4th International Conference on Production Research - ICPR Americas 2008

AN INNOVATIVE METHODOLOGY FOR THE DEVELOPMENT OF LABORATORIES FOR BROADCAST RADIO PRODUCTIONS
JUNG, C. F. (UFRGS); BROILO, V. M. (FACCAT); RIBEIRO, J. L. D. (UFRGS) & CATEN, C. S. ten (UFRGS)

Abstract This paper describes the results obtained by exploratory and experimental research conducted to develop a methodology for planning and implementation of broadcasting production laboratories used in graduation courses in social communication .The research was based on the curricular requirements for the different academic qualifications and the technologies existent in the market. The methodological model presented offers a theoretical/practical basis which can be used as a reference for future installations, or, where necessary, to update and re-equip older broadcasting production laboratories already in use in graduate courses in Social Communication. It also helps to improve the organization of the work and the usability of the learning system. Keywords: Methodology, Broadcasting, Social Communication, Learning 1 INTRODUCTION The technological evolution of the markets requires that the higher education institutions constantly adapt their methods of teaching and learning to meet the evolving technical requirements of the commercial broadcasting industry. The success of a particular course is nowadays directly related to its capacity to enable the students to acquire the knowledge they need for new job-market requirements. Bonsiepe [1] and Pahl et al [2] say that it is possible to identify a necessity or a demand as soon as it is detected - by observation of any situation which demonstrates problems in the execution of the respective professional activities. In fact, from a series of observations made during the realization of courses of Social Communication administered in broadcasting production laboratories, it became evident that in many cases the infrastructure and operational systems were inadequate. This raised the question as to whether the curricular necessities of the communication courses were being met by the present models of the broadcasting production studios. Any broadcasting production laboratory used for instruction will be more effective if its equipments and systems reflect those used for recording and production in the professional broadcasting industry. This is partly because the student, while still in the academic environment, has constant contact with the technical and operational variables common in professional studios. However, in planning any place of learning one should also create conditions to provide the student with: (a) contact with a wide spectrum of technologies, both cutting edge and aging, because the graduated student seeking employment will be faced with many different technologies: (b) ergonomic conditions adequate to the exercise of the didactic activities, and (c) means that facilitate learning. This article describes the results obtained from exploratory and experimental research designed to develop a methodology for planning and implantation of broadcasting production laboratories intended for the instruction of students at the Higher Graduation Level of Social Communication. It is organized as follows: (a) Section 2 presents the context and the theoretical references; (b) Section 3 deals with the research problem; (c) Section 4 explains the methodology adapted; (d) Section 5 demonstrates the results; while (e) Section 6 discusses the final considerations. 2 CONTEXT 2.1 Course in Social Communication The objective of the graduation course in Social Communication is the formation of professionals competent in the creation, production, distribution, reception and critical analysis of materials concerning the mass media, the social and professional practices related to them and the associated cultural, political and economic considerations. The academic and professional field of Social

Communication in Brazil requires aptitude in Journalism, Publicity and Propaganda, Public Relations, Radialism Radio and Television, Editorial Production, Multimedia Editing, Cinema and video editing [3]. The course curricula call for students of social communication to receive instruction which qualifies them in the utilization of the techniques and technologies habitually employed in electronic systems of communication (such as radio and television), in accordance with the respective professional aptitudes, in addition to operational training in such procedures. They must also be taught research practice and experimentation with innovations related to language, techniques and technologies to ensure the development of versatile professionals capable of keeping up with the rapid evolution of the communication system equipments [4]. To fulfill these academic requirements, laboratories adequately equipped to instruct students in the techniques and technologies involved in the creation, production, distribution, reception and analysis of material for the electronic media need to be made available in institutions of Higher Education providing instruction in Social Communication. To exemplify this process, Figure 1 presents the activities carried out with a Broadcasting Production Laboratory during a study course for academics of journalism, publicity and propaganda, public relations and radialism. Skills Student Learning Activities
Production of debates as Journalistic Programs; Production of Interviews as Journalistic Programs;

Journalism

Production of Journalistic Commentary Programs; Production of soap operas (novelas); Production of Documentaries. Production of publicity messages; Production of Vignettes;

Publicity and Propaganda

Production of Spots; Production of Jingles; Editing of Publicity clips. Production of screen plays for Institutional Videos;

Public Relations

Editing Story lines; Behavioral improvement workshops; Production of sound tracks;

Radialism

Production of headlines; Editing story lines; Program presentation.

Figure 1: Learning Activities with a broadcasting production Laboratory 2.2 Audio radio broadcast transmitting stations Radio broadcasting is a telecommunication service which permits the transmission of sounds (sound broadcasting) and images (television) through the air as radio waves (a form of electromagnetic radiation) so as to be received by the general public. This service, however, requires prior authorization whereby the National Federal Government concedes or permits individuals or companies, whether publicly or privately owned, to execute the service commercially for profit during a predetermined period of time. Ferraretto [5] defines radio-broadcasting as a means of communication that uses electromagnetic waves to transmit over a distance sound messages intended for a numerous audience. The technology is the same as that for radio-telephony (i.e., wireless voice transmission) and has become known popularly simply as radio. The generation and transmission of radiofrequency signals, whether modulated in amplitude or frequency, requires equipment specifically designed and manufactured for the purpose [6]. The equipment complex which constitutes a radio broadcasting station has to be set up in a systematic and ordered manner so that the layout, interconnection and technical content is adequate for the

4th International Conference on Production Research - ICPR Americas 2008

generation, processing and transmission of the signals. The equipments which will be operated by the team of journalists, operators and radio announcers to provide a radio broadcasting service are housed in a building known as the Principal Studio. The production of material to be transmitted in the radio broadcasting service is based principally on the creation of commercial spots and recorded programs such as debates, interviews, commentaries and vignettes. For the production of this material, which sustains the main body of the programming, another set of equipments and accessories is required and these are usually installed in another location denominated the Recording or Production Studio. 3 STATEMENT OF THE PROBLEM Because few technical publications describing the implementation of a broadcasting production laboratory for communication courses have been published, the models which exist are generally wholly or partially copies of other earlier installations or have been assembled from observation of the real-life systems used by the professional radio broadcasting stations. These practices have generated a number of problems. One of these problems is related to an inadequate choice of the operational system to be used in the laboratory, when based on models of studios utilized in professional transmission stations. Generally, such models, derived from equipments designed exclusively for operation, are not adequate for hands-on instruction and learning purposes. Furthermore, due to the peculiarities typical of each style of program broadcast by professional stations, two different basic types of operational systems are used in studios: (a) Entertainer where the speaker is himself the operator of the equipment and (b) Conventional in which the speaker and the operator are in different rooms (Figure 2).

(a)

(b)

Figure 2: Operational systems: (a) entertainer and (b) conventional Other operational systems derived from these two basic configurations also exist, such as; (a) the integrated conventional system; (b) the multiple conventional system; and (c) the integrated entertainer system (Figure 3).
Announcers Announcers Announcers Operator Announcer/Operator

Operator

(a)

(b)

(c)

Figure 3: Derived operational systems (a) conventional integrated, (b) conventional multiple and (c) integrated entertainer These different types of operational systems may initially generate doubts as to the type of operational system to be chosen for use in a new broadcasting production laboratory for a social

communication course. Usually, the course coordinator or the professor of the discipline seeks information and/or guidance in other teaching institutions which already have such laboratories installed. Unfortunately, such existing laboratories may have been implemented without sufficient planning and may therefore be inadequate as models for a new instructional installation. One of the consequences of inadequate choice of a studio used in a professional broadcasting station can be observed from the following: the noise generated involuntarily by the students who, during a lesson, need to remain in the radio announcers room to observe the production of a program being realized by colleagues or the professor, may seriously affect the quality of the recorded audio (Figure 4).
Student participating in the program Students observing the program

Students observing the program.

Announcers room

Operators room Student-Operator

Figure 4: Studio for Production of Radio Broadcasting material without separate observers area In this case the observing and participating students are actually in the live areas of the announcer and operator because the studio is not equipped with a separate area for observers. Such areas, which normally do not exist in professional broadcasting studios, permit the assisting students to hear and visualize the professional activities and to discuss and question without affecting the transmission. (A suitable layout is shown in Figure 5 below).
Operations room rea for observers Student operator

Students participating in the program Students observing the program

Announcers room

Figure 5: Broadcast Production Studio with separate area for observers A broadcast production laboratory can also be inadequate for other reasons: (a) the technology employed; (b) ergometrics of the area or the furniture; (c) lack of interdisciplinary integration between the broadcasting professionals and the laboratory design engineers at the planning stage; (d) budget restraints; (e) Limited vision of the teaching institution management as to the investment necessary for the enterprise; and (f) Lack of consideration during the planning stages of all the curricular skills required. To exemplify these questions, the factors and the respective causes and the consequent inadequacy of broadcast production laboratories are listed in Figure 6.

4th International Conference on Production Research - ICPR Americas 2008

Factors

Causes
Only the cutting edge technologies are considered and no thought is given to the many older and perhaps only semiobsolete systems still in professional service. Important ergonomic factors are not considered during the planning stages. For example, climatic aspects such as Illumination, air conditioning, noise control, room acoustics etc and anthropometric factors in the choice of furniture and fittings. A separate, suitably isolated area is not provided for observers of the student activities. During the planning stages poor communications inhibit the exchange of ideas between the communication professionals and the executing engineers, (coordinator of the courses, professor of the discipline and engineer or technician) Little or no multi-disciplinary integration.

Consequences
Having finished the course the student-professional will not possess a systematic knowledge of all the technologies existent in the market. He/She will require additional instruction to operate some equipment before being able to assume production responsibilities. Poor operational results. The material produced has low quality sound and is difficult to understand. Low productivity due to difficulties in accessing the equipments; The production activities cannot be observed easily or efficiently. The programs produced are of low quality because of the high ambient noise level. High incidence of re-work.

(a) Technologies

(b) Ergonomics

(c) Multi-disciplinary Integration

Increases in the indices of re-work Deterioration of relationships. Delays in delivery.

(d) Financial

The institutional budget is low for the investments necessary.

The technology employed will not meet the demands of the curriculum for qualification of the students The ergonometric factors will be neglected leading to the consequences cited in Item (b) above. .

(e) Management

The management of the teaching institution does not feel that it is important to attend the necessary demands and limits the investment accordingly.

The problems discussed in items (a), (b) and (c) become still more serious.

(f) Curricular

The necessities and demands of the curricula are not taken into consideration in the laboratory planning stages.

The instructional broadcasting production studio will be inadequate for the learning process and deficient in teaching the skills proposed. The costs of implementation will increase.

Figure 6: Factors, causes and consequences of inadequate broadcast production laboratories 4 METHODOLOGY In this section we present a methodology for the planning and implementation of broadcasting production laboratories which are intended specifically for instruction in Social Communication at the graduate course level. The methodology was developed from scientific data acquired during our implementation of recording and production studios at various times since 1981 and reinforced by

observation of participants in social communication courses in similar laboratories at Higher Level Educational Institutions. 4.1 Model of the proposed methodology The model representing the methodology for development of broadcasting production laboratories designed for instruction in Social Communication is presented in Figure 7. In some stages of the methodology, we include questions intended to assist comprehension of the proposed systemization.

What must be included in the course of studies in order to develop the cognitive skills and activities necessary for students to acquire the proposed aptitudes?

Study of the Curriculum

Considering the skills proposed or existing, what operational system is to be used? As a function of the technologies available, what equipments are necessary, in use in the market and applicable?

How did professional studio models evolve over time?

Analytical Study
Diachronic Analysis Functional Analysis

Synchronic Analysis What models are used in current professional studios and which is best?

Morphological Analysis

What environment is necessary and what is it proposed to provide? What are the ergonomic conditions?

From the analyses results, make a list of the requirements of the proposed production studio Based on the system requirements, draw up the technical proposals

Synthesis

Technical Proposals

Projects

Implementation

Evaluation/Optimization

Figure 7: Proposed Methodological method for the development of broadcasting production laboratories 4.2 Description of the methodology This first stage of the methodology involves a study of the skills which are to be developed in order to satisfy two fundamental questions: (a) What are the curriculum requirements and necessities for the instruction-learning process of the students in broadcasting production laboratories with respect to the aptitudes and skills called for in the didactic-pedagogic bases of social communication courses?; and (b) What assignments, requirements and activities should students who have successfully completed the course be capable of executing professionally in the recording or production studios of the commercial broadcasting industry? The second methodological stage consists of the realization of four types of analyses capable of providing results to form an ample and consistent database to draw up the list of requisites. This list

4th International Conference on Production Research - ICPR Americas 2008

will then be used to formulate the technical propositions to define the projects necessary for the implementation of the broadcasting production laboratory. Diachronic Analysis This analysis is realized using a panorama of the evolution of the technologies and operating systems utilized in professional recording and production studios and is intended to demonstrate how the technology evolved and the systems were perfected over a specified length of time. A period should first be defined for example, starting ten years ago and ending at the present time. The analysis can thus indicate the current technologies, and also those that, even if wholly or partially in decline, should still be available for student study in the broadcasting production laboratory. Synchronic Analysis This kind of analysis is necessary to define the cutting-edge technology used at the moment in professional studios. The procedure is to note and analyze the technical characteristics of the recording and/or production studios of broadcasting stations considered to be technical references, listing the equipments and systemic used and calculating the additional cost of equipping the model with the latest technology. Morphological analysis Based on the results of the previous study of the curriculum, the morphological analysis determines the operational system to be utilized in the proposed instructional laboratory. The environmental architecture and the disposition of the furniture and fittings in which the equipments are to be installed should be planned for the selected operations system. The analysis should consider the symmetrical arrangements of the equipments to be installed in the furniture or fittings, and the resulting interfigural or intrafigural relationships, in order to determine the operational layout of the laboratory. The analysis is concerned with the architectural and ergonomic requirements for the implementation of the laboratory equipped with selected operational system. The existing environments in the areas of the institution where the laboratory will be installed should also be evaluated. The analyses should include an evaluation of the existing dimensions and the ergonomic conditions as regards the illumination, the acoustics and the air conditioning. Functional analysis At this stage, the technological resources necessary to attend the production demands are studied. The objective includes acquiring knowledge of the applications, resources and technical characteristics necessary to determine the equipments to be installed in the broadcasting production laboratory. In this study the following systems should be analyzed :(a) signal capture; (b) signal reproduction; (c) control of processing; (d) monitoring; (e) recording; (f) saving programs. The analysis should consider means of performing these functions with technologies of various generations. Synthesis When the results of the analytic analysis are available, a complete list of the requisites for implementation of the broadcasting production laboratory should be drawn up. In this phase, it is suggested that a structural matrix software, such as the QFD Quality Function Deployment, be employed to cross-check the analyses with the list of requisites. In this way it is possible to visualize the requisites and assign precedence to those that satisfy multiple demands for the implementation of the laboratory. Technical propositions In this methodological phase special attention is given to the multidisciplinary integration of the professionals involved in the implementation of the laboratory. The social communication professionals and the implementation engineers must interact and participate in the elaboration of the technical propositions. These propositions will influence the engineering projects and thus define how the laboratory will be constructed. Many innovations can be included into the projects by the exchange of ideas. Furthermore, in this phase it is suggested that a second matrix be created to align the prioritized list of requisites with the suggested technical propositions. In this way it is easy to verify and select those technical propositions that attend the greatest number of priority technical propositions. Projects From these agreed technical propositions the detailed projects for the constructors may now be drawn up. These are: (a) Architectural project; (b) Ergonomic project (furniture and fittings, air conditioning,

acoustics); (c) electric project (illumination and power distribution) and (d) electronics project (equipment, interconnections and the logic network). Implementation The final implementation of a broadcasting production laboratory involves many different professionals who will execute the projects. In this phase the proposed projects will be executed permanent supervision of the implementation professionals as well as those of the Social Communications area is recommended. Evaluation and Optimization Back [7] states that, considering the innumerable possibilities of error, it is hard to believe that the results of any project are entirely correct, so that a careful check of the results actually obtained is a vital necessity. Therefore, this methodological phase proposes that the results obtained be verified. The broadcasting production laboratory should be submitted to a period of trial operation by the future users, that is, the academics of the Course in Social Communication where the laboratory is installed. The test of usability is considered an efficient means of verifying the interaction between the user and the system developed, so as to identify any possible problems with the project. Dallmeyer et al [8] point out that system testing is expensive, but experience demonstrates that correcting problems identified before the work of installation is completed, is less expensive than making modifications or corrections at a later date. When the usability test to verify the utilization conditions has been completed, the data obtained should be used to optimize the system. Bazzo and Pereira [9] define optimization as the process of a search for a solution that provides the greatest benefit as judged by some predetermined criteria`` or in other words, the search for the optimal condition. They use the word search`` advisedly because it is not always possible to reach the optimal, although it must always be the objective and target. 5 RESULTS 5.1 Application of the methodology As the research realized had a longitudinal character, it was possible to apply the methodology for planning and implementation of broadcasting production laboratories in two institutions of higher level instruction possessing different qualifications in the social communication courses. The institution (a university center) where the first broadcasting production laboratory was installed possessed qualifications in journalism, publicity/propaganda and public relations. In the first installation realized, an adequate and partially installed infrastructure existed (electric power and logic network, air conditioning, illumination and an environment prepared for a conventional operational system). Figure 8 provides a view of this broadcasting production laboratory and the effect of the qualifications of the institution on the design of the laboratory can be observed.

Figure 8: A broadcasting production laboratory installed in a university center (operations room) and equipped for journalism, publicity/propaganda and public relations The other institution (faculty) where the second laboratory was installed possessed only the qualification in publicity and propaganda in the period when the research was realized.

4th International Conference on Production Research - ICPR Americas 2008

Because of this - see Figure 9 for the aspect of prototype and taking into consideration this peculiarity of the course: it did not possess qualifications in journalism and public relations. This factor, for example, meant that the announcers room did not need to be as large as that in first laboratory, or in other words, the dimensions could be reduced because the requirements were different.

Figure 9: A broadcasting production laboratory installed in a faculty (operations room) equipped only for publicity/propaganda 5.2 Evaluation of Results In the case of the second broadcasting production laboratory (installed in Institution which possessed qualifications only publicity and propaganda) one of the important results of the use of the proposed methodology was a reduction of 35% in the cost as compared to the first broadcasting production laboratory. The methodological phase of study of the curriculum activities in relation to each aptitude provided an advanced systemic overview of the resources necessary, thus avoiding the unnecessary provision of certain structural and technical facilities. Figure 10 (a) illustrates the announcers room in the first broadcasting production laboratory implemented whose design took into consideration that activities required for the qualifications of journalism, publicity, propaganda and public relations. This room is larger that that where only the activities leading to qualification in publicity and propaganda are realized see Figure 10 (b).

(a)

(b)

Figure 10: (a) Announcers Room in the broadcasting production laboratory equipped for instruction in journalism, propaganda and public relations; (b) Announcers Room in the broadcasting production laboratory equipped only with facilities for qualification in publicity and propaganda Another positive aspect to be considered is the fact that it was possible to obtain a project adequate for the proposed use taking into account the technological resources which were incorporated into the operational system. As this installation is an instruction laboratory, we incorporated also some

equipments which are now technologically in decline but which are still widely used in the professional broadcast stations. The student graduating from a course in Social Communications may well be faced with situations where many different technologies are used, so that he/she should be capable of operating any or all of them. The results obtained in this research are not restricted to the methodological contributions that the proposal offers. An important general result is the knowledge gained from the experimental activities carried out during the implementation of the laboratories. This knowledge can be used to describe best practices`` for future planning and constructions of broadcasting production laboratories along the lines presented in Figure 11 below: Resources Best Practice
Consider the use of multi and interdisciplinary teams as fundamental in all methodological phases; The team should include a professional with a systemic vision of the project capable of interacting with the user/media, the technologies and the professionals of the different areas and of mobilizing the resources necessary to ensure fulfillment of the proposed targets;

Human

Listen`` to the user. Consider the perceptions and qualitative evaluations of students and professors ; Be sensitive and understanding. Try to understand that negative opinions are not always badly intended to but may be originated by cultural or physiological motives Be flexible. Always be ready to debate problems and to accept new ideas and propositions; Utilize determination as a instrument of work. Bear in mind that the technology in use just now may not be the best to meet the requirements; Maintain a systemic overview. Consider the many technologies existing on the market; Evaluate the Technologies to be employed both quantitatively and qualitatively; Remember that the technological system being implemented is for use by human beings this must be the focus of the work, not the installation of just one more system component; Use the technological resources to reduce the human effort required; Recognize that the technologies to be made available to the student are not just aids to learning but are tools to assist him/her to attain social inclusion by entering a new profession.

Technological

Figure 11: Best Practices recommended for future implementations of broadcasting production laboratories 6 FINAL CONSIDERATIONS The methodology proposed in this paper can be a differential for designers and institutes of higher education who wish to carry out the planning and/or implementation of a broadcast production laboratory to be used in courses in Social Communication and which is adequately equipped for the curriculum requirements of the various course qualifications and for the technologies available in the market. The method is divided into phases; first a study of the curriculum and then diachronical, synchronical, morphological, and functional analyses. Taken together, these studies lead to the preparation of a list of requisites and technical propositions from which the complete project can be drawn up and this in turn controls the implementation and optimization of the laboratory for a broadcasting production laboratory. The methodology proposed in this paper was applied with success in the implementation of broadcasting production laboratories in two different teaching Institutions with different qualifications. The development and implementation of these two laboratories proved conclusively that the use of this methodology reduced by 35% the cost of implementation of a laboratory destined for qualification in publicity and propaganda only as compared to another laboratory equipped for qualification in publicity, propaganda and public relations

4th International Conference on Production Research - ICPR Americas 2008

The use of this methodology can help to reduce deviations caused modisms and inter-institutional influences when deciding which new broadcasting production laboratory model best meets the requirements, or what changes are necessary to update an existing broadcasting production laboratory being used in graduation courses in Social Communications. However, as many electronic systems evolve very rapidly it is recommended that this methodology should be constantly perfected by reference to new experimental applications

7 REFERENCES [1] Bonsiepe, Gui. 1986, Estrutura e esttica do produto. Braslia: CNPq. [2] Pahl, G., Beitz, W., Feldhusen, J., Grote, K.. 2005, Projeto na engenharia: fundamentos do desenvolvimento eficaz de produtos, mtodos e aplicaes. Trad. Werner, H. A., 6 ed. So Paulo: Editora Edgar Blcher. [3] CNE/CSE, Conselho Nacional de Educao, 2001, Parecer 492/2001. Braslia: Dirio Oficial da Unio. [4] UFMG, 2007, O curso de comunicao social. Disponvel em: https://urano.cecom.ufmg.br/scg/cursos/conteudo.jsp?idCurso=39&caminhos=2. [5] Ferrareto, Luiz A., 2000, Rdio: o veculo, a histria e a tcnica. Porto Alegre: Editora Sagra Luzzatto. [6] NAB. National Association of Broadcasting, 2007, Disponvel em: http://www.nab.org/AM/template.cfm?section=Home. [7] Back, Nelson, 1983, Metodologia de projetos de produtos industriais. Rio de Janeiro: Guanabara Dois. [8] Dallmeyer, A. U., Romano, L. N., Tessaro J. A., Hoenisch, P. R., 1999, Desenvolvimento de mquinas agrcolas: usabilidade aplicada a semeadoras. Santa Maria: UFSM. [9] Bazzo, Walter A., Pereira, Luiz T. do Vale, 2000, Introduo engenharia. 6 ed. Florianpolis: Editora da UFSC.