THE ELEMENTS OF GOOD TALK RADIO EXPLAINED

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HIGH SILLINESS IN THE LAND OF THE FREE

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Volume 546                                 July 11, 2021

 

WHAT MAKES GOOD TALK RADIO

A primer for the hosts of talk radio

Good talk radio is composed of a number of things.  It must, first and foremost, have a good radio host.  This should be someone who genuinely wants to air the opinions of others, respects those who offer their opinions, and can discuss their opinions with some knowledge of the subject.  Of course all of this must be done within the bounds of good manners and common courtesy.

I suppose the next thing you look for in good talk radio is the host’s openness to the listening audience such as phone-ins, media-texters, etc.  Relying on the general public for content is at the heart of good talk radio.  Without this, it’s just about impossible for the host to keep his or her thumb on the pulse of the public.

A sense of humour is critical in talk radio.  The host can’t continually revel in ‘doom and gloom’ or always be ‘shouting and screaming’.  Too much negativity drives listeners away from any radio programme.  A host must be able to lighten up from time to time.  It’s the host’s responsibility to maintain a balance between the serious, the interesting, the entertaining, and the humorous.

Good guests with questions, answers, and commentary are a wonderful and productive addition to any talk radio show.  Guests should be allowed to field questions from the listening audience.  It shouldn’t be [for example in a 30 minute segment] a half hour diatribe with the guest more or less taking over the show.  Nor should it be a ‘closed discussion’ strictly between host and guest.  Keeping the guest open to listener comments and questions gives the show colour and makes it interesting.

As always, it is important for the host to maintain a balance of hubris/humility.  Of course, when in talk radio, it takes a certain amount of pride in self to make the show work.  This confidence shows on-air and buoys people up as well.  It’s a fact that the audience ‘sees’ your smile as well as your frown. 

Too much hubris turns off listeners, and then they turn off the radio.  It is in such programming that the host succeeds because he or she comes across as ‘the neighbour next door’.

I strive for these things, and you should too.  I'm Max, and that's the way I see it!