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The next time your PD gets in your face and
says your show needs more guests and more phone calls, I want you to punch him
in the nose. Alright, we don’t condone violence, so perhaps a punch in the nose
is an extreme.
When I tune into the Joe Blow Show, I want
to hear Joe Blow. I want to know what Joe Blow has to say. I want to hear his
opinions, his thoughts, observations and feelings. Nothing personal, but I
don’t really care what you, Joe Caller, has on your mind. Having said that,
callers can add value to a show as can a guest, but it’s the host who needs to
have star appeal, not the full-time accountant who thinks he’s Jim Rome because
some producer has given him a license to voice his opinion on a radio show.
As the host, you need to take command of
YOUR show. You must have a commanding presence. I once had a PD reprimand me
because I made the egregious mistake of referring to my show as ‘’My Show.’’
This clown actually told me the show was not mine and that it belonged to the
audience. I guess I should have said ‘’We’ll be back with more of your show in a
moment.’’ Yes, without the listening audience, we would talk to ourselves,
sponsorship dollars would dry up, and we would be fired. However, as the host,
you need to take charge and make sure people remember your name. It’s your job
to create a buzz and to deliver compelling radio that will lead people to talk
about you.
So now that we agree, you as the host are
the star, what should you talk about? Talk about what your listening audience
wants to hear. Read the local newspapers, watch the local TV news, and get out
of your apartment. Find out what the people in your market are interested in.
Go to the local watering hole, the local coffee shop, or other places where
groups of people hang out. For me, it’s the local sorority house (just doing my
job). Don’t be afraid to ask questions. Be a sponge. Soak up as much
information as possible. Once you know what to talk about, do it in an
entertaining manner and touch your listener’s emotions. Emotion is the greatest
human connector.
If you can make your audience care about
what you think, do, and say, then you’re on your way to becoming a successful
talk-show host. If your PD wants to take away your star power, and insists your
show is about guests and callers, then it’s time for your PD to enroll in one of
our sportscasting courses. Sorry for the unabashed plug
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