As an author and radio host, I feel privileged to be able to sit on either side of the microphone. Do I prefer one over the other? Possibly, but both can be exciting experiences if done right.
The role of radio host is no different from being a presenter/hostess in one’s home. Both of these situations require us to be hospitable and make sure our guests have everything they need to be comfortable and relaxed.
When we are in our homes, we make sure there are no awkward silences or embarrassing moments to distress them, being prepared to strike up a conversation and pick up the slack by filling in the blanks in the conversation, asking them about their families, work, stories of our own, world news and of course, if all else fails, ‘the weather’! Our job as a hostess is to make sure that our guest feels at home and is very happy that they came to visit us. It is exactly the same when a Guest visits our Radio Show. They are entering our workspace, so host rules apply. I say SHOULD, as there is a growing trend emerging among some radio hosts, where the GUEST is not only asked to do all the work, but also to pay for the privilege. Are you kidding me?
If you host a VANITY show, then admit that’s what it is. If you’ve decided to pay someone a lot of money to host a show (when you can do it practically for free), then that’s a decision you’ve made. Your guests shouldn’t have to pay you for it. They are the ones who MAKE your show. Without them, you’re a one-voiced wonder, unless that’s the actual premise of your show, which is great!
I must admit that I have turned down interviews because of the amount of work a host wants me to do just to be on their show. What exactly do I mean? Over and over again, they ask me to submit a list of 10 questions, write my own introduction, submit a bio with the exact number of words they want, advertise or pay them, and basically deliver an interview on a basket in my time. and my dime! All for a 10-minute interview with someone who doesn’t even have a following or a radio background. HELLO!!! What’s wrong with this image?
I guess the question then is, “What is considered to be the job of a radio announcer?” In my lexicon, they are journalists and as such they must find, research, write and decide what their program includes, what will make it interesting and research facts about their guests to delight, recognize and support them. Heck, I even hope you read his books! (Please don’t give me the bullshit you don’t have time). When you put this type of work on your show, you’ll be amazed at the reactions of your guests. His respect for you goes up A LOT. They promote the interview more and the quality of your program and your work begins to shine.
It’s important that you ask meaningful questions that result in an interesting, if not passionate, dialogue between you, your guests, and most importantly, your listeners! If you’re lucky enough to get a call-in on the show, it’s important to remember that not everyone listens live, so your job is to ask questions a listener might want to ask themselves. How can you do that if ALL you know about your guest is the 10 questions you asked them?
As a guest, I find it VERY boring to be asked the SAME 10 questions about my book and my work. Believe me after the tenth interview I feel robotic. It’s hard to remain enthusiastic about a topic your interviewer has no interest in beyond the questions he provided. No back and forth, no thoughts of your own on the subject. To be honest, I probably don’t even want to share this interview with my listeners or followers. Why do you ask? Because I should? My audience has already heard the answers to these questions ad nauseam. They crave something new and different and so do I.
If you want to be a better journalist (and that’s what being a radio host means), I suggest you stop taking the easy way out and start really putting in the effort on your shows. They will certainly improve from both a content and audience standpoint, as will their skills.
My guests really appreciated knowing that I looked after them during an interview and were always VERY pleasantly surprised that I was able to cite their books.
We already discussed that the role of a host is to make sure our guests feel comfortable and supported. Remember that, for the most part, your guests/authors are not artists, but YOU ARE. If you had actually read the book or material that endeared you to these people as guests, then you could remind them of the material or scenes from their books to let them know when they get stuck.
Being a radio host is a really fun role and being a guest on the radio is great too, because it shows that you have something important to say.