Kick-Ass Audio Breaks

Every once in a while you get a content break that ticks multiple boxes.  This one earns these images:  it’s local, it’s character development, it’s unique in its execution, and it’s fun.  John Moug from Moug and Karla Mornings, B96, Chicago is a new dad (character development).  He’s also worried about his weight and new to town.  He signed up to run in the Hot Chocolate 5K (local) and it’s been a story arc on the show.  To help get him prepared, the team put him on the office gym treadmill, asking trivia questions about Chicago he should know living there for almost a year (local).  For every question he gets wrong, they increase the speed (fun).  This one earns multiple images.  Also note that about halfway through, they re-set things for those in the audience that turned them on in the previous few minutes who missed the setup.

Nothing could be more endearing than putting a parent on the show.  It’s also quite efficient character development because you go from being a radio host to being someone’s kid for those few minutes.   While brainstorming content for Halloween, Chris and Dina, WMAS-FM, Springfield, MA realized they had very similar experiences with their mothers and costumes when kids.  Option A is to tell the audience about it and then get listener’s stories.  Option B is is to get their moms on to participate in the telling of the story.  This shifted the break from being a monologue (I tell you a story vs. we tell you a story) to a dialogue.  Option B is much more robust and entertaining because the human dynamic appears in a conversation.