5 Quick and Powerful Show Upgrades

(By Jeff McHugh) Even the best computer programs have occasional upgrades to fix a few bugs; the same goes for radio and podcast programs. Here are five small but significant upgrades to consider for your show:

Strong Setup

Problem: many shows start segments that do not capture the short attention span of today’s audience.  Your first words and how you say them in the first few seconds determine if listeners stay tuned. Weak setups include:

• Rote, auto-pilot delivery of station name, slogan, show name, time check, temperature, etc.

• Produced preambles that delay the segment
• Hosts repeating the show name right after produced IDs already said it
• Back-selling well-known artists and song titles
• Unclear, meandering, or too conversational opens

Instead, open with a BLUF: Bottom Line Up Front. I learned this term from military servicemen and women trained to get to the point first and deliver supporting details afterward.

Successful presenters in all media begin with an immediate hook first and show mechanics second.

Strong Language

Problem: Filler words and phrases that do not add meaning to the segment cause your audience’s brain to zone out. Weak language includes:

• Meaningless sounds such as um, er, and ah, etc.
• Mindless words such as like, so, basically, actually
• Unneeded qualifiers such as in my opinion, to be honest, and with all due respect

Instead, remember that fewer words equal more power. No one is suggesting that you become a perfectly scripted TV news anchor. In fact, some computer AI voices are taught to say an occasional “um” to seem more natural. However, all of us can learn to be more precise, concise, and impactful.

Be A Missile, Not A Bumblebee

Problem: “Non sequitur” is the Latin phrase for “does not follow what was previously said.” Zig-zags and conversational tangents that go off-topic may feel natural to hosts but can cause the audience to lose interest.

Instead, sketch out each show segment from setup to the exit and start by keeping the conversational car between the ditches, so to speak. But if going off-road is more fun, go for it.

Ironically, great shows have stronger improvisation by planning how they hope the conversation will go, giving them more confidence to balance discipline with spontaneity when those magic, unexpected moments happen.

Mow the grass once

Problem: Reiteration is uninteresting. Presenters sometimes restate their point with a little rephrasing or repeat something someone else has already said. Sometimes, hosts get into circular debates. I call this mowing the same grass twice.

Instead, mow the grass once. Practice making a point clearly before introducing new ideas and stories that move the conversation forward – another reason to sketch out the segment from setup to exit before airtime.

Clear the runway

Problem: talk-over and hosts who interrupt others frustrate the audience. On many shows and in the workplace, women are often interrupted more than men — even by other women, which evokes a strong negative reaction from women in the audience. Think of it as two airplanes on the same runway, resulting in a fiery crash.

Instead, these techniques can be used to control air traffic to avoid “incursions” and runway collisions.

• Establish mic order. Sketch out who is talking first, second, and third before the segment. It’s not a strict script but a road map guideline.
• Listening. Silence is better than talk-overs and interruptions. The best team players wait a half-second before responding. Silence is natural and respectful, and it draws people in.
• Eye contact and hand signals. Set up your studio so that all players can see everyone else’s eyes, gestures, and expressions. Shows with hosts in different locations use video screens for nonverbal communication.

Jeff McHugh is known for developing remarkable talent for both morning and afternoon drive. He brings an uncommon mix of positivity, creativity, and strategy to the shows that he coaches. He is a member of the team at the Randy Lane Company. Reach Jeff at [email protected] and read his Radio Ink archives here.