Kick-Ass Audio Breaks

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.

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.