How to Do an Effective Radio Remote Broadcast

Radio stations frequently use mobile equipment or even phones to broadcast from a remote site in their community. In addition to a showcase for an advertising client, remote broadcasts are also excellent opportunities for stations to create a visual presence in the community. Here are several steps to follow when executing a remote broadcast.

Instructions

Difficulty: Challenging

1. Once the station has scheduled a remote for a client, the salesperson in charge of the account and the air talent doing the remote should meet to discuss the broadcast. This is an opportunity to clarify what the client hopes to achieve with the broadcast.
2. Prior to the event, the air talent should schedule a time with the client to visit the remote location. This achieves two things: testing the equipment to be used for the broadcast from the site and creating a better report between client and air talent.
3. Arrive at last one hour early at the remote site before broadcast time. This should ensure proper time to handle any kinks or problems that pop up. Bring along additional station staff, if possible, to help out. And bring as many station signs or banners as you can; there will be a place for everything and it's like having free billboards for several hours.
4. Invite the client on the air to speak. If the client has the aptitude for it, make frequent use of the client during the broadcast.
5. When the last on air break is complete, don't dismantle your broadcast immediately. Stick around for a few minutes, thank the client personally for using your station and make general conversation. Take your time tearing down your equipment.

Tips & Warnings

• If your station has a smaller staff, use interns as assistants on remotes.
• Suggest to the client that he/she should place an ad for the remote in the local newspaper. This strengthens the event's awareness in the community and also gives your station free advertising in a new medium.
• Bring freebies, or giveaways, to the event. This could be anything from t-shirts with your station logo to ball point pens provided by one of the client's product suppliers.
• Salespeople beware of guaranteeing a large crowd to the client. Often, and for various reasons, it is simply impossible to bring them in. Instead stress the strength of dominating a block of programming at one time on your airwaves. This strengthens name recognition for the client with potential customers.

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