The nation is transfixed by its television anchors. Some hang on to their every word and cheer every time they make brazen and unfounded attacks. Some are revolted by their loudness and have moved away from prime time news. There are many others who don’t mind the noise. The truth is: you may love them or hate them, but you cannot ignore them. But what about Radio Jockeys popularly known as RJs?
Do the RJs invite similar strong emotions? Or do they go unnoticed? The FM radios certainly are busy creating a listening glue around their jockeys. They want the jockeys to drive the traffic.
They are not wrong. Afterall, what is the differentiator in today’s FM programmes? Nothing. All of them live on Bollywood music. Take it away, and the FM radios will collapse.
I wonder how many FM listeners can recall their RJs. There is virtually no defining content other than desperate attempts to build marketing driven radio identities.
It is hard to defend the shallow repartees or meaningless chatter that our RJs indulge in. Often, it is hard to stay tuned in for 30 minutes or 50 minutes of driving time.
I was particularly appalled by an interview the RJ of a prominent FM channel was conducting. The subject was so appropriate. Winter is setting in, and everyone is looking for room heaters and blowers.
I thought it was very thoughtful of the FM Channel because the sharp dip in mercury had Delhites wondering as to which heater to buy.
Should it be a Halogen heater? Or should it be an oil heater? What about the old-fashioned filament heater? There was also confusion about non-branded heaters too. How good are they?
So, I waited to learn which heater I should buy. But to my frustration the Radio Jockey did not give the specialist any opportunity.
She asked the questions, and before the specialist could answer the Radio Jockey would interrupt and give her own answers.
Result: no one was wiser, and the FM channel lost a good opportunity.
This is how the interview went:
Radio Jockey: Sir, please tell our listeners which heater should be bought?
Specialist: Today, you have oil heaters and halogen heaters ….
Radio Jockey (interrupts): Yes. I know. You have halogen heaters that have two rods, and halogen heaters that have three rods. Please tell us how do you decide which heater will give the maximum heat?
Specialist: There are blowers with thermostats that allow 1000 or 2000 watts of heat to be generated. The consumer has the option to generate heat according to the requirement. The halogen heaters generate 400 Watts of heat….
Radio Jockey: Yes, I know. People of Delhi, don’t worry. There are enough heaters available in the market. More than 125 to 150 heaters are being pushed into the market every day. There is no crisis.
The interview was over.
It was a perfect example of how interviews should not be done on the radio. Her three cardinal sins were:
Sin One
She was more interested in palming her knowledge and judgment on the listeners. The specialist was not given an opportunity to explain.
Sin 2
She had done no home work. She therefore did not know which questions to ask.
Sin 3
She had her facts wrong regarding the number of heaters that were being supplied in a marketing of the size of Delhi.
If you were to do a radio interview please do not make these mistakes. Your listeners only hear you. And if your words fail to inspire or mesmerise or entertain then you have failed in your primary task.
You are not the glue nor the reason why listeners should come to your channel. On the contrary, you are the reason they switch channel indiscriminately.
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