Podcast guru Joe Rogan is demonstrating what is needed more than ever. A conversation. Many news/talk radio stations and hosts consider the legislative session like manna from heaven. I have some truth bombs for you in this column. These tips will allow you to maximize the plethora of content from your state’s legislative agenda.
You should never be a legislative insider. Our ratings and revenue come from the people, not our elected employees. No one gives a rat’s behind if you attended a cocktail party with the legislative leaders. No one cares.
About half of my career has been on the air. I have been invited to those parties and I will attend one or two parties a year. Early in my career while working in the Twin Cities, I always made sure to attend the Vin Weber Christmas Party. Vin is a former Republican Congressman who is a major lobbyist and powerbroker in Washington D.C. Vin’s party was different because every major elected official attended from both parties. I was a producer and an on-air sidekick on KSTP’s Barbara Carlson Show. These parties were big for me to build relationships with potential future guests for the show.
These social events can be helpful. But if you are being seduced by being at the event, you should pass. Many hosts have a tough time asking strong questions to their “friends.” Have specific rules. I never accept questions from press secretaries. I will give the general subject matter to the guest but leave the person in the dark over my take on a particular subject.
Since I am not that much of a jerk, I have 3 rules for every interview. I allow the elected official to speak on the reason that they are on the show. I ask a tough question that the audience would want to know. And I also give the guest a win.
I am not really a question guy, I’m a conversation guy. Talk show hosts are wired to speak and not listen. Have a conversation. Also, know your role. You are a representative of the great unwashed. You are the speaker for the good people who are working their butts off every day to pay their mortgages, bills, and taxes.
Whatever you do, never — and I mean never — say bill numbers. The only people who know the bill numbers are people at the legislature or super political insiders. The super political insiders should never be your target demo. There are too few of these people.
If you think your audience is keeping balls and strikes at the legislature, you are delusional. Your audience wants to know about taxes, public safety, roads, schools, and other things that impact their lives. Your job as a host is to make things as digestible as possible. No one cares about the education subcommittee vote. No one! Big picture only.
I was programming a station with an awesome host who was a former legislator. His ratings tanked year after year during the legislative session. I showed him that his ratings fell dramatically every legislative session. He was flabbergasted. He thought it was his prime time. I worked with the host on how to cover the legislative session. I also pointed out that our job is to speak about Topic A. The host’s ratings were up dramatically from the previous 3 years after enacting my recommendations.
During a legislative session, sometimes the biggest topic is at the legislature but most times it isn’t. Like this week, whether you live in California or anywhere else, is your state or community prepared for a natural disaster? When was the last time that you interviewed your local Emergency Management person? What are the plans? Are these people receiving proper support?
Obviously, the Los Angeles wildfires are proving that all probabilities were not seriously explored by local officials. Represent the people first. You don’t work for the legislature. If a guest says, “Bill Number…” Follow up with this… “Senator, we don’t work at the legislature. What is the purpose of this legislation?” I hate using the term ‘Bill.’ As previously explained, I am an angry little man with several pet peeves.
We have a simple job. We need to reflect on the concerns, lives, and interests of our audience. The government certainly impacts our daily lives.
While the legislative session provides more content, your focus should always be on the biggest story of the day. The education sub +-committee meeting today to discuss funding for the next year is not interesting. It is not what your audience is discussing at the diner or water cooler. Be big picture and never worry about pleasing our elected officials. They need us more than we need them. Providing a Listener-Focused Experience is our job.
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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.
