Being predictable is the bane of any form of entertainment, including news/talk radio. One of the key aspects of communication is a personal connection to the topic. Frequently, this aspect is missing from a bunch of the monologues that I hear.
Let’s say there is a crime epidemic in your community. There was an especially egregious story that was made for a discussion on your radio show. Your better half had a very similar experience, and it is something that was quite dramatic for the romantic partner. You prefer not to say that the wife had a scenario that mirrored this news story.
How do you handle it?
Well, you will need to change the basic facts. If you think that this is unacceptable to you, could you pass a basic lie detector test on the air? You are a performer. Your show is entertainment. For your listeners to lean into the conversation, you must make this personal to you. This is a huge part of setting up a topic.
The three pillars of a good talk show topic are the opinion, the news story, and a personal connection to it. I get it and fully agree: You don’t want to turn your show into a confessional for everything going on in your home. But if you cannot explain your personal connection, the topic will be a sanitized academic discussion of something in the news. There is no connection that will make your audience care about the story.
I will also let you know that every time you open your microphone, you are putting on a show. There are opinions that some hosts change, realizing that it will infuriate the boss, an advertiser, or a listener.
I recently spent time on the phone with a host who is struggling with how to be critical of President Trump. The host is performing and unwilling to be honest in his opinions of Trump. If you are hosting a show, you frequently find yourself in this predicament.
So, this is where a story can be used as a tool for creating a topic. This host is worried about criticizing President Trump on an issue. The host could tell a story about a friend, acquaintance, or family member who thinks that President Trump’s policy on trade is wrong. You tell the story, and that helps build a phone topic.
I have heard hosts say this lie: “I only speak about things that I am interested in.” That line of thinking is guaranteed to destroy ratings and revenue. Let’s say that host is really interested in collecting Beanie Babies. Should they discuss it? I may want to hear someone discussing the intricacies of tax policy breaks into 20 minutes on their love of Beanie Babies and that they are struggling on whether to sell two Princess The Bear Beanie Babies. You see Princess the Bear is worth a cool half million dollars.
With that said: how do you flesh out your creativity? There are several ways…
Take a Creative Writing Class
This is an important way to improve your art. These classes are available in your community. You can find the classes at your friendly neighborhood library, a community college, a local writing club, or a community course.
This is a great way to learn the art of hosting a show.
If you meet successful fiction authors, ask them about where they get characters. If the writer is being honest, each character has a connection to someone in their life. It could be a family member or a friend. The character could have been inspired by the lady standing in front of the writer at Walmart. The creators of South Park have openly stated that several of the main characters on the show were based on real people.
Take an Improv Class
Early in my radio career, I took improv classes from Stevie Ray’s Comedy Cabaret. I learned much about how to put myself in different situations. Thinking this through, I remember more in this class than in 4 years of college.
Your community has a class like this. It will give you tools. Many talk show hosts come from disciplines that are not built on creativity.
If you came to radio after a political career or journalism, being creative is essential for your long-term success in this industry.
Try Stand Up Comedy
At your local comedy club, there are open-stage nights. They allow almost anyone on stage for five minutes to try to generate laughs. It is tougher than you think. This exercise will improve your ability to tell a joke. You will learn that the story is based on timing more than even the content.
Write your own material. The picture of you on your station’s website was probably taken a decade ago. Use a fake name and get up there and try to get a laugh. Don’t tell anyone that you are doing this. But, watch Bill Burr, Dave Chappelle, or Shane Gillis tell a story. Use their basic template.
Hosting a talk radio show is a very difficult thing. You are hosting 15-20 hours a week with no writers, likely no producer, and with few resources other than your gumption. Your audience believes that they know you. But they only know what you reveal on the air. The more personal connections, the more likely that you will grow your following.
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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.
