The Night Air (radio program)
Encyclopedia
The Night Air is a weekly ABC Radio National
program that remixes a variety of media around different themes. The show is broadcast across Australia and is partly available as a podcast
.
The program describes itself as “radio abstraction for listening pleasure”, and has been labelled by others as “audio collage”, “hybrid radio”, and an “aural equivalent of the avant-garde cut-up”.
The theme changes with each episode, and is the driving force for the content of the show.
, Diane Dean, Brent Clough and John Jacobs. It's a remix program focused on recontextualising other audio material, including radio drama and documentary, news, interviews, talkback, short stories, poetry, music and film. Content is sourced both from the Radio National archives and external sources. The format builds on those established in previous montage and cut-up programs that Barrell worked on, such as Sunday Afternoon at the Movies and Watching the Radio with the TV Off. Clough says the program makes “music out of talk”, while Jacobs describes the process as one of “distillation and subtractive synthesis”.
Forming part of Radio National’s arts and music programming, The Night Air is a pre-recorded show divided into two parts. Both parts are broadcast and streamed on Sundays from 8.30 pm to 10.00 pm AEST. Part 1 is then repeated at 9.30 pm Friday, and Part 2 at 12.00 am Sunday. The show began partial podcasting in 2005 when the station first commenced the practice, with Part 1 available for four weeks after the initial airing time.
L'Orfeo, The Night Air broadcast The Orpheus Project: 400 Years to 4 Minutes, a series of “micro operas” by contemporary Australian composers and sound artists. Produced in collaboration with ABC Classic FM
and Triple J
, the project commissioned 4-minute Orpheus remixes by Constantine Koukias
, Gail Priest, Damian Barbeler, Robin Fox and Anthony Pateras
, Amanda Stewart
, and Dave Noyze and Sarah Last, and went to air on 2 December 2007. The Remix Awards then invited listeners to produce their own 4-minute remixes of Orpheus, a selection of which were broadcast on 24 February 2008.
, an electronic arts festival in Newcastle, Australia, and its umbrella festival, This Is Not Art
. The collaborations showcased and remixed content from the festivals, in some instances broadcast live from the festival.
It has also sourced a variety of discrete content through this site for various episodes.
in 2008.
Production responsibilities for the program are rotated, each episode being typically produced by one person, but often with a number of contributors – guest producers, freelancers and interns.
Clough is the regular presenter, though other producers also host the show from time to time.
Radio National
ABC Radio National is an Australia-wide non-commercial radio network run by the Australian Broadcasting Corporation.Radio National broadcasts national programming in areas that include news and current affairs, the arts, social issues, science, drama and comedy...
program that remixes a variety of media around different themes. The show is broadcast across Australia and is partly available as a podcast
Podcast
A podcast is a series of digital media files that are released episodically and often downloaded through web syndication...
.
The program describes itself as “radio abstraction for listening pleasure”, and has been labelled by others as “audio collage”, “hybrid radio”, and an “aural equivalent of the avant-garde cut-up”.
The theme changes with each episode, and is the driving force for the content of the show.
Background and Format
The Night Air began production in 2002 when it was conceived by Tony BarrellTony Barrell (broadcaster)
Anthony "Tony" Barrell was an English writer and broadcaster who lived in Sydney, Australia. He produced several award-winning radio and television documentaries for the Australian Broadcasting Corporation and the BBC World Service, usually with a focus on Asia and particularly Japan.-Early...
, Diane Dean, Brent Clough and John Jacobs. It's a remix program focused on recontextualising other audio material, including radio drama and documentary, news, interviews, talkback, short stories, poetry, music and film. Content is sourced both from the Radio National archives and external sources. The format builds on those established in previous montage and cut-up programs that Barrell worked on, such as Sunday Afternoon at the Movies and Watching the Radio with the TV Off. Clough says the program makes “music out of talk”, while Jacobs describes the process as one of “distillation and subtractive synthesis”.
Forming part of Radio National’s arts and music programming, The Night Air is a pre-recorded show divided into two parts. Both parts are broadcast and streamed on Sundays from 8.30 pm to 10.00 pm AEST. Part 1 is then repeated at 9.30 pm Friday, and Part 2 at 12.00 am Sunday. The show began partial podcasting in 2005 when the station first commenced the practice, with Part 1 available for four weeks after the initial airing time.
Specialised Programming
The Night Air engages in co-productions and specialised programming on a semi-regular basis.Orpheus Project and Remix Awards
To mark the 400th anniversary of Monteverdi’sClaudio Monteverdi
Claudio Giovanni Antonio Monteverdi – 29 November 1643) was an Italian composer, gambist, and singer.Monteverdi's work, often regarded as revolutionary, marked the transition from the Renaissance style of music to that of the Baroque period. He developed two individual styles of composition – the...
L'Orfeo, The Night Air broadcast The Orpheus Project: 400 Years to 4 Minutes, a series of “micro operas” by contemporary Australian composers and sound artists. Produced in collaboration with ABC Classic FM
ABC Classic FM
ABC Classic FM is a classical music radio station available in Australia, and internationally online. It is operated by the Australian Broadcasting Corporation . It was established in 1976 as "ABC-FM", and later for a short time was known as "ABC Fine Music" , before adopting its current name...
and Triple J
Triple J
triple j is a nationally networked Australian radio station intended to appeal to listeners between the ages of 18 and 30. The government-funded station is a division of the Australian Broadcasting Corporation...
, the project commissioned 4-minute Orpheus remixes by Constantine Koukias
Constantine Koukias
Constantine Koukias is a Greek-Australian composer and flautist.He is the co-founder and Artistic Director of IHOS Music Theatre and Opera, based in Hobart, Tasmania. He is well known for his innovative work in contemporary opera and other forms...
, Gail Priest, Damian Barbeler, Robin Fox and Anthony Pateras
Anthony Pateras
Anthony Pateras is a multidisciplinary musician living and working in Melbourne, Australia. He performs on piano or analogue electronics, and composes written works for ensembles, orchestras and soloists.-Discography:SOLO:...
, Amanda Stewart
Amanda Stewart
Amanda Stewart is a contemporary Australian poet and sound/performance artist.Amanda Stewart began writing and performing poetry in the 1970s and has since produced a wide array of sound, video and multimedia work. In the 1980s she worked for ABC radio as a producer...
, and Dave Noyze and Sarah Last, and went to air on 2 December 2007. The Remix Awards then invited listeners to produce their own 4-minute remixes of Orpheus, a selection of which were broadcast on 24 February 2008.
Electrofringe and This Is Not Art
From 2004 to 2008, The Night Air collaborated with ElectrofringeElectrofringe
Electrofringe is a festival of digital, electronic and new media arts. Its focus is on emergent forms and techniques within media based arts practice and places a particular emphasis on encouraging young and emerging artists to interact with established artists...
, an electronic arts festival in Newcastle, Australia, and its umbrella festival, This Is Not Art
This Is Not Art
This Is Not Art is a national festival of new media and arts organised in Newcastle, New South Wales, Australia each year over the October long weekend. Since its humble beginnings in 1998, it has become one of the leading arts festivals in Australia dedicated to the work and ideas of communities...
. The collaborations showcased and remixed content from the festivals, in some instances broadcast live from the festival.
Pool
Through the media-sharing site Pool, The Night Air has curated a number of programs from public callouts for content, such as the City Nights project.It has also sourced a variety of discrete content through this site for various episodes.
Scope
In December 2008 and January 2009, The Night Air ran a series of features under the title Reviewing Scope. These specials revisited Scope, an ABC Radio satire and social commentary program that ran from 1958 to 1976. The “lost episodes” were selected by one the show’s original presenters, Barry Mortlock Anthony.Hosts and Contributors
Of The Night Air’s original creators, three remain producers of the program: Brent Clough, Diane Dean and John Jacobs. Tony Barrell ceased to work on the show when he retired from full-time employment with the ABCAustralian Broadcasting Corporation
The Australian Broadcasting Corporation, commonly referred to as "the ABC" , is Australia's national public broadcaster...
in 2008.
Production responsibilities for the program are rotated, each episode being typically produced by one person, but often with a number of contributors – guest producers, freelancers and interns.
Clough is the regular presenter, though other producers also host the show from time to time.