From 3CR's vinyl set to SBS Radio
Author: CBOnline | Source: CBOnline | Date: 19-09-07
Cara Beltrame
Alumni interview’s Cara Beltrame, currently employed in Operations at SBS Radio, who got her start in community radio at Melbourne's 3CR.
How and why did you first get involved with community radio?
I first started in Community Radio at 3CR 855am in 2000. I had just finished studying audio engineering and electronics at LaTrobe Uni in Melbourne, and wasn't too sure about what to do next. 3CR broadcaster and friend, Emily Hayes, suggested I check out what was going on there, and if I was interested, to give it a go... so I did and I didn't look back. I didn't feel I had much to say on radio, so presenting wasn't my first option, but 3CR has a live-to-air studio, and with a little training with their operating system, I was mixing the bands playing live on the air in no time. It took me much longer to get behind the mic....
What kind of training/mentoring support did you get?
In order to undertake any on-air programming, 3CR requires a person
completes the general training course, which, from memory, requires a 4
hour class per week for 8 weeks. They cover all sorts of stuff: media
law, writing for radio, presentation and voice techniques, interview
techniques, panel operation, portable recorders, and location recording
and vox pops.
In addition to this training, I also took some informal training on
mixing live-to-airs. Due to my previous formal training in all things
'sound', this love-to-air training was pretty informal, more of a mentor
thing really, where basically I was familiarized with the way things
work at 3CR. Saying that, 3CR provides one-on-one audio engineering
training for women who choose to learn more about the profession, and
who make a commitment to volunteer their time using these skills at 3CR.
3CR actively discriminates in favour of training women, in this field,
as the industry can be overly 'blokey'.
What areas were you involved in at 3CR?
At 3CR, I started out mixing love-to-airs on the stations resident rock
program 'Burning Vinyl' (Fridays 2 - 4pm), with presenter, Matt Gleeson.
I later moved on to presenting here and there on the show. I then
started co-presenting a womens multiarts program with Emily Hayes called
'Girly is Good' (Sundays 2 - 3pm), and that proved much more of a
challenge: arranging interviews, research, and co-ordinating the
program, mixing live-to-airs, and presenting.
But 3CR is a difficult place to do just one thing, it's all so
infectious, so I have worn heaps of hats in community radio: promotions
and publicity, co-ordinating Radiothons, teching for outside broadcasts,
updating the website, training new recruits, and the odd reception
shift.
What kind of role did experience in community radio play in developing
skills in your career?
Community Radio was a huge training ground for my career in audio
engineering and the radio industry. I cant stress the importance of
learning the ropes through community radio. There is no way that I would
have the paid job I now have if it wasn't for the things I learned and
experienced through community radio..... and aside from career and
money, my experience at 3CR has enriched every other facet of my life
and who I am.
Why should people listen to community radio?
Because what other alternative is there? In Australia, at least, the
only radio worth listening to is the ABC, or SBS if you are
multilingual, and community stations, and if you are interested in
opinions other than that provided by mainstream media, then community
radio is the only choice. Fortunately, Australia is rich with community
broadcasting, thanks to the efforts of thousands of volunteers, and also
the CBAA and ComRadSat for helping in getting it 'out there'.
What are you currently doing?
I work as a Radio Operator in the Melbourne studios of
SBS Radio. This job is fun and varied, as it involves panel operating
for live and prerecorded programs and/or segments, master control and
monitoring transmission, outside broadcasts, and also multitrack
recording and production. It's shift work, but hey, its a full-time job
in my chosen industry, so there are sacrifices to be made.... and I do
the odd techie stuff at 3CR, or some live or studio mixing when I can
squeeze it in.....