMIT FAIL, PROGRAM FAIL, and STEREO FAIL
lamps will be lit. Also don’t be surprised if the PHONE lamp is activated with a call from a
diligent listener.
Having determined that the transmitter is 'down', (and that you haven’t pressed the wrong
buttons on the control desk), carry on with your normal show.
Please Note that even if the Greenhill transmitter is 'off-air', you are required to keep going
because of the Internet listeners. When TankFM gets the translator on Mt. Yarrahapinni, there
will still be a service from that site in the event of a failure at Greenhill; albeit on a different
frequency; not 103.1 MHz.
At this stage, you may choose to select the MONITOR CHANNEL-A button to monitor
your program.
The Next duty is to contact the Studio Technician as soon as you can.
Meanwhile, constantly monitor the 'on-air' signal. The ALARM, TRANSMIT FAIL,
PROGRAM FAIL, and STEREO FAIL lamps will be lit, and you must be monitoring 'off-desk'
for Internet listeners.
When the signal returns, the ALARM lamps will be extinguished.
Immediately return to monitoring with MONITOR SELECT EXT
Now is the time to announce an apology to the Radio listeners. The Internet listeners won’t have
noticed any problems, so you will have to 'tailor' your announcement around these two
audiences.
Refer also to the "Kestrel-16" Manual - Monitor Select Module

A.B.N. 48 549 819 471
Un-scheduled Power Outage – Studio (at night)
In the event of an un-scheduled power failure in the studio at night, the Emergency EXIT sign will be lit. This
will provide sufficient, limited, ambient lighting to enable those present, to find their way around the studio.
It’s also a good idea for all nighttime presenters, to include a torch with their usual “gear”.
During the daytime, lighting will not be an issue, since there is plenty of ambient lighting from outside.
First of all, before you do anything, DON’T PANIC!
The desk will remain ON with all settings, warning indicator lights, and modules un-changed, and working as
normal, because it continues to be supplied with power from an Uninterruptible Power Supply or UPS.
However, the studio equipment including CD and MiniDisc Players and the computer monitors will cease to
function. It is not necessary to turn their power switches off.
If not already on, you MUST immediately enable the 'TANK DIGITAL NETWORK' module, by moving
the fader to the zero mark on the scale and turning the channel ON, then turn all other channels OFF.
Continue your program, and contact the station technician. Note that you can't continue with your normal
program but you can announce a power failure, and that you need to fall back to the 'TDN' as an alternate
program source. Then turn off the ANNOUNCER MICROPHONE module.
The supply from the UPS for the desk will last for approx. 1 hour before being depleted.
The UPS for the 'TDN' and transmission equipment currently lasts approximately 20 minutes. After that time,
the 'TDN' and transmission equipment will fail. The ALARM, TRANSMIT FAIL, PROGRAM FAIL, and
STEREO FAIL lamps will NOT be lit, because their power comes from the UPS in the equipment room. The
meters on the riser panel will indicate zero. The PHONE and DOOR BUZZER indicator lamps will still be
functional, because they derive their power from the desk UPS. After the equipment room UPS fails, you will
hear nothing because there is no longer a working receiver at the studio. Internet listeners will lose the stream,
whilst radio listeners will lose program audio, and the stereo lamp on their receiver (if one exists) will
extinguish.
* It is worth noting here that the procedures may alter in the future, if or when TankFM updates the UPS in
the equipment room to bring it closer to a failure time of 60 minutes. Also, the acquisition of a standby
generator, would solve the problem of prolonged power failures.
At this stage there’s nothing much you can do, except wait and hope that the mains power returns before the
UPS for the main desk fails. This will occur approximately 40 minutes after equipment room UPS fails, or
approximately 60 minutes after the original mains power failure. During this period of deep contemplation,
DO NOT be tempted to press buttons on the main desk or the riser panel. You do not need to turn off the
'TDN' button.
Let’s now assume the worst, that the UPS to the desk runs out. Again DON’T PANIC, and DO NOT be
tempted to press buttons on the main desk or the riser panel. Sit tight and wait for the mains power to return.
REMEMBER, you are in charge.
What follows after the mains power supply returns, are the 10 steps to recovery.
1. After the mains power supply returns, the desk will default to all OFF buttons (1-16) being lit.
2. All CH-A indicator LED’s (1-16) will be lit, provided you haven’t fiddled.
3. Check that the MONITOR SELECT EXT LED is lit – this is a default position, after a power failure
and will occur automatically.
Again, this would not normally be necessary unless you panicked and pushed every button in sight. This has
happened and we were left in talk-back delay which confused even the technician!
4. Select the 'TANK DIGITAL NETWORK' button and check that the OFF AIR switch on the
MONITOR SELECT switch group situated on the Riser Panel, is selected, so that you can monitor what is
going 'to-air' — this will give you time to organise yourself.
5. Put on your headphones and listen to what is being transmitted or listen to the studio speaker.
6. Turn ON those modules that were previously operating before the power outage.
7. Check that the CD and MINIDISC players are working
8. Check that the various computer screens are operative.
9. Once you’re settled and satisfied that all is working, make an announcement, apologising for the
interruption to the transmission, to both Radio and Internet listeners, then resume your program.
10. If nothing is going ‘to-air’, re-check steps 1 – 8. If still nothing, then the transmitter could be out and
this should be indicated by the ALARM, TRANSMIT FAIL, PROGRAM FAIL, and STEREO FAIL lamps
being lit. The previous page deals with this situation.
If you are still having problems, then contact the studio technician.

A.B.N. 48 549 819 471
** 'TDN' Failure
In the event that you are required to select the 'TDN', for example, for the Tank FM National
Radio News, or at the conclusion of your program, and there is no program from the 'TDN' when
you listen with the 'CUE' function, you are required to select the following alternative options:-
a. if you are required to select the TankFM National Radio News from the 'TDN' during, but
not at the end of your program, use 'NW1' then 'F1' on the 'DDN' as the program source for the
news, and then return to your program at the conclusion of the news.
b. if you are required to select the 'TDN' at the conclusion of your program, select 'AUX1'; the
satellite service, as the program source, but DO NOT say, “we are going to satellite”.
Regardless of the circumstances, if the 'TDN' program source is unavailable, you are required to
contact the station technician immediately.
Failure to contact the technician is a serious breach of the Presenter's Agreement.
Starting Up the Station

If you are the first presenter following a scheduled or unscheduled* period of automation, the
station will normally be on the 'TDN' **. You will be starting up the station and should be at
the studio 15 – 30 minutes before your show is scheduled to start.
* Note this includes arriving late for your show.
● All equipment should be off, and except for the 'TDN' input module and its fader, all input
modules should be off and their faders should be right down, unless you are instructed otherwise
for a particular purpose, such as testing or Outside Broadcasts.
● The studio monitor fader should have been left at approximately minus 20 to minimise noise
to neighbours, and so that the studio doesn't sound 'dead' when you arrive.
● After turning on the lights, sort any faxes that have arrived.
● Turn on the CD and MiniDisc players.
● Turn on the modules for the equipment you normally use, and bring their faders up to
approximately zero.
● Cue-up the required tracks for each program source, and fine-adjust the fader position to suit
each track to be played.
● Turn on the screens for the 'DDN', and 'Run-Sheet' computers, and adjust the microphone
fader to the appropriate position for your voice.
● Adjust the studio speakers and headphone levels to suit your preference.
● Because the station should be on the 'TDN' when you arrive, it will usually go automatically
into the news at the top of the hour. The exception is when there is no scheduled news service at
the top of the hour, such as at night and on the afternoons during the weekend.
Note that regardless of the time or the day, always check the 'Run-Sheet' for instructions.
Also please note that if you are late for your show, and the station is running on the 'TDN'
and the news is still running, you may commence your program in accordance with the Run-
Sheet. If there is no news, or the news has been run, you must wait until the top of the next
hour.
● Finally, (assuming all is working), fade out the 'TDN' and go to your 'live' program as per the
'Run-Sheet' instructions.
** Refer also to 'TDN' Failure above.
You may wish to make a copy of this page to use as a check-list when starting up the station.

A.B.N. 48 549 819 471
Shutting Down the Station
If you are the last presenter of the day, or if no one is scheduled to come on after you, or the next
scheduled presenter fails to show, you will have to shut down and secure the station in
accordance with prescribed shut-down procedures.
1. Say goodbye to the listeners in your usual manner, including announcing the next program as
appropriate.
2. 'Monitor' the 'TDN' **.
** see also previous page.
3. Select 'NW1' on the 'DDN', before turning off the 'DDN' screen, and set the 'Run-Sheet' to the
time or the day of the next "live" program.
4. Remove MiniDiscs and leave them on top of the machine so they can be easily found, then
turn off the Minidisc players.
5. As the last song is fading, or being faded out, turn on and fade-up the 'TDN' input module.
6. Remove any CD's at the conclusion of your program, then turn off the CD Players.
7. Except for the 'TDN' input module, take all input module faders down, and turn off those
modules.
Under no circumstances are the switches on the microphones to be turned off.
8. Leave the fader for the studio monitor speaker at approximately minus 20.
9. Now turn off the 'Run-Sheet' Monitor.
10. Turn off the heater/air conditioner.
11. Close the windows.
12. Except for the outside 'security light', turn all other lights off.
13. Close the studio, lobby , and the screen doors.
14. After closing the steel security door, move the slide to the locked position and secure it in
place with the padlock.
You may wish to make a copy of this page to use as a check-list when shutting down the station.

A.B.N. 48 549 819 471
Amendments
No. Page Brief Details Date
Any amendments will be issued by the Training Committee. Each amendment will be issued as a whole page or pages, and will be
accompanied with an up-dated Amendments page. Obsolete pages must be removed, and the current Amendments page must be
replaced with the up-dated version.

A.B.N. 48 549 819 471
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A.B.N. 48 549 819 471
Abbreviations used in this Document
ANCR ............................................................................................................. Announcer (Presenter)
AUX ........................................................................................................................................ Auxiliary
CAL ..................................................................................................................................... Calibration
CD ................................................................................................................................. Compact Disc
CH ........................................................................................................................................... Channel
'DDN' ............................................................................................................ Digital Delivery Network
EXT .......................................................................................................................................... External
H’PHONES ....................................................................................................................... Headphones
LED .................................................................................................................... Light Emitting Diode
MD ........................................................................................................................................... Minidisc
O'LOAD .................................................................................................................................. Overload
PGM ........................................................................................................................................ Program
'TDN' .................................................................................................................. Tank Digital Network
Any questions regarding the contents of this manual

must be directed to the Training Committee.
This document remains the property of Macleay

Valley Community FM Radio Station Inc.
© Copyright 2011
Sections of this guide were obtained from 2MCE’s training guide.
E-mail: info@tankfm.org Web Page: www.tankfm.org
Effective Date: 31st January, 2011

A.B.N. 48 549 819 471
DELIBERATELY BLANK

A.B.N. 48 549 819 471
TankFM 103.1

A.B.N. 48 549 819 471

On-Air Presenter Guide

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‘ON-AIR’ PRESENTER GUIDE.

DOC Issue 1: Effective: 31st January, 2011 Page 2 of 58

A Bit of the History of Radio ................................................................................................... 5

The Studio ................................................................................................................................. 7

Introduction to Radio Presentation ...................................................................................... 18

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Supplementary Procedures .................................................................................................... 49

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TankFM is a SMOKE-FREE ZONE

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'Cueing' CD players for airplay:

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Mini-Disc Player 2 (MD-2)

'Cueing' MD-2 for airplay:

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Selecting a sponsor's announcement, Community Service Announcement, or other

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Playing Music from a Laptop Computer

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Refer also to 'Starting Up the Station' in Section 4 - Supplementary

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Degrees Direction/(Meaning) Direction Name Other Name

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NEVER ANNOUNCE THAT YOU DO NOT HAVE UPDATED INFORMATION.

Community Service Announcements

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Gratuitous use of expletives by presenters is specifically forbidden as a matter

See following page

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Failure to follow these instructions is a serious breach of TankFM procedures.