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How to write an effective radio station presentation

An effective radio station presentation can be a powerful tool for attracting listeners, securing sponsorships, and promoting your station. Here are a few tips for writing an effective radio station presentation:

• Define your audience: Before you start writing, think about who your presentation is for. This could be potential sponsors , listeners , or other stakeholders . Knowing your audience will help you tailor your presentation to their needs and interests.
• Identify your key message: Determine the main message you want to convey in your presentation. This could be the unique value proposition of your radio station , its target audience, or its programming.
• Organize your content: Organize your content in a logical and coherent way , using headings and subheadings to break up the information and make it easier to follow.
• Use visuals: Incorporate visuals such as graphs, charts , and images to help illustrate your points and make your presentation more engaging.
• Practice your delivery: Practice your presentation beforehand to ensure that you are comfortable and confident when delivering it. Consider using slides or other visual aids to help guide your delivery.

Overall, an effective radio station presentation requires a clear understanding of your audience , a strong key message, and well-organized content. By following these tips, you can create a presentation that effectively promotes your radio station and engages your audience.

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How to Write a Script for Your Live Radio Event

Article last updated in June 2023

Radio scriptwriting is one of the secrets of being a great live radio broadcaster . While many people assume that live broadcasters come up with all their content on the spot, successful radio professionals often plan carefully, just as professional actors rehearse extensively, so their delivery seems spontaneous.

Planning out your live radio event is the best way to ensure you're prepared and deliver the best possible content to your listeners. Creating a script is one of the most effective ways to plan your event. A script can help keep you focused and give you the direction you need as you move through your live radio show. Plus, since the event is live, a script can come in handy if you ever find yourself at a loss for words.

To help you start, we gathered our best tips for creating a script. In this blog, we'll showcase the benefits of writing radio scripts. Then we'll examine different script types, how they differ, and what they require.

Next, we'll offer best practices for how to write a radio script, including what to do when writing scripts for other presenters. Finally, we'll provide some broadcasting script examples to illustrate how optimal scripting guidelines look in practice.

Main Takeaways From This Article:

• Radio scripts help you plan your content to improve audience engagement, avoid stumbling over what to say, and minimize dead air time.
• Major radio broadcast script types include music radio scripts, talk radio scripts, and commercial scripts.
• To write an effective radio script, use good structure, write as if you're speaking, paint word pictures, keep it concise, and allow for flexibility.
• When writing radio scripts for other presenters, use their voice by getting their input, adding distinctive phrases, and avoiding terminology that would sound unnatural.
• Use examples of broadcasting scripts as templates to guide your original scripts.
• Get your radio script on the air by broadcasting with Live365.

Why You Should Write Radio Scripts

Some people may be afraid that writing scripts can make you sound artificial. But the reality is your spontaneous words reflect subconscious scripts based on how you've been talking for years, and you're using scripts whether you know it or not. Planning and rehearsing a script simply gives you conscious control over what you say. While on-the-fly presenting may occasionally work for some people with natural or trained speaking talent, for most people, you'll get better results by using a script. This doesn't mean you can't be spontaneous if you use scripts, either. As we'll explain later, you can write flexibility into your scripts and ad-lib strategically when it makes sense.

Writing scripts for your radio broadcasts can produce significant benefits. Some of the most important benefits include:

• Planning your content to maximize listener engagement and trust
• Providing a fallback structure in case you struggle over what to say next
• Avoiding dead air time

Let's look at how scripting promotes these benefits:

Planning Your Content to Maximize Listener Engagement and Trust

You can plan exactly what to say when you write a script for your broadcast. This gives you better control over organizing your presentation and choosing your words for the desired effect on listeners. You can consider different versions of your script to determine which will sound better for your audience. This is a best practice followed by many entertainment professionals. For instance, some professional comedians test different versions of a joke at nightclubs to see which version gets the best laugh and how different audiences react to minor changes.

Tweaking your script to tailor it for your listeners improves the quality of your content, helping you communicate more clearly, deliver more informative presentations, and provide better entertainment value. This helps you maximize audience engagement and earn the trust of new listeners. Your audience will appreciate your extra effort in planning your broadcast, even if they don't know it's scripted.

Providing a Fallback Structure in Case You Struggle Over What to Say Next

Even the best speakers sometimes find themselves drawing a blank. When this happens to you, a script can serve as a fallback structure to help the show move forward, even if you're unsure where to go next. Simply glancing at a script outline or phrase can draw your attention to the right words to trigger your memory or spark your imagination, helping you get back on track. But if you don't have a script to fall back on, your audience may find themselves listening to crickets chirping for an uncomfortably long pause, leaving them wondering whether something's wrong or even questioning your credibility.

Another way a script provides a fallback structure is by giving you a tool to help you rehearse. You can review your script before a broadcast, read it aloud, or even record yourself saying it to see how it sounds. This can help you improve the quality of your script and delivery while drilling it into your memory so that you sound totally natural when it's time to go live. You may even find you sound more spontaneous if you spend more time rehearsing from a script.

Having this type of fallback structure can be especially important if you'll be broadcasting in a second language you're not as fluent in as your primary language. For example, if you're a native Spanish speaker, writing a broadcasting script in English can help you avoid struggling to express yourself because you're unsure of the right words.

Avoiding Dead Air Time

A radio script can help you avoid dead air time by providing a fallback structure. Nothing brings your broadcast to a halt like a long, unscheduled pause. Professional broadcasters consider dead air one of the worst-case scenarios to avoid. On-air silence can make listeners think you've stopped broadcasting, causing them to tune out or change stations. This can cut into advertising revenue, causing your sponsors to pull back. In fact, the Federal Communications Commission even regulates against extended dead air time, and the FCC can fine terrestrial radio stations that exceed dead air limits.

A script protects you against dead air time by telling you exactly what to say to keep the conversation going. Even a weak script is better than long, deathly radio silence.

You even can automate defenses against dead air using scripts. For example, you can set up your internet broadcasting platform to play a prerecorded script if dead air continues too long. This ensures that your internet radio station won't become a victim of prolonged unscheduled silence.

Radio Broadcast Script Types

The main types of radio broadcasts scripts include:

• Music radio scripts
• Talk radio scripts
• Commercial scripts

These script types differ in some key ways. Music scripts may have a looser structure to promote a more improvised, entertaining feel. Talk radio may use more detailed scripts to ensure all content gets covered. Meanwhile, commercial scripts focus on persuasion. All three format types have in common their ability to improve the quality of your programming.

Music Radio Scripts

Music radio formats are structured around songs, but musical segments may be interspersed with quips, news, sports, ads, and other breaks. One of the most important functions of music radio scripts is providing transitions between music tracks and these other elements.

Music radio scripts may use a looser structure to achieve smooth transitions than other script types, relying on loose talking points rather than detailed dialogue. However, more formal scripts may be used as needed.

For example, segments such as news and sports can benefit from detailed scripts. DJ announcers also can develop scripts for frequent routine elements, such as station identification lead-ins or song introductions. These can be recorded for automated efficiency if desired. Distinctive scripted phrases can become part of a station's branding identity.

Talk Radio Scripts (Live and Recorded)

Both live and recorded talk radio shows and podcasts often use detailed scripts. A detailed outline helps cover all key topics and talking points. Some portions may be scripted word-for-word, while others may use a loose structure to guide the discussion and keep it rolling.

Scripts can be helpful when interviewing guests. They allow hosts to plan interview questions. Scripts can be shared with guests beforehand to help them plan their answers. In debate contexts, scripts can be used to plan arguments and rehearse rebuttals.

Commercial Scripts

Commercial segments typically consist of short 30-second spots promoting a product or sponsor. Some ads may be as short as 10 seconds or as long as 60 seconds. The longer the ad, the more the sponsor pays. With every second costing money, every word must count. This makes scripting critical for commercial segments.

Commercial segments typically follow successful formats used in sales copywriting. They should open with an attention-grabbing lead and close with a strong call to action (CTA). The body should draw attention to the problem being addressed, the benefits of the recommended course of action, and the offer being extended.

Stories and personal experiences grab and maintain the audience's attention and invoke emotion. Presentations of problems and benefits should use clear, engaging, and persuasive language that appeals to the audience's hearts and minds. Calls to action can be supported by incentives such as discounts, risk reducers such as guarantees, or urgency increases such as limited-time offers.

The CTA should tell audiences exactly how to respond to the sales offer. Make sure to be clear about any contact information, such as phone numbers or website addresses.

How Do You Write a Good Radio Script?

Writing an effective radio script depends on your presentation's structure, content, and length. Five of the most important best practices to follow are:

• Using good structure
• Writing as if you're speaking
• Painting pictures with words
• Staying concise
• Allowing flexibility

Here are some tips on implementing these guidelines:

Use a Good Structure for Your Radio Broadcasting Script

Narrative structure is important when discussing any topic. Your structure helps you plan your train of thought while helping your audience follow where you're going. Good structure can keep your audience engaged, while poor structure can lose your listeners.

The basic structure for a segment should include several key elements:

• An introduction to the topic and how you plan to cover it
• Reasons why listeners should care about the topic
• Talking points and key supporting details

Introductions should grab the audience's attention with leads and hooks that make the topic sound interesting and relevant. For example, you can use a story to draw listeners in, cite an interesting statistic, or quote a famous person.

Introductions and summaries both help keep audiences oriented throughout your presentation. A good rule of thumb is to tell audiences what you're going to tell them, tell them what you have to say, and then tell them what you told them.

Transitions are vital in keeping listeners engaged as you move from one section of your script to another. Plan transitions to help readers follow your sequence of topics and where you're going.

Your wrap-up determines how your audiences react after your segment ends. Consider what you want them to think about after listening or how you want them to feel after you're done talking.

Write Your Broadcasting Script as if You're Speaking

To keep your tone personal and engaging, your radio scripts should be written using a conversational voice. Scripts should sound like spoken conversations transcribed to the page.

Write as if you're speaking off-the-cuff, complete with contractions and slang. Avoid formal writing that sounds stiff and unnatural.

One way to achieve this is by recording your script in your own words to sound like how you speak. You can transcribe and edit your recording to polish up the structure and vocabulary of your final version.

Paint Pictures with Your Words

Unlike television, where your audience can see you and what you're talking about, radio relies on the audience's imagination. Since your listeners do not have a visual aid, ensure you set the scene whenever necessary. Now, this doesn't mean that you need to talk about every detail of everything you talk about. But be aware that your listeners may need to hear that extra description occasionally to help them picture stories or news items in their heads. Consider what pictures you want the audience to visualize as you talk, and select your vocabulary to paint that image.

Keep It Concise

Keeping your script concise makes it easier to memorize and allows for improvisation and expansion during live broadcasting. To sound natural on-air, you never want to read directly from your script. Keeping your scripts direct and to the point, without unnecessary words or sentences, allows you the space and time to be creative with your delivery.

Give Yourself Flexibility

This point ties into writing your script as if it were spoken aloud. If there are certain words that you want to use on-air, include them in your script. Similarly, include certain items you want to discuss on-air in your script, such as stories, news, or current events.

However, when live broadcasting, give yourself different options for vocabulary and the space to explore what you're particularly interested in talking about. This flexibility can make your live event that much more interesting. In your script, give yourself only what you need to allow that freedom.

How to Write a Radio Script for Other Presenters

When writing a broadcasting script for other presenters, take care to preserve their voice so they sound like themselves instead of you. Write with their voice and personality in mind to create scripts that sound natural to them.

One key to this is getting their input on the script. Share your outline with them and get their thoughts on what to include, expand, or cut out. Ideally, let them see the script for input during the editing process.

Vocabulary selection can help make your script sound more like your presenter. Include distinctive phrases or sayings they're known for.

Sometimes you may have to write a script for someone you don't know well, and you don't know how they will sound. In this case, it can help to give them a broad outline and keep the script less detailed so they don't sound stilted trying to read something that doesn't sound like them.

What Is an Example of a Radio Script? Broadcasting Script Examples

As a guide, we've created our own radio script template examples for music radio and talk radio. Take a look at the radio script template examples below. Remember that these templates are not meant to be complete scripts but examples that can help guide you with writing your own.

Tip: Including the duration for each part of your script will help you schedule your live event duration properly and will help you stay on track with time during live broadcasting.

Music Broadcasting Script Example

Intro: [ Jingle or speech introduction ] (Duration) Cue DJ: "Hello and welcome to the [ Insert radio station name or segment name ] live show. First up is a song by [ Insert artist ]." (Duration) (Artist Notes: Have some facts prepared about the songs/artists that you are playing, and you can use them if you want while on-air. Having facts prepared, but not scripted, gives you the necessary freedom.) Cue track: [ Insert song details and start song ] (Duration) Cue DJ: "That is an absolute classic by [Insert artist] . Now, we've got a lot to talk about today. [ Insert news, story, or gossip here ]." (Duration) (News, Story, Gossip Notes: Have some facts prepared about the stories that you are talking about, and you can use them if you want while on-air. Having facts prepared, but not scripted, gives you the necessary freedom.)

End of segment.

Cue DJ: "Coming up next, we have [ Insert song details ], but first, [ Insert news, story, or anecdote related to song/artist or another topic ]." (Duration) Cue track: [ Insert song details and start song ] (Duration)

End segment.

Cue DJ: "Well, that's the end of our live hour. Thanks so much for tuning in; we've got [ Next scheduled event ] coming up next." (Duration) Outro: [ Speech outro or jingle ] (Duration)

Talk Radio Script Example

Intro: [ Jingle or speech introduction ] (Duration) Cue DJ: "Hello and welcome to the [ Insert radio station name or segment name ] live show. First up is a story about [ Insert story topic here ]." (Duration) Story 1: [ Title of your story ] (Duration) Introduction: [ Summary of story/anecdote that captures the attention of your audience ] Background: [ Tell the bulk of the story/anecdote, including any background info ] Conclusion: [ End the story/anecdote distinctly and memorably ]

News 1: [ Title of your news story ] (Duration) Introduction: [ Summary of news story ] Background: [ Tell the bulk of the news story, including any background info ] Conclusion: [ End the news story distinctly ]

Get Your Radio Broadcasting Script On the Air With Live365

Writing a script for your live event is a great way to ensure you're prepared. However, writing a script does not have to be difficult, nor does it have to be complete with word-for-word what you will say on air. A good script is more of a guide that keeps you on track and gives you the necessary cues but allows you room for personality, creativity, and improvisation.

There's no right or wrong way to make your script. It's your script for your radio station. Just include what you need and organize it in a way that works for you. For your next live event, make a quick script beforehand and see how it can benefit you while on-air.

Are you ready to start airing your scripts on your own station? The Live365 internet radio platform makes getting set up and running easy so you can start getting your scripts on the air. We provide user-friendly tools to plan your programming, schedule automated and live segments, connect with your intended audience, secure digital music licensing rights, and monetize your broadcasts.

Put your radio broadcasting scriptwriting skills to the test with your own station on Live365. Utilize our broadcast management software to bring your broadcast to life. Sign up now to take your live broadcasts to the next level with Live365!

Discover thousands of free stations from every genre of music and talk at Live365.com . Rather listen on our app? Download the Live365 app on iOS or Android. Keep up with the latest news by following us on Facebook ( Live365 (Official) and Live365 Broadcasting ) and Twitter ( @Live365 and @Broadcast365 )! You can also shop Live365 swag and branded merchandise at store.live365.com .

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Awesome Tips on Radio Presenting

• 2022 March 7

Radio presenting is something that may come more naturally to some people. Regardless of your experience in the radio world, it’s important to continue working on your craft. Today we’re sharing our top tips to help you improve your radio presenting skills.

1/ Be prepared for radio presenting

Whether you’re new to radio presenting or have been doing it for years, preparation is a key step for any radio host.

Radio script

To facilitate your radio presenting experience, it’s important to prepare a script for your radio show. This will allow you to outline your show and have a guide that you can easily refer to if necessary. If you feel lost at any given moment, you can simply glance down at your script to get back on track! Plus, it will also help you respect the timing of your shows or segments.

Depending on the subject of your show, you may need to do some research beforehand. Again, a script will help you organise your ideas and make sure you don’t forget anything important!

Discover how to prepare a great radio script

Practice your radio presenting

We all know the saying “practice makes perfect” ! Once you’ve prepared your radio show, take the time to practice speaking about the chosen topic. We suggest that you record yourself in order to get a better idea of what you’re doing well, and what needs improvement.

Practicing can also help you feel more confident when it’s time to broadcast. Remember, the better you know your subject, the less likely you are to stutter or lose your trail of thought.

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Your voice is the main tool when it comes to radio presenting. That being said, you should take care of your voice as you would do with any other piece of important equipment. Take (at least) 10 minutes to warm up your voice and face muscles before doing any kind of radio show. Not only will this help protect your vocal cords from any damage, but it will also help you articulate better and generally improve your diction . Drinking water will also help keep your throat from drying out and putting strain on your voice.

Try these vocal warm ups for radio presenters

2/ Your listeners

Your listeners are the reason that you’re trying to perfect your radio presenting skills, right? The aim of your radio show is to please your listeners and keep them coming back for more. But how?

Know your audience

Knowing who you’re talking to is an essential part of radio presenting. You need to adjust your tone and vocabulary according to who you’re speaking to. This is why it’s extremely important to define a target audience when launching your radio project. The better you know your audience, the easier it will be for you to address them in the right way.

Is your target audience on the younger side? Think about slang words or phrases that they may use and could help you connect with them.

Find out how to define a target audience for your radio

Create a direct link

Making sure that your listeners are part of your radio station instead of just spectators is also key. You need to create a direct link with them and include them as part of your radio shows. There are many ways you can do this, for example:

• Talk TO people, not AT people (“we”, “our”, “us”, “you”…)
• Offer prize draws and contests
• Radio shout-outs
• Take song requests

Be present on social media

Social media is the perfect way for you to build a community and connect with them outside of your radio shows. It will allow you to get feedback from your followers so that you can better understand the content that they like (or don’t like!) Post behind-the-scenes content or teasers on Facebook, Instagram and Twitter to keep your listeners interested. You can also use these platforms to announce upcoming shows!

Read about how to engage your listeners on social networks

3/ Live radio presenting

As you know when it comes to radio broadcasting, you can chose to pre-record your content or to go live on air . Live broadcasts often feel more natural and spontaneous, here are our top tips for live radio presenting.

Test your equipment & software

Before starting your live broadcast, it’s imperative that you do a test run with your equipment and software.

• Equipment : depending on what kind of studio setup you have at home, your equipment will vary. In any case, we invite you to test your microphone, headphones, mixing desk and any other equipment you may be using.
• Software : there are numerous choices when it comes to live broadcasting software. Take the time to test and compare multiple options. Certain software is better adapted for using controllers and mixing desks, whereas others are much simpler with basic features.

Testing your equipment and software beforehand will ensure that you avoid any technical issues live on air.

Discover our full guide to live broadcasting software Which equipment do you need for your radio station?

Broadcast live phone calls

Taking live phone calls from your listeners is a great way to create a closer connection between you. It’s also a fantastic way to broaden your radio presenting skills , as live conversations are much more spontaneous. Learning how to navigate a conversation and keep it going (or knowing when to end it) is all part of a radio host’s job.

Radio presenting with guests

Inviting guests to participate in your radio show is the cherry on top! Again, this calls for preparation. First of all, you need to find a guest (whether it’s an expert on a certain topic, or even someone you know.) Once that’s done, you must establish the topic of your interview which you can discuss with your guest beforehand. This will allow you both to prepare any questions that will be asked, and make sure everyone is comfortable!

By having guests, you bring a breath of fresh air to your radio show. Plus, your listeners may learn something new from this person! The important thing is for you to be comfortable with the person and subject at hand.

Find out how to prepare a great radio interview

4/ Music and radio presenting

Ok, so we obviously have to talk about music in this article! It’s (generally) a big part of a radio station’s content, but it goes further than simply playing a random tune here and there.

Playlists and programs

Our main tip here is simple: stick to playlists & programs that are on theme with your radio station! If you’re trying to create a certain vibe or atmosphere for your radio station, you need to commit 100%. This commitment is shown through you and your personality, but also through the music that you broadcast .

Something you should also be aware of when it comes to radio presenting: avoid repetition on your radio station! Make sure that you have a good rotation of songs and artists so that your listeners don’t get bored.

How to make great playlists for your radio station

Radio presenting via song announcements

Part of your job as a radio host is, of course, to announce the song and artist names. However, you don’t necessarily have to stick to the classic “up next is Shivers by Ed Sheeran” . Why not go a step further and give some sort of fun fact about the artist, song or album? You could also dive into the meaning behind a song, or talk about any upcoming concerts from that artist. There are loads of different ways to make your announcements more interesting!

Licensing and copyright s

It’s imperative that you verify the licensing requirements in order to broadcast legally on your radio station. As a radio host, it’s your responsibility to check with the relative music authorities from the country you are broadcasting from. You could find yourself paying a hefty fine for each song that is not covered by a license.

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If people enjoy your broadcasts and come back for more, you have yourself to thank! You are the person that brings life to the radio station and keeps it going.

Choose a topic you’re passionate about

The more passionate you are about your radio topic , the better. Being passionate about something doesn’t necessarily mean that we know everything there is to know. Perhaps you’re going to interview an expert in a field that fascinates you and you simply want to learn more! In any case, the key is to choose a subject that will show your enthusiasm as it will make your show more compelling and authentic.

25 radio topic ideas to inspire you

More than just a radio host

Radio presenting can be much more than simply being a host. If you started your own Internet radio station , you don’t necessarily have a whole team behind you. This means that you may also have to handle the technical aspects of your broadcast. Incorporating jingles , sweepers , time stamps , etc. can be part of the job so it’s essential that you familiarise yourself with the terms.

Check out our radio terms glossary

Let your personality shine through

Last but certainly not least, be sure to let your personality shine through during your broadcasts! Your personality is what will help differentiate your radio from the rest and give it its own special flare. In turn, this will help people create some sort of attachment to you and your show . So remember: have fun, be authentic and don’t put too much pressure on yourself.

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Radio presenting (Beginner/Advanced)

Presenters must always make their listeners feel like they are with them as they go about their daily routine. Radio presenters must be dynamic, upbeat, imaginative, reactive and extremely knowledgeable about their subject. Discover how to achieve this with the presenters at RFI, who will help you refine your style and expand your skills.

Course objectives:

Understanding the specifics and different types of radio shows

How to write scripts when radio presenting

Voice training

How to interact with listeners

The rules of interviewing and reporting for this type of programme

Understanding the basics of radio presenting

The basic rules of radio presenting

Identifying your listener and choosing topics

Writing for radio presenting

Pitching your voice and adapting it to different music

Techniques for interacting with listeners

Interviews and reports during radio shows

Choosing music

Producing a radio show and creating a rundown

Rules and attitudes when broadcasting

Production, listening, analysis and correction of radio show presenting  

Teaching method:

Recorded practical exercises

Target audience: Radio presenters

Maximum number of trainees: 10

Duration: 5 to 10 days depending on the level of trainees Location: On-site

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• Euskara ( Basque )
• Français ( French )
• Magyar ( Hungarian )
• Español ( Spanish )

PRESENTING STYLES

Brief summary of activity

This is a simple and practical activity, based on listening and examining different examples of presentation for radio and then apply the learning by writing improvised presentations for different programmes.

Aim of the activity

The participants should identify different presentation techniques and styles according to the content of the programme.

Expected Outcomes

At the end of the activities, participants should:

• Understand the importance of presenting different radio programmes
• Being able to outline principles of good presentation techniques for radio.
• Describe the various types of presentation according to the content of the programme.
• Write/prepare presentation of a diversity of programmes

Experience and skills required

The trainer should be familiar with different presentation styles, to be able to guide the discussion and point out the differences between different styles according to the radio programmes.

Infrastructure, setting, resources

Training room, studio/portable recorder, playback device, chairs, laptops/pen and paper,

Recordings of different styles of presenting different genre/features and different music genre programmes, portable recorder/studio, playback device.

Two envelopes:

• Envelope with small pieces of paper naming different programme genres/features;
• An envelope with small pieces of paper naming different music genres.

How the activity should take place

Trainer explains the objectives of the activity and how it will proceed: participants will listen to different examples of presentation, and try to identify what programme gender they fit in. Participants discuss the language, the delivery (fast, slow), the information delivered, etc. in each example.

Offer individual participants/pairs to pick out of the envelope one of the pieces of paper naming a programme genres/features. Each participant/pair should write and record a presentation following the style associated to the genre/feature.

The presentations are played back to the group, and the participant/pair explains why they have chosen the particular language, delivery, the content, etc.

Next, the trainer plays different examples of presentation of music programmes. Again, he asks participants to listen to different examples of presentation, and try to identify what music gender they fit in. Participants discuss the language, the delivery (fast, slow), the information delivered, etc. in each example.

Offer individual participants/pairs to pick out of the envelop one of the pieces of paper naming a music genres. Each participant/pair should write and record a presentation following the style associated to the genre.The presentations are played back to the group, and the participant/pair explains why they have chosen the particular language, delivery, the content, etc.

Recommended max. number of participants and trainees to trainers ratio

10 participants,

Vision impaired/learning difficulties learners 4 participants-1 trainer ratio.

Risk and possible adaptation

Vision Impaired/Blind participant might need to bring a laptop for this activities. They might need headphones to listen to their text before repeating it aloud.

For fun and a challenge, ask participants to use a presentation style associated to a particular genre/feature/music style to present a completely different genre, music or feature.

Tips for Trainers

Distribute, and/or use during the workshop, the handouts Speaking for Radio and Tips for Music Presenters

Analysis and evaluation

Have participants understand the different styles requirements?

Can participant identify the correct information to include in different presentations according to genre?

Are they aware of language usage regulation in the station (strong words, inclusive language, etc)?

Alongside/after interviewing, research and planning a radio programme.

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How to create a radio demo

Creating your radio demo is one of the most important jobs when you’re looking to get into radio presenting. Your radio demo needs to first grab the attention of the listener and then keep them listening for as long as possible while showcasing your talent as a presenter. Producers or programme controllers want to hear your voice, your style, and your personality on the microphone.

Here are some essential tips for creating your radio demo

• Research the radio station you’re applying to and make your demo is specific to that role and the stations style and format. There is no point sending in a demo that is speech based if the station you’re applying to is music based. For example, a local BBC radio station can be very different to a music-based station such as KISS FM or Capital . You may have to create separate demos for different roles you’re applying to.
• Make sure your best work is first. This is going to help grab the attention of who’s listening. Most demos are only listened to for the first 10/20 seconds before the producer/programme controller has made their mind up about you. So make sure you start by making a big impression.
• Keep your radio demo around 2-3 minutes long, no longer. producers/programme controllers are busy people and only have very limited time to listen.
• Don’t include travel or weather reporting on your radio demo. Unless you’re specifically applying for a travel or weather reporter role.
• Think about what’s going to make you stand out from your competition. What is your USP (unique selling point) as a radio presenter? What value do you offer that they can’t find with any other presenter? What is your greatest strength, and the major benefit your audience will get from it.
• Consider having on your radio demo you talking about another show. As a radio presenter it’s part of your job to sell other radio shows on your station so this is something radio producers like to hear.
• Send your radio demo via a SoundCloud link to potential producers and not as an MP3 file. Not only are MP3 files big to send via email, but they can also clog up the receiver’s email. So, not a great way to start a relationship.
• Keep your jingles and idents to a minimum. The producer wants to hear you. In between your links you have a simple woosh sound just to separate them.
• Edit out any music, 2-3 seconds of music is enough to include in your link.
• If you have audio of you working with a co-host, keep this to a minimum and make sure it’s clear to the listener who you are.
• Having an interview on your demo is a great skill to show off, but again make sure this showcases more of you than your guest.
• Keep your radio demo updated, a producer can tell if your demo is dated if you’re speaking about events or items that are years old. If this is the case, they may think you’re out of work or a bit rusty.
• Make sure you demonstrate in your demo that you can start and finish a link.
• Make sure in your demo you’re showcasing all your different skills. If it all sounds the same, chances are the person listening will get board and will turn off. Include things like, your storytelling, promoting an event, any live callers and forward selling any features.
• Always follow up and ask for feedback. Programme controllers and producers are very busy but, make sure you follow up and keep them updated with new content. Work on building a good relationship. This way they will know how keen you are and working on your talent, it’s also more likely they are going to remember you when a position becomes available.

If you need any help or advise breaking into radio presenting or creating your radio demo, our Gemma-Leigh James is on-hand to help you on a 1-1 basis.  Our one-to-one hour virtual presenter training with our industry experts are fully tailored and bespoke to meet your exact requirements, perfect for any level from beginner to experienced. Fore more information or to book your session visit https://presenteracademy.com/mentorship/ .

Start your presenting Journey Today

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by Chris Woodford . Last updated: May 20, 2022.

F ree music, news, and chat wherever you go! Until the Internet came along, nothing could rival the reach of radio —not even television . A radio is a box filled with electronic components that catches radio waves sailing through the air, a bit like a baseball catcher's mitt, and converts them back into sounds your ears can hear. Radio was first developed in the late-19th century and reached the height of its popularity several decades later. Although radio broadcasting is not quite as popular as it once was, the basic idea of wireless communication remains hugely important: in the last few years, radio has become the heart of new technologies such as wireless Internet , cellphones (mobile phones) , and RFID (radio frequency identification) chips. Meanwhile, radio itself has recently gained a new lease of life with the arrival of better-quality digital radio sets.

Photo: An antenna to catch waves, some electronics to turn them back into sounds, and a loudspeaker so you can hear them—that's pretty much all there is to a basic radio receiver like this. What's inside the case? Check out the photo in the box below!

What is radio?

You might think "radio" is a gadget you listen to, but it also means something else. Radio means sending energy with waves. In other words, it's a method of transmitting electrical energy from one place to another without using any kind of direct, wired connection. That's why it's often called wireless . The equipment that sends out a radio wave is known as a transmitter ; the radio wave sent by a transmitter whizzes through the air—maybe from one side of the world to the other—and completes its journey when it reaches a second piece of equipment called a receiver .

When you extend the antenna (aerial) on a radio receiver, it snatches some of the electromagnetic energy passing by. Tune the radio into a station and an electronic circuit inside the radio selects only the program you want from all those that are broadcasting.

Artwork: How radio waves travel from a transmitter to a receiver. 1) Electrons rush up and down the transmitter, shooting out radio waves. 2) The radio waves travel through the air at the speed of light. 3) When the radio waves hit a receiver, they make electrons vibrate inside it, recreating the original signal. This process can happen between one powerful transmitter and many receivers—which is why thousands or millions of people can pick up the same radio signal at the same time.

How does this happen? The electromagnetic energy, which is a mixture of electricity and magnetism , travels past you in waves like those on the surface of the ocean. These are called radio waves. Like ocean waves, radio waves have a certain speed, length, and frequency. The speed is simply how fast the wave travels between two places. The wavelength is the distance between one crest (wave peak) and the next, while the frequency is the number of waves that arrive each second. Frequency is measured with a unit called hertz , so if seven waves arrive in a second, we call that seven hertz (7 Hz). If you've ever watched ocean waves rolling in to the beach, you'll know they travel with a speed of maybe one meter (three feet) per second or so. The wavelength of ocean waves tends to be tens of meters or feet, and the frequency is about one wave every few seconds.

When your radio sits on a bookshelf trying to catch waves coming into your home, it's a bit like you standing by the beach watching the breakers rolling in. Radio waves are much faster, longer, and more frequent than ocean waves, however. Their wavelength is typically hundreds of meters—so that's the distance between one wave crest and the next. But their frequency can be in the millions of hertz—so millions of these waves arrive each second. If the waves are hundreds of meters long, how can millions of them arrive so often? It's simple. Radio waves travel unbelievably fast—at the speed of light (300,000 km or 186,000 miles per second).

Photo: A radio studio is essentially a soundproof box that converts sounds into high-quality signals that can be broadcast using a transmitter. Credit: Photographs in the Carol M. Highsmith Archive , Library of Congress, Prints and Photographs Division.

Analog radio

Ocean waves carry energy by making the water move up and down. In much the same way, radio waves carry energy as an invisible, up-and-down movement of electricity and magnetism. This carries program signals from huge transmitter antennas, which are connected to the radio station, to the smaller antenna on your radio set. A program is transmitted by adding it to a radio wave called a carrier . This process is called modulation . Sometimes a radio program is added to the carrier in such a way that the program signal causes fluctuations in the carrier's frequency. This is called frequency modulation (FM) . Another way of sending a radio signal is to make the peaks of the carrier wave bigger or smaller. Since the size of a wave is called its amplitude, this process is known as amplitude modulation (AM) . Frequency modulation is how FM radio is broadcast; amplitude modulation is the technique used by AM radio stations.

What's the difference between AM and FM?

An example makes this clearer. Suppose I'm on a rowboat in the ocean pretending to be a radio transmitter and you're on the shore pretending to be a radio receiver. Let's say I want to send a distress signal to you. I could rock the boat up and down quickly in the water to send big waves to you. If there are already waves traveling past my boat, from the distant ocean to the shore, my movements are going to make those existing waves much bigger. In other words, I will be using the waves passing by as a carrier to send my signal and, because I'll be changing the height of the waves, I'll be transmitting my signal by amplitude modulation. Alternatively, instead of moving my boat up and down, I could put my hand in the water and move it quickly back and forth. Now I'll make the waves travel more often—increasing their frequency. So, in this case, my signal will travel to you by frequency modulation.

Sending information by changing the shapes of waves is an example of an analog process. This means the information you are trying to send is represented by a direct physical change (the water moving up and down or back and forth more quickly).

Artwork: Left: In FM radio, signals broadcast at the same amplitude (the waves have the same "height") but their frequency (effectively the period between one wave crest and the next) constantly changes. Right: The opposite is true of AM radio. Here the frequency (period) stays the same but the amplitude (height) of the waves varies.

The trouble with AM and FM is that the program signal becomes part of the wave that carries it. So, if something happens to the wave en-route, part of the signal is likely to get lost. And if it gets lost, there's no way to get it back again. Imagine I'm sending my distress signal from the boat to the shore and a speedboat races in between. The waves it creates will quickly overwhelm the ones I've made and obliterate the message I'm trying to send. That's why analog radios can sound crackly, especially if you're listening in a car. Digital radio can help to solve that problem by sending radio broadcasts in a coded, numeric format so that interference doesn't disrupt the signal in the same way. We'll talk about that in a moment, but first let's see take a peek inside an analog radio.

How analog radio works

Let's lift the lid on an old-style analog transistor radio and see what we can find inside! Click the image to see a slightly bigger photo.

Photo: Inside a 1970s, vintage analog radio. If you're interested, it's a Hitachi KH-437E from about 1975–1980.

• External, telescopic FM antenna : The one on this radio extends to about 30 cm (1 ft), which is plenty long enough to catch a good range of FM broadcasts. You can extend and swivel the telescopic antenna for better reception. Generally speaking, the longer the antenna (known as an aerial in the UK), the more signals you can pick up.
• Battery compartment : This radio is either battery or AC powered. When you plug in an AC lead, a switch automatically cuts out the battery power.
• Loudspeaker : There is only one loudspeaker , so this radio can reproduce only mono sounds. Generally, the bigger the loudspeaker the louder the radio (and the better the quality of sound it will make).
• AC power input : A cable plugs into this socket so you can run the radio economically from a domestic power supply (mains electricity socket).
• Transformer : The radio's electronic components operate on very small voltages (less than 6 volts), but the power that comes in from the AC outlet is typically 110 volts (in the USA), 240 volts (in the UK), or similar. The transformer's job is to scale down the AC voltage so it's safe and appropriate for the radio's delicate components.
• Internal AM antenna : When you're listening to an AM (also known as MW or medium wave) broadcast, the external FM antenna is redundant. Instead, signals are picked up by this tightly coiled AM antenna concealed inside the case. If you're listening on AM, you have to turn the entire radio to reorient the built-in antenna and improve your signal reception.
• Transformer : A series of smaller transformers help the radio hone in on just the station you want by blocking out other, nearby stations.
• Amplifier : This small chip boosts the signal strength so it's powerful enough to drive the loudspeaker. The amplifier is based on transistors , electronic components that take in a small current and put out a much larger one—scaling it up in size. Small radios are often called "transistor radios": it was the development of the tiny transistor, from the late 1940s onward, that made it possible to pack all the components of a radio into a small portable unit. Before transistors came along, radios were typically huge wooden boxes that stood in the corner of your home, as big as an old-fashioned TV (and often even bigger).
• Earphone socket : You can plug a small mono earphone in here to listen in privacy. If you plug stereo headphones into the mono socket, you'll hear sound in only one of the two earpieces.
• Volume control : This is the back of the volume knob. Turning the volume knob adjusts an electronic component called a variable resistor or potentiometer, which increases or decreases the electric current flowing to the loudspeaker. A bigger current makes a louder sound with more volume; a smaller current makes a quieter sound with less volume.
• Tuning control : This is a variable capacitor that tunes the radio in to a specific station.

How do radios turn AM and FM signals back into sounds?

Digital radio.

You're driving along the freeway and your favorite song comes on the radio. You go under a bridge and—buzz, hiss, crackle, pop—the song disappears in a burst of static. Just as people have got used to such niggles, inventors have come up with a new type of radio that promises almost perfect sound . Digital radio , as it's called, sends speech and songs through the air as strings of numbers. No matter what comes between your radio and the transmitter, the signal almost always gets through. That's why digital radio sounds better. But digital technology also brings many more stations and displays information about the program you're listening to (such as the names of music tracks or programs).

How is digital radio different from analog?

That's more or less how digital radio works!

• The transmitter sends program signals broken into fragments and coded in numbers (digits).
• The transmitter sends each fragment many times to increase the chances of it getting through.
• Even when things interrupt or delay some of the fragments, the receiver can still piece together fragments arriving from other places and put them together to make an uninterrupted program signal.

To help avoid interference, a digital radio signal travels on a huge, broad band of radio frequencies about 1500 times wider than those used in analog radio. To return to our rowboat example, if I could send a wave 1500 times wider, it would bypass any speedboats that got in the way and get to the shore more easily. This wide band allows a single digital signal to carry six stereo music programs or 20 speech programs in one go. Blending signals together in this way is called multiplexing . Part of the signal might be music, while another part could be a stream of text information that tells you what the music is, the name of the DJ, which radio station you're listening to, and so on.

How does a digital radio work?

Switch on your digital radio and it...

• Collects fragments of radio signals flying through the air.
• Sorts through and reassembles the fragments in order to make a complete radio signal—and thus the program you want to hear.

Test a digital radio

Why don't radio waves all get mixed up, a brief history of radio.

• 1888: German physicist Heinrich Hertz (1857–1894) made the first electromagnetic radio waves in his lab.
• 1894: British physicist Sir Oliver Lodge (1851–1940) sent the first message using radio waves in Oxford, England.
• 1897: Physicist Nikola Tesla (1856–1943) filed patents explaining how electrical energy could be transmitted without wires ( US Patent 645,576 and US Patent 649,621 ) and later (following Marconi's work) realized they could be adapted for wireless communication as well (radio, in other words). The following year, Tesla was granted US Patent 613,809 for a radio-controlled boat. (Claims that he "invented" radio are disputed, however, as Thomas H. White discusses at length in Nikola Tesla: The Guy Who DIDN'T 'Invent Radio' .)

Photo: Italian Radio pioneer Guglielmo Marconi. Photo courtesy of US Library of Congress

• 1902–1903: American physicist, mathematician, and inventor John Stone Stone (1869–1943) used his knowledge of electric telegraphs to make important advances in radio tuning that helped overcome the problem of interference.
• 1906: Canadian-born engineer Reginald Fessenden (1866–1932) became the first person to transmit the human voice using radio waves. He sent a message 11 miles from a transmitter at Brant Rock, Massachusetts to ships with radio receivers in the Atlantic Ocean.
• 1910: First public radio broadcast made from the Metropolitan Opera, New York City.
• 1920s: Radio began to evolve into television.
• 1947: The invention of the transistor by John Bardeen (1908–1991), Walter Brattain (1902–1987), and William Shockley (1910–1989) of Bell Labs made it possible to amplify radio signals with much more compact circuits.
• 1954: The Regency TR-1 , launched in October 1954, was the world's first commercially produced transistor radio. Around 1500 were sold the first year and, by the end of 1955, sales had reached 100,000.
• 1973: Martin Cooper of Motorola made the first ever telephone call by cellphone.
• 1981: German radio engineers began development of what's now called DAB (digital audio broadcasting) at the Institut für Rundfunktechnik in Munich.
• 1990: Radio experts came up with the original version of Wi-Fi (a way of connecting computers to one another and the Internet without wires).
• 1998: Bluetooth® (short-distance wireless communication for gadgets) was developed.

If you liked this article...

Find out more, on this site.

• Antennas and transmitters
• History of communication
• Wireless Internet

On other sites

• The Nobel Prize in Physics 1909 : Marconi shared the 1909 prize for his radio work. You can read his own, firsthand account of radio's early development in his Nobel lecture.

General and technical

For younger readers.

• Make: Electronics by Charles Platt. O'Reilly, 2015. A great starting point for kids who want to learn how to build things from electronic components. The emphasis is on learning by doing with plentiful, practical examples. "Experiment 31: One Radio, No Solder, No Power" is an easy-to-build crystal radio that can pick up AM signals even without a battery.

Text copyright © Chris Woodford 2006, 2019. All rights reserved. Full copyright notice and terms of use .

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Business Jargons

A Business Encyclopedia

Presentation

Definition : A presentation is a form of communication in which the speaker conveys information to the audience. In an organization presentations are used in various scenarios like talking to a group, addressing a meeting, demonstrating or introducing a new product, or briefing a team. It involves presenting a particular subject or issue or new ideas/thoughts to a group of people.

It is considered as the most effective form of communication because of two main reasons:

• Use of non-verbal cues.
• Facilitates instant feedback.

Business Presentations are a tool to influence people toward an intended thought or action.

Parts of Presentation

• Introduction : It is meant to make the listeners ready to receive the message and draw their interest. For that, the speaker can narrate some story or a humorous piece of joke, an interesting fact, a question, stating a problem, and so forth. They can also use some surprising statistics.
• Body : It is the essence of the presentation. It requires the sequencing of facts in a logical order. This is the part where the speaker explains the topic and relevant information. It has to be critically arranged, as the audience must be able to grasp what the speaker presents.
• Conclusion : It needs to be short and precise. It should sum up or outline the key points that you have presented. It could also contain what the audience should have gained out of the presentation.

Purpose of Presentation

• To inform : Organizations can use presentations to inform the audience about new schemes, products or proposals. The aim is to inform the new entrant about the policies and procedures of the organization.
• To persuade : Presentations are also given to persuade the audience to take the intended action.
• To build goodwill : They can also help in building a good reputation

Factors Affecting Presentation

Audience Analysis

Communication environment, personal appearance, use of visuals, opening and closing presentation, organization of presentation, language and words, voice quality, body language, answering questions, a word from business jargons.

Presentation is a mode of conveying information to a selected group of people live. An ideal presentation is one that identifies and matches the needs, interests and understanding level of the audience. It also represents the facts, and figures in the form of tables, charts, and graphs and uses multiple colours.

Related terms:

• Verbal Communication
• Visual Communication
• Non-Verbal Communication
• Communication
• 7 C’s of Communication

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Jacobs Media

Guiding media companies through digital disruption and A.I. innovation

Kevin Gunn: 5 Tips for Writing Great Radio Commercial Copy

January 13, 2017

In this blog, we often talk about the full array of programming content – personalities, music, news, and all the digital products stations are now producing.  But the one piece of the pie that is often ignored is the advertising. 

Jerry Lee has been a voice in the wilderness when it comes to improving the commercial message.  Ironically, he has a kindred spirit just down the street at Beasley Broadcasting/Philadelphia in Kevin Gunn who is a staunch believer in the power of great commercial creative. 

Kevin was born and raised in the City of Brotherly Love, and is a 25-year veteran of WMMR, first as a morning show producer and now as Creative Director. Over the course of his career, he's also written for John Madden, Bob Costas, Scott Muni, John DeBella, Pierre Robert, Charlie Kendall, and other radio luminaries. He's best known to his wife Sheri, and children Ryan and Meaghan as the guy most likely to make up R-rated song parodies at the dinner table.

Consider radio’s business model: Programming, production, and promotions execute the product. Sales takes the results to clients, who pay to share in the process. But if the sales/client consortium consumes roughly 20% of the broadcast hour, they’re responsible for that percentage of the overall product. So they need to consider how their portion of the product affects the overall performance of the station.

Plainly stated, if, for whatever reason, spots are off-putting, listeners will flee and everyone is hurt. Playing the ‘money’ card (“Hey, I know it sucks, but it pays the bills.”) isn’t a good enough excuse to put a bad commercial on the air—at least, not without a conversation. Below are five factors that we consider when writing, and then producing spots for our clients. Because I contend that what they say is every bit as important as what they pay.

1. You Had Me at “Hello.”

I once started a breast augmentation spot for a plastic surgeon that read, “Half the population gets ‘em. And the other half can’t seem to get over them!” It’s an example of how pivotal the first line of any spot can be. If you air a spot that starts “Attention steamfitters.” you can bet that the majority of your audience that are not steamfitters are gone.

I try not to narrow the audience at the start of a script. I’d prefer to capture everyone’s interest with something they’ve never heard before, or at least entertains them, until I can make the client’s case. The hope is, they’ll stay with the spot, and then tell the steamfitter they know about what they heard.

2. Efficiency

Understand this: A thirty-second spot is twice as hard to write as a sixty. You have half the time to make your point. So economy and efficiency in writing spots has never been more important. ‘THIS SATURDAY NIGHT, JANUARY 14TH” AT 8:30 PM” needs to be (“NEXT/THIS) SATURDAY NIGHT AT 8.”

The only things I’ll repeat are the call to action, price points or the web address. Efficient scripts are only achieved by constantly whittling the copy down to its leanest possible incarnation. Tell your story, entertain when possible, and keep it straightforward and relevant. Give your listeners the benefit of the doubt and maximize every syllable.

3. Sometimes, Their Baby's Just Ugly

Even though the spot he just recorded was 74 seconds, the client said he couldn’t cut a thing because his wife wrote it and he’d hear about anything deleted. I time-compressed the spot to let him hear what wifey had wrought, and he relented, begrudgingly. A clear case of “Your money or your wife.” Sales folk don’t want to tell their clients that their spots are wandering, wordy and more-than-likely ineffective. But if commercials are 20% of every hour, it’s often left to programming gatekeepers to speak up or risk further tune-out.

I pride myself on offering alternatives and solutions. I can say “This sucks,” or “I can re-work it and show how a better spot aids everyone.” I’m proud to say that we’ve had a copywriting program in place, so an account rep can hire me for a small stipend to craft a script with a fighting chance.

Sellers sell, writers write. Play to your staffer’s strength. If you’ve got a staff member who can write, and they’re not involved in the process, get them involved. And pay them for their talents.

4. Write for the Ear

Writing for audio means the words need to be spoken, and spoken convincingly. So if a script is sent to production without being read aloud by the writer, the job’s only half finished. You’ve got to write it like you’d say it, because in our business, it’s got to be read aloud to be heard, and heard to be persuasive.

So avoid the comfort of clichés and state your case like you’d tell a friend. And since I invoked the “C” word, clichés like “What are you waiting for?” or “Tons of prizes” or saying “Don’t Forget,” before you even told them in the first place, are insulting to the consumer and eat up precious time with no payoff. My theory is that clichés are comforting to the eye, and warm the heart of a non-confident writer. Lose ‘em and speak real.

5. Get ‘Em to the Website

To me, the single biggest and best evolution in copywriting is the goal of just getting the listener to the client’s website. Rare is the business that buys radio that doesn’t have some sort of presence online. So unless a phone number is mandatory for tracking purposes, the sole goal of the spot is to get the listener to the client’s website.

Two great things happen as a result. The spot/script can be more branding and entertaining than the white noise script that triestojameverythingttheclientoffers into one long, overly caffeinated read. And if the spot is intriguing enough, the consumer will go to the ‘easier-to-remember-than-a-phone-number’ website, where the client has invested time and money to state their entire case to any prospective customer.

Postscript: These are my opinions and approaches only and not intended to reflect those of anyone for whom I work, or have worked. Thanks for reading!

More Guest Lists

• Steve Goldstein: 6 Ways Podcasts Are Different Than Radio
• Valerie Geller: 5 Things Radio Program Directors Should Start Doing (if you’re not already…)
• Rich Homberg: The 5 Things Today’s Radio Personalities Can Learn from J.P. McCarthy
• Blubrry’s Todd Cochrane: 5 Things You Should Know About Podcast Measurement
• James Cridland: 5 Countries You Should Look At For Radio Ideas
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Fred Jacobs Speaks at NAB 2024

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About Fred Jacobs

Fred Jacobs founded Jacobs Media in 1983, and quickly became known for the creation of the Classic Rock radio format.

Jacobs Media has consistently walked the walk in the digital space, providing insights and guidance through its well-read national Techsurveys.

In 2008, jacapps was launched - a mobile apps company that has designed and built more than 1,300 apps for both the Apple and Android platforms. In 2013, the DASH Conference was created - a mashup of radio and automotive, designed to foster better understanding of the "connected car" and its impact.

Along with providing the creative and intellectual direction for the company, Fred consults many of Jacobs Media's commercial and public radio clients, in addition to media brands looking to thrive in the rapidly changing tech environment.

Fred was inducted into the Radio Hall of Fame in 2018.

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January 13, 2017 at 8:07 AM

That’s a great reminder! TY!

January 13, 2017 at 3:09 PM

Appreciate the comment, Max.

January 14, 2017 at 9:44 PM

Never use numbers, especially phone numbers. People don’t buy what they “need”. They buy what they “want”. And never end an English language spot with “se habla espanol.”

January 15, 2017 at 11:22 AM

Thanks, Joe.

January 13, 2017 at 9:25 AM

It took me half a beat, but that first line for the breast augmentation surgeon made me laugh out loud – brilliant wording. This was a really helpful and well considered post in general. Thanks Kevin!

Thanks for commenting, Justin.

January 13, 2017 at 9:45 AM

Always great to see these reminders. Production Directors need to have a good relationship with sales manager and GM. That will help them fight the good fight. Also in this era of 140 characters why are :60’s even still a thing?

January 13, 2017 at 3:08 PM

The advertising community thinks in (sometimes) strange ways, Jason. Between :60s, piggybacks, and just bad quality spots, there are a lot of impediments in those spot clusters. That’s why guys like Kevin are so valuable.

January 13, 2017 at 10:04 AM

Amen, Brother Gunn.

January 13, 2017 at 3:07 PM

Tom, I know Kevin speaks for a lot of production pros out there.

January 13, 2017 at 11:39 PM

Like a Stones Song…Hit them with a killer guitar lick at the beginning/promise benefit – Bridge in the middle/offer – end with the hook/call to action!

Don’t beat around the bush. Get to the hook fast!

“Satisfaction” at the beginning – middle – end

Don’t ask questions. Wanna lose weight? Better: Lose 10 pounds in a month guaranteed with…

The writing is the art. Frame it with some nice production! But don’t get the frame confused with the art.

A well written spot with decent production will outperform a poorly written spot with excellent production!

January 14, 2017 at 6:55 AM

Great tips here, Bill. Thanks for the comment and for reading our blog.

January 16, 2017 at 9:31 AM

Excellent points, especially for those who’ve doing this a long time. In the words of REO, we gotta “Roll with the changes”!

January 16, 2017 at 9:39 AM

Many thanks, Mark. We’ve gotten a great response to Kevin’s “Guest List” post.

January 16, 2017 at 2:51 PM

As the daughter of a radio producer/VO artist who was known for re-writing the copy he was handed on the spot – and improving it – I gotta say Kevin’s guidelines are dead-on.

I now work for a company that writes the audio news releases that get embedded in public affairs programming (One of our programs runs on WMMR-FM) – a little different from commercials, but many of the same ideas apply.

Writing well for the ear is absolutely an art, and something we really focus on with the interns coming to us from Journalism, Communications and English programs. Not every university has a radio station or a prof on staff with broadcast experience. We teach our interns that audio requires more description than TV because your audience can’t rely on pictures to understand what’s happening. It requires more clarity than print because your audience can’t go back and “re­-read” what they just heard. Add on to that the time limitations of :30 or :60 seconds and no wonder that there are a lot of “ugly babies” out there.

And whether in advertising or public relations, we all struggle with how to communicate the need for revisions to clients. We just posted a list of guidelines for our clients that includes this step:

Step 3: Story, story, story. Oh, and story. Treat your spot as a story that you are telling.Good stories are succinct and have three parts: a beginning, middle and end.

Beginning: The opening narrative should grab the attention of listener. Get right to the point- what makes your story newsworthy, relatable and relevant? Middle: This is where you establish your authority and expertise – often with a soundbite from an expert. Enhance your story with facts, figures, examples. End: Use a strong conclusion that reiterates the essence of your message. Finish with a call to action.

https://goo.gl/nKTBxw

January 16, 2017 at 3:47 PM

Erin, thanks for the insightful comment and tips. This is good stuff and very helpful. Appreciate you chiming in.

January 16, 2017 at 2:54 PM

I learned a LOT from this blog, Fred. It is always good to be reminded about brevity, clarity and getting the essence of a message. Thank you.

January 16, 2017 at 3:44 PM

Many thanks, Linda. Glad it has value for you.

January 22, 2017 at 3:09 PM

That’s a savage and smart man right there. Oh, and for god’s sake, leave the comedy writing in spots to those who can actually write comedy.

January 22, 2017 at 6:43 PM

Many thanks, Lu, and a good piece of advice!

June 5, 2017 at 3:37 PM

Great point about websites and reading copy aloud. Brilliant! Most people don’t enter a url in their browser. To much work. Instead they google something easy to recall and click the link. We did a jingle For The Pink Plumber that sings: “Google Pink Plumber and click the link” with tremendous results! Thank you for a great post Kevin and Fred.

June 5, 2017 at 10:49 PM

Hey, it’s all Kevin Gunn, Rich. I had the day off! Thanks for the comment.

June 26, 2020 at 10:25 AM

As you mentioned, it is important to be efficient and to the point when you have a short time to fill. My uncle is wanting to run a commercial for his auto body shop, but isn’t sure how to go about doing that. Is there a advertising group that could do it all for him?

June 26, 2020 at 3:15 PM

You might want to check out a local ad agency. Or if you work with a radio station or group of them, they would have a production director that would likely handle most of this.

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Definition of radio

 (Entry 1 of 4)

Definition of radio  (Entry 2 of 4)

Definition of radio  (Entry 3 of 4)

transitive verb

intransitive verb

Definition of radio-  (Entry 4 of 4)

Examples of radio in a Sentence

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'radio.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

Word History

Noun and Adjective

short for radiotelegraphy

1887, in the meaning defined at sense 1

1903, in the meaning defined at sense 1a

1913, in the meaning defined at transitive sense 1

Phrases Containing radio

• radio - controlled
• transistor radio
• shock radio / TV
• radio - ulna
• radio astronomy
• radio frequency
• clock radio
• radio - tag
• radio galaxy
• radio compass
• radio spectrum
• radio collar
• radio telescope
• radio beacon
• radio range

Articles Related to radio

What It Means to Go ‘Radio Silent’

When you’re getting nothing but dead air

Dictionary Entries Near radio

Cite this entry.

“Radio.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary , Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/radio. Accessed 6 Apr. 2024.

Kids Definition

Kids definition of radio.

Kids Definition of radio  (Entry 2 of 4)

Kids Definition of radio  (Entry 3 of 4)

Kids Definition of radio-

a shortened form of radiotelegraphy, literally, "telegraphy by rays"; radio- from French radio- "radial, radiating," from Latin radius "ray, beam, spoke" — related to radiate , radius , ray entry 2

Combining form

derived from Latin radius "ray, beam, spoke"

More from Merriam-Webster on radio

Nglish: Translation of radio for Spanish Speakers

Britannica English: Translation of radio for Arabic Speakers

Britannica.com: Encyclopedia article about radio

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Kinshasa : arrestation et présentation d'un cadre influent de l'AFC devant la presse

Publié le ven, 05/04/2024 - 22:30 | Modifié le ven, 05/04/2024 - 22:41

L’armée nationale a présenté, vendredi 5 avril, l’un des cadres influents de l’Alliance du Fleuve Congo (AFC) de Corneille Naanga, devant la presse, à Kinshasa. 

Eric Nkuba Shibantu a été présenté comme étant le conseiller stratégique et politique de Corneille Naanga. 

Le porte-parole des FARDC, général Sylvain Ekenge a rapporté que cadre de l’AFC a été appréhendé par les services spécialisés avant de passer aux aveux, en racontant beaucoup de choses.

Il a ensuite projeté, dans la salle, la vidéo de la déposition d’Eric Nkuba qui cite plusieurs personnalités qu’il qualifie de contacts politiques internes.

Parmi ces personnalités, on entend notamment les noms du député national Andre-Claudel Lubaya, John Numbi et Patient Sayiba, ancien DG de l’OGEFREM.

Réagissant sur son compte X, Lubaya se dit ulcéré d’apprendre cette nouvelle et dit rejeter de la manière la plus catégorique ces allégations.

Dans la même catégorie

The Sunday Magazine for April 7, 2024

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This week on  The Sunday Magazine  with host Piya Chattopadhyay:

Sunday Politics Panel: Pre-budget promises and foreign interference inquiry

This past week, the federal Liberals announced a series of new initiatives leading up to the release of the 2024 budget, which encompass child care affordability, renters rights, and a $6 billion housing plan. Meanwhile, the public inquiry into foreign interference continued with high-profile testimony from former Liberal MP Han Dong, former Conservative leader Erin O'Toole and top security officials. Toronto Star national columnist  Susan Delacourt  and The Line's  Matt Gurney  join Chattopadhyay to unpack it all.

Assume or presume? Why it's important to know the fine distinctions in everyday language

Can you spot the differences between a couch and a sofa? Or a maze and a labyrinth? How about envy and jealousy? People often use such terms interchangeably, but Canadian writer and humourist  Eli Burnstein  says it's important to know the subtle – but important – distinctions between them. In the latest round of  Word Processing , our ongoing look at language, Burnstein joins Chattopadhyay to talk about his new book,  Dictionary of Fine Distinctions .

Israel-Hamas war underscores increasing risks to aid workers in modern conflicts

Since Israeli missile strikes killed seven members of the NGO World Central Kitchen in Gaza on Monday, much attention has been focused on the security of humanitarian aid workers in the Israel-Hamas war. The United Nations says some 200 such workers have been killed since this conflict began.  Abby Stoddard  is a former aid worker and co-founder of the independent research organisation Humanitarian Outcomes. She joins Chattopadhyay to talk about what her research has revealed about the threats currently facing aid workers, and what can be done to preserve their safety going forward.

That's Puzzling! for April 2024

In the latest edition of our monthly challenge  That's Puzzling! , Chattopadhyay competes against one familiar voice and one clever listener in a battle of brain games devised by puzzle master  Peter Brown . Playing along this month are  Saroja Coelho , host of  Mornings  on CBC Music and  Just Asking  on CBC Radio, as well as Vancouver listener  Peter McGregor .

The science, mythology and magic of Monday's solar eclipse

Excitement is high for Monday's solar eclipse, which will reach its path of totality over a swath of Ontario, Quebec and Atlantic Canada… with a partial one on offer for the rest of the country.  Bob McDonald , host of CBC Radio's  Quirks and Quarks , joins Chattopadhyay to explain what makes this moment so special for space nerds, amateur astronomers and everyone else planning on donning their eclipse glasses.

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Trail blazers radio host mike lynch retires amid tragic als battle: ‘devastated’.

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Mike Lynch, a beloved radio host for the Trail Blazers, has been diagnosed with amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS), he announced on Friday.

The 34-year-old is retiring from radio amid the diagnosis, which he received on Jan. 2.

“Sadly, this means the end of my radio career,” Lynch wrote on X . “I am thankful for all of those who listened over the last 12 years. I am also thankful to The Fan and the Blazers for believing in me and helping me grow in my dream career.

“This has been really difficult for me, I am devastated and overwhelmed. I appreciate if you reach out, but please be patient as it is hard to respond to everyone and I’m not always ready to talk about it.”

Hi everyone, I know it’s been a long time, but sadly I am returning with bad news. A few months ago, I was diagnosed with ALS. If you are willing and able, I have a GoFundMe below. The full details of the disease and story are there. https://t.co/AvZUrYFu8F — Mike Lynch (@MikeLynch27) April 5, 2024

A Syracuse graduate, Lynch worked at 1080 The Fan in Portland for 11 years before landing his gig with the Trail Blazers, growing a loyal fandom in the community.

He had been with the Trail Blazers since 2022.

Lynch’s job with the Trail Blazers was his “dream job,” according to a GoFundMe set up by his wife, Ashley, to help him cover costs to battle the disease of the nervous system.

Lynch and his wife share two children, aged 11 and 15.

“Since the diagnosis, Mike had to leave his career with the Blazers, and has been struggling to do the things that he really enjoyed prior to his diagnosis,” the GoFundMe reads. “He has been rushed through a series of doctor appointments with the ALS specialists, as well as started his treatment that is meant to slow the progress and prolong life by up to one year longer.

“Aid equipment has been having to be installed in the house including a soon to be stairlift, lift assist and movement assistance devices are now needing to be used regularly. We are also awaiting for our acceptance into a medical trial in hopes of finding a cure.”

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5 tips for not getting tricked online this April Fools' Day — and beyond

Rachel Treisman

It's increasingly hard to tell what's real online, especially on April Fools' Day. Experts offer these tips to avoid getting tricked. Getty Images hide caption

It's increasingly hard to tell what's real online, especially on April Fools' Day. Experts offer these tips to avoid getting tricked.

Myths and misinformation run rampant on the internet all the time these days, but never more reliably than on April 1.

People have celebrated April Fools' Day for centuries with all sorts of jokes and pranks, and while old-school traditions (hello, rubber snakes) remain plenty popular, gags have grown considerably more high tech over the years.

And fake news and announcements — whether by a major company, public figure, a random social media user or your childhood best friend — can take off quickly and morph wildly, thanks to social media.

Games & Humor

April fools' day might be the world's longest-running joke. no one knows how it began.

It can be tough to tell whether something online is real, especially with artificial intelligence making it increasingly easy for anyone to create fake images, video, audio and text.

It took Sam Gregory, for example, under a minute to write the text prompt needed to create a fake image of the Easter Bunny for his kids last year, as he told NPR. He's well-acquainted with the challenges of combating deepfakes as the executive director of WITNESS , a human rights nonprofit whose work involves helping people recognize and respond to deceptive AI.

"We're in this moment where it's much easier to make both personalized and individualized, realistic images and audio and increasingly video, and in the hands of many more people," Gregory said. "And then the flip side of that is that the tools are not easily available on the technical side to spot them."

There are some resources out there — from news literacy nonprofits to trusted media sources — that can help sort fact from fiction. But much of that responsibility falls to internet users themselves.

Part of that involves understanding the moments where myths tend to spread, like in the immediate aftermath of a breaking news event or on April Fools' Day, says Dan Evon, the senior manager of education design at the News Literacy Project and a former Snopes fact-checker.

Untangling Disinformation

Ai fakes raise election risks as lawmakers and tech companies scramble to catch up.

He says April Fools' Day, with its trend of advertisements masked as jokes, is a perfect time for people to get in the mindset of anticipating and investigating misinformation.

"April Fools' Day jokes in general don't try to persuade your politics or make you angry or target the negative emotions that are dangerous online," he told NPR. "And a lot of the things that you find are humorous. So from a news literacy perspective, it's kind of fun to encourage people to practice your skills."

Plus, he notes, some of the rumors that originate on April Fools' Day could have staying power or resurface much later, like the fake image of an elephant carrying a lion cub that circulated years after it was first posted as a prank.

Here are some steps you can take to reduce your chances of getting fooled online, on Monday and beyond.

The biggest piece of advice that Evon tells people is to simply slow down.

"Social media is really fast, and there is so much information that comes at us at once," he says. "You don't have to go through this stuff so quickly, you can take some time — just a few extra seconds — to examine these posts."

Gregory similarly says to stop when you see something that's "too good to be true, or too crazy to be believable, or too-anger inducing."

He cites the SIFT methodology for evaluating information, developed by researcher Mike Caulfield . It stands for: Stop, investigate the source, find better coverage and trace claims, quotes and media to the original context.

Once a piece of media gives you pause, he says, consider who shared it. Are they friend, foe or stranger?

The Protojournalist

5 april fools' pranks gone bad.

"Is it your friend who's sharing it, or someone you know? And is it something they made themselves?" Gregory adds. "Or is it online and it's just a random X account that is trying to explain to you that the King of England has just died, but they seem to generally tweet gossip, and they're based in California?"

In other words: Are they a credible source for the context in which you're encountering the information?

This step is a little trickier on April Fools' Day, Evon adds, because a lot of the jokes are likely to be coming from verified official accounts. That's why it's especially important to consider the context.

"If you're going to encounter an AI image, you don't just see the AI image," he says. "You see where it's been posted, you see the comments that are attached to it, you see the caption that's presented — on April Fools' Day, you see the date. And maybe that makes you a little skeptical of whether or not it's real."

See what others are saying

The next step is to do what experts call "lateral reading," which is basically seeing what else is out there.

"If your only source of information is the one post that you're seeing, there's good reason to be skeptical of that," Evon says.

For instance, he says, if a major tech company is actually announcing a new initiative, there's likely to be news coverage of it from at least some credible sources.

AI images and conspiracy theories are driving a push for media literacy education

This isn't a foolproof test. Just because people are talking about something online doesn't make it reliable — take all the amateur forensic experts analyzing Kate Middleton's controversial family photo , Gregory notes.

But seeing what — and how much — people have to say in the comments section of an X post or TikTok video can be a helpful clue, both experts agree.

"I think it's often worth looking at the comments not because the comments tell you the truth, but the comments tell you if there's a debate around this that merits further investigation," Gregory says.

Look for the original

Another tactic is to try to track down the original image, something Gregory says is easier to do with "shallow fakes," or photos manipulated with basic editing software.

Oftentimes people will take an existing image or video and just say it's from another time or place. Doing a reverse image search can help you challenge or back up that claim.

That basically involves "taking a screenshot and plugging into a search engine and then seeing what pops up," according to Evon. He recommends using sites like Google Images, TinEye and Bing.

AI-generated images are everywhere. Here's how to spot them

Making sense of those results requires some more critical thinking, Gregory explains.

"It's going to pop up and say, 'Wait a second, someone told you this image was from yesterday, but we have an earlier version that's from last year,' " he says. "Now, it doesn't mean the image is from last year, but it certainly tells you it's not from yesterday."

When it comes to AI deep fakes, Gregory says there are plenty of clues that people have been told to look for to try to spot manipulated photos and videos — from hands that don't look quite right, to garbled writing in an image, to eyes that don't properly blink.

The problem, he adds, is that most of those glitches are going away as companies get better at AI.

"If we had talked a year ago, it would have been more reliable to say, look at the hands. The hands have got better," he says. "If we talked a year ago it'd been more reliable to say, look at the writing. But then companies have introduced ways to write more accurately."

Amplify responsibly

Internet trickery doesn't mean you can never retweet a funny post or play a harmless prank again. But experts urge caution when amplifying information, no matter the date on the calendar.

"There are going to be jokes that people are going to circulate, in a lot of instances these are going to be funny," acknowledges Evon. "I don't think it's ever good to intentionally lie to someone or mislead someone, so if you do share something, maybe comment and remind people that it's fake."

She reads the newspaper on TikTok — and her videos are going viral

He offers this broader rule of thumb: If you're skeptical of something, don't help it go viral. And if you do encounter accurate information — like a fact-check or correction — help amplify that instead.

When it comes to reposting, Gregory recommends pausing "in proportion to your emotional reaction." So if you're about to share something inflammatory, defamatory or that reinforces a worldview in a "highly emotional way," he says stop first to consider your motivations for sharing it — and whether that post is the best way to achieve them.

Consider patterns

April Fools' Day may be a unique day in many ways, but it also reflects broader trends in misinformation.

It's not the only day of the year where people should be bracing for falsehoods online, Evon says, noting that people tend to exploit major breaking news stories (like the collapse of the Baltimore bridge ) to promote misinformation.

"What we really want people to do is, we want to learn the patterns that these things follow, so that they can better recognize them in the future," he explains.

This year, Gregory is most expecting to see the proliferation of AI images — because they're so easy to make — and audio, because it's already being seen in so many other contexts, from phone scammers using voice clones to an election-related robocall purported to be from President Biden.

Tech giants pledge action against deceptive AI in elections

"I bet we're going to see many, ho-ho-ho April Fools' jokes with audio clones, some of which you and I will never hear because it'll just be me making one for my friend and sending it to them," he says. "And of course if you go on TikTok you're gonna see fake AI audio everywhere. And it cuts across that whole spectrum, from humorous and prank to financial scam to political upheaval."

He also notes that the uncertainty created by AI hasn't only made it easier for people to falsify things, but for people to try to dismiss real footage as fake. That's just another reason, he says, to pay close attention.

• online misinformation
• April Fools Day
• artificial intelligence