Power 106, Los Angeles Are You Down
One of the many things listeners are drawn to in a morning show is their chemistry. You cannot fake chemistry – it’s the foundation for the show’s genuineness and authenticity. Much like the significant relationships you have in your own life, the relationships between cast members is a draw for listeners, too. Many perceive they do not have this in their own lives so they are aspirational and wish to belong to yours. One of the daily benchmarks on The Cruz Show, Power 106, Los Angeles, is R U Down, a prank one listener plays on a friend with the show as the conduit, to see if they’ll consent to doing something outrageous for them. Here’s one where the show pranked a new co-worker. Multiple cast members, as well as PD Jimmy Steal, played a role in this. It’s the chemistry you hear which is the element that makes listeners feel comfortable and like they belong in your the family.
Strategic character develop is always a critical effort for any show. Part of the foundation for any successful program is how well the audience knows you. Which compels a certain authenticity and vulnerability. Oftentimes, character development is accomplished by the stories you tell about yourself that give the audience a peek into your life so they can connect with you. Other times, it’s your honest take on the topics of the day that inform them who you are. On Spencer’s Neighborhood, 106.5 The Arch, St. Louis, Brando interviewed his cute daughter Amelia, asking her questions about…him. Thus positioning him thru her eyes. This is strategic character development done another way.
There is great character development when a cast member puts their parent on the show. Immediately, you become their kid (not a DJ or “radio personality”) because of the conversation. Always wanting to show his mischievous side, TJ from The TJ Show, AMP 103.3, Boston decided to send something inappropriate to his mother through Amazon. Ever the craftsman, TJ understands what elements need to be in place to create compelling audio and a conversation with conflict that can be aired so the listener not only feels a part of the scenario, but is entertained in the process, wanting to hear how it will end. Listen to not only what TJ concocts, but how he presents this. The thesis of the conflict appears in the first 20 seconds of the break to hook you (the audience knows everything in the set up so they only need to focus on his mother’s reactions), the approach is novel and unique, you can relate to it, you want to know how it will be resolved, and how TJ uses FaceTime audio to advance the narrative.
Music-based features resonate with listeners. Which is why Rob and Joss, Froggy 92.9, Santa Rosa, CA do a weekly feature called “Write a Song Wednesday”. They choose a topic (in this case Star Wars) and tap into it comedically by asking listeners to suggest lines for the song. A local musician then puts together a short tune using listener’s funny suggestions. The nice addition to the feature, considering it was Christmas-time, was that the team decided to parody “Santa Baby” and make a song called “Vader Baby”. These songs are always short (60-75 seconds), have a listener component to them, and work to a goal of creating some fun.
Bring me there. When you tell your story, make me feel like I am in the room with you. We’ve all been in the predicament where we buy something from a vending machine and it gets stuck and does not release. There was an suspended crunch bar in the kitchen vending machine and Stacey K and Jonah, HOT 101.7, Santa Rosa, CA were determined to set it free. Only thing is, they had to wait for the vending machine guy to show up to do it. Every effort to rock the machine to do so failed. Recording the audio of the crunch bar’s liberation and then delivering it to the person who originally purchased it made me feel like I was there with them as the story was told on the air. It also made the narrative funnier and more connective.
Do you know the lyrics of the Christmas songs you’ve played a thousand times on the air? Kelly from Arnold on Bud and Broadway, WIL, St. Louis obviously doesn’t. Singing “You’re a Mean One, Mr. Grinch” to herself in the studio, the team noted her lack of knowledge of the words. So…this became a break. It highlights the team’s relevance and sense of humor. They challenged Kelly and the room to know the next lines after the song starts. This is great use of audio and a very organic break with tons of laughter and self-deprecating humor from everyone. This break opened other possibilities – like the team having to do Christmas carols on the spot for the audience, showing again how don’t know the lyrics of the world’s biggest holiday songs.
Which list are you on? Naughty or nice? Every parents dream for the next couple of weeks is for their kids to behave to get through the holidays. And the threat of Santa Claus is most powerful. In this classic bit from Karlson and McKenzie, WZLX, Boston, they check on kids and call them out on their naughtiness. The team takes calls from parents whose kids are misbehaving. Then Pete McKenzie calls the kid as Santa Claus and gets them to promise to behave through the holiday season or they’ll get nothing for Christmas. Pete is very careful to not cross the line and become cruel – listen as he adds just the right amount of attitude and humor as he interacts with young Schuyler.