With apologies to Donna Summer, you can find just about anything on the radio, including some outrageous sports talk…
“Oh, I was so surprised and shocked, and I wondered too
If by chance you heard it for yourself…”
You can find shockjock Howard Stern on Sirius radio, “Just shut up and dribble” Laura Ingraham is syndicated nationally and until just recently Mike Francesa ruled New York’s WFAN…In Boston you can find the unfiltered Kirk Minihane…
“I hear voices in my head”, the WEEI morning drive host told the students at the Boston University Sports Journalism Seminar Series recently…No one laughed…Minihane shoots first and asks questions later…Something he has paid the price for in multiple suspensions….Minihane co-hosts his show with self-proclaimed ultra conservative Gerry Callahan of the Boston Herald…Their show is many times very little about sports, something the Minihane readily admits works when it comes to ratings but not so much with listeners who want to talk nut and bolts…Not his favorite thing to do…
Also attending the seminar was CBS Radio’s Amy Lawrence…a veteran of both local and national talk shows, Lawrence has “fought and scratched” to get to her position, which includes a four hour overnight stint heard here in Boston on 98.5TheSportsHub…Like Minihane, Lawrence has her detractors…You just don’t hear them on the radio…But troll social media and it won’t take long to find them…Many openly challenge her sports knowledge, what could she possible know as a woman?…Tune in for more than ten minutes and you’ll quickly find out…
But Lawrence, it says here, has found the right formula…Sculpt the show to your advantage, don’t rely on inane call ins and certainly don’t put yourself in a position, much like a good lawyer, to not know the answer to a question before it’s asked…(This is where a good producer comes in)…Lawrence did her show from Boston the night she visited, usually doing it from New York City, and told the students “play to your strengths”…In fact, the just completed show focused largely on pizza!…Hey, if it’s two in the morning who can’t use a good slice?…
Which is not, in the slightest, to say Lawrence is a lightweight…She challenged Minihane on his treatment of Erin Andrews and wasn’t afraid to question his motivation and approach…
In both cases, Minihane and Lawrence have hit on a brand….A brand that works for them and a brand that works for their stations…How many times have we heard this semester, “you can write the best story, break the big news, but if no one is listening(reading) you’re spinning your wheels?”…Yes, in the case of Minihane, some of it is objectionable…But there’s a simple solution if you don’t agree…
Change the channel…
It can’t all be like Beyonce sings it, “I think I’m in love with my radio
‘Cause it never lets me down”…
11 Comments
Andrew Mason posted on March 11, 2018 at 7:53 pm
On the Radio…
Last semester, when I signed up for Professor Shorr’s Sports Talk Radio class at Boston University, I was sure the course was going to be an “easy-A”. Chatting sports on the radio with my buds? Easy peasy. Boy was I wrong. Aside from the technical side of putting together a radio show, I quickly learned that being a radio personality comes with many challenges, many of which the listeners take for granted while tuning in.
I struggled to discover which “version” of myself I wanted to present through the airwaves. Was I going to be a pushover, one who easily agrees with the opinions of Matt Doherty, Nick Neville, and Liam O’Brien? Or would I take on the role of the villain, choosing instead to disagree with their typically Boston-biased takes? Do I even need to “choose” a personality, or can I just be myself? Kirk Minihane swore on Thursday during Shorr’s Sports Seminar that he simply tries to be the same guy on the air that he is off the air. Part of me believes this. After all, Minihane did seem like the kind of person who truly likes to speak his mind, no matter the waves of people he may rile up in the process. Still, I can’t help but think that radio-Minihane deliberately takes his opinions and remarks to the next level, purposely aggravating audiences in order to boost ratings and his own popularity – even if it does result in five different suspensions.
Although this might scare those at BU’s College of Communication a little bit, I wish I had met Minihane prior to participating in the Sports Talk Radio class. He may not be the best role model out there, but he is walking proof that taking risks pays off. There were countless opportunities throughout the semester that I disagreed with what my fellow anchors had said, but decided to let it go and close my mouth. I think it would have been a great thing, not just for me but for the show in general, if I had stepped up and voiced my alternative viewpoint. Like Minihane said, most people are able to “argue” on the air, then laugh it off and shake hands after the mics are turned down.
In addition to crafting an on-air persona, one of the most difficult (and definitely the most time-consuming) parts of radio is the homework. You need to know what you’re talking about, plain and simple. I remember the email I received from Shorr after a Sports Talk Radio class that read as follows:
“Above all else accuracy is the key…listeners may not agree with your views but if you make factual errors, they’ll drop you (quickly)….drummond had 26 points, not 25…it’s minor but not to the people who have elected to spend time with you…”
Although it’s extremely tedious at times, being prepared is everything on the radio. CBS Radio’s Amy Lawrence stated that she spends an hour preparing for every hour she will be on the air. This preparation can include watching games, reading articles, or even just looking up facts. In my opinion, homework is more important in radio than it is in any other sports journalism medium. Television broadcasters get the luxury of reading off a teleprompter, writers get to sit behind a computer and construct their story, but radio hosts are constantly tested in terms of what they know. Not to mention the whole phenomenon of listeners actually getting to call in to either debate you or ask you a question. Try not being ready for one of those. It hurts.
For women, another obstacle stands in the way. The horrible stereotype that continues to plague sports journalism is the idea that women cannot possibly know anything about sports. Because of this, female radio personalities like Lawrence have to battle with those who not only disagree with her views, but discredit her because of her gender. In Betsy M. Ross’ “Playing Ball with the Boys: The Rise of Women in the World of Men’s Sports”, Ross details this constant fight. As seen in her stories, there are lots of men out there who won’t take a female talking or writing about sports seriously. It’s even harder to garner respect on the radio, due to the fact that it’s a medium that women and men cannot rely on their looks to prosper in. But, as was the overall consensus a few weeks ago when we had Nora Princiotti and Jeanna Trotman in for a seminar, the state of women in sports journalism is improving, even if at a slow rate. It’s important for women studying to have a career in this field to push this nonsense to the side and understand that the majority of men (at least in the rising millennial generation) respect women pursuing a job in sports journalism.
Overall, both Lawrence and Minihane proved that there is enough room for very contrasting types of people in the sports talk radio world. Whatever personality I choose to adopt next time I turn on my microphone, it’s critical that I did my research beforehand and am ready to present an opinion, however unpopular it may be. It’s not the end of the world in this business to receive messages on social media detailing how “idiotic” a viewpoint of mine may have been while I was on-air, as long as I’ve studied up and can back up what I’ve said.
It’s okay to be different, just maybe try to avoid being suspended until your a little bit more established.
Ashleigh Shanley posted on March 13, 2018 at 2:30 pm
For me, sports radio is a very interesting topic. Living in Boston, I do not have a car; and I mostly walk places or take public transportation. Usually, I am listening to music on my headphones while scrolling through Twitter and other social media sites to catch up on my news. Yet, a platform I never use is radio.
I remember my dad driving my siblings and me to elementary and middle school, and he would be listening to Michigan Sports Talk Radio. The content was always commentary about the Michigan sports, and back then I liked it. I was too young to have a Facebook, and it was before Twitter, Instagram, and Snapchat were around. And for a busy girl who did not have time to watch TV during the week, listening to the morning radio show with my dad would help keep my sports knowledge up to date.
However, then I started driving myself to school, social media grew, and radio became somewhat of a distant memory. Now, I reflect on where I get my news from: television, Twitter, Instagram, Facebook, Snapchat, news sites and email blasts – pretty much anything that is easy to get mobile. Yet, I never tune into the radio, and listening to an old podcast just is not as interesting to me since I really enjoy visual elements.
While I’m not a huge radio girl, I thought hearing our most recent guest speakers in our Sports Seminar would convince me that sports radio could be a potential option for my future, but I think it may have turned me farther away.
One thing in particular that really irked me is the separation these hosts have from athletes, coaches and teams; and how they believe that gives them an extra cushion to say whatever they want about other people in the industry. I understand everyone is allowed to have their opinion, but to hear Kirk Minihane say as a talk show host it isn’t your job to meet the athletes, and that is a “disservice” to yourself because you might end up liking them, is pretty harsh.
The athletes and teams are the ones providing talk shows with content for a majority of their episodes, and to hear that Minahane and other hosts think they have a sense of power to speak poorly of athletes because they never have to meet them just made me uncomfortable. Working behind the radio speakers does not give them extra authority or protection to bash athletes and coaches – they’re people too.
Which leads me to the second point that was bothersome. It really baffled me when Amy Lawrence said LeBron James should not be so sensitive about what others say about him because it’s his job to ignore it. Yet, he is a human! And it seemed off that she could admit she got insulted when people spoke poorly of her, so how is he any different?
This seminar really had me reflecting on the other classes leading up to it. Hearing Jayson Tatum of the Boston Celtics saying, “remember we’re human too.” Then listening to Emerson Lotzia of NESN talk about the state of sports journalism in 2018, and how everything is moving towards mobile and social media. These past conversations made me question whether sports radio hosts are possibly scared of their future.
Both our guests talked about how small the radio market is, and I believe there are two possible reasons behind that. One, is the shows and stations need to be more accessible on mobile devices – especially if they want to attract millennials. The second reason, is they need to consider using athletes and coaches to gain listeners instead of viewing them as robots they can insult and never confront.
Fans like to hear from their favorite athletes and teams every once in a while, and definitely like easy access to content. While the radio shows at Barstool are definitely an acquired taste, they are becoming more popular because of the easy access they provide listeners through various social media sites and they endless number of athletes and coaches they have visit their show. Unlike what Minihane believes, the hosts at Barstool meet coaches and athletes, have them visit their show, and even if they like them, the hosts do not let it affect their commentary. Like all mediums, sports radio is definitely changing and is in a transition between what works for a variety of generations and audiences – so as a millennial I definitely have a different opinion of how sports radio shows should work than my dad who still listens to Michigan Sports Talk Radio. Yet, for now, I enjoyed hearing the experiences of current hosts from different shows, but I’m not sure radio is the direction I see my career moving towards in the near future.
Jane Rose posted on March 13, 2018 at 5:09 pm
I can still remember the first time sports radio actually interested me. It was 2006 and the Buffalo Sabres were clawing their way through the Stanley Cup playoffs. My mom and I went to every home game for those three rounds (sitting in the last row in the stadium where I nearly fell from the incline multiple times). To and from every game WGR550 was turned up full volume in our car as we listened to pre and post game analysis, player interviews and press conferences. But since those years, I haven’t really given much thought to radio besides listening to the occasional play by play. And even though my step-dad and I were pretty big Mike and Mike fans (RIP), we always tuned into the televised airing of their show.
While my interest clearly lies in television nowadays, so much of what our guests in this week’s sports seminar translated from radio. Both Amy Lawrence and Kirk Minihane made points that could resonate with journalists of any kind.
Just recently BUTV’s Offsides did an episode about controversies in the sports world, and the idea of a “fine line” was a concern of everyone’s. You have to be conscious of that line and it’s intimidating. Both the guests knew of that. Ironic that Kirk touched on this seeing as he’s been known to cross this line and seems un-remorseful for it… But perhaps thats a good view to include, someone who clearly overstepped.
That line includes politics, which seem to be intertwining with sports more than ever lately. Amy hit the nail on the head when she said mentioning party affiliations could lose you 50% of your listeners. I know that I hate watching people with different views than mine, so I definitely plan to conceal my affiliation, even though so many journalists today are vocal about it.
There’s another line, not with topics, but with regards to co-workers. Kirk touched on being able to fight with someone on air but being able to laugh it off when the recording stops and separating your head and your heart. If you can’t do this, I don’t think you should be in this industry.
Amy was a colorful and charismatic speaker, and I loved her insight on rude comments on social media, because I already dread them.
But on that, I didn’t necessarily love how she almost devalued women in sports on television. I think we should all be in this together, no matter the medium. I understand that you cannot hide behind anything on radio, but I think that’s also true on television. Everyone can see which women (or broadcasters in general) don’t know what they’re talking about, and they aren’t gonna last. But to single out women broadcasters just because of how “blonde” they are, felt like she was taking two steps back. She understands what it’s like to always have to prove herself, so why target fellow women who already face the same issue from outsiders.
Even though both of these guests are on radio, the seminar definitely was not limited to tips only for those who want to be in the booth.
Matt Dresens posted on March 13, 2018 at 5:34 pm
Sports radio, be it play by play or talk, is what I have the most interest in exploring with my eventual degree. So why does this topic matter to me? Simple, ever since I was given a car from my dad in August of 2012, I have been listening to sports talk radio pretty religiously.
In this town specifically, I think we are lucky to have two high profile stations that compete against each other and fight for sponsorships, listeners and guests. I also think this is why the talk gets so out of hand at some points. This goes back to the idea of making your own brand. In such a competitive market like Boston, I think guys have to take risks and push the line more than in other markets just to stand out.
Let’s take Mike Feller for example. Outside of the Roy Halladay outburst, he knows exactly how far to push the line. I know a lot of people don’t agree with his takes and there show’s negative approach to most Boston sports topics, but there’s a reason why they are the top afternoon show in town.
It is compelling and the hosts know how to draw people and get a serious discussion going. The bottom line of the show is that it is entertaining and through controversy, they draw in listeners and through that, advertisers.
I think Felger and Mazz are the standard in this town, and everyone else is just playing catch up.
As for the morning shows, I never much listen to them, because its Kirk pointed out, they are a morning show first and a sports show second.
Why does sports talk radio matter to the industry?
Well, again, like Kirk said, its one of the things in sports media that isn’t going anywhere. So long are there games being played, people are always going to have a side and want to talk about it. It is almost disgusting how many people call in and actually want to voice their option and be a part of the show. It’s wild.
I think we have seen in recent years the success of the simulcast radio show. Over break, usually in the summer when I have nothing better to do with myself, I will flip back and forth from NBCSN, CBS Sports, Fox Sports 1, ESPN, and even the NHL and MLB Network’s and all of them at one point or another will have some sort of talk radio show on. That’s not even to mention the local stations like NESN and Comcast Sports Net that pick up the Boston shows. This is a medium that is definitely not going anywhere and I think it is still expanding.
More people like Amy Lawrence need to be allowed to go on air. I used to listen to her show driving into work in the summer before Toucher and Rich would come on, and honestly, she has one of the best programs on the air.
It’s a shame that she gets buried in the middle of the night with her time slot. If she was a man, she would have a 2-6 show and it wouldn’t even be a question. It is really too bad that she and other woman continue to have to prove to the audience that they “know” sports when clearly she does.
Her quote saying, “If I list off 5 football routes, will that prove I know the game?” was perfect. It obviously would prove nothing, nor would it matter. Guys like Felger and Mazz almost never get into the X’s and O’s of the game, yet they have a very successful show. Funny how that work. No, it’s actually tragic.
Taylor Ventrice posted on March 13, 2018 at 6:16 pm
Personally, I never really had any interest in sports radio or radio in general. When I was younger, my two brothers, my mom, and I would listen to the radio on our way to school in the morning. That’s where I would first hear the news of the day. And to be honest, I never really loved listening to one person rant on about a topic for ten minutes. I’d prefer to change the station and listen to music. But now living in Boston, I don’t drive a car, and everything is so easily accessible on mobile devices. So, for me, that takes the radio out of the equation altogether. Every day I use Twitter, Instagram, phone news applications, Snapchat, and occasionally the television to obtain my news and radio has become non-existent in my life.
Reading up on the posts, I agree entirely with what Ashleigh said regarding the future of the radio industry. I think I am a perfect example of a millennial who is knowledgeable about current events without the need for radio. So, essentially, what’s the point of the radio? Is the radio industry worried about the future?
If in the future radio does make itself mobile and easy to access on the go, I am still unsure if I would go out of my way to listen to a show. The segment would have to be relatively short while still making a statement and also be incredibly intriguing to keep my attention. I would prefer to read a quick synopsis of the news and then see players, coaches, organizations, and average people’s reactions on Twitter.
Jessica Citronberg posted on March 14, 2018 at 12:01 pm
Much like sports radio itself, this seminar discussed much more than just sports radio.
While it’s not a career path I want to go down, I’ve always enjoyed listening to sports talk radio for as long as I can remember. Every trip down to the city on our way to a Blackhawks, Cubs, or Bulls game, we would flip back and forth between sports radio and the traffic update that would come on every 20 minutes.
When I got to school in Boston, the thought of listening to sports talk radio never even crossed my mind. Why? Because I don’t have a car here. It’s even hard for me to listen to podcasts when I’m at school. There’s just something about listening to the radio in the car that I can’t seem to get past. Yes, I am flawed!! I do wish I was able to listen to it more often, but Spotify is pretty much the only thing I listen to.
So I didn’t really know what to expect when Kirk Minihane and Amy Lawrence came in. I don’t listen to WEEI. In fact, I mostly just read about their controversial radio hosts when they say something “not pc” on the air.
And I’m definitely not awake to listen to Amy Lawrence when she’s on the air from 2-6 a.m., unlike my roommate Jane who usually doesn’t come home from a night out until that time frame.
I knew who she was before the seminar, but after hearing from her I almost want to wake up from 2-6 a.m. just to hear her.
We somehow got on the topic of hate mail, and Amy expressed how she cried the first time she got hate mail. Interestingly enough, I got my first real hate “mail” that evening. I had an article posted in the Daily Free Press that day, but I hadn’t gotten around to looking at it online yet. I had picked up the physical copy of the paper, but the internet trolls hadn’t seen my column when it was just printed off the presses.
I was a little distraught when I saw seven comments were waiting for me. The most comments I had ever gotten on a single column was two. And I knew that the more comments on a Freep column, the worse it was.
When I read them all, I actually laughed. I thought it was kind of cool that random people I didn’t know were reading my column. I thought only my mom and dad read it because I sent them the link every week. The comments were rude, but I just shrugged it off. I think if Amy hadn’t talked about the harassing, anonymous eggs on twitter in class, I probably would’ve taken the “feedback” much harder.
I also really respect how much Amy works on preparing for a show. I believe she said she prepares an hour for every hour she is on the air. That’s a lot of time preparing to be on, but it kind of made me think that maybe I’m not doing enough preparation for what I do. If I’m going to write something or be on BUTV, I should be preparing for just as much time as I’m going to be on. Or I should be reading five times as much as I’m going to be writing.
As always, the guests were great. I still have no desire to do radio, but I definitely have more respect for the craft.
Nicole Ericson posted on March 14, 2018 at 12:31 pm
I was never much a radio person. The only time I really listen is when I am in the car driving, and even then I just flip it to a station that plays music. When it comes to getting the news, I am a very visual person. I like to see someone talking in front of me rather than listening to their voices. It helps when there is a picture, video or even a face with a name that helps me better understand what is going on.
Like Taylor, I get my news from my mobile device or television. It’s difficult being in the city and having access to a radio when you don’t hop in the car everyday and drive to class. Kirk Minnehan and Amy Lawrence even said it “Twitter is available all the time. Radio talk show hosts… it is your job to check twitter.” However, my appreciation for the art of radio is much higher after listening to our guests. I never realized the preparation and time it took to piece together a radio show. One hour on air is an hour of prep time. Truthfully, I always thought radio hosts just had an outline of what they were going to talk about and then they sat there huddled together and just reacted to what others have to say. I never thought about an agenda and knowing your stuff, but now I do. Preparation is key. You never know what someone is going to ask when they call in. You have to be ready for anything. A television anchor can sit there and read words off a prompter while a radio host has to carefully chose their words to not A. get in trouble and B. reveal their true opinion. Radio is tough work.
It gets even harder when you have to think before you speak. Radio is on the fly. It is very quick and sometimes things that everyone is thinking and don’t want to say just slip out. Minnehan is one of the people that has fallen into this trap. But what does this say about radio? To me, not having a camera on my face for everyone to see would give me more confidence to say the things I want. No one can see me, they can hear me, but they don’t really see me. As an upcoming female journalist, I understand that the radio side of business is a very tough one to wiggle your way into. Lawrence had to push her way through the front door to get where she is now. As a female, there is a stereotype that we don’t know what we are talking about when it comes to sports. We have to deal with criticism everywhere; especially on social media.
Having these guests made me realize that there are so many mediums for news. However, it made me question the future of sports journalism in 2018. New apps and existing apps are continuing to take the spotlight from different news outlets. In my opinion, radio is one of them. I could listen to a sound bite from a player on Twitter and I can see the latest trade on Instagram. Analysts from different television shows are consistently tweeting their opinions and stats. But then it dawned on me. On the radio, I can be me. When you are on camera there is a certain act you have to play. On the radio you can be yourself. That is something that is very valuable in todays society. For me, it made me realize that I can have my own voice and personality and people might like it or hate it, but it doesn’t matter. It is so important for people to be themselves. Minnehan even said he has been in trouble for things he has said, but he said he was being himself and he isn’t going to change that. Although I do not agree with the statements that Minnehan has said I think he plays an important role in our society.
This seminar helped me realize that every platform of media plays an integral role in getting the news. Some people like their news flat out stated, others like to listen to the radio, get updates, but like to hear it through humor. Everyone prefers different ways of getting the news, but in the end everyone will hear the same things. Our guests made me realize how important it is to prepare for anything. Preparation is a must, and in today’s society you have to know what you are talking about. The biggest take away from this discussion was that with a changing field, sports talk radio isn’t going anywhere. It might shift, but it isn’t going anywhere.
Matthew Doherty posted on March 14, 2018 at 5:31 pm
Sports talk radio is one of the reasons why I fell in love with the professional field of sports media. And there’s no better place for sports talk radio than Boston.
Sports is a religion in this city and therefore sports talk is insanely popular. Almost too popular. The Felger and Mazz Show on 98.5 had a 13.6 Nielson Rating this past summer. Think about that. It’s ridiculous. But it’s also fascinating.
Radio hosts like Kirk Minihane have a strong reputation in the city and as a sports nut, I’m lucky that’s the case. I love how Kirk started off the seminar by saying sports talk radio will never go away. It’s true. I think it’s one of the safest media outlets.
Over the last decade or so, sports talk radio has grown tremendously in Boston. With growth, problems have arisen. Kirk has been suspended many times, Christian Fauria got suspended for imitating an Asian agent, Michael Felger went on a rant about Roy Halladay’s death, and of course, Alex Reimer was suspended indefinitely for his comments about Tom Brady’s daughter. It’s pretty crazy to think about all of those issues happening in the sports talk radio field in Boston. The suspensions have caused a lot of outrage, but it doesn’t matter. Sports talk radio will still be highly rated.
People complain about “hot takes” and “jock hosts” and “negativity” on sports talk radio. My response to that is always, “then don’t listen.” The style these radio hosts use is what makes it popular. No one wants to listen to people agree. The hosts bring up topics that will cause disagreement. Everyone has their own opinion and this platform allows people to share that opinion; even for callers who wait hours upon hours to get on air. It’s a winning method, especially in Boston.
I think what makes Boston sports radio great is that the hosts have strong personalities. They don’t sugarcoat anything, they create compelling cases, and they all have humor. Felger and Mazz imitate the typical “masshole”, Adam Jones’s negative takes are comical, Minihane’s media on media crime is laugh out loud funny. The hosts in Boston know their audience and that is why these shows are successful. It’s why no other city does sports talk radio quite like Boston.
Amy provided a different view point of sports talk radio. The differences between local and national radio are staggering. I got the gist that Kirk would never be able to a national show. And Amy would struggle transitioning to the Boston media market. It doesn’t mean they aren’t talented. There’s just a huge difference between the two. But both styles work for their respective audiences. When I listened to Amy describe her show, it felt so distant to what I listen to on a day to day basis on 98.5 and WEEI. Sports talk radio is a dream job for any sports media wannabe. And there’s no better place to do it than a sports-crazed city like Boston.
Shane Rhodes posted on March 14, 2018 at 10:15 pm
There are times where I’ve wanted to be on the radio. But, strangely enough, I’ve never been a big listener of sports talk radio.
Sometimes it is just hard to listen to.
I respect Kirk Minihane; he has a job to do and the people at WEEI rely on him to bring in an audience. And he does that for them, and more in some respects. What I don’t respect is his “shoot first, ask questions later” mentality. That way of thinking is bad for radio; it can get hosts in hot water (like Kirk and many other Boston based radio personalities have found themselves on occasion) and ultimately lowers the overall quality of the product.
Unfortunately, it seems that a lot of radio hosts apply this mantra to their own work, some not because they want to, but because they have to for the listeners. It is essentially the audio version of clickbait, or at least it seems like that to me. While shows like Amy Lawrence’s seemingly get swept under the rug and into the later timeslots, Felger and Mazz and the like continue to receive constant coverage, some on TV as well as the radio. And it will continue to be that way until major change occurs in the industry or sports talk radio becomes obsolete altogether (and, like Minihane said, the radio “isn’t going anywhere”).
I think the thing I took away most from this seminar is that, to make it on the radio, you need to be yourself, but you also need to have thick skin. Now, being a journalist, in general, requires a certain degree of sensitivity, or lack thereof. But on the radio, when you have a constant and direct line of communication with your listeners, you have to be prepared for anything they might say, criticism or otherwise.
More importantly, I’m not sure I would want to work in an environment where I’m constantly blurting out nonsense or trying to drum up some controversy to bring in listeners, while also being forced to limit what I say and how I say it by my employer. The seminar painted a clear picture of the potential downsides that can accompany working in radio to me and has forced me to question what I want to do as a journalist. Do I want to work with radio primarily, on occasion or would I rather stick to just print/online publications?
In today’s journalism field it can hard to be picky about what you do; in a world where everyone does everything, you are handicapping yourself if you refuse to learn something new or different. But this seminar, I think, could go a long way in helping me determine my future primary field (print or radio). Being that we are all here to learn, I think something like that could be the biggest thing any of us could take away from this course or any of the courses we take in our time at Boston University.
Laura Guerriero posted on March 14, 2018 at 11:18 pm
If there was anything I learned from Amy Lawrence and Kirk Minihane’s discussion of sports talk radio, it’s that you have to be prepared for anything and everything. I had never really realized how much rests on the shoulders of these radio hosts. While speaking unscripted for hours sounds like a dream to a loud-mouthed Italian like myself, there’s much more to navigate besides figuring out what to say for however long you’re on the air.
In today’s society, it’s very easy to piss people off, even if you’re not Minihane. There will always be people that have problems with what you say and do, and finding a balance between saying what you want and what won’t get you fired (or suspended) is much harder to do in 2018. On broadcast TV, what you say is often scripted and edited to make sure everything is accurate and will sound good to audiences. As Lawrence discussed, it’s much harder to monitor what you’re saying on the fly to make sure you’re not saying the wrong things on air.
While this discussion was centered around sports talk radio, I feel this is a point that is applicable to any aspect of sports journalism. Whether it’s shooting a live shot or thinking of questions to ask players in the locker room, there is always a need to self-monitor because you’re working on the fly, and everything remains on the internet forever. To be successful in sports journalism, you always need to be on your A-game, and for the days where you’re not and something happens that brings you negative attention, you need to be prepared to deal with it.
People love drama. As Minihane’s radio experience shows, people love (and hate) the drama an unfiltered opinion brings. I feel like, in 2018, there is this push being made, whether that’s in journalism or a completely different field, to be the most out-there in order to gain the most attention. As we have seen in many cases, this doesn’t always end well. While yes, it can be great to go viral, it can also ruin a career.
I feel like those working in sports talk radio have to be the most entertaining out of the three major areas of sports journalism, and Lawrence and Minihane proved this. When you’re listening to a sports talk show, there are no visuals to go along with what the hosts are saying, and if you’re boring on-air, no one will switch back to your station to tune in again. I give extra props to those that host alone because they have to be entertaining and interesting without the help of anyone to lead them in the right direction or help get the show back on track if it starts veering away in the wrong direction. It’s just you in the studio, and you’re the only one in control of your own destiny.
This brings me to my final point. I feel like sports talk radio might be the hardest area of sports journalism. Sports talk hosts need to know everything about sports, hold a conversation for hours, and commit to a strange work/sleep schedule all on their own, among other things. These hosts sound more like super-humans if you ask me.
Alanna McDonough-Rice posted on March 14, 2018 at 11:27 pm
Personal brand is everything. Whether you’re the shocking voice on the radio that occasionally gets suspended or you’re the only solo female radio show- you need to know your brand and own it.
Minihane definitely shocked us. Not by his commentary, but by how much we related to him. I think he speaks to college kids and other people who “say what everyone is thinking.” In my humble opinion, he wasn’t offensive or grating. In fact, he was a lot tamer than I expected. His radio personality and real life personality must be completely opposite, because other than a few “Huh, he just said that, didn’t he?” comments- I saw no reason why he would be controversial. There were no “Shut up and dribble” comments and even Minihane agreed that children of sports stars are off limits.
I think it was important to note he had boundaries and didn’t say something if it didn’t further his point. As journalists we have to add value, not just more vapid content to the airwaves and internet- and I think Minihane does that (in his own special way). In addition to his show, Barstool Sports shows no signs of slowing down and Minihane is definitely tamer than Barstool. I mean, kicked off of ESPN in one episode? Impressive.
Lawrence was a complete change from Minihane which goes to show that all types of radio personalities sell. Her brand of discussing pizza and other fun national sports topics is equally as popular even though men still give her some weird comments.
Lawrence showed us how to survive in the man’s world of radio and how to be 100% authentic. She didn’t mind hanging up on people or ignoring the hate mail. It’s her show. She knows how to run it.
Both Lawrence and Minihane were unapologetically themselves- in person and hopefully the same on radio- and I think that authenticity is why their stories are critical to incoming journalists. In any medium, authenticity and personal branding are key.