Are You Prepared?

Not only do I program radio stations, coach talent, help sales come up with compelling content to sell and find new ways to market the radio stations I work with, but I also am an on-air talent. I won't sell myself short, I am decent on the air. Some people will tell you I am pretty good, which I accept the compliment graciously and appreciate the kind words.

But that wasn't always the case. The simple reason, I didn't walk in prepared.

I used to walk into the studio and think that I was going to "just wing it". Keep in mind, this was before the days of voice-tracking, computers connected to the internet and social media. I learned very quickly, that wasn't going to work. My bosses would air check me and were (I thought) just being hard on me because that was their job. I didn't get that doing an airshift meant being prepared, until one boss, Bill West, took the time to help me develop the skills of prep work.

That one boss taught me that walking in prepared, made me a better on-air talent and made me more confident in my craft. If I knew what I was going to say before I walked in the studio, I had the potential to make magic. I was ready to execute. I had time to come up with a better way to say what I had planned, create an "in" and an "out", etc. Many years later, I still hold on to those basics and have studied the styles and crafts of some of the best air talents, consultants, PDs and OMs to apply the skills of being commanding, the authority and fun.

I stopped "winging it" and came in prepared and it boded well for my career. Over my ladder climbing to many markets, I took notice of who was prepared and who wasn't. I especially noticed this, as TVs that were set to the weather channel were removed and internet computers were placed in the studios. This one factor has changed how a lot of people execute their shows. I would see fewer and fewer people entering the studios with any kind of prep.

Don't get me wrong, computers in the studio (and especially smartphones) have been a game changer when it comes to weather, breaking information and the ability to interact more effectively with the audience via social media and email.

However, what is has done to a lot of talent is make them lazy and distracted, but it isn't always their fault. It is how the world is working in all industries and walks of life. Social media is a blessing and a curse.

Some jocks, like myself, prep in the evening and/or the morning before work or when they get to the office. Today I see a lot more on-air talent that walk into the studio, lot onto the prep sites and hit on all of the old material that the morning show used. Others sit on Facebook, Twitter or surf the web to during their shows and see what they can find in between breaks.

This is dangerous. I have seen more blown breaks because the talent didn't dig deep enough into the content to see what the REAL meat of the story is or how to enter or exit the break.

OK, I will admit, there is a value to knowing what is happening in the "now" world we live in. SOME talent can pull it off. But there is a greater number who cannot and it is bringing down the quality of what your radio station can do in garnering the audience needed.

How do we fix this problem? Take the time, the effort and develop a plan for each talent to be prepared before walking in the studio. In this world of multi-tasking, it can be done where an air-talent is amazing live or voice tracked.

If this is a problem, let's talk. Prep and talent development is one of my strong suits...and prep doesn't have to be from the internet. Part of it is life.

Let's talk about how to turn that corner, where the entertainment value is not only the format you are presenting, but the human being between the music.

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