This past weekend, the fine actor Alan Alda accepted the Screen Actors Guild’s Life Achievement Award, saying:

“When we get a chance to act, it’s our job, at least in part, to get inside a character’s head, and to search for a way to see life from that person’s point of view.  It may never be more urgent to see the world through another person’s eyes.  And when the culture is divided so sharply, actors can help, at least a little, by doing what we do.”

I agree.  So did C. S. Lewis, who wrote: “My own eyes are not enough for me.  I will see through the eyes of others.”

Part of our job should be to see through the listener’s eyes – and not just the P-1 devoted listener, but also the person who just hit the “scan” button and it landed on you.

Great radio is performance art.  And anyone who’s worked with me knows that’s the way I approach it.

As Alan Alda said at the end of his acceptance speech:

“The nice part is it’s fun to do it.  So my wish for all of us is: Let’s stay playful, let’s have fun, and let’s keep searching.  You can’t solve everything, but it wouldn’t hurt.”

Leading up to last Halloween, a show I work with did a wonderful break that leapt out of the radio about Trick-or-Treating in a Halloween mask.  After talking about how restrictive one could be, one member of the team did a “trick or treat” delivery like his face was being smashed in by the mask.  It was really funny and SO visual.

Then his partner followed up with how it could have been raining, and did a rain sound effect.

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I hear so many people using a text or email as the ending of something.  And a lot of stations have gone way overboard in soliciting them.

But this is one of those things that seems like a good idea, but it’s too broad a concept to play to radio’s strengths.

Here’s what I coach:

Texts (or emails) are only to be used as springboards for something YOU do that’s creative.  They’re not a be-all or end-all in themselves.  So rather than using a text or email as the “destination” for something, you should use those as the START of something.

I didn’t tune in to hear what the faceless “Jennifer” from Highland Park has to say, I tuned in to hear YOU – the trained, articulate, entertaining Personality – have to say.  Because, let’s face it, “real” people are usually not very witty or clever or funny at all.  Sure, they can be once in a while, but even then, I don’t want to hear you just read a response.  How lazy can you get?  Why don’t you just read the newspaper on the air if that’s all the work ethic you have?

Plus, I believe it’s a mistake to encourage people to text or email INSTEAD of calling, because radio is about airing AUDIO.  Do you want to hear me interview an artist, or would you rather hear me read an interview with the artist out of a magazine?  Print is a poor substitute for Sound.  Let’s keep our eye on the ball.

Prior to this past Christmas, I heard a talent talking about how his whole family was going to another state, where they hadn’t gathered in years, for the holidays.

But the story really bogged down when he started itemizing everyone who would be there.  One sister, her husband, and her two children; her brother, his wife, and their three kids; her, her husband and their three daughters; and an aunt that they hadn’t seen in years.

No one’s reading the guest list.  Summarize, instead of Itemize.  “Three families, an aunt, 13 people in all…”

The Art of Storytelling lies partly in honing things down to their most concise version, then just letting it breathe a little bit.  But when you get too detailed – especially about people your listener doesn’t know (or care about), the story becomes rudderless and lacks momentum.

(Larry) “And now let’s check that drive into work again.  Here’s Don Googleheimer…”

(Don, the Traffic guy) “Thanks, Teresa.  Good morning, everybody…”

I actually heard this the other day.  The male half of a morning team intros the Traffic, then the Traffic guy thanks his female partner.

This shows the listener that it’s prerecorded.  Or that the Traffic guy isn’t listening.

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