It is often said that radio personalities cannot be too involved in their communities. There is a lot of truth to that and there must be a balance as well. Community involvement can bring a lot of goodwill from listeners, community leaders and ADVERTISERS. Here is what you can do and what to avoid.
Every community is not the same and this is something that you must evaluate. Your city likely has a charity or community mission that is sexy to decision makers. I lived in a place where the powerbrokers were all involved in the development of the downtown area. It was a big deal. The largest advertisers and city leaders were all involved in that mission. The morning show host at the station I programmed just hated, “The Downtown Crowd.”
This was very tone deaf. This personality had good ratings and good revenue. He was a native of that city and was in the ‘I like it as it was’ group. This host lost the company business. It became a crusade for this host. This guy was not reading the room. He should have been at the center of this movement.
What is going on in your community? Where are the movers and shakers? Is your community’s chamber a big deal? Is your company a member? Do you attend networking events? You should show up at networking events. Work the room, walk thru the event… Introduce yourself to everyone. Ask for selfies. Use these on the station’s social media. This plugs you in.
The business leader will tell their friends that you were there. You wanted a picture with them. I know that this is counter intuitive for many hosts. Many hosts are naturally shy. Overcome it. When you are representing your company, it’s like a microphone sitting in front of you. Be gracious. Make memories for these people. When you ask for a selfie, you are making them the star. Your social media will be shared and highlighted. Do that. It is a win.
Are you a member of a board? There are many from charities, governmental bodies and groups like the Chamber of Commerce. Get on one. Be a part of it. If any of these groups are smart, you would be recruited. I was asked to sit on the civil rights committee for the county in which I lived. I was recruited by the local leader of the NAACP. I was certainly honored to be asked and accepted immediately.
People like joining children’s charity boards or issues with veterans. Perhaps, your area has a big yearly event that is run by a local non-profit. Being the Master of Ceremonies of political forums is a great way to meet listeners and business leaders. When I did mornings in Joplin, I was the MC of several candidate forums for the Quapaw Nation. Since I was not a member of the tribe, I didn’t have an axe to grind. The casinos that the tribe operated were also big advertisers. Big win and really an honor to be asked. If you are religious, sitting on a board at the house of worship of your choice is another option.
Ok, I will give you a few things not to be involved in. Don’t become a board member for a political party, or a candidate. Your job is to give your opinion on current events. The closer that you are to those you are covering the less likely that you will be truthful with your audience. Your connection with your listeners should be like a religious bond. YOU MUST NEVER LOSE THAT TRUST.
If the Governor or Mayor wants you to sit on a board for something that is apolitical, that is a totally different thing. Choose things that bring goodwill or could help the area. It used to be a good thing to be involved with groups like the Lions Club or Toastmasters etc. Sadly, these groups are in serious decline. Your area may be different. I found that these groups are filled with retirees. These groups have become quite insular. This is sad, because these groups have traditionally contributed in positive ways to their communities.
As candidates prepare for the next election cycle, you may be invited to candidate announcements. You should generally try to attend everything to which you are invited. You need to have special rules: Attendance is not an endorsement, you will attend the same event if invited by any other candidate, no pictures with the candidate. If you say this in a nice way, the candidate will generally be very understanding.
I am big on never endorsing a primary candidate. This is better for the host because it can create more revenue for the station. I know a great host who hated a Republican United States Senator. The host did whatever he could to support the primary candidate running against the Senator. Eventually, this host lost the cluster a six-figure buy for the election cycle by the U.S. Senator’s campaign. A primary challenge to a sitting congressional member or senator is rarely successful.
Ok, can you be too involved in the community… YES… The most important thing is to make sure that your show is the best that it can be. If you are so involved that it is cutting into your availability for show prep and/or sales, you could severely hurt or destroy the show. It is all about what comes out of the speaker. Content is always king. Don’t over stretch yourself. Too much on your plate will eventually damage your on-air product. Never allow this to happen. If your ratings and revenue faulter, your superiors will not laud your community involvement and keep you on staff.
In radio, we don’t shake hands and kiss babies enough. We need to gladhand the great unwashed. These amazing people are why we get to do our jobs. Being connected to the community outside of your radio show creates goodwill and loyalty. Pick something to support. Use your special knowledge and abilities to be an asset to those around you.
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.
