Interesting story. My news/talk radio station has been utilizing a print/written reporter for a particular story that has spanned several months.
He’s added a ton of value to our morning radio show, and we’ve tried to promote his work as much as possible.
We don’t pay him a dime.
The other day, we went to the well once again. I texted him and asked if we could have him on for a few minutes.
The response: Sure.
Wait for it. A second response: Hey, do you have any gift cards or anything for doing these?
I was a bit stunned.
I stepped back, thought about it, and wrote back that we didn’t have a budget to compensate guests. I added that I totally understood if he didn’t want to come on the show that day – or any more.
On one level, I felt badly about him getting to the point where he felt the need to ask – that he felt his work was worth more than the value we were giving him in promotion … and enjoyment.
We all need as much exposure as possible, and let’s be honest, radio can be a lot of fun — bringing stories, personalities, and experiences to life in a way that only the spoken word can.
I also was a little annoyed, too – that he didn’t recognize how good it was for him to build a brand, to bring his work to a broader audience.
In the end, it was a split decision.
I promised myself if he still decided to come on the show anyway, I would not mention anything about the request. He did end up making the appearance, and it was as if the short exchange never happened.
But it did. And it got me thinking. Hypothetically, should we be compensating our guests?
In major markets and on network shows, it’s basically standard to pay for certain people of value to appear on shows. Contracts make it obligatory, and in many cases, it’s as much about their commentary as it is about keeping them away from competitors. Heck, when I went freelance at ESPN 24 years ago, my contract had me paid for every ESPN Radio appearance, and I was a bottom feeder.
But locally — in 2024 — in small and mid-sized markets, the money isn’t there. Should we find it? Should reporters demand it, and refuse to make appearances without receiving something?
Ultimately, everyone who’s a professional deserves to be compensated for their work, yet when cross-promoting or working across mediums, that’s not necessarily realistic.
If we only could have regular guests who were compensated, our guest list, I would imagine, would shrink by two-thirds – maybe more.
This falls a bit in line somewhat with last week’s column – how TV and radio should work together more. Reporters like the one who simply wondered if we could throw a gift card his way, are incredible resources. They provide insight that a simple host hot-take doesn’t have – not to mention credibility.
It’s worth a lot.
But in the corporate side of my world, I guess it’s not worth money or even a gift card. But also in my world, that doesn’t mean it’s not valued and not worth it for them, too.
So, as I stepped back to think about what I call the “gift card episode”, my conclusion is that I cannot build in any expectations, but I am going to try and find ways to make contributors feel more valued – whether it be more attention to promoting their work better … or even something like gift cards — and I may even need to do it myself.
They deserve it.
Brian Shactman is a weekly columnist for Barrett News Radio. In addition to writing for BNM, Brian can be heard weekday mornings in Hartford, CT on 1080 WTIC hosting the popular morning program ‘Brian & Company’. During his career, Brian has worked for ESPN, CNBC, MSNBC, and local TV channels in Connecticut and Massachusetts. You can find him on Twitter @bshactman.
Consider the guests are getting free publicity to promote themselves and their projects, perhaps they should be grateful they’re not being asked to pay for their appearances.