Radio College | Mentoring

How it Works:

The Mentoring Program is one of AIR's more valuable and popular benefits. It's a way for relative newcomers to independent production to get off to a stable start, or for veteran producers to get help as their careers expand into challenging new areas.
You *must* be an AIR member to receive mentoring.

New: Downloadable Brochure (PDF: 504k)

The topics can range from a broad overview of public radio production & distribution, to specific areas including:

  interviewing
  recording/editing/mixing
  techniques/tools
  studio set up
  script writing
  program content development
  grant writing
  station outreach
  distribution
  public relations
  contract negotiation
  forming partnerships
  copyright issues
  and more...

The way AIR's Mentor Program works is simple.

Any AIR member -- individual, station or network may request a mentor:

The AIR member/station contacts Steve Rowland, AIR Mentor Program Coordinator.
Rowland determines the applicants needs in conversation or by e-mail, and attempts to make a match of an appropriate mentor.
Stations and production companies or oral history programs may request on-site mentoring.
Once a mentor is found and accepts the assignment, the Mentor and mentee schedule sessions that are mutually convenient. We try where possible to assign mentors in the locale of the mentee but this is not always possible.

Individual mentorships involve on average 4 hours of time. How the time is spent varies according to need. The sessions are normally conducted by telephone* and email. Often the mentee sends written material and/or tape excerpts to the mentor for review, before the sessions begin. The mentor may include some of this review time as part of the 4 hour total. If a mentorship is incomplete after four hours, the two parties involved should feel free to negotiate with each other for extra time. In such instances, however, AIR requires all extra time be paid for by the mentee at a suggested rate of $50 an hour.

*Mentees pay for calls.

On-site group mentoring is available by the day or week. These are individually tailored to the needs/resources of the requesting station or organization and involve some cost sharing.

Upon completion of the mentorship, each party, the mentee and the mentor are required to complete an evaluation report describing the experience to the mentoring coordinator. These reports assure quality mentorships and help us to gage the program's strengths and weaknesses. The reports also help AIR raise funds to assure this exceptional program continues!