Does “Live and Local” Mean You Need To Be Live or Local?

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(By Mike McVay) It’s been an argument among air-talent and Program Directors for a long time.  I’ve heard some argue that “Live and local can beat pre-recorded and/or not local … every day of the week.”  That’s what we thought, but it’s not reality. There are many examples of nationally syndicated or voice-tracked talent who have outperformed local talent. The same holds true from the other side of the argument where locally live talent have beaten recorded, syndicated and not-locally originating talent. 

The question becomes; what are the keys to success for being syndicated or voice-tracked versus being live and local? The keys are, actually, what all talent should focus on, regardless of their point of origination.

  • Learn about the market. What’s unique to the community. There are similarities across almost all markets in North America, but there are also great differences. New Orleans is unlike any other city in the USA. Austin is unique. Denver is unlike other cities of its size. Montreal and Toronto are dramatically different cities. Same for Los Angeles and New York City. Regardless of size and location, each community has something unique to it. Learn what that is to be able to relate to it.
  • Learn about the audience. What type of people listen to the radio station on which your show airs? Understand their lifestyles, their likes, wants and desires. Their habits. Where do most of them work? What’s the heritage and lineage of these potential listeners? What’s the history of the radio station and other radio stations that you’re competing against?
  • What are the best websites to assist with show prep from this market? Where can you learn what’s news in the community, what’s trending, what social media sites exist for this community? Almost every community has a Facebook group that will help you know what’s being talked about by residents of the market.
  • The Program Director and Promotion Director should communicate with the talent, network, syndicated or voice-tracked, as if they were a local talent in the market. Copy them on your interstation memo’s. Share with them what’s to be promoted or mentioned on the air. 

The reason that some voice-tracked talent sound better than local in-market talk is because they work harder to be prepared than the talent who shows-up and “wings it.” There are some who believe that operating remotely during this pandemic, has been beneficial to the talents show, as they’ve had to be better prepared. 

If you’re not in the market, you need to work harder than those that are, to outperform them. 

Mike McVay is President of McVay Media and can be reached at [email protected]

4 COMMENTS

  1. ‘Does “Live and Local” Mean You Need To Be Live or Local ‘ is an excellent article. The elements are fundamental (or once were) and ought to be required reading for anyone on the air, or aspire to be, live and local or prerecorded.

    J Thomas Smith,
    (Formerly KMJQ-Radio One Houston)

  2. I have spent my entire 50+ year career in radio in small rural markets. I now own and operate my own FM station in rural MN. I can tell you with certainty that being local has more to do with heavy community involvement than it does with what you are putting out over the air. It’s hard to be immersed in the community when you’re 100 miles away. Listeners aren’t stupid, they know.

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