WQYK Dave and Veronica’s First Pitch
We have a uber local show with Dave and Veronica, WQYK, Tampa. Being local is not the only reason they win, though. They beat the competition because they leverage that localness and are exceptionally entertaining around it. We got Dave and Veronica to throw out a first pitch at a Tampa Bay Rays game. Knowing that most of the audience won’t go to see them, it’s their job to bring enough audio back to air the next day so this group of people will feel like they’re there. Here are two breaks that do this perfectly. In one, they had a fan in the stands do play-by-play of their first pitches. In the second audio segment, you hear natural audio as they’re introduced, along with the chemistry of this team, as Dave ribs Veronica about what she did and how her family reacted. This chemistry, natural laughter, bold content choice, unique execution, and our being local all adds up to the show’s consistent wins in Nielsen.
Last Valentine’s Day, Karson and Kennedy, MIX 104.1, Boston, decided to find a listener-bride for their new co-host, Salt. Part of the drama was the fact that Salt has a girlfriend. And in the process of involving Salt’s girlfriend, the show met Toni. Great radio is finding the really funny people in life and figuring out how to get them on your show. That Toni is a firecracker is an understatement. Here’s a break where the show not only understands this, they step out of Toni’s way to let her radiate out of the speakers. Real life is funny. This shows that.
One of the most important things you should be with your listeners is honest. We can spot fakes and phonies a mile away; the audience always knows if you’re shooting them straight. That’s why this break, about Johnny Manziel flipping off the Washington Redskins bench, is so valuable and powerful in creating a bond with the audience. Jody Dean and his Team, KLUV, Dallas, were talking the morning after Manziel showed that immaturity in a pre-season game. Jody has been in the market forever and knows football, having played it in college. His comments are raw, real, and very honest. The audience is nodding up and down, having their own connection moment with the show because of how well this topic was handled.
There seems to be a Gen-Con convention in every city every week now. My good friend, Dom Theodore, always preached to find the odd balls and get them on the show because that was great entertainment for the masses. Dom is right. Gen-Con was just in Indy. Kyle and Rachel, Radio Now, Indianapolis had two paths to potentially follow to get this odd ball fun on their show. They could chat about it based on what they read in the paper, saw on TV, and what their friends said. Or they could go there, immerse themselves in the event to feel it, while talking with attendees. The latter approach takes more time, but results in way better authentic content. Here are two breaks of Kyle talking to those who went to Gen-Con and his having fun with them. This is terrific, real life, genuinely fun radio.
Stacey K and Jonah, HOT 101.7, Santa Rosa, CA got into a bet the other day, with the loser having to potentially embarrass themselves with “Drive Through Mad Libs”. Jonah lost this bet so he had to go through the Starbuck drive-thru and weave into his order the code words (which were naughty) Stacey identified for him. Two things that were terrific about this: they recorded it the day before they actually had to pay it off so when they teased it, instead of being live (and not knowing what they would get), it was packaged and aired as live ten minutes after the tease so the audience got the payoff quickly. The other fun thing about this is that the gal at the Starbucks recognized Jonah’s voice, which was a bonus for those listening.
This break is instructive about hooks and adding elements to make them glow in 3-D. John and Tammy, KSON, San Diego got into an expected conversation about taxes back in April. John admitted to the audience that his partner did his taxes and that a problem had developed – he owed back taxes. Listen for these things: John’s great hook up front to set the table so the listeners want to hear the details of the story. Then there’s an admission from Tammy about the guilt she feels that John owes the taxes, so John has on a pastor who’ll absolve Tammy of her guilt. Without the pastor, it’s just a two-dimensional story. With the hook and pastor, the break has a better chance to sparkle, and adds another element to help create an entertaining break.
A couple of weeks ago when we were upon Father’s Day, Rob and Joss, Froggy 92.9, Santa Rosa, CA openly wondered why Father’s Day wasn’t as respected as Mother’s Day. Musing on-air that Father’s Day rates as low as Arbor Day or Columbus Day, they sought to elevate Father’s Day to a higher status. Below are the breaks they did across the week in a narrative story arc which started with them asking other fathers if they agree and culminating with the mayor coming into the studio to read a proclamation moving Father’s Day to a higher importance as a holiday. We’re always looking to do different things with the topics of the day. While other shows were talking about gifts and the standard things around this topic that week, we were doing something unique with it.
No doubt you must walk closer to the edges to get great stories on the phones from listeners who really wish to interact with their favorite morning show through social media. Our job always is to get great stories as terrific conflict, and details that captivate listeners as you walk towards resolution which keeps them on the edges of their seats. The Pablo Show, WPGC, Washington, DC, do an occasional feature called “Who Did You Sue?” The phone calls they get when they do this always rise to captivating radio as listeners know the premise and sit in anticipation to hear the twists and turns.