Social Media can be an avalanche to bury your career. 670 The Score host Dan Bernstein was dismissed over a stupid moment on X. There have been numerous hosts who have been suspended and/or fired after poor social media judgment.
There is one thing for all of us to remember: We are always on the clock. Your social media postings and interactions are considered another part of your job. Dan Bernstein wasn’t the first or the last media personality to get fired over this.
Here are my tips on how to protect your career online.
Ignore the Trolls
Being totally honest, it is fun to be a troll. It is fun to get a reaction. There are many celebrities on social media who just can’t help themselves. If the person trolling you has less than 500 followers, move along.
I have a friend who was all hyped up because the bot or instigator online was traced to Russia. I asked him how many followers does that person have? He replied five. I told him that he was being played.
Never, ever, respond to someone with few followers.
I have a friend with an extremely famous daughter. She almost never reads her notifications. Ok, she mostly doesn’t read the comments. When she reads the responses, it totally freaks her out. She never responds to the hate or even the love.
Ask yourself: what is the benefit of arguing with a troll? The answer is nothing. In fact, most of these media people have been triggered by a troll. Ignore them. If you feel the need to respond, say something like: “Thank you for the comments.” Leave it there. Legit people who disagree with you will feel like they are being heard. You are doing your job. Creating a great moment for a listener.
Also, are the responses from your listening area? I know hosts who get all excited about a caller or an online response from another state. No one from outside your listening area can benefit you. They are not purchasing products or services from your advertisers. These people cannot have a diary or a PPM Meter. We are not at that point where monetizing of the radio show or station stream is a main source of revenue.
Internet Isn’t Real Life
There are people who have online personas. These people change their identity because it would be embarrassing if their spouse, friends, family, and employer learned of their online life. X is the most likely place for hosts or media personalities to get tripped up.
Don’t Get Charged With Using Social Media While Under the Influence
Posting on social media while drunk or high is a terrible idea. If you start looking at your posts and their responses after having a couple, you are more likely to do something really stupid. Sober posting only, please.
There have been several hosts who have been reprimanded, suspended, or fired because they were late-night tweeting. Consider being rude or abusive online on the same level as screaming at a client or drunkenly stumbling out of a bar. You are always on the clock. Read your contract again. If it is ever determined that your behavior has been detrimental to your station and/or company, you can be dismissed with no notice.
While we are discussing drinking, it is ok to have a drink at the bar or out for dinner with friends. Never have a second. Here is why: People know who you are. If you have more than one drink, it may cause speculation that you were drunk driving. This is true even if you ride Uber, walk home, or have a sober driver. None of us are perfect. We can all have a moment of poor choices. Very few careers carry the weight of being a high-profile media personality. Our employers are less likely to be as patient as they were a decade ago.
Also, there is this thing called a smartphone. Your moment of excess celebration can easily be recorded and posted across social media.
Have a Clear Social Media Mission
This is important because it gives you guardrails. Most companies have social media policies. If your company has a social media policy, follow it closely. Also, your company may have a social media team. Ask your Program Director, news/talk or sports talk format captain if you can have a Zoom meeting with that social media team to get tips on how to maximize your social media footprint.
Social Media allows fans to connect with you. It is like a sugar rush. This amazing tool brings a lot of ability to share your thoughts, feelings, and opinions. It is immediate. It is a high for people like us. While that seems like a cool thing, and it is, your actions are exactly like you are on the air. Your responsibilities to your employer continue 24/7. The company will not show grace to you, especially if your show is not a profit center for the station. Your behavior online may be graded. Your company may have social media initiatives for you to complete. You need to protect yourself while following these guidelines.
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Peter Thiele is a weekly news/talk radio columnist for Barrett Media, and an experienced news/talk radio programmer. He currently serves as News/Talk Format Captain for Zimmer Communications. Prior to joining Zimmer, Peter held programming positions in New York City, San Francisco, Des Moines, 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.
