For Radio’s Truly Creative Talent

If you’re in radio, you’re familiar with the reference “Production Talent.” (How, long ago “production” found its way into Broadcast lexicon is anyone’s guess). Regardless, the place where commercials and promotions are “produced” is in fact known as “the Production Room.”

In those sonically insulated rooms, radio talents produce commercials and station promotional campaigns. Many of us have spent a lot of hours there! Over time, this process led us to introduce the concept of “The Low Volume Test.” Actually, many creative talents “mix” audio at deafening volume, then listen-back at a very low level. That’s also common for recording engineers and producers: “mix as blast, play back as background.” There are solid reasons for this low-volume approach.

Sound Engineers will share that they get a much truer read on whether a voice talent sounds “natural” and “real” or sounds like just another forced, affected announcer. This extends to other media including television. How many car commercials will we see this week? You know, where a pitchman shouts at the camera, appealing to us “DON’T MISS THIS SALE!”

Along with music strategy ADG colleagues have spent countless hours coaching our client stations’ talent. And coaching is the hardest work we do! Anyone can be “critical.” Few will take the time to truly “coach” toward improvement.

For those among us who’ve dedicated our career to communicating with listeners we hope wherever you are, you’ve benefitted by being an understudy to a pro--someone who went beyond the bounds of “radio jock” and who realized the importance of making “eye contact” with target-listeners, one-at-a-time.

And, if you’ve ever participated in a Focus Group you’ve seen and heard enthusiastic respondents who shared their feelings and opinions on radio stations and their personalities.

Regrettably, for obvious reasons owing to the events of the past two years, these “listener opinion sessions” have mostly been on hold. But they will return!

Listeners’ views shared about our station’s format and personalities are pure gold. If you’re asked to participate in a Focus Group (we will eventually see them resumed) we hope you’ll attend! George Johns once commented, “Focus Groups remind us people don’t always know what they like, but they do tend to like what they know.”

Holding on to what you have, almost always prevents you from getting what you want. How can we really know how to reach our target if we don’t get to know them?

Take a chance, welcome criticism, and when the rewards warrant it, walk out on the edge! Mario Andretti can claim one of our team’s long lasting manifestos: “If you have everything under control, you’re not going fast enough!”