Avoid The 'Manufactured' Hour

We are in a technological shift the likes of which the world has never seen. Consequently, most of the content broadcast is easily accessible to your audience in other places: radio, internet, iPod, TV, even on their cell phones. Because of this, it is easy for a listener to think: "I've heard that before," then, if bored, they tune out. Focus groups show that when news or talk content is presented in a dry or boring way, audiences can't even remember what they have heard fifteen minutes after they've heard it! It doesn't stick.

Audiences want it real. They do not want to hear "And now, another topic manufactured to fill air time on the radio!" Today's audiences want to feel as though they are in the room with a host who is a real person. To win ratings now, we need personalities as compelling as the stories they are telling.

You can hear it on air when a host isn't connected to the topic or subject... when it sounds fake or "manufactured" for air, which never works as well. In an aircheck session, the first question is always: "Is this something that really matters or is interesting to you? Would you talk about this off air with your friends, or is this something "manufactured" to fill an hour of air time?

I work with stations all over the world to get, keep and grow audiences. We do this by working with personalities and show content, based on three rules:

1. Tell the Truth.
2. Make it Matter.
3. Never Be Boring.

There are no boring stories, only boring storytellers. If your show host is interested in or connected to a topic, he or she will find a way to make it matter. If that cannot be done, drop the topic.

Using real life experiences as show prep is one way to keep it sounding authentic. When topics come from life, it works. And show prep happens twenty-four-hours a day, seven-days-a-week. Not just an hour before the show starts.

News items can certainly be great talk show material, but avoid newspaper dependency. Why? Everybody has access to the same newspapers. While you might locate a quirky item nobody else has noticed, what frequently happens is that every host in town picks the same items from the same papers, and you are no longer unique. Add to that, the fact that the paper covers what happened the day before, and you have become the station that covers "yesterday's news." Of course if there is a major story unfolding, don't ignore it. Strike a balance.

One of the strengths of broadcasting, is that it's NOW. Why do talk hosts and producers feel safe "bringing the newspaper to life?" It's easy, quick and you don't have to think very much to do it. But if the listener has already read the story in the paper, seen it on TV, heard all about it on the way to work, it is then important to ask what are YOU doing that makes the story different? If you have nothing real to add, your listener is likely to say "Oh, I've heard it," and tune out.

Ask: "What is new here? If the answer is, "We have no new information and the listeners have heard all about it," then covering the story again creates an hour that sounds "manufactured."

At the start of every break a host should make clear: "Here is WHY you should be listening now. Here is why it matters, and here is what is in it for you." A show that does those things will not sound manufactured or be boring.

How To Grow Talent And Get Ratings Results

Managers often ask me, "What is with these talk show hosts? How come I have to hold their hands all the time? Why won't they just do their jobs and bring me the ratings?

Once you have a personality on air, it's not enough to just "let them cook." Top personalities take time to develop. It is a process. But the way to speed up that process is through regular airchecking sessions and "self" checking to help personalities grow to the next level.

Airchecking, which often looks like handholding to managers, is actually a proven, successful, concrete and replicable process. If a manager does not have time, or is not comfortable with this process, the work should be delegated to someone who has skill in this area. Combining good air talent with regular competent airchecking is a proven formula for achieving ratings growth.

Geller Media International has developed specific criteria for airchecking using the audio or video of the broadcast as our platform:

1. Can the listener connect personally with this host? Or is the host speaking to "all those listeners out there?"
2. Is the host using visual language? Do you "see" the story?
3. Is there passion, fun, or humor?
4. Is this a powerful story affecting the listener's health, emotion, or money?
5. Is there a "talkable topic," the listener can discuss later with others? Would the host talk about this off air?
6. Are there characters we can care about?
7. Are you taking the listener on a journey?
8. Is this information that can't be found elsewhere?
9. Is it personal without being private?
10. Does it feel long? In broadcasting, time is flexible. If a topic is powerful, five minutes seems to pass in seconds. If a topic or host is dull -- a one minute piece will feel like it drags on forever. Drop it immediately and go on to something else.

Regular and effective airchecking ensures that your station always has something real and compelling - not manufactured and boring - to offer your listeners, which will result in increased ratings for your station.