Radio Show Content | Audio Breaks

Karen Carson with Johnny Minge and Intern Anthony, WNEW-FM, New York with It’s Raining Men Ringtone

February 11, 2024

What radio is missing many places is a sense of silliness and frivolity. Mischievous shows tends to make their audiences giggle with laughter. Looking at something through those lenses will bring out the goofiness in a show. Marry it to an opposite, include a family member, and you have a great recipe for a strategic, memorable break. As in the case heard here by Karen Carson with Johnny Minge, and Intern Anthony, WNEW-FM, New York. Anthony’s father is a longshoreman at the piers of New York City. This is a man’s man’s job. It’s hard, grueling work. How does his father react when Anthony changes his father’s ringtone to the iconic Weather Girls song “It’s Raining Men”? Silly and mischievous. Here’s the story of how it all unfolded and Anthony’s father’s reaction. An instantly memorable break.

Karson and Kennedy, MIX 104.1, Boston with The Good Vibe Tribe

February 4, 2024

Over the last few months, I’ve touted the value of doing a positive news feature on your show. Tacking in the opposite direction of what everyone feels creates an image for you and your show. Proving that there is, indeed, good news in the world and in your market is a powerful perception to create evangelists for your show. Some shows do this and look for good stories from anywhere. Crafting this feature around listeners who are having positive experiences in your town brings additional images to the feature. Karson and Kennedy, MIX 104.1, Boston do The Good Vibe Tribe. Someone calls with good news and they’re brought into the good vibe tribe, which is another win because they’re creating a club of listeners who share positivity.

Christine and Salt, 96.5 TIC-FM, Hartford with Lauren Saves Jackson

January 28, 2024

Sometimes running in the opposite direction is a smart strategic move. Seems like there’s negative news no matter where you turn. It’s Trump this, Biden that. So if you become the show that shares positive, uplifting news, you’ll gain an image not as the escape from all that, but as a respite. This week’s audio proves that, and a few other things. Before heading off for high school one morning, Tolland, CT resident Lauren Lews saw her 140-pound Great Dane, Jackson, fall through the ice of a pond in her backyard. The dog started to struggle so Lauren did what any of us would do, she risked her life to save her dog’s. In this on-air conversation she had with Christine and Salt, 96.5 TIC-FM, Hartford, Lauren tells her story. You will never miss if you get the people in stories to tell their version of it to you audience. Images received here: it’s a story that fills you with pride, it’s local, and it’s very human, reinforcing that there is good in the world.

Logan and Sadie, WINK-FM, Ft. Myers, FL Sadie Loses Rascal

January 21, 2024

Can you cry in front of listeners? Can you be that vulnerable to show your true emotions around a sad experience? It’s true that much of what we should do in radio is be fun. High on the list of what listeners are looking for is humor and a good time when they turn you on. No show wins without that image. But you’re a human being and there are many sides to you. My question is are you capable of showing all of them to prove it? Logan and Sadie, WINK-FM, Ft. Myers, FL are deep and different people. And quite comfortable to show all of it to the audience. All of that forms a bond which is almost unbreakable to moving people from being listeners to being fans of a program. Sadie recently lost her dog, Rascal, after a long illness. He was a rescue and she wanted to bring listeners into that experience. Can you do that with those who come to you for connection each day?

Carlin and Brent, Indie 88, Toronto The Stolen Amazon Package

January 14, 2024

One of the most efficient things you can do is ask the audience a question. Do that and those paying attention are grabbed emotionally. In this relatable break about stolen Amazon packages, Carlin and Brent, Indie 88, Toronto do this. “Would you confront someone you saw stealing an Amazon package from a neighbor’s porch?” Any listener would answer in their head and pay closer attention. That’s what they do here. One other thing to point out in this week’s audio is how little time they spend on the initial scenario about Carlin’s sister. A typical show would talk around that story for several minutes without advancing the narrative. In this break, they make that crucial pivot early from talking about their story to a listener telling theirs. Two major takeaways: questions grab listeners and make them more vicarious to your content and make sure you put that pivot in early to keep their attention.

Kick-Ass Audio Breaks

Karen Carson with Johnny Minge and Intern Anthony, WNEW-FM, New York with It’s Raining Men Ringtone

Karson and Kennedy, MIX 104.1, Boston with The Good Vibe Tribe

Christine and Salt, 96.5 TIC-FM, Hartford with Lauren Saves Jackson

Logan and Sadie, WINK-FM, Ft. Myers, FL Sadie Loses Rascal

Carlin and Brent, Indie 88, Toronto The Stolen Amazon Package

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