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getting better phones

R

rockgirl1

Guest
hey everyone,

this is my first post here...i've been enjoying reading all the discussions, but i really need a bit of help.

does anyone have any tips for getting good phones? i've really been struggling lately. i'm a music person, and generally my show really focuses on what's going on in the music world. i'm afraid, though, that it's just not enough to keep up interest. i know that my listeners love to hear themselves on the air, but i work nights at a rock station, and it seems like the only callers i get are long-haul truck drivers and drunk teenagers. it's tough to get good stuff to air out of that! i know, i know, it's an excuse...that's why i would be really grateful if anyone had some tips for me on how to get the most out of phone calls that seem to be going nowhere. how do you direct calls?

thanks!
 
Easy. No matter what always record. Then no mater what they ask for (dedication ,request, or what ever) then ask them "Hey, what are you doing right now?" Then see if you can grab something out of it. If you ask every single caller that I'm sure you can create something if you are creative.
 
Good Phones

Hey, EDITED drunk teenagers and long-haul truck drivers can be funny! Add a few drop-ins, or cut in the "I wish I'd thought of that at the time" responses, and you have a bit. Don't be afraid to abuse the morons - especially when they're recorded and can't defend themselves. You don't even have to use the bit the same night.

The more phone calls you put on the air, the more phone calls you're likely to get. Some of them will be better than others, which means less editing. Hey, you could even start the "Drunk-dial Me Hour". It might save some other innocent people from having their sleep interrupted.
 
Once upon a time, I worked in radio and I thought my phoners were pretty darn good.

Here are some of my personal philosophy of phoners. Here are two approaches:

-First Approach - "Expanding the Creative Pallet" - This philosophy of phoners rests mainly on the belief that you can always take away but you cannot add very much.

1. Expand the creative pallet as much as possible. This means chat with the person for around 5 minutes. Try hard to open them up and take them into interesting/crazy topics. Listen for word slips you can joke about and try to exagergate a lot!

2. Find pockets with potential. Edit everything out but the potential area. So you're looking for a section of about 20 seconds to 50 seconds of audio. It can go longer but it better be really good! Really good!

3. Ask the question, how can I make this more crazy/improve this? Then start manipulating whta you said. Try re-inserting your voice with a lot of exageration. LIke if you said, "Are you having a good time?" Re-intsert your voice (record as many times as you need to get it good) and say something like " Are just totally rock freck'n brains out like a gorrilla that broke into the redbull machine" (you get the idea)

4. Then air with bed music and ride the fader in and out at key spots.



----------------------

THe second philosophy - The ShotGun Approach -

1. Answer the phone in a way that confused the listener. Such as saying you're the person screening the phone calls. For example, I would answer the phones "would you like to talk to Dave?" The person then starts talking with me. I proceed to tell them I wish I could work in radio like dave but I don't have a very good voice. They agree with me. I then ask what they think of Dave's voice and they say he sounds great. I then put them on hold then air them talking to me, thinking I was the phone screener.

Another method would just be saying "matt's laundry" or something like that.....you get the idea...

-----------------------------

Another good idea, is to save your phoners and go back to back with good stuff. Like if something is really really funny. Cut a brief section of it and play at the end of your announce. For example, hit a sweet phoner. Then take out a highlight like someone saying "I dunno really retarded" and play it at the end of your introduction of another song.

Below is a url to one of my old demos. You can listen for the concepts and feel free to email me at [email protected]

http://www.davekingworld.com/media/DaveKingKISWdemo.mp3

I hope that helps!

P.S. - Make sure to move slowly in the conversation..meaning let them finish saying whatever they're saying. In other words, don't talk at the same time they're talking. This will allow you to edit, skip and mix better after you're done with the conversation.
 
Great advice! A lot of personalities make the mistake of putting bad calls on-air thinking that lame calls are better than none. It's better to use a couple of good "banked" calls that you've saved to get the good phoners rolling in. Another technique that sometimes gets callers talking is to be silent...the silence will be awkward to the caller and they'll want to continue talking. This only works with certain personality types. After you've done a phone-intensive show for awhile, you'll be able to tell in less than five seconds if they're going to give you anything.
 
My dear Rockgirl:

You are in a industry that has hit rock bottom (Pun Intended :D :D) Radio today programs to the lowest common dominator. IE: Truck Drivers/Drunk Punks and just plain stupid toothless people. :D Ever go to a radio remote. The FEW listeners that show up look like the front row of a Willie Nelson or ACDC concert begging you for free Weiners and Coke. :D

My suggestion is take that 18K salary and GET OUT OF RADIO ASAP! :D :D :D :D :D :D
 
thanks for all the suggestions...i've really been working on getting people to talk more, and having some luck too.

and as far as the guy who said this: "You are in a industry that has hit rock bottom (Pun Intended ) Radio today programs to the lowest common dominator. IE: Truck Drivers/Drunk Punks and just plain stupid toothless people. Ever go to a radio remote. The FEW listeners that show up look like the front row of a Willie Nelson or ACDC concert begging you for free Weiners and Coke."

wow...bitter much? not everyone's in it for the money. i still think i have the best job in the world, even with its many flaws.
 
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