1 of 1- RadioActive
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Radio Vet To DJs: Stop Saying These Phrases
Not sure I agree with everything this guy says, but his list of overused phrases by radio announcers might ring true with some here. He's urging them stop relying on the following cliche crutches:
• Good Afternoon
• Good Evening
• With you
• Thanks for listening “everybody”
• On a (day of week)
• “Everybody”
• Hump Day (if your jocks use this PLEASE eliminate)
• Saying goodbye at the end of the shift. Instead promote what’s next.
See the full article here.
- RadioActive
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Re: Radio Vet To DJs: Stop Saying These Phrases
I find Jay Michaels on CFRB's nightly sign-off "Have the best [day of the week] ever!" really annoying. It's juvenile and sounds so phony, that it really bugs me. (Although I'm usually listening to Alex Pierson by that point.)
And what, exactly does Jim Richards' "Go Brave" mean? If you're going to have a sign-off phrase, it should at least make sense.
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Thread Starter- Saul
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Re: Radio Vet To DJs: Stop Saying These Phrases
Tim Brown 2016 wrote:
"If you're traveling to Vancouver tomorrow, it will be cloudy and 12 degrees."
"If your on the 401 Westbound, it's busy from the DVP to Yonge Street."
Sort of like wishing someone well ... "If I don't see you before you go on your trip, have a great time" - which could also imply "Otherwise have a miserable #@$%ing time if I don't see you before you leave."
As for the "you" in the traffic report, it always strikes me as the announcer trying to sound personal, as if talking to you. Maybe this phrase doesn't work. Maybe it'd be much more personal, or at least fun to listen to, if the traffic announcer would say: "Hey, hope you're not stuck in that jackassed traffic on 401 Westbound. But today might be your lucky day, you might have time to take a detour ..."
Last edited by Saul (December 6, 2019 2:18 pm)
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Re: Radio Vet To DJs: Stop Saying These Phrases
And what, exactly does Jim Richards' "Go Brave" mean? If you're going to have a sign-off phrase, it should at least make sense.
Maybe he's an Atlanta baseball fan?
- RadioActive
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Re: Radio Vet To DJs: Stop Saying These Phrases
And what, exactly does Jim Richards' "Go Brave" mean? If you're going to have a sign-off phrase, it should at least make sense.
Maybe he's an Atlanta baseball fan?
But then wouldn't that be "Go Braves?"
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Thread Starter- paterson1
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Re: Radio Vet To DJs: Stop Saying These Phrases
Pretty good article from Gary, I agree with most of what he covered. Many morning shows especially when geared for the younger audience seem to have a fake excitement about them. Even an incident or relatively minor situation seems to always result in breathless descriptions and forced laughter. He is right, a big difference from being fun or pleasant to being funny. Morning shows and hosts don't always need to be funny every break or have a fake energy all the time. You will bore your audience eventually, and just as important you will burn yourself out!
A lot of bits are boring and go on way too long and I agree with that there is too much of an entertainment focus, pop culture and tabloid style infotainment. Some is ok, but there is too much in my opinion especially on morning shows. TV does this much better and usually the morning shows are just a rehash of what was already on ET, etalk, The View etc. I remember years ago on Q107 in the middle of a long unfunny bit, the morning host brought on a listener to talk about whatever, and the listener actually said he preferred Q when they played more music in the morning!
One word that is way, way overused by talk show hosts, news people, and announcers is "narrative." Seems that broadcasters discovered this word about 7 years ago, and now everything is about the "narrative." Please, using "narrative" is not going to make you sound more intelligent or aware. Also when on air people talk about something being wrong on so many levels. Overused, yes this situation is clearly wrong, but now it's wrong on "so many levels."
Last edited by paterson1 (December 6, 2019 2:34 pm)
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Re: Radio Vet To DJs: Stop Saying These Phrases
And what, exactly does Jim Richards' "Go Brave" mean? If you're going to have a sign-off phrase, it should at least make sense.
Maybe he's an Atlanta baseball fan?
But then wouldn't that be "Go Braves?"
Maybe he only likes one of their players. 
- potentiometer
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Re: Radio Vet To DJs: Stop Saying These Phrases
To me the bombshell was – "Too much reliance on pop culture, show business, entertainment “blocks.” Most AC listeners rate this very low in importance." Holy mackerel! Huge, HUGE, H U G E realignment of the universe.
- TheConsultant
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Re: Radio Vet To DJs: Stop Saying These Phrases
How about... GNR640 certain host and her "producer" WATCHING and listening to YouTube videos everydamnday? Today, was especially irritating -- apparently some guy saw colour for the first time -- dead air for almost 30 seconds while the guy was staring at trees?! Riveting radio -- that is a format without video, hint. hint.
Further, one of my early PDs forbade the cycle of jocks doing the "that was... here is..." crutch to link two songs.
What about Tom "tanking very kindly for allowing me to be on"? Ummm... YOU'RE PAYING TO BE ON. Just fab-u-less.
- TheConsultant
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Re: Radio Vet To DJs: Stop Saying These Phrases
And, what the hell does "Tommy, Tommy of all Tommy's" mean? Who conducted this survey to crown him THE Tommy?
Yet another merchant that doesn't understand the LEGAL definition of a "SALE". In Ontario, you CANNOT introduce something new and automatically put it on sale/discount x%. It MUST be traded at a regular price for so long before discounting. Why does Corus allow this transgression? Are they THAT hard-up for any money, that they'll let him ramble on and on??
- the original hank
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Re: Radio Vet To DJs: Stop Saying These Phrases
when i was looking after a small market radio station, i had a weekly air-check with every announcer (including part-timers). twice a week for the morning show host. i randomly picked a recorded show scope then we'd listen to the recording together. how else could they improve? i started out at the same station and when i headed to a much bigger market, i realized how little i knew (even after 4 years). thankfully, i was coached by one of the best. ironically, i later returned to that same station as head of operations. when people, (jocks, salespeople, etc.) moved on, they had a solid foundation... i also moved on (eventually).
Last edited by the original hank (December 6, 2019 6:33 pm)
- Prod Guy
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Re: Radio Vet To DJs: Stop Saying These Phrases
Never change, y'all.
Keep yelling at those clouds.
Making effective use of limited talk time is a worthwhile exercise.
- betaylored
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Re: Radio Vet To DJs: Stop Saying These Phrases
ah yes back in the days of yore, when program directors used to do "air-checks" with the on-air talent, so things like verbal crutches could be reduced
I'm getting tired of people on the radio using the word "pivet" frequently because it's not a rich, interesting sounding word. They use "pivet" they way they used to use "drill down" and "unpack".
Most of the regular hosts have their pet words, and if we turned it into a drinking game, listeners would be sauced by the third hour.
confession: I may have said "thanks for listening" at the end of my show every day 😬 tho I said it without noticable smarminess (and then promoted the jock up next)