The Magic Of Audio Storytelling

When Cumulus Media’s Chief Content Officer Brian Philips was President of CMT, I asked him if being in television had given him a fresh perspective on radio. Brian said, “TV is a visual medium, and it’s all about video. Radio is an audio medium, and it generally does a poor job with audio.” 

Radio is facing a fierce audio battle. Podcasting and audiobooks are still strong, and Edison’s recent study revealed that over half of Americans have at least one audio subscription service.

One of the ways radio can thrive in the mix of all this competition is to focus on its strength, audio.

The missing element in radio storytelling.

Storytelling is a key ingredient in A-level content across all media, including radio. What’s the missing element in most radio storytelling? Immersive storytelling that includes sound effects, sound bites, and music.

Immersive storytelling with sound adds emotional depth and engages listeners in ways words cannot.

Here are three shows with audio that demonstrate the entertainment value of audio storytelling:

• We hear many shows use generic music beds throughout their show with no relation to the content. KRTH 101 LA’s top morning host, Gary Bryan, and cohost Lisa Stanley often use sound effects and clips in concert with the content and to elevate the dynamics in their entertainment benchmark. Listen to this example.
• Jack FM’s former Vancouver morning show, Kiah & Tara Jean, used sound effects in their “Who Saw You Naked” topic. Notice the drum beat while Kiah is hopping and the electronic effect bridge from the story to their commentary. Enjoy the audio here.
• In Preston & Steve’s daily “Bizarre Files” feature at WMMR Philly, Steve provides character voices, and they utilize production effects to illustrate their stories. Check out one of their stories here.
• Audio teases make more impact. When you have audio coming up in story features like news, trending, or good news, play a snippet of the audio in the tease, and it’ll drive more listeners to hear the story. Here’s an excellent example from WKZL Greensboro, NC’s Jared & Katie. Listen here.

Tips for Creating Immersive Audio Stories

1. Write visually and sonically: Imagine how a story sounds as much as how it reads.
2. Use sound to show, not tell: Let listeners discover the world through audio cues.
3. Have a checklist of audio tools in your planning process, including:

• Sound effects (real life and electronic)
• Music
• Sound bites and clips
• TV shows, streaming series, and movies always need a clip for context.