A Loyal Reader Writes:
“I have a new morning co-host who’s been in radio for a very short period of time and is new to morning ‘team’ radio. My role in the station is morning announcer. I go through airchecks with my new co-host and offer advice, from the simplest radio ideas to defining our characters on-air.
“After less than a month, my co-host apparently knows how morning radio works and has very strong views on how things should be done. At times this team member will simply ‘not like an idea” without reason — although it has worked very well elsewhere.
“Strangely enough, I think we have a great show, mainly because we have such strong characters… which is probably the crux of our problem.
“A few years ago I thought I knew everything about morning radio. Fortunately for me I realized I will always be learning, that I don’t know everything, and that ‘maybe there is a better way.’
“How can I get my new team member to accept that some other experienced radio people may actually have some good ideas, too?
Radio programs that feature two partners who are completely equal need to establish their own systems for deciding what to do when the two partners disagree.
Here’s the system used by one very successful comedy writing team I know: When they disagree about whether or not something is funny, they scream at each other until one of them gives in.
Another very successful comedy writing team I know uses a much simpler system: If one of them thinks something is funny and the other doesn’t, they simply drop it and move onto something else they both like. “In the time it would take to fight over a joke,” they say, “we could come up with two more that we both like.”
Regardless of the make-up of your team, you need to have a system in place for determining what gets on the air and what gets left behind.
If I weren’t afraid it would like a blatant plug (which I guess it is), I’d also suggest that you order my Morning Show Ratings Explosion and listen to it together.
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I may or may not be funny personally, but my wife has a pretty good idea on what works and what does not. Actually, we agree wholeheartedly with your synopsis of the situation. It is easier to come up with something you both agree on as opposed to trying to “shove it down the throat” of your partner.
Since we both perform a portion of this program together, it definately helps keep a light hearted program going than to be at each others throats. Definately do not want a pair of Dan’s “goons” showing up at my door due to bad topic matter! 🙂
John