I recently found myself in a rut creatively. As a performer of any trade, it can be a frustrating feeling. As a radio host, it can really make your job drag. All the sudden, 3 hours feels like 5 and nothing you put out for public consumption seems to make an impact.
Our job is so driven by feelings. We don't get real-time stats that tell us if something is clicking with the audience. We don't have a live crowd (most of the time) to react to the things we say or the segments we attempt to pull off. Our jobs require a lot of trial and error where. Ourselves and our co-hosts/producers are holding the ones holding the gavel.
I have found that because of these dynamics, it's really easy to sometimes just run out of creative ways to deliver content, even if it's just the smallest alteration. I don't like the idea of doing the same exact radio show day in and day out. While there's something to be said for consistency, I try and provide that while pushing away from monotony.
The good news is that I've been able to climb out of this recent rut. I feel like I'm thriving creatively. I'm enjoying the show I host as I should be, and I'm confident in the content being delivered to my audience daily. I'm sure you are all on the edge of your seat wondering how I've achieved this. Well, the answer is actually pretty simple. It's you.
Recently, I've really made it a point to sample as many sports talk radio stations as I can. I've built it into my daily routine. I fly around the country each morning listening to the best and brightest from WEEI in Boston, The Ticket in Dallas, WQAM in Miami, 670 The Score in Chicago, WFAN in New York, 94WIP in Philly, 105.7 The Fan in Baltimore, KNBR in San Francisco, WDAE in Tampa, and KJR in Seattle.
Sampling these individual stations has provided me with more ideas and confidence in what I'm doing than I could've ever hoped for. I'm 10 years into my radio career but only 3 years into hosting my own show, I've got plenty to learn, and who better to learn from than the best in our industry today? I think this strategy can be implemented no matter the length of your run in radio.
In fact, the longer you've been in the business, the more you might need it. I think many of us tend to get stuck doing the same shows over and over again. If you've been doing things the same way for 30 years and no one's told you to do it any different, why would you? It's healthy to keep things fresh. That's something I value as a host and I like to think the audience appreciates it as well. I have taken the time to listen to each of these stations throughout the past few weeks in morning drive, and it has done wonders. Not only has it reinvigorated my creative side, it's also a refreshing reminder of just how many sports talk stations there are around the country that are doing things at an optimal level, or something close to it.
I think it's worth noting that I'm not listening for the content when sampling these other stations, anything but that. I'm listening for style, delivery, how hosts come in and out of the break, imaging, the use of drops/audio, and how different voices play their roles on each show. I want to know how these shows involve their audience and the balance between local and national stories.
There's no shame in taking something you hear that originated hundreds of miles away and making it your own for your local audience. Every great artist draws inspiration from others. There's a famous saying from Picasso: "Bad artists copy, good artists steal."
If you're in a rut or if you just need some inspiration, use those who are doing the same thing as you every day as that source. Use apps like Audacy, iHeart, and TuneIn. Pinpoint radio stations you respect and markets you figure do things right. Then, pluck things from around the country that you think would work for you. Take your own nationwide radio tour, I think you'll be surprised at how much it can assist you in being a better host, producer, or program director.
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