Blog

In our pervasive world of screens, handwriting is fading into obscurity. But wait, is this a good thing? The research says no. Princeton and UCLA researchers Pam Mueller and Daniel Oppenheimer tested over 300 students taking notes during class lectures. The students taking notes by handwriting retained significantly more ideas than those who typed notes on […]

My friend, colleague, and Radio Hall of Famer Downtown Joe Bryant was a co-host on The Bob Rivers Show for 25 years at KISW, KZOK, and KJR Seattle. Joe is celebrating his 10th anniversary as the General Manager and Broadcast Media Instructor for KMIH 889, The Bridge, Mercer Island High School in Seattle. Joe mentors high school students and inspires […]

Knowing how your brain works sets you up for exceptional performance. Dr. John Medina’s book, Brain Rules, reveals scientific studies that directly apply to radio and podcast performers and management. Here are Medina’s most actionable brain rules for peak performance: ATTENTION We don’t pay attention to boring things. Medina says, “Introductions are everything!” Our brains must […]

The key question to creating sticky A-level content is, “Will the premise lead to stories, humor, conflict, drama, character reveals, or engaging listener interaction?” Avoid these premises if you want to create captivating content. 1.   Yes/no topics: “Have you ever fantasized about a coworker?” is a dead-end topic ending in yes or no responses from listeners.  “How did your crush on a […]

If you are heading out of the studio to broadcast a radiothon for St. Jude, your local charity, or at a theme park, consider this checklist as you pack your headphones. 1.    Plan more. If you spend two hours a day planning a show in the studio, plan to spend four for an on-location show. If […]

Radio lost one of its most creative and inspiring personalities earlier this week. The Bob Rivers Show with Bob, Spike, and Joe dominated morning ratings in Seattle for 25 years. Before Bob and I began working together in the early 2000s at KZOK Seattle, I viewed his show primarily through his Twisted Tunes parodies. However, I soon […]

Conflict is the driving force of storytelling. It creates tension, stakes, and emotional investment, keeping audiences engaged. Without conflict, a story lacks mystery, suspense, and “What will happen next?” When you’re considering a story for your show, ask, “What’s at stake in this story?” Answering that question gives you an indication of your story’s strength. […]

How did Microsoft measure goldfish’s attention span to be 9 seconds and humans’ to be 8? Well, they didn’t research goldfish attention spans. It turns out that’s a myth you’ve probably read about. But it illustrates a great point. People are increasingly impatient with technology today, including radio. When talents start talking, non-P1/cume listeners with […]

Our guest blog this week is from my friend, Paul Kaye. He is the Vice President and Head of Audio Business for Rogers Sports & Media in Canada. Paul has also been head of Talent Development, Music Brands, and TV Production for Rogers. Whether you are talent, management, or corporate, Paul’s blog on comparison will […]

In our workshops, we define each player’s role on the show. We identify the mic order, who is the heart of the show, who is the lightning rod player, and so on. One of the most crucial discussions is who decides what content gets on the show or if it is a team collaboration. This […]