Are you screaming for significance or living in a narcissistic snow globe? In the quiet of your heart, you have pursued this career because of a desire to be important. I did the same thing. Most of us in news/talk radio are immensely intelligent. We could have chosen other pursuits. Perhaps there is a certain drive in our DNA that has created a hole that can only be filled by recognition. How can you turn this primal drive into something that makes the difference you aspire to?
In a society that stresses braggadocio, many radio people can be quiet when not performing. We have unique experiences that most people never get the chance to observe. Have you ever had this happen? I was with some people that are not in our business and realized that sharing a story was looked upon as a fish tale.
These moments with quasi-famous people or very big celebrities are a part of our existence. We live very unusual lives. You may have felt that way from time to time.
Why Anecdotes Matter
Early in my radio career, the station’s program director and consultant expressed to me that I didn’t have a lot of real-life experiences to share. I took that observation quite literally and put myself in positions to have those experiences. I never went too crazy. Shockingly, I am a responsible human being. So, I was not out all night doing crazy stuff. I have never been on a weeklong bender. I’ve never woken up in a different city curious about where I was and wondering what day it was.
But I have spent time with interesting people who have done amazing things with their lives. I have built a catalogue of anecdotes. You probably have many of these same scenarios. I learned that radio people have many of these qualities. Yet, while many of us have done things that most people never get a chance to do, we don’t have the same perks that famous people often get.
What is interesting is that these anecdotes are essential for our shows. Sharing a story about being backstage at a concert or having a beer with a famous person is kind of important on the air. We are in show business. We are considered celebrities. You may not live in a luxury high-rise or a 6,000-square-foot home in the primo suburb of your community, but your audience likely has that impression of you. Even though you are not in the billionaire class, people automatically think that you have more assets than you likely do.
Ratings, Revenue, and What Really Matters
Social media has millions of people bragging about the lives they lead. Most of these people have very few followers, but their friends often feed their narcissistic impulses. I bet you have had a conversation with someone relaying to you their viral post on Instagram. You end up looking at that post because you are curious about what they did and how big it was. You find out that the viral online moment had less than 10 likes. Significance for many is based on comments, likes and shares.
In news/talk radio, we are measured by revenue and ratings. Our feedback is not necessarily immediate. Most people get their monthly report from Nielsen. While many hosts will claim that they do not live and die by the ratings… they do… If a host doesn’t care about how they are doing in the ratings, they probably shouldn’t be hosting a show. Then there is the revenue component. This is sometimes a big mystery.
If you work for a radio station run by one of the big companies, they are watching your show’s revenue and expenses carefully. A bean counter at the corporate headquarters is not interested in how many events you speak at every year. They are looking at revenue and ratings. If no one is listening to your show, the revenue will likely dry up. Listeners purchasing things at clients is the game that we play.
If your show is not meeting the company’s metrics for success, you are gone. It is as simple as that. For your company, your significance is about what you are producing.
The Significance You Create
We have seen the revenue statements from publicly traded companies in our industry. Your station’s sales department needs your help. Radio is doing what it has done for over 100 years. It produces results for businesses.
Considering the market segmentation with more alternatives for consumers’ attention than ever before, radio delivers. Your radio station or cluster has raised hundreds of thousands of dollars and more for non-profits. Your station has collected food and clothing for people who have been personally devastated by tornadoes, flooding, and hurricanes.
What we do is significant. In news/talk radio, we reflect our listeners’ hopes, aspirations, and anger. News/talk radio is the tip of the spear for involvement. We create moments that are unforgettable for our listeners. I have a producer who was awed by a listener who told him that he loved this one thing that he said on the morning show. The producer couldn’t remember what he said, and I created a teachable moment. I explained that he will receive notes or meet people on the street 30 years from now that will have been personally impacted by what you said.
When this happens to you, always thank that listener. Don’t downplay what you said or minimize it by saying that you didn’t remember saying it. Lean into how important that moment was for one person driving in their car.
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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.
