News/talk radio salespeople and Account Executives often seek out special speakers to inspire them to perform their best. Professional athletes hire coaches and dieticians to help them reach their pinnacle. What are you doing?
If you are on the programming side of the radio industry, there are constant pressures. Your Program Director may be a pain in the butt. You have been given a second job at the office as part of your duties.
How do you stay motivated? There is not a talk show host, producer, program director whisperer. You must induce your own enthusiasm. Here are a few tips from old Uncle Peter:
Don’t Get in a Radio Rut
Humans are creatures of habit. It is natural to eat the same things, watch the same shows, listen to familiar music, and do the same things. It is a trap. You may know a geezer who is totally set in their ways. They do the same things. No excitement, just routine.
If you are a morning host, routine is essential for the job. There is a difference between discipline and routine. Discipline is essential to being successful in life. You push yourself to do things that are good for you, your family etcetera. Routine is a thief of life. It does not allow you to find things that bring you new joys.
There are many radio shows hosted by talented people that have been canceled. Years ago, the heritage news/talk station across town from where I worked had fired a really talented midday host.
The upstart station where I worked really admired this host’s talent. The General Manager took that talent to lunch to meet him and gauge his interest in working with the up-and-coming news/talk station. The station that he worked for was stodgy and lost its edge. So, the host was quizzed about the type of show that he wanted to perform. The host said that “he wouldn’t change a thing.”
Well, he lost his job because his ratings were terrible and he didn’t see the changing radio landscape. He was stuck in a failing routine. This nice man should have recognized that his ratings were slipping and that his job was in jeopardy. His routine ended his career.
Where are you with the routine for your show? Are you doing a tired bit? Are you adjusting to your market and lifestyle trends? The worst lie that you can ever tell is the lie you tell yourself. If you cannot be truthful to the human in your mirror, tou cannot reach your peak.
Adjust Your Routine
If you are married or in a relationship, you will need assistance from your better half. Different things for dinner. Food is such a central part of life for socializing and relationships. Take a cooking class. Are you in a restaurant rut? Or perhaps, you order the same foods at a restaurant. Eat at a different place, try something new.
We are creatures of habit. Do something different. You may like a certain type of music. It brings memories of days gone by. That is the problem. I heard someone saying that new music is trash. Oh, there are amazing artists today. They make terrific music. A couple of artists that I enjoy right now are Lovelytheband, MGMT, Jelly Roll, and Mumford and Sons.
New ideas, fun takes. You may not like these choices, but if you have never listened to them, you will never know if they suck or are great.
Read More
In news/talk radio, we read. It is part of our show prep. Sometimes, it is tough to read for fun because that is all we do for work. When I was doing an airshift, I wanted to get away from reading before bedtime. Now, I am digging into books. I love it. In your show prep, read sites that you may not agree with.
Occasionally, I would read The Nation or Mother Jones. I agreed with very little, but it made me think through an issue or idea from a different perspective.
I enjoy the mind of Bill Maher. I rarely agree with him, but his thought process is intriguing. Noam Chomsky is the same deal for me. Chomsky and Maher often share similar concerns with me. I disagree with the solutions.
Hearing or reading their takes is instructive and causes me to think through things in a different way. It takes me away from confirmation bias. When someone tells me that everyone thinks a certain way about an idea, issue, or concern, I know that they are full of crap. By the way, we have to change our clocks one hour ahead this weekend. That sucks, it is a terrible practice and should be fixed immediately. More people die of heart attacks after a time change statistically.
Ok. Get out of your routine. It will allow you to feel fresh every day. Your personal motivations allow you to perform at your peak. If you have a child, they get so excited about something new. A childlike wonder is created by seeing something new. Your view on the world is based on enthusiasm. Leave routine behind. Thrash anchors to your show’s progress.
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.
