Radio Show Content | Audio Breaks

WRAL-FM, Raleigh Bryan Meets Someone Who Hates “It”

October 13, 2019

When you’re out and have a local experience, it always helps in the telling of your story when you gather audio from those who are having fun with you. Bryan Lord from Two Men and a Mom, WRAL-FM, Raleigh went to see the “It” sequel the weekend it was released. His impetus landed on two fronts: it was a Hot Topic and he has interest in the movie. Knowing that fewer people would see the movie than not, Bryan looked for audio from others there to help him tell his story on Monday morning – and do so in a way for the vast majority of the audience who hadn’t seen the movie but are aware of the franchise. He had to look no further than a fellow movie-goer who hated it, didn’t think it was close to the book, and wanted her money back as she left the theater. Many people would just note this and tell this story. Bryan talked with her and got all that passion on their show, making me feel like I was in the theater lobby with him. He also broadened the topic, assuring that I didn’t have to see the movie (or even know much about it) to follow along and be entertained by the break

96.5 TIC-FM, Hartford The Sean Spicer Interview

October 6, 2019

If Dancing With the Stars offered you Sean Spicer for an interview, would you take it? Or, because he’s politics and associated with the president, would you turn it down? If you took it, what would you ask him? Great shows are in the moment – they do content that two weeks from now feels stale. Sean Spicer and Dancing With the Stars are “the moment”. Christine and Salt, 96.5 TIC-FM, Hartford were offered the interview and accepted. Their first question was asking if he knows how to spell “impeachment”, allowing Spicer to show his sense of humor. They then explored his job, if he’d ever met Melissa McCarthy who played him on Saturday Night Live, and then the outrageous outfits they’re making him wear on the show. The best part of all of this is that they leaned into the interview and saw its potential to grab the audience, instead of being worried about how it could harm them. Be about “the now” with your show – know the big topics and what your take is on them to do the most relevant, contemporary program. All the media around that you compete with are about what’s going on right now in the news and pop culture – and while some judgement will need to be used (not everything fits), talk through how you might do something so you stand out in the marketplace.

Indie 88, Toronto Can I Keep and Cook the Bird?

September 29, 2019

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.

AMP 103.3, Boston Tommy Tales

September 15, 2019

It’s September, the NFL season is back, and that means there is no bigger topic in Boston than the New England Patriots. Specifically, there is no bigger star in that city than Tom Brady, the Patriots quarterback. Let’s prove to you the power of story-telling. The TJ Show, AMP 103.3, Boston, on the eve of the team’s home opener, did a new feature called Tommy Tales. Producer Matt on the show had met Tom Brady and told his story (he is a huge Brady fan so you feel his passion) to kick things off. The team then opened the phones all morning for listeners to tell their stories about meeting Tom Brady, too. Stories are how we connect as human beings (you tell yours, I tell mine, and we connect). Great stories have beginnings and endings (payoffs) with delightful details in the middle that make those hearing them lean in. Here is a compilation of great Tommy Tales that TJ and his great team aired throughout the morning. Hear not only the energy of those telling them (it’s as though they all happened yesterday to these people because they were so memorable), but also make note of how you lean in to hear all the twists and turns, as well. Tell stories to win and you will win big.

KSCS, Dallas The Technology Break

September 8, 2019

Break structure is so important in show prep. With listeners decreasing attention spans, they evaluate a break’s worth in just a few seconds. They come for content. So, the longer you take to get to that, the greater peril you face in losing them mentally or worse, to another entertainment choice. Relating to the content is critical, too, as are designed moments in each breaks execution to re-grap the attention of fans who might lose interest. Hawkeye and Connected K, KSCS, Dallas did a break about technology – quite relatable to anyone. Listen to the break below and pay close attention to not just the content material, but how this break was designed. Hawkeye starts the break without all the pablum many do (call letters, weather, telling the audience about an appearance or promotion – all items which delay the content). He starts in the first few seconds with a question to Connected K. He’s actually asking the audience the same question so they are engaged. After that brief conversation, he pivots to talking about technology and throughout the break, uses audio throughout to prevent those who might get less interested from leaving the show. This is, at its core, a break about technology designed to be a conversation between the two hosts (good). It was done in a way to keep those vibing with the conversation leaning in and is well done as a result of that prep.

Kick-Ass Audio Breaks

WRAL-FM, Raleigh Bryan Meets Someone Who Hates “It”

96.5 TIC-FM, Hartford The Sean Spicer Interview

Indie 88, Toronto Can I Keep and Cook the Bird?

AMP 103.3, Boston Tommy Tales

KSCS, Dallas The Technology Break

Some of the Great Radio Stations I’ve Helped...