Author Archives: Lars

About Lars

Lars Hoel is an audio professional with over 35 years of both analog and digital experience in recording, post-production, live broadcast, theater, and audio installations. Hoel produced his first story for National Public Radio in 1972, soon after NPR went on the air. It was a story about skydiving and it ran on "All Things Considered." Hoel later worked for so many public and commercial radio stations even he’s lost count. He joined the NPR staff in the early 1980s and continued there in various capacities for the next ten years. Most notably, he served as "Morning Edition" executive producer and "Weekend Edition Sunday" producer.

Goodbye Le Show

Posted on April 24, 2013 by Lars

Harry Shearer’s Le Show is being banished to the Interwebs from its 30-year home on KCRW, effective last week. You can read the story on the LA Times here. The gist is: they’re moving it online only, replacing it with … Continue reading →

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Posted in Radio in the news | Leave a comment

Goodbye Talk of the Nation

Posted on March 29, 2013 by Lars

  If you’re a public radio network with a successful radio show, one heard on over 400 stations nationally, why on earth would you cancel it? NPR “executives” say it’s because … public radio has a glut of vibrant call-in … Continue reading →

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Posted in On The Air, Radio in the news | 4 Comments

Pictures and Music

Posted on March 12, 2013 by Lars

A long time ago at a community college far away, I asked my radio students to mix two minutes of music underneath themselves reading anything they liked. It could be a poem, a news article, or something original. The only … Continue reading →

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Posted in Philosophy | Leave a comment

Staff vs. Mast

Posted on February 2, 2013 by Lars

Yesterday, New Yorkers woke up to news of the death of New York City Mayor Ed Koch. If, like me, they were listening to 1010 WINS, they heard newscaster Lee Harris repeatedly telling us that flags throughout the city were … Continue reading →

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Posted in How Not To, On The Air | 2 Comments

The Nagra

Posted on January 29, 2013 by Lars

At the end of the film The Year of Living Dangerously, Mel Gibson’s journalist character Guy Hamilton is forced to flee Indonesia during the 1965 revolution. He’s almost stopped and arrested at the airport but manages to distract the officials … Continue reading →

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Posted in Cool old stuff, Philosophy | Leave a comment

Anatomy of a Podcast, part 5

Posted on January 26, 2013 by Lars

When you’re producing a work for hire, the vetting process is unavoidable. This job — a podcast for the New York Public Library’s Lunch Hour NYC exhibition — was no different. With only a vague idea of how the final … Continue reading →

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Anatomy of a Podcast, part 4

Posted on January 18, 2013 by Lars

Much of what’s done in Pro Tools reminds me of a Kindergarten project: cut large pieces into smaller pieces, move big colored shapes around on a rectangular background, then paste them into place. The job is a podcast for the … Continue reading →

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Anatomy of a Podcast, part 3

Posted on January 9, 2013 by Lars

Load the audio into the computer, fire up Pro Tools and it’s — magic time. The New York Public Library had hired me to produce a podcast for their Lunch Hour NYC exhibition. The idea was to describe the show … Continue reading →

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Anatomy of a Podcast, part 2

Posted on December 30, 2012 by Lars

I’d just finished recording a narration and an interview at the New York Public Library for a podcast I was producing in conjunction with their “Lunch Hour NYC” exhibition. The podcast would be used to describe the show for anyone … Continue reading →

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Posted in How To | 2 Comments

Anatomy of a Podcast, part 1

Posted on December 26, 2012 by Lars

Not long ago the New York Public Library asked if I’d help them create a podcast for their “Lunch Hour NYC” exhibition. The idea was to use the podcast to describe the installation for those who might need visual assistance. … Continue reading →

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