Faq: How Do I Respond Publicly to Station Mandated Changes to My Show?
Q: Station management has made a change to your show— reducing the length of the show, moving your daypart, or a change to the co-host lineup. The decision was out of your control and you’re not necessarily excited about the change. How do you respond on social media?
A: This is a tough one. No matter where you work or what industry you work in, sometimes decisions are made that you’re not excited about and are outside of your control. When you work in media and the decision is about your show, it feels much more personal— and it is! Because you are the face (and voice) of your show, listeners sound-off to you directly. While you might want to say, “This wasn’t our choice” or “We don’t like this either,” your responsibility is to support the decision. That might feel phony or it might be difficult to do, but it’s part of your job. Here are four tips for responding publicly to changes to your show:
- Hold off on responding or sharing a statement until your feelings are less raw if you need to.
- Keep your statement and responses short and sweet. You don’t owe listeners a monologue on your feelings about the change.
- Don’t be negative. Being nasty about the station’s change not only may cost you your job, but it could cost you your listeners. Hearing talent badmouthing their station publicly is like watching your married friends fight at a dinner party they’re hosting— it’s awkward and uncomfortable and doesn’t make you want to come back.
- Take this as an opportunity to remind listeners of all the ways they can engage outside of the on-air show— promote your social media accounts, blog or podcast.
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