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Why do we need remote broadcasts in radio? It’s not the ‘90s. I was inspired on Election Day when I listened to the live broadcast of the Michael Smerconish Show on SiriusXM radio, and I want to share three suggestions we should embrace when considering live remote broadcasts.
Smerconish pushes his middle-of-the-political-spectrum agenda on the POTUS channel. I discovered the channel last year, and I thought it was a station programming U.S. presidential history. The acronym was a good tipoff.
“This is awesome,” I said to myself. Well, me and 12 other people were excited about a station programming the history of the most influential job in America.
There’s a good reason I thought the format was focused on the office of the U.S. president. The day I found it, presidential historian Michael Beschloss was a guest on the midday show. The next day, I tuned in. It wasn’t presidential history, and I realized POTUS on SiriusXM means Politics of the United States. It was Smerconish talking about the politics of the day. “Wait, is this the guy from CNN Saturday mornings?” I asked. Yes, and that was all I knew about Smerconish.
His style and content connected with me immediately. It’s difficult to play the moderate card on talk radio. Extreme works better. Smerconish is prepared, pedigreed, and he’s comfortable in his role as a middle of the road host. I believed him and I was fascinated with the strategy of this show.
When I heard the show would be live from a bagel shop in Doylestown, Pennsylvania, on Election Day, I made a calendar reminder to catch part of the broadcast. The idea fit radio perfectly. Think about the mental pictures you process when you hear “bagel shop” in small-town PA. Broadcasting from a large venue or hotel conference room wouldn’t have the same “color.”
The first thing to get my attention was the special audio imaging created for the event. No brainer, right? It’s surprising how often we do something out of the ordinary, but we keep the same imaging that we use the other days.
The technical result was the next item to get an entry in my notes. It was better. That’s not usually the case with remote broadcasts. However, this one sounded better than the daily show. My theory is that everyone was on the same system in the same room. No WiFi delays from another member of the team in another city.
Smerconish has daily guests and hourly segments with live callers during his studio show. How was that going to change on a live broadcast? It didn’t. Callers on the show and guests, both live and remote, were involved in the show, so it felt like the real show, but with a noticeable unique energy.
When Bob Costas joined by phone, it was a drop the mic moment for me. Costas is in my broadcasting Hall of Fame for sports anchoring and baseball play by play. Note, I don’t have a Hall of Fame, but if I build one, Costas will be one of the first inductees.
He’s a masterful wordsmith and he can talk about any topic. He’s been politically outspoken, so this was a perfect fit. He picked up on every transition and topic without hesitation. From serious to funny, politics to baseball, and his recent retirement announcement, he didn’t miss a beat.
The remote was three hours long. I listened for 50 minutes and thought about the benefits of remote broadcasts.
BE DIFFERENT:
Is there an opportunity to grab someone’s attention with your location or the reason you’re broadcasting? The morning show intern living on the billboard until the local sports franchise wins a game is a good attention-getting bit. However, it has a deeper impact because the listener is imagining what it’s like to live on a billboard in the winter with nothing but a sleeping bag and a portable toilet.
If the venue isn’t unique, like the Bagel Barrel in Doylestown, can you find something different at the Marriott Convention Center? “We’re checking the donation totals every 20 minutes in the special basement room with a security guard.” I’m not suggesting you make up something you’re not doing. You can’t do that in 2024. However, find an angle to create a picture for the person listening.
BE PREPARED:
I wouldn’t expect SiriusXM to have a subpar broadcast. However, it was encouraging to hear a technically sound broadcast. There may have been behind the scenes fire drills, but I didn’t hear it, therefore, it was one less distraction for my challenged attention span.
Additionally, the guests and callers were a part of the show. That didn’t happen without extra preparation. It takes more planning to make these events happen because you have to build in backup plans.
BE EVERYWHERE:
If being local is a unique characteristic of radio broadcasting, the remote event allows us to be among the people. Social Media has given us the gift of sharing our personality on multiple platforms. Smerconish was posting selfies with his fans. Don’t take for granted how cool it is to talk to one of your fans.
Video reels of a jock doing something fun with the coffee machine at the 7-11 remote can add some life to a boring appearance. Plus, the review for the client is more visible and entertaining with pictures and videos.
Finally, I know what you’re saying. “We don’t have the staff or the technical capabilities to go on the road every month and meet our listeners.” I get it.
Then make it unique to your capabilities. If you can do only one Meet The Listeners remote, plan for it like it’s a Christmas parade. Take a year to promote it (that’s more mentions for your sponsors), create unique swag for the event, invite A-list guests to be a part of the event.
Don’t think of it as “We can only do one.” Adopt the attitude, “We do one, and it’s the best one.”
Happy remoting! It’s a great way to sound unique and be in front of people.
Ron Harrell is a columnist for Barrett Media. He founded Harrell Media Group, specializing in radio and audio brand consultation, fractional management, and talent coaching. He has worked in every role on the Programming and Branding side during his career, becoming management and executive-focused in the post-Telecom Act era. Ron has held leadership roles for media groups such as ABC/Citadel, CBS Radio, Chancellor Media, Cumulus Media, Hope Media Group, Hubbard Broadcasting, and WAY Media.
Interested parties are invited to learn more about his company Harrell Media Group and reach out by email at Ron@HarrellMediaGroup.com.
