05 Mar Air Staff Development
Coaching improves talent performances. A major responsibility of programmers is to motivate, stimulate, counsel, and critique the staff. These intangible “show improvement” sessions should take priority in your organization’s structure.
Aircheck sessions are essential for talent growth. These frequent coaching sessions help talents discover ways to improve their performances and build their skills.
Conduct a weekly coaching session with the DJs, or daily ones with the morning talent(s). Consider these guidelines for analyzing airchecks and offering guidance:
> Some basics are determined by format, yet the station brand name should be the first thing at the end of a song set before commercials and the last thing going back into songs coming out of commercials. This is the key ingredient to brand-building.
> Talents don’t just say the station name; it is sold clearly and enthusiastically, as if it is being delivered to a stranger for the first time.
> The station name is attached to each feature, like news, traffic, and weather, to take ownership and used after stop sets going back into music.
> Plan every show. Use a show prep planner to map out every show element and break. Follow it with focus and discipline. Evaluate the planner in aircheck sessions.
> Localization and relevance are essential. Talents should know what is on their listener’s minds – the big events of the day – and talk about them. Reliability is connecting to the audience.
> Start each segment by immediately getting into the subject. Set the hook with a compelling topic or headline. Listeners leave if the talent doesn’t grab attention within the first eight seconds.
> Telegraph your punches. Set expectations when going into a break of what to expect afterward. Tease the next topic, song, breaking news, or guest.
> Don’t be vague; be specific. Timestamp your appointments. ‘Coming up in the next hour” or “hour number three” is like requesting a doctor’s appointment and not knowing when to show up. Consider saying the exact time or how many minutes until a topic or guest comes up later in the hour.
Don’t be vague; be specific.
John Lund will speak at the NAB Las Vegas on April 6; don’t miss his presentation on “Talent Development & Managing Talent Across Platforms.”