Radio is entertainment. Is your show fun? More importantly: are you having fun? I have heard a lot of radio and I am not hearing a lot of fun these days on News/Talk. Here are some tips to make your show fun.
Before, I give you some tips: Your hardcore audience finds politics and current events interesting and fully entertaining. How many people are represented in that statement? Probably not a lot. If you have gone to a local political event, how many people are there? Is this a large subset of your audience?
My experience says that it is a tiny percentage of your show’s potential listeners. If this is a large subset of your show’s audience, then you have some issues.
News and Information Are Fun
There is a lot to unpack to make things funny, angering, etc… Some sort of emotional response is fun.
I am not talking about funny, even though may work.
What is the most intriguing thing about the story or topic being discussed?
Is It Funny? Or Can You Make It Funny?
Perhaps you don’t feel like you are funny. This may be. Watch Bill Burr or Dave Chappelle tell a story. There are 3 keys to how they tell a joke. This is not in any particular order. They tell a self-deprecating story, give the story’s set up, and then pounce with the punchline.
If you notice, they almost never laugh at the punchline. They generally pause. Never laugh at your own joke. It is a sign that it is not funny.
If you must laugh, it is always a nervous habit. We have heard politicians like Jeb Bush and Nancy Pelosi tell an audience that they can clap now. That is like laughing at your own punchline.
Sound Like You Are Enjoying Yourself
Now, don’t have a smile on your voice like some music radio jocks. Bring the “Wow”. Find that enjoyment.
Chris Plante is always having fun. You can hear it and it makes him relatable. Talking about the biggest events of the day is fun. Who gets to do that? You do!
Sometimes this is easier if you have someone to bounce off of. Sean Hannity has Linda. She is a foil and has funny comments making fun of Sean. It works in a big way. Sean can be a little serious and has realized that he must be having fun. Linda makes that happen. Sean will make fun of Linda. Serious show that plays and has fun.
There are some hosts who can do an impression or two. Generally, these become a crutch. 35 years ago, if you could do a decent impression, it was highly desirable. I can’t think of a current show that is doing well depending on impressions. People want real. Be real. So many hosts cannot talk about events in their daily lives. Did you see something crazy? Change some of the details to protect the innocent. Make those moments even crazier.
Be real, but remember: This is show business!
Self-Deprecation
A lot of people have real issues with making fun of themselves. I worked for a company that had a syndicated host drop in our studio from time to time. He had a PHD. The guy demanded that we refer to him as “Doctor”. I didn’t. I, in fact, refused to do it. He was completely unable to make fun of himself. He was on the high personal importance hobby horse.
Self-deprecation makes you relatable. Being relatable gives you credibility. We have all either known or worked with blowhards. They are not fun. They have zero ability to relate to anyone. Making yourself one of the crew is an amazing power.
Be a Man/Woman of the People
Warren Buffet is one of the richest people in the world. There was a big boxing event in Omaha a few years ago. HBO always highlighted celebrities in the crowd. Warren Buffet was not in the front row. He was in the bleachers with the regular people. Didn’t look like he had security. He was one of the people.
I have been very fortunate in meeting and befriending a few ‘famous’ people. I was flying into a city with a “celebrity”. A couple of SUVs pulled up to pick us up. One SUV was full with members of the group. The driver requested that the celebrity sit in the front seat. My celebrity buddy turned that down and sat in the back of the vehicle with the luggage. I have seen some radio personalities demand to be treated well. Be a humble person.
During Prep, Ask Yourself “What Could Make This Fun?”
Find that nugget. Make everything a listener-focused experience. Be holistic. Find those fun details. Especially, when there is a big national story, figure out a way to make it fun. Sometimes that is tough. But, find that “Wow”.
They say to focus on the target demo. Don’t make that group so small that all you have is a dwindling audience. Why do people come to a news/talk station? They do it because they find current events entertaining and fun. There are very few political insiders or those who find that interesting. Your audience wants to know what is going on in the world. They want to be entertained. Make it fun.
Now, if you are worried about how to do it, here is a suggestion: Try stand-up comedy or take an improv class. Taking an improv class is a terrific way to get out of your shell and make some mistakes. This helps all of us grow. Your show should be always evolving and changing because society is.
If there is one thing that I have learned, things are always changing. Be the host that embraces that change.
Peter Thiele is a weekly news/talk radio columnist for Barrett Media, and an experienced news/talk radio programmer. He recently served as program director for WHO/KXNO in Des Moines, IA. Prior to that role he held programming positions in New York City, San Francisco, Little Rock, Greenville, Hunstville, and Joplin. Peter has also worked as a host, account executive and producer in Minneapolis, and San Antonio. He can be found on Twitter at @PeterThiele.
