How to become a Talk Show Host
I was the host of a successful radio show last year, which gained a lot of recognition. While it was not solely a talk-show, it was talk-heavy. First I will discuss the steps you can take to acquiring your own talk show, and then I'll address what it takes to keep you on the air, in other words, be a GOOD talk show.
Just like with any job, in order to get the position you want, you are going to have to start near the bottom and climb up. This can begin in one of two ways. If you do not have any education or background in radio, you will want to pick up an internship. These are rarely paid positions, so you would need an additional source of income. If you have some experience, stations are always looking for 'net-ops' or night time operators.
Essentially, these are the shifts that cover all the times the regular DJs don't want. Weekends, overnights, and holidays. However, you will get to know the ropes this way, and even get some air-time, like reading the weather. After putting in some time here, you can begin to watch for day-shift openings. Do the best you can on the overnights, and prove that you have what it takes. Be creative with your air time, even if it is minimal.
Record your on-air work and put your best stuff together on a CD. To get a real show, a station will require you to turn in a 'demo CD.' They want to hear you in action. Then just move up as you can. Maybe you move up to assist one of the DJs, just keep climbing and improving, and you will get there.
Next, it is important to remember some things that will make your show good. In talk radio you need to be 3 things:
1. Educated - this doesn't mean you need a masters or anything, but you need to be very aware of current events in particular. The more you know, the more credibility your show will gain.
2. Opinionated - You need to know where you stand on many different issues. This is what makes a show fun to listen to. Listeners either love you or hate you based on your opinions, but either way its a GOOD thing because it will keep them listening.
3. Quick thinking - A bad radio show drags along. You have to keep things moving, which requires being able to think on your feet. Talk shows have a lot of interaction, callers and interviews. If your guest is slow or dull, you have to carry it through, know when to move on or speed it up.
You will deal with people on the phone who have questions or comments, be ready to respond to anything. Not that everything needs to happen very fast, but it has to stay interesting the whole time, and if its not anymore, move past it into the next thing.
A radio talk show is not easy to land, you have to prove yourself again and again, but once you do, it is one of the most fun jobs you can ever have. Good luck!
