Are you familiar with the Happy Days-inspired phrase “jumped the shark?” Most topical, TV-watching, current events-focused radio personalities are. But according to a new 60 Minutes/Vanity Fair poll, 83% of respondents didn’t know it meant a show was past its prime.
Is it time to remove “jumped the shark” from your show vocabulary?
If the poll revealed 83% of respondents did know what it meant, hasn’t the phrase “jumped the shark” jumped the shark?
New York Times columnist David Pogue does a bang-up job of sharing the awesomeness of Dropbox. He goes into great detail about how Dropbox has helped him write his latest book. It’s worth a read because I know from personal experience it can change the way a busy radio personality works.
If you don’t have time to read all of David’s review, here are two quick reasons to download the Dropbox program: 1) It’s free; 2) It’s magic.
I use Dropbox dozens of times a day, usually without even thinking about it. For example, every issue of our premium show prep service, InterPrep/PRO, is saved to Dropbox. Every time an edit is made the latest version is saved in my computer’s Dropbox folder, then to the Dropbox server, and then to a notebook PC in my office — all within seconds. (The notebook also runs the Dropbox program.)
Using Dropbox as a documents folder is smart for many reasons, the two biggest for me being instant off-site backup and the ability to grab my notebook computer and head to a coffee shop without having to copy files to a USB key.
But Dropbox really shines for “live” remote broadcasting. Recently I had the opportunity to fly to Washington D.C. with 75 World War II veterans on an Honor Flight. (You can learn more about Honor Flight here.) I was part of a two-person team recording hourly updates that were sent back to radio studios in Champaign, Illinois. Using iPod Touches, the iTalk recording app and a 3G mobile Internet device it was super simple to do interviews and ship them, via Dropbox, back to our producer in Champaign. After recording each segment iTalk lets you ‘share’ your audio using Dropbox. We shared our files to a Dropbox folder that our producer 715 miles away had access to. Over the course of 8 hours we sent 16 high-quality audio reports without a single problem.
As I said, day in and day out I use Dropbox dozens of times, often for my morning show. A copy of the program is on a main studio computer, which means I can ‘drop’ audio files and show prep into a shared folder on my home computer. When I arrive at the studio in the morning I know the files are waiting for me.
I don’t just recommend Dropbox, I urge you to use it as a super-simple backup solution and a wonderful radio tool.
Got more than one computer? Need to keep some key show prep files or audio in sync? Want to move things between your home and station computer with ease? Get Dropbox. It’s free (up to 2GB) and the program works like a dream. Get Dropbox. (After you set up Dropbox, check out these hacks.)
You’ve heard the phrase “pay it forward“. This morning I was the recipient of prep it forward. The morning guys at B93.7 in Grand Rapids dropped me an email about a Jessica Simpson stage meltdown that occurred last night. She’s opening for Rascal Flatts, and they’re in Champaign, Illinois, tonight (where I host a morning show). So I get this email which alerts me to Jessica Simpson’s meltdown — which turns out to be a nice bit of prep to have since the concert’s a big topic of conversation this morning.
That’s prep it forward.
When an artist says or does something unique at a concert, or you see something crazy in the crowd, why not find out where the act is playing next and email a morning show in that town?
If you’re trying to track down the phone number for someone you read about in the news (or in InterPrep’s “Wacky-But-True” section) there are plenty of free tools available online:
What do you use? Comment below.
Ouch. When the crutch of the typical radio personality hits a mainstream parody news website, perhaps it’s time we all resolve to work on better ways to get listeners to stick around after the break. What do you think?
via jacoBLOG
When my first program director showed me Chase’s Calendar of Events, I knew it would become a staple of my show prep library. Chase’s is, without a doubt, the single best source for holidays, anniversaries, celebrity birthdates, religious observances, sporting events, offbeat occurrences, and more. Program directors, producers, sales manager, print journalists, teachers, librarians and other professionals have come to rely on it to find out what’s going on that day, in a week, or even a year ahead. It’s the bible of special occasions, and it should be in every studio.
Recently I had the opportunity to interview Garth Brooks. To prepare, I visited web sites like Wikipedia hoping that I might find some nuggets that would help me come up with some unique questions. I then went off to a quiet place in my house for about an hour and just started writing question after question on a legal pad. Knowing I’d have time for only about ten questions, I slowly cut some 40+ questions down to 12-15. Not all were killers, but a number of people who’ve heard the interview have told me it was obvious I prepared.
When it’s time for an artist (or other celeb) interview, what are some better questions you’ve asked? Knowing it’ll lead to a great response, is there a question you ask every celebrity?
What are some of the funnier responses you’ve received from questions you’ve asked?
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Power of 10 has turned into a hit for CBS. Some of the statistical questions Drew Carey tosses out are pretty interesting, and are available on the CBS website. If some of the folks on your show don’t watch Power of 10, tossing out the questions the day after it airs is a fun way to talk about a topical TV show.
Happiness Happens Month, Children’s Eye Health & Safety Month, Children’s Vision and Learning Month, Make Your Reading Be A Haven Month, National Catfish Month, National Inventors’ Month, National Toddler Month, Mental & Educational Wellness Month, Spinal Muscular Atrophy Awareness Month.
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