It’s something I catch myself thinking a lot when I’m listening to the radio. Not just commercial radio, but community and hospital radio too. Not because I don’t want to hear what the presenter has to say – but because so often what they’re yapping about feels unplanned, unprepared and sometimes just.. filler. And if I hear “national days” without a point… you’re finished.
We all hear this sometimes
- Presenters laughing at an in-joke only they understand
- Someone clearly padding just to backtime
- Or worse, a presenter battling it out with the artist, by RUINING the last 30 seconds of the song by talking all over it.
None of these things make for a good listen.
Always be ready.
The difference between great radio and average radio is preparation. Don’t script every word, but always have something ready. Maybe a short, sharable story, a bit of showbiz or even something you’ve spotted online that you can drop in quickly.
The point is, when you’re prepared, you’re not scrambling to fill silence or dragging out a thought that doesn’t really go anywhere. Radio is about momentum, listeners are there to be included, entertained and like every second they have a reason to be there. That only happens if you put the work in beforehand. Even the people who “improvise” prepare – they know what they could drop in when they need to.
Where to find content
I dig for content on all corners of the internet. News sites, Reddit, Mumsnet. You name it I’ve been there. I also pay for On Air Content (formerly Producer Jamie) – it’s about £10/month for personal use. I don’t use it a lot – but it’s a good backup for a slow news day. A lot of the stories are okay, but as it’s sent the day before there’s a lot of older stories on there – and weird “a recent survey has said”. Again, good for backup, but definitely put in the work to prep things yourself.
Don’t waffle. Don’t fill. Have something ready. Respect the listener’s time, and most of all…