Somewhere In Between

What are we anyway? Specialists or generalists? Jacks of all trades? Producers or audio engineers? Journalists or artists? As more tools become available, it can be hard to know where to draw the line on which skills are necessary and on how to actually define the kind of producers we are. These are some of the remarks you'll find from Steve Rowland in this edition's Spotlight feature touting the benefits of AIR's mentorship program — just one of the ways AIR can help you (re)position yourself and what you do.

— Sam Schongalla,
AIRblast Publication Manager

Issue Archives

Sponsorship

Say hello to the newest batch of AIRsters who've come along in the last month:

Peruse AIR's searchable
Producer Directory

Cool Tool: Jott Assistant

It's happened to all of us. You're out and about and have a great idea for your next project, but you have no pen or paper. With Jott Assistant, just dial a 1-800 number, speak your to-do item, reminder, or brilliant idea into the phone and get the transcribed message in your e-mail inbox or as a text message — all within a matter of minutes. And that's just the beginning. Try it free for a week or sign up for unlimited voice-to-text conversions for $3.95/month. Jott it down!

— Erin Mishkin

Deadlines

September 11 – The Daniel Schorr Journalism Prize

October 1 – New America Media's Stimulus Watch Fellowship

October 14 – Soros Justice Fellowships

October 15 – Knight News Challenge

Answers to July's AIRmuse MQ2 audio challenge:

1. The Corner
2. Beyond the Odds
3. Open Sound New Orleans- sound recorded by Heather Booth & Jacob Brancasi
4. Open Sound New Orleans –sound recorded by David Weinberg
5. CyberFrequencies
6. Place + Memory
7. The Corner
8. CyberFrequencies

AIRmuse

"The Changing Time": A message from Sue Schardt, AIR Executive Director (5:30)

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Audio Archives

Spotlight

Producers Step into the Media Shift with AIR Mentoring

By Steve Rowland

Steve Rowland is a former president of the AIR Board of Directors and was the first director of AIR's mentoring program, a program that has provided guidance to scores of producers since 1994. Steve recently had the opportunity to trade roles, moving from longtime mentor to become a mentee of the fabulous young photographer Josh Cogan. With his unique vantage point, Steve reveals how the AIR mentoring program is key in helping producers through this revolutionary period of transition in the digital tools we use and the ways we share our work.

Read more

Calendar

At PRPD with AIR and Third Coast
September 15–18, 2009
Cleveland, OH

You can still squeak in under the wire for the public radio programming conference. Producers and PDs alike are Cleveland bound, and we hope you are too, with special AIR conference rates and other financial discounts to make it easier to get to Cleveland and get around town. Be sure to listen to this month's AIRmuse for more details on special sessions produced via AIR's collaboration with PRPD and the Third Coast Audio Festival.

Producer Meeting (Association of Independents in Radio, Inc.)
"Public Media's Moment"
September 15 2009
PRPD

Public radio is evolving top to bottom — from audio craft to business strategy to distribution. What do we pay attention to? It's a balancing act, for sure: pay the mortgage or take a creative leap to experiment with a new, untested idea or tool? We need to step aside to let in new voices/approaches, but how to do this without sacrificing core practice/practitioners? Then there's just plain sanity. Is it really possible to not only survive but also to thrive and drive the change underway? We won't have all the answers, but we'll have good discussion with FreePress's Candace Clement, co-author of Public Media's Moment; the Kitchen Sisters' Davia Nelson; PRX's John Barth, and AIR's Executive Director Sue Schardt. All are welcome.

OneWebDay
September 22
Across the U.S. and the world

Modeled after Earth Day, this one-day event is sponsored by a number of organizations and individuals AIR supports and admires. These organizations and activists work to broaden the public's awareness of Internet and Web issues while fanning the flames of participation." They have growing numbers of cluster "teams" in cities across the U.S. and the world who will make up this event. Have a look and learn more.

New York Arts Summit
Innovation & Technology Building Social Capital
September 22–23, 2009
Schenectady, NY

It's billed as the "largest gathering of arts leaders, presenters, decision-makers, artists, and arts advocates throughout New York State." More on speakers and topics here.

The Tide of MQ2

MQ2 producers crossed the finish line (panting) on August 31st with this first round of projects charged with "shaping the sound of tomorrow." Click around to hear and see some of the latest updates.

Sunlight Found You from Anita Johnson and Beyond the Odds

In Verse/Lu Olkowski's soon-to-launch iPhone app

Kara Oehler and Ann Heppermann's Mapping Main Street made a big launch/splash via MQ2's terrific partnership with NPR's Weekend Edition and NPR.org; and check out their recent map on Google Maps Mania

Meet CyberFrequencies' Queena Kim, aka guest blogger on NPR's Soapbox

Track MQ2 projects on YouTube.
Subscribe to our MQ2 blog
MQ2 playlist on PRX
Subscribe to NPR's MQ2 showcase

Funding for AIR comes from our members and the generous support of the Corporation for Public Broadcasting (CPB), the New York State Council on the Arts (NYSCA), the Robert E. Davoli and Eileen McDonagh Charitable Foundation and the National Endowment for the Arts (NEA), which believes that a great nation deserves great art.

Association of Independents in Radio
P.O. Box 220400
Boston, MA 02122
Phone: 617-825-4400
www.airmedia.org