In today’s fast-moving media environment, the opportunities to build your profile on the airwaves as an authority in your sector with organisations spanning BBC Radio Leeds, Radio 5 Live or independent local radio news – are more prolific than ever.

As a former BBC radio reporter and news editor, I used to interview thousands of people on wide raning subjects and then select the most appropriate ‘soundbite’ to play on the news bulletins. The value to the interview is very powerful as they can appear on 2 to 3 consecutive news bulletins.

In my current capacity as a media trainer, my company is commissioned by public and private sector organisations UK wide (Bradford Chamber and North Yorkshire Police Authority). I always ensure my candidates can conduct both live and pre-recorded radio interviews confidently and competently. Follow the tips below and tell us about your radio debut!

Where and when?

• Make sure you’re on when someone’s listening. Best times are 7.00am-9.00am, then 1.00pm-2.00pm and 4.30pm-6.00pm
• Offer to come to the studio and do it live, even if it means getting up early
• Recording on portable recorders is next best, especially at an interesting location
• Only agree to a telephone interview as a last resort
• If the reporter’s coming to you, choose somewhere quiet, unless the ambient noise adds interest
• Use background noise creatively (remember, the pictures are better on radio!)

How should I perform?

• Be friendly, lively and enthusiastic, but don’t put on an act. Convey your own personality and your message in your voice. Smile
• Be intimate. You’re talking to ONE listener. Choose someone you know and picture them
• Avoid abstractions. Use vivid, human examples to ‘paint pictures’ in the listener’s mind
• Remember the soundbite. Think up a particularly quotable three or four sentences and include them
• If you must use notes, make them bullet points and DON’T read from them – audiences can tell
• Don’t thump the table, crinkle papers or clink jewellery

Remote studios

• Assume the microphone is live until told otherwise
• Listen hard
• Answer when it’s your turn
• Butt in when necessary, with confidence or not at all

Phone-ins

• Be civil to callers, even rude ones
• Write down callers’ names so you can refer to them
• Flatter them; “That’s a fair point, but the real issue here is”
• Take notes if you wish

Following on from Nick’s previous post, we attended tonight’s CIPR event at which David Parkin former business editor of the Yorkshire Post and now editor of thebusinessdesk.com highlighted his vision for his new venture – and where traditional media aligned with that.

It was an interesting discussion and I was certainly intrigued to see how successful it has proved – despite the myriad naysayers along the way. However, one of the most intriguing – and for me quite frightening – issues came right at the end. Carol Arthur of Northern Lights and deputy chair of the CIPR in this region asked the 40+ attendees which out of us read a daily newspaper and who consumed their news online. Of the approximately 20 students, who were all studying some sort of PR degree, not one read a newspaper.

Having provided work placements for many students as part of our commitment to giving back and nurturing the next generation, we have encountered some truly outstanding young people – as well as some that worryingly knew very little about the workings of the media nor seemed to care very much.

While we are all embracing online and social media and recognise its importance, it still remains very much part – and some would say only a small part – of the UK’s general psyche and therefore must continue to combine with traditional media. Securing clients coverage in newspapers, on the radio and on television is something we at Quest do every day and something that continues to achieve our clients the recognition and business success they are seeking.

If the next generation of PR professionals fails to even acknowledge or consume on a regular basis our quality daily and weekly newspapers we are going to encounter an even more intense talent war than we are currently experiencing.

To any budding PR I would urge you to pick up a newspaper and start reading, critically examining it and dissecting the origin – PR-driven or otherwise – of a story. Only then will you learn how to position newsworthy ideas and stories that integrate into your new media to deliver powerful PR campaigns for your clients and achieve success for their business.

I would be interested to hear what others within the industry and particularly students and lecturers have to say on this issue – are the next-in-line moving too quickly away from traditional media to the detriment of their potential career progression?