Matt Hendrickson writes:
“I’ve been an announcer for over 10 years and I’ve done a good mix of voice tracking and live announcing. Currently, I voice-track our overnight show. Recently, I had a listener contact me via social media asking if I pre-record my show or do it live.
“I recently read your posting about keeping the magic of radio alive and not necessarily telling our listeners all the technical details. I pride myself on trying to make my voice tracks sound as genuine as possible but my dilemma is do I tell this listener the truth and possibly jeopardize my credibility or do I fib and keep the image intact?”
You have a third choice: Obfuscate.
Give a response that isn’t untruthful and that doesn’t jeopardize your “live”-sounding credibility.
As any politician will tell you, being asked a direct question doesn’t obligate you to give a direct answer.
As an entertainer, of course, you undoubtedly have nobler motives than the politician.
Your dilemma is pretty much the same that mentalists (i.e., entertainers who create the illusion of mind reading, thought projection, etc.) face when asked, “Can you really read minds?”
Mentalists and “psychics” use the same bag of tricks. The primary difference between them is the “psychic” will look you right in the eye and declare, “Yes, I have psychic powers.”
The mentalist, on the other hand, is faced with the dilemma of either lying to someone or of telling the truth and, as a result, robbing his act of its sense of mystery and wonder (which in turn is likely to have a negative impact on his career).
That’s why most mentalists will give you an answer that is truthful but unhelpful:
“Well, I believe, as I think any neuroscientist will tell you, that people harness only a small percentage of the potential of the human brain. Some of us have devoted a lot more time and practice in order to achieve more of that potential, but I honestly believe that any mental or sensory abilities that I have acquired can be learned by almost anyone if they’re dedicated enough and willing to exercise their brains as they would any other muscle. It’s like anything else: The more you exercise your brain, the better the results you can expect to achieve. I’ve invested a lot more time and energy than most people in developing my abilities, but I really mean it when I say that anything you saw me do tonight is something that you probably could learn to do, too.”
Did that mentalist say anything that’s untrue? No.
Did that mentalist actually answer the question, “Can you really read minds?” No.
Is the person who asked the question satisfied with the answer? Yes, because she can read into it whatever she wants the answer to be. (Hint: She wants the answer to be “yes.”)
So if you don’t want to lie and you don’t want to lessen your audience’s experience, you can say something along the lines of:
“Great question; most people wouldn’t even think to ask that. Almost all radio shows are a mixture of live and prerecorded elements. I do a lot more work before my show actually goes on the air than most people would imagine, and that’s okay with me. If the show you hear is fun and entertaining, I’ve done my job. I’m sure most people don’t realize how much preparation I put into my show before it’s broadcast, and there’s no reason they should. All that matters to them is that each night when they listen to my show, they’re getting me at my best for that evening. They don’t think about whether any particular moment was completely spontaneous or planned or even prerecorded; all that matters is that I always make the program as good as fresh and as entertaining as I can.”
Obfuscation. It’s not just for politicians any more.
Social media resource: Using Social Media To Build Your Radio Station’s Brand by Mari Smith
