3/24/08 Episode 5: The News From The WWW - Volunteer Here!

Austin Grammer · **Voice Talent** Joined: 30 Jul 2007 Posts: 39

Episode 4 is now available for download! Go to http://www.TheNewsFromTheWWW.org to listen!

I'm always looking for additional volunteers! If you would like to join the regulars, please read the instructions below! If you have questions, please PM me!

Updates:

1. Headline Montage - I had the idea to make a montage at the top of the show of everyone reading the headline / title of their articles. I think it sounds cool and gives the listener the idea right off the bat of what the premise of the show is all about. I've added to the script that I would like everyone to read the title of their article at the top of their sound file, then pause, then read the rest of the script as you have been. That way I can easily cut that off of each persons submission and then string them together. You can also add some emphasis to your read of the headline for this part to make it sound intriguing! I attached the opening of last week's show so you can hear how it sounds (I had to grab the headlines out of each person's submission so they aren't perfect - thats why I am requesting volunteers to help me with this from here on out.)

2. Website - I would like to add pictures of our VO talent volunteers along with a short one or two line bio. Please private Msg me a good size mug shot of yourself or your avatar / caricature and your bio and I'll add it to the talent page. Please include your City, State and the URL of the website you want me to link to. http://www.thenewsfromthewww.org/voices.html

New Volunteers are welcome and encouraged to join! Check out these past threads for background on this project and/or check out the website above:
http://voiceoversavvy.com/ftopic4981.html
http://voiceoversavvy.com/ftopic4876.html
http://voiceoversavvy.com/ftopic5114.html
http://voiceoversavvy.com/ftopic5186.html
http://voiceoversavvy.com/ftopic5277.html

Instructions:

Select a news article that you would like to read. Create a post in this thread with the title of the article and a link to the article to claim or get "dibs" on that story so no one else will take it, then record the story in Mono MP3 -6db with a sampling rate of 96 kbps 44100, and then edit your first post and add the recorded article as an attachment and add the runtime in your post so we can track the length of the program (we need one hour worth of material). Please submit your recorded article by Sunday at Noon 3/30/08.

You can pick your own article / news story. Please keep in mind that the target audience is mostly older people with vision issues who already get a lot of the mainstream news from the RIS service through other volunteers reading local and regional newspapers in addition to listening to TV. So I would avoid political and breaking news as those are already covered and change from day to day. Pick articles that will have a week or more of shelf life. Also avoid celebrity gossip, stories of a sexual nature, murder, abuse, etc. Articles that you would feel comfortable reading to someone you just met etc. Articles that are interesting, funny, clever, etc. I have a list at the bottom of this post of some recommended articles for you to get an idea of what I am talking about. Please choose / read articles that are longer than 3 min when read (not including intros). A lot of short articles can be difficult to concentrate on / listen to. Often, you may come across an interesting story or news topic on one website but it is the abbreviated article. If you search the subject of the article on Google News Search, you might be able to find a longer / more in depth article on the subject from another news source. If you can't, please pick another longer article, or, find two similar short articles and read them both and introduce them as such "here are two articles about a popular subject on the web...." "And now another article with a similar but different story". Just use your best judgment. If everyone contributed an article with a average length of 5 minutes, we would only need 12 VO actors contributing on a weekly basis to fill the hour time slot. I'm happy to pick up the slack but would rather hear from more people. You may need to lower the bit rate of your MP3 file in order to keep the file size low enough to upload to the savvy board (less than 5MB)

Here is the script I would like each person to read before reading their article in order to have consistency from one article to the next:

"[ARTICLE TITLE (for montage), PAUSE]

Hi, this is [MY NAME] from [CITY, STATE] and [YOUR DOT COM WEBSITE (if applicable)] with an article about __________(short but intriguing summary about the article you chose).

PAUSE From [SOURCE], [TITLE OF ARTICLE].

[READ ARTICLE]

PAUSE, "For The News From The World Wide Web, I'm [YOUR NAME].

Example:

"City Council Outlaws Skateboarding In Downtown: Youth Unhappy, (PAUSE) Hi, this is Homer Simpson from Springfield, Illinois and homersimpson.com with an article about how one small town is dealing with a skateboarding hooligans. PAUSE From the Springfield Gazette dot com, City Council Outlaws Skateboarding In Downtown: Youth Unhappy" {STORY} "For the News From The World Wide Web, I'm Homer Simpson
--------------------------------------------------------------------------
Here are some good places to look for news articles:

The Drudge Report
http://www.drudgereport.com/

Yahoo News Most Popular Stories
http://news.yahoo.com/i/964

Newhouse News Service
http://www.newhouse.com/

AP Wire Top Stories from the New York Times
http://www.nytimes.com/pages/aponline/index.html
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------
Here are some articles I have come across in the last few of days that I would recommend if you are unsure what to read:

Money buys happiness -- if you spend on someone else
http://www.reuters.com/article/domesticNews/idUSN2042446720080320?feedType=RSS&feedName=domesticNews&rpc=22&sp=true

Last hope in a weak economy? Mom and Dad
http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20080321/ap_on_bi_ge/living_with_parents

Truckers ‘going broke’ and threatening to strike
http://www.qctimes.com/articles/2008/03/19/news/iowa/doc47e03e9ea03bd427238845.txt?sPos=3

Austin Grammer · **Voice Talent** Joined: 30 Jul 2007 Posts: 39

EXAMPLE POST:

I'll take this article:

Asylum's Renaming Insults Advocates
http://hosted.ap.org/dynamic/stories/L/LUNATIC_ASYLUM?SITE=FLTAM&SECTION=US

EDIT:
MP3 attached
Runtime: 6:34

(I edited out the bulk of the story so you can quickly hear an example of the script)

Scott Pollak · Posted: Mon Mar 24, 2008, 20:22 (GMT) Post subject:

I'll take this one: "World's Tallest Man Struggles to Fit in"

http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20080324/ap_on_fe_st/tallest_man;_ylt=AjDvzfn58XBG0YhLPAqX.VUDW7oF

Cameron Thomas · **Voice Talent** Joined: 06 Dec 2006 Posts: 479

I just saw this one...

"After All These Years, A Mohawk Still Says Something"

http://www.newhouse.com/after-all-these-years,-a-mohawk-still-says-something.html

John Zadikian · **Voice Talent** Joined: 31 Dec 2007 Posts: 42

Spring "break," Lake Superior style. Life aboard a Coast Guard cutter.

http://www.freep.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20080324/NEWS05/803240374

Jimmy Buffett would be proud of the Coast Guard Very Happy

Run time: 5:04

Diane Havens · **Voice Talent** Joined: 09 Jun 2006 Posts: 1281

First article I chose ran short, so I'll take this one:
COURT OVERTURNS AIR PASSENGER RIGHTS LAW
Run time 3:25

http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20080325/ap_on_re_us/passenger_rights;_ylt=Am9JsANFUMiGwAVl5MzSeQwDW7oF

John Weeks · **Voice Talent** Joined: 04 Jun 2005 Posts: 186

I'll take this one...
Money buys happiness -- if you spend on someone else
http://www.reuters.com/article/domesticNews/idUSN2042446720080320?feedType=RSS&feedName=domesticNews&rpc=22&sp=true

Total Time 2:38 (including billboard)
Story Time 2:33

Roger Baker · **Voice Talent** Joined: 04 Jun 2006 Posts: 46

Hi
Hey guys, if you have too much VO work to do, here is your answer....

Here is mine: You Too Can Outsource.
http://www.newhouse.com/you,-too,-can-outsource-6.html

Story Run Time: 4:39

Thanks!

Cameron Thomas · **Voice Talent** Joined: 06 Dec 2006 Posts: 479

"After All These Years, The Mohawk Still Says Something"
The Plain Dealer, Cleveland
runtime: 4:35

-Cameron

Cira Larkin - Studio 53 · **Voice Talent** Joined: 08 Nov 2006 Posts: 497

Dibs on this one:

"Wheelchairs keep disabled pets moving"
Runtime: 4:24

http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/pet_wheelchairs;_ylt=AlDXqdf9zP.1CHh.tSI.HQsDW7oF

Scott Paxton · **Voice Talent** Joined: 22 May 2006 Posts: 187

This is a fun story.

Students Pay Homage To Sub Teacher On Facebook, T-shirts

http://www.newhouse.com/students-pay-homage-to-sub-teacher-on-facebook,-t-shirts.html

Time- 3:42

Thanks

Scott Pollak · Posted: Wed Mar 26, 2008, 18:20 (GMT) Post subject:

Scott R. Pollak
"World's Tallest Man Struggles to Fit In"
Yahoo News
TRT: 4:40

Craig Koepke · **Voice Talent** Joined: 31 Dec 2006 Posts: 422

I'll grab this one. Have not heard about this case for some time.

http://www.oregonlive.com/news/oregonian/index.ssf?/base/news/1206501906192100.xml&coll=7

Running Time: 4:39

John Weeks · **Voice Talent** Joined: 04 Jun 2005 Posts: 186

Sorry, I just noticed that you wanted stories over 3:00...
So I revised my previous entry to include another related story.

Money buys happiness -- if you spend on someone else
http://www.reuters.com/article/domesticNews/idUSN2042446720080320?feedType=RSS&feedName=domesticNews&rpc=22&sp=true

US Consumer Spending Stalls
http://afp.google.com/article/ALeqM5hyUvT9Dqms2mqFXO58K-phrLQ8QA

Total Runtime 3:38

Colin Campbell · Posted: Sun Mar 30, 2008, 21:49 (GMT) Post subject:

Last Hope in a Weak Economy.

http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20080321/ap_on_bi_ge/living_with_parents

Time: 4:33