Radio DJs Front Sell, Back Sell

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Rhonda

New DJ
Sep 16, 2008
9
0
52
Saskatchewan, Canada
Greetings. If you missed my 'Welcome' post in the 'Welcome' section, my name is Rhonda Nightingale. I am currently enrolled in a broadcasting school and I am looking for some great front sell and back sell lines.

Example: ripping your way through your Monday.

Stuff like this.

Is there a book out there that is loaded with Radio jockey talk, for if there is, I would like to know about it.

I am a creative girl, but right now my nerves and feelings are frayed. You see, I am a fish out of the water. I left my husband and children 340 kilometers away to enrol in school and its disheartening.

Hence the call for help.

HELP! I am looking for some 'cheat sheets' and/or some great lines from you.

I eagerly look forward to your replies.

My thanks in advance,

Rhonda Nightingale
 
Welcome Rhonda

12 year radio vet here but now totally doing the mobile thing.

I am surprised you're asking about front sell back sell lines, I thought crutches like this were shyed away from in 2008.

My advice,
in broadcasting school learn the mechanics, they can't teach you personality...

not a rip though...
 
Hi Rhonda

Front sell and Back sell is something that has to come natural or it's going to sound really forced. Giving you lines is like giving you a chainsaw if you don't know how to use it you are going to do more damage than good.

Selling is little more than taking current events and associating them with the songs. For example coming out of Celebration....It's 625 AM that's Kool and the Gang...Celebration....There's not going to be any Celebration in Ottawa today Finance Minister Jim Flarhety will be releasing budget shortfalls for the coming year...Heeee claims there will be staggering figures...Hmmm Staggering figures sounds like outside the downtown bars on a Saturday night :sqlaugh:

Here's some links for some radio prep sites and other radio related stuff. Most of these sites have other links within them too

http://www.radiojock.com/

http://www.broadcastdialogue.com/

http://www.reelradio.com/

http://newsbop.triqi.com/

http://www.acmehumor.com/
 
I have to agree with both 1CDJ and Jeff. While associating current events with titles can work, it's truly best to depend on your outgoing personality and quick thinking for this sort of thing. YOU must make it YOURS.
 
My advice...listen to local radio stations or even stream stations on line from the U.S. and Canada. Great places to pick up ideas and to hear different styles of broadcasting. As for shtick....it'll come to you in time. Biggest thing...make it sound like you're having a conversation with a single listener...like you're talking with a friend.
 
Rhonda,

Front selling is looking ahead, back selling is looking behind. They are lists and facts. Not much more. I'd concentrate on YOUR personality or how you view things. In order for you to really make it, you'll need to expose your soul so that people listening can understand who you are.

Here is what I take away as a GREAT intro:

99.9 the WOLF, Number 1 for new country and the legends (You have to sell the product) I'm Rhonda and I'm sad. You see, I'm 340km's away from my man and my kids and I'm missin' em something awful. I love it here, so I guess what I really need to do is fill up my empty moments with fun things to do, can you help me out? What should I see? Where should I go? Call me and let me know!

How's that?

Dave
 
At a lot of radio stations now in the larger markets the first thing out of your mouth is the station's positioning statement, then a prescribed element depending on the time in the hour depending on Arbitron ratings as to what is required to pull in and/or keep the audience for the next quarter hour.

If you land in a top 50 market you pretty much are told what to say, how to say it and when to say it. Corporate radio is very calculated and precise.( as well as cookie cutter!)
 
Yea, what Doug said.

You are almost always told exactly what the first few words are going to be after you crack the mic, and it is usually a positioning statement. Most stations also have rules regarding front and back selling. For instance; only tease a "new add" you have coming up in this hour, or only tease music by a given artist because we are doing a ticket give away, or only back sell the song just played, or only back sell the last three songs artist only, you get the idea.

Similar to stand up comedy, it's all meant to sound spontaneous, but rarely is. Just about every jock I know rehearses their next intro to make sure they hit the post (well, back in the days of live radio), but it's supposed to sound off the cuff.

Like others have said...listens to other stations, other formats, as you learn about hot clocks and positioning and breaks and sweeps, you see how other stations are programing. I can tell you when most stations around here are going to play a recurrent or a hot hit and it's a given (in any market) that you will hear a commercial break at least at :20 and :50.

Good luck with everything.
 
The only "real" radio left in the US are the mom & pops in the smaller communities. Everything else is run by Wall Street and exacting marketplace formulas.
 
Well Doug.. wall street is debatable at this current date as

Radio One is endanger of being delisted if they havent already
Citadel (formerly ABC) same boat about to be delisted
Clear Channel has been taken "private"

board rooms yes, The street seems to be over it, even XM Sirius is in the dumps
 
This true! Radio One has already switched to another type listing. The sad part is here in Indy we're doing great!
 
Thanks for the links Jeff, I have them open in seperate tabs, am going to look at them after this.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
I do know that it is just nerves that is blocking my creativity. My school wanted us to make DJ. one-liners to open and close a song. I got all in a panic and went running to the computer and internet instead of relaxing and writing down ideas.

I plan on buying some books and tuning into a station that has some great announcers... BUT, I need some suggestions with the latter. To be blunt, I am from a small population of people, and we don't have much here to choose from. I want to hear from the best. Please, post your suggestions.

Forgive my begging earlier please. I am someone that wants to run before she learns how to crawl, then walk. I have to have patience, and realise I have to crawl before I can learn how to run.

I am just so eager folks because I am 37, and until recently I had no idea what I wanted to do. Now that I know, I am having a hard time realising that I am not going to know it all right away.

I sincerely appreciate your time that you all have taken to read my original post, and for your replies because of it.

Most greatfully yours,

Rhonda Nightingale,
broadcaster in training.
 
If I may add my 2 cents worth here -

Probably the most important lesson I EVER learned in my years of radio -

"If you don't have anything pertinent to say - don't say anything at all"

In other words, Don't key the mic just to ramble.....the less talk (unless it's a news/talk format) the better. You will find that the most popular FM's these days, the jocks don't front sell and back sell the music....they let the music talk for itself.....unless of course you happen to be a certain jock at the Clear Channel station here - when I hear him on the station, I turn the channel.....
 
Sparkie which of the 27 clear channel stations do you speak of?


Actually the lady that opened up the thread asked a decent question funny thing is this was the big topic apparently yesterday at the NAB and there is a lot less jocking and a lot more relating..

Jack Armstrong was the last person that could really make me laugh talking superflous bull **** up a 40 second post...

and of course with jack it was at 97mph
 
Thanks Jeff, I added them to my favorites in my internet browser.

I go to school till one o'clock in the afternoon, so I will check as much of
the day time announcer as I can.

R
 
If I may add my 2 cents worth here - Probably the most important lesson I EVER learned in my years of radio - "If you don't have anything pertinent to say - don't say anything at all" In other words, Don't key the mic just to ramble.....the less talk (unless it's a news/talk format) the better. You will find that the most popular FM's these days, the jocks don't front sell and back sell the music....they let the music talk for itself


Thanks, I sincerely appreciate your comment.

Also, 'When in doubt, leave it out".

R
:sqwink:
 
This true! Radio One has already switched to another type listing. The sad part is here in Indy we're doing great!

Thats because Indy is way far from Lanham Maryland...

When i worked for Radio One it was either for Cathy as her board op or at the dc office where Alfred grew up. When I did nights in Baltimore for Radio one Al would hotline me. Wayyyy too close to corporate.
 
Sparkie which of the 27 clear channel stations do you speak of?

WTQR. They have this one guy that goes by the name of JB, that just will not shut up. I've gone so far as to call Angie and Toby personally to tell them. I've mentioned that they should check either the jocks personal air tape or go back in the Volicon server and listen to his shift to listen for themselves.

To make matters worse, his voice quality sucks.
 
I'd have to agree with two things mentioned here.

1- most bigger corporations will TELL you whether to pre-sell or back sell,
and in many cases, how to do it.

2- as a full timer, having a "stable" filled with things to say is dangerous. you will become too dependent on looking for the right one for the moment
and will stifle your creativity to think on your feet.

yes, the "mom and pops" offer more freedom, but all you need is a good PD who is not afraid to stretch the rules to suit the market.

I also produce commercials at our station(s)...so I approach my breaks the same way I write an ad. you have to think of "how will what I say relate to the majority of listeners"...but always start with an idea that it extremely personal. it'll give you the best combination of something that strikes a chord, but doesn't sound you read it out of a book