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by QW+ staff writer
Blog Article: Preparing for a Radio Interview
Being asked to be interviewed on any media platform, be it radio or live TV, can elicit feelings of excitement or nervousness (or even both), especially when it’s your first time on air. Whatever the case, showing up prepared is one way to make sure you don’t fumble the opportunity.
One question that you or someone close to you would ask is, “Do people still listen to the radio?” The answer is yes, absolutely! While there has been a significant rise in digital media in the past decade, through various streaming platforms, radio is still standing strong as a relevant media platform for delivering up-to-date news and engaging with the general public.
Why? Not everyone has access to digital technologies (a term called the Digital Divide), which could be due to poor infrastructure, limited access to digital devices, or lack of digital skills. Whatever the reason, radio is a commercial device that is reliable and readily accessible.
So, you’ve been called on to be interviewed on the radio; now what?
Again, your first instinct might be to panic and say no, or you might be excited at the prospect because it offers you a platform to showcase what you do; either way, I say take a deep breath and let’s cover some bases first:
First, do your research
Find out what you can about the radio station or programme that you’ve been invited to. What’s their programme about? Listen to past interview clips, observe how the radio host conducts their interviews, and see if you can get a sense of the angles their questions generally take.
Ask questions
Your research into the radio station or programme might raise some questions; reach out and ask follow-up questions. Don’t be shy to ask as many questions as you like; this will help you prepare for the interview. Questions might include:
- What does the radio station hope to gain from the interview session, or what enlightenment do they want to bring to their audience?
- How will the session be conducted, in person or via a phone call?
- Will the session be pre-recorded or live?
- Will they share interview questions before the session or not?
- Will listeners (i.e. the audience) call in to ask questions too?
Work on your message
Write the keywords or messages you want to share, from the first 30–60 seconds of introduction to the main facts you want to speak on and to the closing/call to action you hope to convey to your audience.
If there’s no script from the radio interviewer, use your research on the radio station to draft possible questions you’d be asked and write your responses to these questions.
Note down key facts and figures that you’d like to reference while you’re on air. You can even write this up in a document that you can have on you to guide your thought process if you like.
Practice!
Now that all the background work is done, it’s time to practice! You can pre-record yourself to gauge how you sound and then try again, self-correcting as you go.
Consider role-playing with a friend, colleague, or family member to practice your responses.
While practicing, focus on getting your points across as concisely as you can; try not to over-elaborate unless you’re asked to. Speak calmly and slowly.
Practice soundbites where you can; these are short, catchy yet impactful phrases that help you deliver your message well.
Be ready and show up!
You’ve done all the preparation you can, now it’s time to show up and stand out! Set a good precedent by being punctual.
If it’s an online session, choose a comfortable place with no distractions, good connectivity, and do some emotional grounding at least 30 minutes before you go on air.
If it’s an in-studio session, also aim to be there at least an hour before you go on air; this will help you familiarise yourself with the environment and give the technical team enough time to prep you if they need to.
Bottom line…
Don’t overthink it and don’t sell yourself short. You were approached because you have something valuable to share. Just do it!
AI was used to help with research for this article and for corrections once it had been written.
By Chisom Ejimkaraonye