MAS 432   Audio Production
WRFL Grant Promo Guidelines

This assignment requires you to produce a grant promotional spot for the University of Kentucky student-run FM radio station, WRFL.  The station is a non-commercial outlet that emphasizes playing college, or indie, rock plus an extremely wide and very diverse range of music not commonly heard on commercial radio stations, if at all.  As a non-commercial station, it solicits underwriting for its programming, which it then acknowledges in the form of spots promoting the sponsor's business or organization.

Here are the essential elements that must be included in your WRFL promotional spot:

•	You must produce two spots that are exactly 60 seconds long.
•	The spots should have a distinctive musical element and feature your own voiceovers.
•	Each member of the production team must contribute the VO to one of the two spots.
•	You may use the same music bed for both of the spots.
•	You must mention the call letters of the station: WRFL-FM.
•	You must use, and not deviate from, the script that is supplied to you.

Beyond the above, here are some general guidelines:

•	Be as creative as possible – try to produce something that will capture the listeners' attention and hold it.
•	Remember, however, that the VO of the script is the most important element.  The message is paramount and must be clearly understood.
•	Eliminate regionalisms and dialect from your speech and fully pronounce the letter "W."
•	Use music that is appropriate for WRFL – in other words, don't use anything that is remotely mainstream, and under no circumstances use anything that is in the Top 40 or is a commercial radio hit.
•	For this assignment, the music should be relatively low-key, generally instrumental, and should not distract from the message.
•	Feel free to use digital effects on your tracks, but don't obscure the message.

As the first of the WRFL spot assignments, this one is the most straight-forward and least complex of the assignments.  It is meant to simulate a common real-world assignment: the client or sales manager supplies a script and insists on a clear-cut, easily understandable message.  There isn't room for a tremendous amount of creativity in this assignment, which makes it all the more important that your production be flawless.  The grading criteria are based on how well you execute the formula, the appropriateness and effective manipulation of your music choices, and your VO performances.  Of course, professional editing and levels management are essential.