We are radio people. One of the attractions over TV was not needing a proper haircut, combing your hair, and looking good. Radio provided artists the ability for anonymity and to create an on-air reality that produced a great radio show.
This is becoming more and more challenging due to the digital reality of our future.
John T. Molloy wrote a huge bestseller called “Dress for Success.” Look good, and people will automatically want to do business with you, and the well-dressed person will be judged more favorably in the office. Gene Simmons of the rock band Kiss has stated that a rock star has to look like it 24/7.
So, what does this mean for those of us who are air personalities?
The often-talked-about Kristi Noem, who is the United States Secretary of Homeland Security, has received some criticism for her performative attire for her position. Generally speaking, most cabinet secretaries wear business suits exclusively. Kristi Noem dresses in a variety of uniforms based on the occasion. Are you dressing for the occasion? Do you have a sartorial uniform?
I used to work in a building with an air personality who dressed like he was in a cheap western because he was on a country station. I have been around rock jocks and CHR jocks who look like they are stars in their formats.
If you are on a news/talk station, how are you supposed to dress in 2026? I have some good news and a warning.
Business casual is exceptionally common. For meeting clients, wearing a polo shirt and khakis is perfectly acceptable. So, if you are the morning personality, you just need to not look like a homeless person. I cannot tell you how many on-air personalities show up looking like they live in a van down by the river. For the sales part of your job — take a shower, look presentable, and you are generally fine. But that is not your only concern.
Your show may be on a video feed. I get it. Most radio people are entering the video-feed era kicking and screaming. A lot of radio people do not desire to be recognized at the grocery store or bar. I hate to tell you this, but you are likely recognized more than you realize. Normal people are simply less likely to come up and chat you up.
So, why did I bring up Gene Simmons? You are a star. You need to dress the role. You need to have a certain look that is recognizable. Being the radio guy or gal who thinks homeless chic is a great look — it is not. You do not need to dress like a rock star in leather pants and a shirt from the ladies department at Macy’s. You should come up with a look that is connected to your position.
I want you to consider this and develop a look that fits you. If there is one person who should not be giving out fashion advice, it is Peter Wilkinson Thiele. Have you ever watched Ancient Aliens? That show has three distinctly different themes of dress. Giorgio Tsoukalos and David Childress usually dress like archaeologists. William Henry wears a distinct outfit with a necklace. Other personalities wear formal business suits.
So, pick something. Be that personality 24/7. Gene Simmons is right. You need to have an image. You are required to post videos of yourself and share pictures of yourself on social media. Your image is your calling card. If you are pumping gas, eating lunch, or at the grocery store, you are performing in public. Your listeners have expectations about how you look, act, and behave. You must deliver — always deliver.
We chose this career for many reasons. For most of us, it is the dichotomy of being recognized, entertaining, and informing an audience while remaining totally anonymous. Truth bomb here — if you are putting yourself out in public, anonymity is no longer a thing. There used to be an ethos, especially among music program directors, to allow the audience to picture the air personality in their minds and protect that image at all costs.
That line of thinking has been gone for 25 years. I have found that radio people pass down the traditions of the past like monks cloistered in a monastery on a remote mountain. We are multimedia personalities who are required to be performing every moment we are not locked in our homes. Anonymity is gone. You are a star.
The toughest thing that needs to be addressed is that our visual and audio images need to match. What is in the minds of listeners when they think about how you look and behave? Are you meeting those expectations?
I am a huge boxing fan. In the 1990s, I was at a party with a great fighter of that era, Sugar Ray Leonard. This was a private invitation-only party hosted by a friend of mine who was also a buddy of Leonard’s. At some point, I found myself near Sugar Ray Leonard and introduced myself. His bodyguard told me that Leonard did not want to speak with me, even though Sugar Ray was talking with everyone all night. My expectations were blown. Sugar Ray’s brand was that he was friendly and likable. That was not entirely true.
Are you meeting the expectations of your listeners in how you look and behave? On-air personalities are always in the spotlight.
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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.
