The horribly sad story of Nancy Guthrie has gripped America for weeks now. We care because she is the mother of someone we know, at least from seeing Savannah on TV. Each day, we tune into the news, click on an app, or pull up a radio station to see if the case is solved.
Some are very frustrated at how long this has dragged on. After all, our favorite CSI show could have wrapped this up in a one-hour episode. But this case will keep America’s interest until it is solved.
Sports radio in many markets also had a very compelling storyline even after the NFL regular season ended. When a coach is fired, every fan of that team is vested in the search for the next coach. They care about their team. If the franchise owner entrusts someone with great credentials to take care of the team, the fan is elated and confident heading into the next season.
The debate always follows as to how good that coach is in the view of each fan. Then comes the added drama as each assistant coach is added to the roster. This leads to the NFL Draft in April, when the head coach gets graded again based on who he selects to play for the team. It’s a great storyline and helps keep interest in sports radio high.
The love story of Taylor Swift and Travis Kelce is one that social media keeps alive. The “save the date” for the wedding reportedly came with an NDA. What’s the date? Where will the wedding be? Then there’s the story of Travis — will he retire and spend weekends at home with Taylor, since she doesn’t appear to be touring this fall? Are babies on the horizon for the couple?
Here’s yet another plot line I heard the other day. Travis will play for the New York Giants, so he and Taylor can live in New York City and take advantage of the high-profile media life this season. Taylor does have a beautiful home in the city, and it’s a short flight to her New England palace.
The stories of Nancy Guthrie, your favorite NFL team’s coaching search, and the relationship of Taylor and Travis are all compelling because we care about the main characters in the story.
If you’re on the air and have built a relationship with your audience, are you telling your story? The more listeners know about you and the cast of your show, the more points of relatability they will have with you. It could be something simple — dog lover, gardener, runner, or someone who loves to cook.
It could also be a flaw. The more you expose yourself, the broader your appeal can be. Legendary talent coach Steve Reynolds has long suggested talent keep journals of their lives. When the cast of a show shares those journals with each other, personality traits can sometimes become obvious. Those traits can then become part of a storyline for your show.
A perfect radio storyline is based on real life. You, or a co-host on your show, get into a situation in which listeners are invited to weigh in. Everyone has their own solution for every problem. Over the next couple of shows, you could speak to experts, the antagonist, family members, or even take an audience poll. Construct the story like any television drama, and do it at the same time every day. Remember, listening is horizontal.
Happy endings are great, but not every story has one. The conclusion can’t leave the audience flat — it must touch an emotion. Make your listeners laugh, cry, or even get angry, as long as that anger is directed at the entity that did the show wrong.
Sports and news radio have great stories to tell nearly every day. As we look for ways to keep music radio a compelling listener choice, we have to look at talent and the stories they can tell. The fact that you’re going to play “Ordinary” or another Sabrina Carpenter song is not going to keep the audience engaged. What’s in between the songs is more important to listeners every day. Tell your story.
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Jim Ryan is a Music Radio columnist for Barrett Media. In addition, he runs Jim Ryan Media LLC, a consulting company which assists major market radio brands and top talent including national radio personality Delilah. Prior to relaunching his consultancy in 2025, Jim spent 15 years with Audacy/CBS Radio, serving as SVP of Programming. Among his responsibilities included programming WNEW-FM and WCBS-FM. His career includes additional programming stops in Los Angeles, San Francisco, and Houston. Jim was voted the #2 PD of 2024 in Barrett Media’s Top 20 series in the AC category. He can be reached by email at Jim@JimRyanMedia.com.
