Real iDeal Radio is a podcast (and pet project) about marketing, media, and management. You’ll also hear insightful interviews with founders, creatives and business professionals, job search tips, stories that make you think, and more of my favorite things.
But first…
Did you know?
There’s a full-on radio station on the campus of Portland State University.
And, did you know?
The radio station is open to the public!
Think about that. There is a fully operational radio station on the campus of Portland State University and it is open to the public. That means anyone can host their own radio show streaming worldwide from right here in Portland, Oregon. 📢#publicradio
Web Traffic
When I launched the podcast on April 4, 2017, I had been blogging regularly for a year and a half. Although my blog brought regular visitors to my website, the podcast reached hundreds of new unique visitors and increased web traffic to my site by 27.2%.
A lot goes into producing a one-hour show every week for 10 straight weeks. Can’t be late, can’t reschedule. So to manage everything, I created a detailed content calendar. This helped me plan things in advance so I was confident and prepared for every episode. I also learned how to tighten up the live broadcast of every episode using a broadcast clock.
The Broadcast Clock
An essential tool for those working in broadcast media, the broadcast clock (aka “hotclock”) is a timeline that helps you organize and prepare every episode. It shows you what should be happening on the show at any given second. It also helps you avoid “stage fright” when you’re broadcasting live, showing you what comes next and keeping you on track as you narrate your show. Hear the whole story behind this amazing piece of behind-the-scenes radio machinery on episode 88 of 99% Invisible: The Broadcast Clock.
KPSU is Portland State’s college radio station and it’s a total gem. The website bestcollegereviews.org even included KPSU on their list of 20 college radio stations that rock.
Be a Radio DJ
According to the KPSU website, “KPSU has committed to creating quality, free-format content and providing a platform for all ideas and preferences. KPSU is a student-run station that seeks to equip its staff and DJs with the skills and experience required to succeed in professional radio, media industries, and overlapping careers.”
For a small fee, you can rent the studio and host your own 1-hour weekly radio show for ten weeks. Want to be a radio DJ? Click here.
Since I was already enrolled at PSU and looking to level up my broadcast media skills, I decided to join the Student Media group and produce an NPR-style podcast.
And for me, the best part about recording my podcast at KPSU was this: the production value is fantastic. The gear is top-notch and I bet the microphones cost many thousands of dollars. To my ear, the KPSU studio puts out audio that rivals the bigger studios.