Association of Music Personnel in Public Radio 
Fall 1999 

Always be prepared and organized; it will be reflected in your sound on air.

Don’t be afraid to write things out, at least in outline form. It will help you be (and sound) more confident on air. Have various intros and outros at hand and a list of items to be covered during the break.

Be sure of all pronunciations and rehearse out loud. If a pronunciation is unavailable and you must intro the work, be confident in your execution. Translate words and phrases (including titles) into English whenever possible since foreign languages can distance listeners.

Have informational material on hand.

Be informed about the music as well as the local and national arts scene, and when possible, make connections between the music and what   is happening in your local area.

Keep breaks brief and simple, and cut out extra words.

Focus. Don’t ramble, switch direction mid-break, or chat about everything you know about the piece, the composer, the performer. Choose one item, and save the rest for future occasions. There will be other times for more information.

Present only one promo or psa per break unless directed otherwise.

Forward promote programming—that is, tell what’s coming up in the next hour, or tease major programming later in the day or what’s scheduled at this time tomorrow. Stay away from laundry lists. Keep back announcements short and to the point.

Your voice in the back-announce should reflect the mood of the music just played in order to avoid jarring the listener.

Give the station call letters at least twice per break. All elements of the break should flow together like a conversation.

Be yourself, not an announcer. When you sound like a real person, listeners will feel more comfortable.

Be conversational and stay away from “radioese,” like “fifteen minutes before the hour of eleven o’clock.” Instead, say, “It’s ten-forty-five” or “It’s a quarter to eleven.”

Visualize one person and talk to that person. Don’t use the Royal We, say I and you. 

Share your thoughts and feelings about the music, event, weather, and so on. Be enthusiastic and interested and USE VOCAL INFLECTION to convey your enthusiasm and interest.

Don’t read straight from the liner notes; rewrite the information into your own words.

Don’t try to impress with your musical knowledge. Most listeners will feel left out.

Relax, have fun, and smile. Smiles really can be heard in the voice.

Copyright 1999  Association of Music Personnel in Public Radio