Tips for Using Skype for On-Air Interviews

 From veteran community radio organizer, Norm Stockwell: As for special set-up - in order to use Skype for on-air interviews, we create a "mix-minus" by feeding the Skype computer from the "audition" bus of the mixing console. Thischannel gets all the audio except the Skypecaller - that way they can hear any theme music, other guests in-studio, etc, but not the signal from their own voice.If you are recording in a production studio with a mixer, and using a single computer for both Skype-call and recording the interview, you may need to change the soundcard settings on the computer from "line-in" to "mono-mix" or "stereo-mix" or whatever your particular soundcard software calls the input that provides the combined input of the Mixer (your voice)
and the Skype.  

Obviously, if you are using just a headset for yourself rather than a mixer, this won't be an issue.
For headsets, btw, Radioshack's "Gigaware" brand usb headset provides incredibly good sound for $19.95.

Using Skype I have hosted a live show from an internet cafe overseas, taken live call-ins from local listeners over-the-air, other guests in
studio at the station, and even inserted a cellphone caller from inside a presidential press conference (using Skype'scoference call feature).

One other neat service is Jajah.com which allows you to schedule a call (or teleconference) between two landline phones.  You interviewee does not need a computer, and you use your regular station telephone hybrid to
record or broadcast the call.  We have used this to conference several international guests from different locations into a single live show.