There is an art to booking a guest, and often it is not advantageous for the host to produce their show. I get it: you may be a host who does not have an actual producer. Frequently, we refer to the show’s board operator as “the producer.” Well, I am going to explain why a producer is essential and what that job entails.
Hosts should not be booking their own guests. Sadly, some hosts are thrust into the role of the show’s producer, and this may hurt the show in a remarkable way. News/talk radio hosts are chatterboxes. They want to tell the guest about everything they want to discuss and share the questions. Once the guest knows the questions, however, they are able to sanitize their responses. When the guest knows the questions in advance, the answers will seem rehearsed and, quite frankly, boring.
Now, I don’t believe we should “Pearl Harbor” the guests. We should have fresh conversations with thoughtful follow-up questions, laughs, and sparring. Too much familiarity can create an inside conversation that loyal P1 listeners will get but that will be difficult for non-regular listeners to follow. Our shows should always be designed around what the target audience is experiencing, discussing, and feeling. By nature, we are very tribal.
This goes back to the beginning of humanity. Humans develop small groups of like-minded individuals who often share similar purposes and goals. Long-running news/talk shows frequently follow this very template. A show builds an audience that peaks a few years into its existence.
Slowly, that audience begins to erode. The show survives because of the audience’s loyalty and the ability to monetize it. This is the natural life cycle of any personality radio show. Obviously, we want to fight this trend.
Why a Producer Creates a Necessary Buffer
This is where a producer or a guest booker is essential. It allows the host to have feedback into guest booking but creates a buffer for the show. I know many hosts who have developed some sort of friendship with their regular guests. Familiarity doesn’t breed contempt in these situations — it can create boredom for the listeners. Aren’t we here for the audience? I often find hosts more concerned about what their guests think than about meeting the expectations of their show’s listeners.
During this election season, candidates or their people are really concerned about what is going to be asked in an interview. We should not be in the business of making sure that politicians or any guest looks good or bad. We need to be in the business of making sure the audience is served. I have a rule: questions should never, ever be shared. Topics on the docket? Sure, that is fine. I have had more guests than I wish to count ask for the questions in advance. Here is why that is a terrible idea. Let’s say there is breaking news claiming the gubernatorial candidate skinny-dipped at a sorority party five years ago. If you have agreed to the questions in advance and follow them, you are lying to your listeners. If you ask about the candidate’s alleged frolicking with co-eds, you are lying to the candidate. It’s kind of a no-win scenario.
The Pre-Interview
Producers, here is what you need to do when booking the guest: conduct a quick pre-interview covering the issues you wish to cover. Let’s say you have a guest discussing NIL who has no opinion on whether Congress should involve the federal government in regulation. Make sure the host knows not to go there with the guest.
If the host asks about federal interference in college sports and wants the guest’s thoughts, it will sound super clumsy when the guest says they don’t want to discuss that issue or have no opinion.
You don’t want the host to look stupid or the guest to be put in a bad position.
Guest Placement
The producer must work with the host to set the reasoning for why the guest is on the show. This is key. The producer and host must work together on guest placement. Let us say there is a guest with an intriguing human-interest story who is not a perfect fit for the target audience.
For your morning drive show, this guest is only available at 7:10 on a Tuesday. Work on another day to get them on during the 6 o’clock hour. Putting a guest who is off the reservation at prime time is a disservice to the expectations people have for your show. Poor guest placement is also damaging for your show and the clients that advertise. If you host a show for 15 hours a week, that is not a lot of time, and poorly booking a segment can be quite damaging.
Most of us work in buildings with several music stations. If you notice, the country station is not playing a random Metallica song, and the CHR station is not playing a song that is not a hit. Why do news/talk shows book guests who just don’t quite fit the expectations of the listeners or the mission of the station?
Interview Length and the Corporate Booker
What is a good interview length? I often find the shorter, the better in morning and afternoon drive. Let’s say your first segment in the hour is nine minutes. Don’t book the guest for nine minutes; set them up for up to nine minutes.
Here is an idea for larger companies that have cut down on producers: How about a corporate booker? This person would make the calls, pre-interview the guest, and provide a cheat sheet for the host. This would allow for corporate financial efficiency while setting up hosts with the best possible outcome for their shows.
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