I recently had the pleasant opportunity of sharing some of my knowledge and experience with the next generation of radio superstars. 

While doing the session with the radio personalities of Uitani Radio (the youngest being nine and the oldest 18), I realised that a few radio personalities already in the industry perhaps need access to my notes as well.  

I listen to a lot of radio; freakishly a lot, and I know exactly who is dropping the ball and who is delivering excellent radio content. 

There is a genuine cause for concern with a bunch of radio presenters across the board getting the bare basics heartbreakingly wrong on professional radio platforms.  I highlighted four main points in the session with the radio personalities of Uitani Radio. 

The first is punctuality. You cannot be on radio, and be terrible with time. Being bad with time and
wanting a career in radio is like trying to figure out who the ‘B1 butcher’ is. Time is everything in the
radio industry; you have to be punctual, and you have to respect time. Everything about radio is tied in with time. I cannot stress this enough.  

The second highlight was exploring the Namibian context. Quite a number of radio presenters simply copy and paste international articles, content, etc, and just read them verbatim on air. It’s a terrible habit that needs to be nipped in the bud! We cannot be lazy when it comes to content; content is what your job is. If you are lazy about your job, then please make way for someone else who will respect the job. Find a Namibian context to whatever you find online. 

The third highlight is a bit of an extension of the second key point. Radio presenters need to make content interesting. 

That’s the skill; the skill that sets radio presenters apart from your ordinary Dantago and Maria from the street who think they can just walk into a radio studio and host a three-hour show, seeing that radio is one of the most underestimated jobs in the whole world. The skill really is to take content that is pedestrian and boring and make it relatable, fun and informative for your listener. 

Everyone has a smartphone, and we all have access to information. 

The question is, why should someone listen to a radio presenter if they can simply Google, right? People are not stupid; people deserve that extra mile. 

After all, it’s people who fuel your salary. 

My fourth and final highlight amongst many other things is simply for radio presenters to understand who they are talking to. 

What and who is your target person? Put a name to your target person. 

Develop your target person to such a point where you know their age, sex, hobbies, etc.

 That will ultimately help you determine what content you bring on air.  Thank you Lifeline/Childline Uitani Radio for doing the seemingly impossible of trusting a dude who has been on radio for 12 years and some change, has been on air with four stations, and has won multiple awards and accolades.

Until the next Loop, we say #GMTM.  * Need an MC? I do not post naked pictures or have 100k followers, but after 10 years of MCeeing, I think I can do the job. Contact me for a quote at naobebsekind@gmail.com