The Overused Talent Excuse

Years ago, the day after another school shooting, I remember getting in the car and actively wondering what Howard Stern’s take was.  That shows you the power of Howard’s character and relevance to me.  I popped on Howard 100 and guess what Howard was talking about.  Yup.

Which brings me to Facebook and an exchange I had with a morning talent about relevance and appearing tone deaf to the audience.

I was listening to a show in another market getting nailed with bad weather.  With snow falling, here’s the show’s content that morning:  hacks on how to vacuum your house better, a phone topic on what listeners think of Trump’s desire to get rid of pennies, Apple’s new iPhone, and how the dress Meghan Markle wore at a movie premiere only cost $455.  No shit.  What does any of that have to do with what that market was experiencing that morning?

That market was being hit with bad weather, and that’s what the show should have been about.  I noted it on Facebook (without naming names).  A morning guy in another market, wanting to support the show I was listening to, suggested the overused excuse I swat down every time a big topic appears and is not covered:  we didn’t do it because we’re the escape.

Consumers are not rational thinkers – we interact with a brand because of how it makes us feel.

You can see the exchange here.  Out of respect to that morning talent who challenged me with the escape excuse, I have redacted his name and market.

I didn’t suggest what they do with it (that’s up to you).  Howard can go off on gun control because he is very well-defined.  You probably can’t.  But nowhere is it written you can’t discuss something like that and reflect to listeners the sadness and grief they feel knowing the story.

In the bad weather topic noted here, you have options.  You could default to giving out info.  That’s bland, boring, and everywhere.  Or do what only you can do.  Maybe talk to kids who have an unexpected day off from school, making them promise to clean the house.  Convince a cast member’s kid to shovel driveways for $20.  Or talk to snowplow drivers who are cleaning the streets.  You figure out what fits your brand and create treatments to that big topic that reflects who you are and your sense of humor (if applicable).  The escape is the fun you create.

As a talent coach and someone who wants personalities to be the reason listeners turn on the radio, I need your fans waking up each day wondering what you think about everything.

If great radio is about Conquering Content and Creating Connection, we should be on whatever is big right now.  And if one big topic appears on any given day, it’s paramount to do stuff with it that fits you.  Ignore it at your own peril.

Your fans will not tune in to hear a show completely disconnected to the market or world.  Listeners will search for a show that’s relevant.  Being tone deaf to the moment because “we’re the escape” is a poor excuse that powers the success of a competitor who is.