How to Hire Radio Talk Show Personnel

Talk radio is a fascinating medium where a hosts or group of hosts are hired to entertain, stimulate and intrigue the radio listeners. In between the show, advertisements are sold to make money for the station. Here are some tips on how to hire radio talk show personnel to make your station as successful as possible.

Things You'll Need

• Awareness of talk radio culture

Instructions

1. Check to make sure that each person has their FCC license. (Of course, if you are on satellite radio, you don't need an FCC license, since it is not governed by the FCC.) If they don't have it, they must complete the FCC course before going on air at your radio station.

2. Determine the target audience for your radio station. Talk radio runs the gamut from sports, to entertainment, to political radio and more. Determining your audience will also determine what kind of personnel you are looking to hire.

3. Think about your advertisers. This goes in conjunction with the previous step as your advertisers are trying to reach a certain segment of listener who will spend money on their project. Think if the people you interview would be a good match for the products your advertisers are trying to sell.

4. Listen to their demo tape. Even a novice who has never been on the air before can create a simple 15-minute demo tape, which will give you an idea about what their show will be. Remember to ask yourself as you listen if this show will be a fit for both the listeners and advertisers.

5. Interview your prospective employees. Make sure you lay out what your goals are for the station. See if they are receptive to those goals. You may also want to suggest changes to their current style. Even if this isn't something that ultimately occurs, you want to know if the potential personnel are easy to work with and take suggestions constructively.

6. Follow up with their references in other markets. Radio talk show personnel constantly move from market to market as they try to climb the ladder to New York, Los Angeles, Chicago, Atlanta or Dallas (these are the major markets.) If the radio talk show personnel have been around for a while, then they'll have several old bosses with which you can confer.

7. Deal with the personnel's representative when you are making a deal with them. Most talk show hosts have an agent, manager or lawyer who negotiates the deal for them. Go to the representatives to make the deal. This way the talent is protected in the equation and the business relationship can start on the right foot.