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Tommy Kramer has spent over 35 years in radio as an on-air talent, Programmer, and Talent Coach, and has worked with over 100 stations in all formats, specializing in coaching morning team shows. He was elected to the Texas Radio Hall of Fame in 2003. Contact
Tommy Kramer Coaching Tips The oddest thing seems to be happening both on TV and in radio these days. The phony, insincere, pukey deejay delivery is rearing its ugly head ... (read more - Tip #1) A lot of Program Directors, in trying to coach an Air Talent, jump too quickly to the second phase of coaching -- getting an aircheck, playing samples of "things done wrong," and making the process an uneasy one for the Talent right off the bat. No "foreplay." (read more - Tip #2) Think of how many times you’ve heard an Air Talent say--more often than not, with the sound of rustling paper or a page turning in the background--"I was reading an article in this magazine yesterday," or "I saw in the paper this morning that...." My problem with this sort of thing is ... (read more - Tip #3)
I once put up a
sign on the Control Room door that said: "I just got into
town. I got into the car, turned the radio on, and hit the 'scan'
button. It landed on your station. I don't know what station it is,
what the format is, what the dial position is, or who you
are. You have thirty seconds." I base everything I
coach on "first time" listening (read
more - Tip #4) You hear often that someone is "funny." "He's so funny." "I love to listen to his show because it's funny." But is it "funny," or is it "fun" that we're talking about? There is a difference, from a performance and planning point of view. "Funny" is certainly "fun," but "fun" doesn't necessarily have to be "funny." The Andy Griffith Show was a great example of being both (read more - Tip #5) Think about how many Morning Teams you’ve heard that have a decent energy level, but they just don’t seem to move very efficiently. Frankly, in many situations, the decision to have a Team Show in the morning overrides whether or not a qualified team is available, or whether the PD has the proper techniques for coaching them. If you find yourself thinking, “They just take too long” or “They’re good, but they just talk too much,” here’s a tip to help coordinate them fast: When the subject changes, the person speaking changes (read more - Tip #6) If you want to talk about something that isn’t local, unless it’s a giant national headline, it’s likely that you’ll get a “who cares?” reaction in the mind of the Listener. Whenever I hear a Talent struggle with this, I ask, “How do I get there from here?” (read more - Tip #7) |
"Talk TO the mic, not through the mic" Tommy Kramer Coaching Tip #8 (listen to the MP3 audio version of #8 by clicking here) Many air talents, even experienced ones, BROADcast. They speak too loudly, get overly exaggerated, and can’t seem to sound conversational without losing energy or enthusiasm. Usually, it’s just what they picture in their heads—the microphone as a megaphone, a device used to talk to the listener, somewhere in the distance. It’s the same sort of principle that makes many stage actors, who are used to broad, exaggerated movements, have to rein that impulse in to not appear to be chewing the scenery and over-acting when they do film work. See the microphone AS the listener. That’ll put you right “in the pocket” vocally. You won’t talk too loud, because you wouldn’t shout at someone just a few inches (or a few feet) away. And you’ll still be able to maintain getting excited, enthusiastic, serious, thoughtful, intimate—all the palate of vocal ranges and emotions. There are parallels in sports. If you think of how Michael Jordon or Magic Johnson or Larry Bird shot free throws, they always just concentrated on the release, the part that was right in front of them, rather than how far away or how high the basket was. If you watch Tiger Woods putt, he doesn’t look toward the hole until well after the ball has been struck. The mic IS the listener.© 2007 Tommy Kramer
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