Talk Radio/Podcasts

Talk radio is one of the oldest forms of sports media. The radio has been a way that people have gotten their sports news forever. Now with podcasts becoming more and more popular around the world it seems that sports radio has started an entirely new era. What exactly makes a sports radio show good though? With the growing popularity of this form of sports talk growing here are some tips on how to make your show stick out from all the others.

First things first, before you start your show its obvious what you must do, what is it going to be bout? What are you going to talk about? What type of show are you trying to put on? This all must be decided before you start your first show. First off if you have a sport that you consider yourself an expert on you should probably center on that. You don’t want to get on air and have to think about what you need to talk about every single day it should come natural to you and the show should have a good flow to it. Remember you should be talking at all times dead air is a sin in the radio world!

Now that you’ve decided on what you’re going to talk about its time to decide on the mood of the show. What type of feel do you want your audience to have while they listen to you? Remember it’s a sports show so there’s no need to be too serious about what you’re talking about. Sports are meant to be fun so talking about them should be no different! That being said you want to find a good balance between the humor you try to use and the information you are conveying to your audience. A show that trys to be to silly can steer people away from listening just as much as a show that is too stiff in serious. Finding this balance can be tricky but is crucial when it comes to making your show work.

Another thing to consider is that doing it by yourself will never work. People don’t want to listen to one person talk to themselves for an entire time slot. Getting a cohost can create so many more opportunities for your show to be great. A good back and forth between two people can create the debate that people love to listen to. Now the debate isn’t all you need from having a cohost on your show. If two people constantly disagree this can also become stale and turn your audience away. Be sure to get a good balance between agreeing and disagreeing when it comes to choosing a cohost.

A cohost is important to a shows success but won’t make or break it. That being said what should you do if you can’t find yourself a cohost that works for you? Again, you surely can’t fill all that time up by yourself. A good way to fill time on a radio show is to take calls from your listeners. Having people call in to ask you questions is a great way to fill time and content. Remember people who call into your show think you’re an expert on whatever topic you’re talking about. You should be able to answer all of their questions and provide them with solid feedback.

Coming up with a good show can be tricky and usually doesn’t happen overnight. Many broadcasters try at making a successful show for years before they find something that works for them. Much like everything we talk about in this blog is to not be discouraged if at first you don’t succeed. Keep trying different formulas until you get one that works out for you. What are some sports shows you like to listen to? Do they follow similar formats like the ones I’ve listed above? Leave your answers in the comment section and remember, never stop reporting!

TV vs. Radio

In my first two blogs I’ve gone over some of the keys to sports reporting. I spoke on some tactics to help you stick out in a crowd and I also spoke briefly on how it is important to never quit on what you want to do regardless of failures. Today I want to focus on choosing a field that fits you best when talking about reporting. You need to decide if you would be best suited for television, radio or the possibility of making a splash in both.

When it comes to sports reporting one thing you cannot avoid is having to write about the events that you attend. Writing comes with the business so it’s something you’ll have to deal with whether you want to focus on television or the radio. Aside from that and a few other similarities there are many different aspects that impact both fields in separate ways.

First things first you need to look at all of the different positions there are when it comes to reporting sports on television and the radio. You need to look at the off-air positions and see if they interest you. Remember the aspect of getting the program you’re reporting for on the air is just as important as the people that are seen on the broadcast. Producers and directors are commonly overlooked when it comes to a production and this may be one of the biggest oversights in media. Even working on the sidelines is something that can help you to get into that top position in that spotlight that you have been trying for.

Now that we have looked at the behind the scenes aspects of both fields let’s talk about the thing that everyone looks to become, the on air positions. Though both fields (radio and television) contain similar speaking positions they also have many many differences. Let’s focus on how to convey you’re event on both of the outlets.

Let’s start with radio because ive found this to be the more difficult of the two. Obviously, the biggest issue with radio is that the viewer can’t see what you are looking at. Because of this you need to paint a much more vivid picture. You need to describe everything that happens at all times. You need to be speaking constantly. In some cases, talking to much can ruin a broadcast but here it only helps the picture you’re trying to create.

Now television is a bit of an easier outlet but nonetheless takes some work and you need to speak with distinction and convey a vivid picture of what’s happening around you. However, the thing about television that’s most obvious is that, They’re watching it on television! You obviously still need to be descriptive but the picture you paint can be less vivid and you can let the action speak for itself.

All forms of media outlets require a large amount of work and it takes a committed person to be good at it. But with practice anything can become possible. What kind of position do you think would best fit you in the field of sports media? Leave a comment below and don’t forget to subscribe!