Indie 88, Toronto Can I Keep and Cook the Bird?
We consumers of audio love destinations and payoffs. Each break is kinda like inviting listeners to hop in a car with you. They are more inclined to jump in if they know where you’re going. Headed to go wait on line at the DMV? Nope, not hopping in that car. Going to get ice cream? Yup, let’s do this! One of the harder parts of a break is figuring out where you want to take a story – asking what the payoff will be if the audience sticks around for a couple of minutes. The Josie Dye Show, Indie 88, Toronto works hard on destinations for their breaks so the show isn’t just conversation. Matt Hart heard a thud against his window while at home. Going outside to figure out what happened, he discovered a bird had flown into his window and died. Not a bad story to tell the audience – it happens to all of us (note the conversation around the story makes it funny). Then the payoff. Matt calls city services (311) to ask if he can keep and cook the bird (they’re there to answer any question a Toronto resident has). The fun part is that the woman who answered took him seriously, even putting him on hold to find out. Destinations and payoffs in content breaks – they’re required if you want the audience to take the car ride.