Did you know that nine in 10 people listen to the radio at least once a week?
Or that four in 10 adults get their news from the radio?
Radio can sometimes be an overlooked format, perhaps lacking the glamour of TV.
But, as those Ofcom stats show, it provides the opportunity to target huge audiences, and can reach people in places other forms of media can’t. You can’t watch TV or read a newspaper while driving.
So, how can you make the most of the opportunity a radio interview presents?
I was thinking about this when my work and life crossed over this week.
When I’m not writing media training blogs, I can often be found on the side of a football pitch coaching young players.
The club I volunteer at – FC Bracknell – has a new team and football programme for neurodivergent adults and children.
The inclusive team offers players the opportunity to develop social, communication and teamwork skills. And enjoy the mental and physical benefits of regular exercise.
And thanks to funding from Winkfield Parish Council, the new team can now compete in the Berkshire, Oxfordshire and Buckinghamshire Inclusive League.
The new team captured the interest of BBC Radio Berkshire. And when I heard they wanted to interview club chairman Neil Graham, I quickly offered him some impromptu media training tips.
Here’s what I told him ahead of his interview with Kirsten O’Brien:
This is a crucial one.
Why? Because people are often tempted to cram lots of messages and points into an interview.
But those listening won’t remember more than one message.
Storytelling and examples are key. Tell a story about one of the players and what it means to them to be part of the team, and how playing football is helping them.
Radio is all about stories, and people are fascinated by those about other people.
People listening to the radio tend to be doing other things, like driving to work, finishing the school run or clearing up after breakfast.
Bring the energy and passion to the interview to grab their attention.
Dull, monotone delivery will cause that multi-tasking audience to zone out.
Radio interviews are typically short. You may be on air for as little as two minutes.
So, take the initiative. Use the questions to get to the message you want to get across rather than wait for the right question to arrive.
A good radio interview is a conversation.
Stick to the language you would use if you were talking to a friend in a pub (without the swearing).
People often fall into the trap of trying to be someone else and sound rehearsed and robotic. And the interview is stripped of any personality.
It is by no means an exhaustive list. And it is certainly no substitute for media training.
But the interview went well.
What other media training advice would we offer other spokespeople ahead of radio interviews?
No, we’re not still on the football theme.
What this means is that you must go into the interview with a purpose or aim.
Think about what you want the audience to do as a result of hearing what you have to say. Do you want them to act or think differently? How do you want them to feel?
Don’t go into the interview just hoping to survive or not say anything embarrassing.
Preparation is crucial for media interview success.
Try to find out as much as you can about the station and presenter. Who is their audience? How can you make what you want to say more interesting for that audience?
If the interview is for a regional station, what local examples could you use?
Even if the interview is on a positive subject like this one, consider the difficult questions that could be asked.
Some stations and presenters have a reputation for asking tougher questions than others.
Don’t go into a radio interview with pages of notes.
Remember, a good interview sounds like a natural conversation. Notes can make interviews sound scripted and robotic, and spokespeople can fall into the trap of simply reading them aloud.
If you still need them, keep notes to a brief cheat sheet containing just a few crucial facts and figures.
Get your voice warmed up before the interview.
Reading a children’s book aloud is a brilliant way to do this. You can also use it to practice varying your tone and pausing for emphasis.
You may be grateful for the opportunity, especially if the interview is on a positive subject. But you don’t need to tell those watching and listening that you feel lucky.
Thanking the journalist for the opportunity can also create the impression among the audience that the interviewer is more important than you, yet you are the expert.
It also feels a bit weird if you are about to face a grilling on a challenging subject. The audience will wonder if you are being nice to try and avoid the more difficult questions.
Also, remember radio interviews tend to be the shortest format, and those unnecessary pleasantries eat up valuable seconds.
Sometimes, journalists will introduce a spokesperson with a “good morning” without going straight into a question. And in that instance, there is nothing wrong with replying similarly.
But often, the introduction and opening question will come together. Here, the best approach is to avoid the pleasantries and go straight to your answer.
Long, rambling answers are hard for both the journalist and the audience to follow.
And there is a risk they may be misunderstood. If the interview is a pre-recorded one, it could be harshly edited.
Try to make sure your answers don’t go beyond the 30-second mark. If you exceed that, you are likely to be interrupted.
But avoid short answers. They just lead to more questions being asked and control of the interview being surrendered.
Don’t be afraid to repeat your message.
People drop in and out of radio programmes. Some will switch on in the middle of your interview.
So, repeat your message several times. But use different words so you don’t sound repetitive and robotic.
Sounds like a strange media training tip for a radio interview, doesn’t it?
But smiling can add warmth and energy to your voice.
Radio interviews can feel daunting.
We often find on our media training courses that spokespeople prefer pre-recorded interviews to live radio interviews. Perhaps because it somehow feels safer.
But often opting for live interviews typically improves the performance of spokespeople. The adrenaline kicks in, and they raise their game, knowing they only have one attempt to get their message across to the audience.
And that can help them come across as having more energy and enthusiasm for the subject they are discussing.
Live interviews may be shorter than pre-recorded ones, but they typically result in more air time. And, as a live interview can’t be edited before it goes out, you have complete control of what the audience hears.
Listening back to your radio interviews can feel awkward.
But they present a great learning opportunity. Think about what you did well and what you would do differently in your next interview.
Media First are media and communications training specialists with over 35 years of experience. We have a team of trainers, each with decades of experience working as journalists, presenters, communications coaches and media trainers.
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