WTIC-FM, Hartford The Robo-Crank
Who’s not getting robocalls on their cell phones? Time to turn the tables. Gary Craig, WTIC-FM, Hartford is a legend and, in part, built his show around Crank Calls. So doing a robo-crank perfectly fits his program. Gary downloaded a new app called Robo Killer to his phone. When he gets what looks like a robocall on his cell, he engages the app, which answers the call and screws around with the guy in India calling to sell insurance or tell you that you’re in trouble with the IRS. The smart approach to doing relatable, distinctive radio is to take the huge topics of the day (in this case it’s robocalls, which everyone is getting and hating) and figure out what to do with the topic that you can own (using an app to mess with the caller so everyone is laughing). Look at a Kimmel, Fallon, or Ellen and that’s what they try to do everyday to create an experience you cannot get from anyone else. Gary understands this approach in creating fun things to do for his show, which is why he’s iconic in the market – what Gary gives you, you cannot get from anyone else.
We preach on these pages that the most important thing you can do to win is earn images – it’s the long ball play to gain success. Shows that have them win, shows that don’t lose. There are four critical images to earn that help you build reasons listeners come. These work, regardless of format: be Fun (people want to wake up and have a laugh); prove your Authenticity (have a perspective on the topics you choose, and let listeners in your life); be Innovative in ways that fit your brand (this creates differentiation between you and other shows); and be Relatable (prove you are just like those listening). Daybreak’s Drew Steele, FOX News 92.5. Ft. Myers, FL subscribes to this philosophy, despite being a conservative opinion show. His plot is conservative politics, but the images are the same. President Trump is exonerated in the Mueller Report and this is topic #1 one on Drew’s show. Instead of pounding the table with his point of view, Drew did a song parody to communicate his perspective – because he knows that nothing is more sticky than making people laugh while showing it.
There are ways of doing political content without doing politics. You just have to figure out how to insert pop culture into it. Vice President Mike Pence was coming to town to do a few speeches and fundraise. Mark and NeanderPaul, KSLX, Phoenix decided to test listeners’ knowledge by answering the phones (these were recorded) and asking if the caller knew the VP’s name. No one did. Then, to take things a step further, they asked callers a different set of questions – like “who was Fonzie’s girlfriend on Happy Days” (all things from our childhood we’ve held on to forever). As you would guess, the listeners knocked every one of those questions out of the park. They openly say on the show they do not do politics. But here’s one way they did – by diverting the audience’s attention into pop culture to help create the humor. Here are the two breaks where they did both.
A simple technique to create some fun is to marry the opposite of a topic to create some humorous tension. It seems like everyone is into Game of Thrones (its final season premieres on HBO in April). It’s quite easy to convince yourself that everyone watches and loves the show, which is untrue. When you look at the actual numbers, close to 98% of America doesn’t watch it. The threshold for content choice is if the audience is aware of it, and this topic passes that test. Now marry the opposite of that conventional wisdom and you have a relatable break done in a fun way. John and Tammy, KSON, San Diego approached people who know about the show, but do watch it, and asked them to describe the program, using their limited knowledge of its plot and characters. They then aired the most fun replies and talked around it with cast members on their show who know all and are deeply passionate about the program.
No doubt an emphasis at every radio show is social media engagement. This requires us to not only share certain audio segments of the show on our social channels, but to develop unique content there, too. The Big Dave Show, B105, Cincinnati do fun videos, generally centered around something local, that engage the audience. They recently saw a news report about a local guy who spray painted orange circles around potholes so approaching motorists could steer clear of them. They went out with the guy and helped him. Local, fun, and highly relatable after the Cincinnati winter. They wrap the video up with info where people can report potholes to have them fixed. While they did use some of this audio on their show to push people to Facebook, the content mostly lived on social media and has been viewed over 14,000 times so listeners who engage them there leave the video understanding that they live in town and their sense of humor. View the Pothole Tagging video 
Creating discomfort when doing content is one way to make the break memorable. Adding in sex or nudity also gets the attention of the audience (if that tactic fits your brand). As a weekly Valentine’s Day feature a few weeks ago, The Josie Dye Show, Indie 88, Toronto gave prizes to listeners who’d allow them to conference in their parents to ask where they first had sex when they met. The thesis generates intrigue. But the show knew it couldn’t ask listeners to go there (calling their parents publicly to ask that question) unless they were willing to do it, too. So, Josie called her mom to ask the big question, generating not only a very human reaction, but wonderful character development for her. From that starting point, the listeners were in on the task, and the show was off to the races to create a memorable Valentine’s Day idea that made listeners lean forward when they did it. Here are two breaks of Josie calling her mom and a listener following suit.
Don’t tell me about what you have to give out – tell me HOW you’re giving it out. A client offered roses for Valentines Day to Two Men and a Mom, WRAL-FM, Raleigh. A good prize for the holiday, right? The win for 100% of the audience comes in how we give them out, because anyone listening when we do is affected by that – that’s how you earn images. which fuels wins. And caller ten won’t cut it. There is an iconic restaurant in Raleigh called the K&W Cafeteria. Those eating there are all over the age of 75. The show’s Bryan Lord, decked out in a tux, decided to become the K&W Casanova, serenading women eating lunch at their tables with a love song for Valentine’s Day, before giving them a rose. Four videos were done the week before for social media (
When you use ancillary characters on a show, naming them in a descriptive way helps the audience understand their purpose or position on your program. The TJ Show, AMP 103.3, Boston regularly uses the other air talent on the radio station as a way to reflect its youth and help promote the other shows. Corrine does middays and she is bold and in charge as an air talent – she has a presence very few miss. She also has a ton of drama in her life, which is great content for any show. So, when she’s used on TJ’s program, they refer to her as Corrine the Hot Mess Express. The descriptor helps the audience understand the kind of content and stories Corrine adds to the breaks when they talk with her. That it’s alliterative helps it being memorable, too. Ultimately, to build personality images, any show is judged based on the connectivity and entertainment value of its personalities and content. Corrine adds in a way that is very positive. That the show refers to her in this way helps, as well. You’ll leave this break remembering Corrine – which is the goal.
What’s the purpose of doing a news feature on your show, and where are the wins? Somewhere in your market is a credible radio news source. Listeners do not come to you for news. That doesn’t mean you shouldn’t offer an information segment – the wins come in your conversation around the news items of the day. That dialogue (your take and commentary) defines your character to the audience. Add in, where appropriate, your sense of humor, and now you’re earning an image critical to success. If you’re delivering news as a single monologue (“here’s the latest on what happened”), you’re missing an opportunity to get more done for your show, especially considering if listeners really wanted just information, they’d go to the news/talk station or turn on their TV before leaving the house. Here’s a terrific example of how news should be done on an entertainment-based show by Karson and Kennedy, MIX 104.1, Boston.