5 Pitfalls To Avoid For Any New Team Show

Many have had the incredible pleasure and challenge of starting a brand new radio show with someone they either don’t know or barely know. It’s a journey of trial and error, “learning how to dance together,” and building trust.

Having been a part of six new morning shows myself and PD overseeing many others, here are five pitfalls for any new show to be aware of.

THE 5 PITFALLS TO AVOID

1. Talking on top of each other. Those first few days, weeks, and months will be filled with finding each other’s rhythm, so don’t get frustrated. Realize that talking over each other is not helpful, and listeners may even think it’s rude.
2. Siloed convos. If you’ve never heard that expression before please allow me to explain. You find silos on a farm. They’re the tall cylinders that hold the crops. When you translate that to a work culture, it means departments who operate in their own little world even though they’re a part of a greater team. Siloed conversations happen on the air when each person talks but it’s not really a conversation; the relationship hasn’t grown to a place of trust and the dialog feels disconnected.
3. Immediate thoughts that fly out of your mouth. For instance, your on-air partner is telling a funny story and then a funny line popped into your head and so you just say it. You just derailed the break because you had no self-control to either wait or let your partner have the spotlight. Try saving your thought and come back for another break on the same topic with your POV.
4. “One-upping” your co-host. This can happen anywhere in the on-air break, but it’s most common at the exit. The easiest fix is for the person running the board to FEEL the exit and go …even if it’s not the planned exit. Simply edit it out if your show is voice tracked.
5. Stealing the POV and tuning it on you. For the most part there can only be one star in one break. That could be you, your co-host, a listener, or a guest. Just keep in mind that not every story needs your input and perspective. Learn to honor the other person and help move the on-air break forward in other ways than relating your life.

HERE’S THE TAKEAWAY

Great shows learn to deliver tethered together conversations. That’s the result of each person listening to respond rather than impatiently waiting for the next moment to talk. Camaraderie can be tangibly felt by listeners, and that’s a difference maker.

After spending 25+ years working at some really great radio stations, Todd launched a coaching and consulting business, Beyond615.com, on March 15, 2021. There he strives to help others build confidence so that they can connect on a deeper level. He also serves as the Contemporary Christian Format Editor at AllAccess.com. He and his family live in the (615) area code, aka the heart of the CCM industry.