Bob Sirott is a Chicago media stalwart. Working in radio at stations like WLS-AM 890 and WGN Radio, in addition to his time in local television has made him a household name.
With that time in the local media spotlight in the Windy City, there are few in the talk radio industry that are as experienced as an interviewer as Bob Sirott.
Now, before we dive into the ins and outs of a recent interview heard on his WGN Radio morning show, I’d like to take a second to point out something I should have noted before.
While speaking with a well-respected, major-market programmer last week, they gave me some constructive criticism. And they were right. There is a difference between a news interview and a talk show interview. And I haven’t always pointed out that distinction. The line of questioning in a news interview should be more rigid, structured, and disciplined than a talk show interview. To be clear, Bob Sirott does a talk show at WGN Radio, and we’ll judge those shows accordingly going forward.
Late last week, Bob Sirott welcomed Marianne Murciano, the founder of Savvy-Planet, to his show to discuss the benefits of “Dry January.”
I picked this interview for two reasons. One, I wanted to hear the conversation, because the subject matter piqued my interest. And secondly, perhaps most importantly, because Marianne Murciano is Bob Sirott’s wife and I wanted to hear what a husband interviewing a wife sounded like — both the good and the bad, because I can envision how it would go for me, let alone working on a heritage AM radio brand in the country’s third-largest market.
The interview was a short one, covering just over six minutes. Which I think is a perfect length for a morning talk show discussion. ‘Get ’em in, get ’em out,’ as they say.
For the uninitiated, “Dry January” is going the first month of the new year without any alcohol. So, Sirott welcomed his “guest” to talk about the benefits of cutting alcohol cold-turkey to start the year.
He began the interview by giving his wife the floor. After she introduced why the topic may be a more interesting one than the average listener would consider, Murciano then noted that the first reason why Dry January is a good idea is that cutting out alcohol leads to better REM sleep and increased energy. Sirott jumped in and asked why — since he doesn’t drink — he doesn’t sleep better and has more energy, then. It was a funny quip that led to a great response from Murciano “You do a morning show.”
The top 10 list of reasons why Dry January is a good idea continued, with Sirott and Murciano trading pleasantries. Which, is to be expected during a husband and wife discussion.
The WGN Radio host didn’t just roll over and let his wife have the segment. He asked a good question that illuminated the topic for listeners when given the chance. Murciano noted that studies show people who do not regularly consume alcohol often are more willing to try new foods. Sirott jokingly followed up by asking a question that alluded to wondering whether or not those same people were more adventurous in … other … avenues. It was playful, fun, and a wink-wink, nod-nod to those listening.
Overall, before I dove into this, I didn’t know it wasn’t an interview. When you see a guest is going to appear on a show, you don’t necessarily expect them to simply join the show as a quasi-co-host for a few minutes. But that’s how Sirott incorporated the segment. He turned the guest — in this case, his wife — into another member of the show. Just because I didn’t expect that to be the outcome doesn’t mean it was bad. And I always say “Different isn’t bad. It’s just different.”
This interview — which, again, wasn’t an interview — showcases how you can incorporate guests into your show. Sometimes, as the major market programmer told me last week, an interview can be a discussion. And what’s most important is getting the information out there. That’s what Bob Sirott did in this discussion. He let his guest be the star. It’s a testament to his thought process and why he’s had such lasting longevity in the space.
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Garrett Searight is Barrett Media’s News Editor, which includes writing bi-weekly industry features and a weekly column. He has previously served as Program Director and Afternoon Co-Host on 93.1 The Fan in Lima, OH, and is the radio play-by-play voice of Northern Michigan University hockey. Reach out to him at Garrett@BarrettMedia.com.
