What Makes a Great Presenter?

How much time did you spend with radio presenters last week?

The latest UK radio audience figures show that 88% of the country listen to the radio at least once a week and they spend over 20 hours each week doing so. That means most of us spend a lot of time in the company of radio presenters.

We love stats like this, as a company radio is in our DNA, so to see it continue to thrive is music to our ears.

Our talented presenters produce thousands of hours of live output each year. They’re the key members of our broadcast teams. For us, and all radio stations, a presenter is a position of responsibility. In 2022, our presenters aren’t only heard throughout physical stores, they are just as likely to be heard in someone’s home office (kitchen table) or on a mobile app. Making a positive impact on diverse audiences like those takes a special kind of person.

At a minimum, a top radio presenter needs talent and skill, but to truly connect with the audience they need something more, a quality that makes them exceptional.

Which started a conversation in the office – what are the hallmarks of a great radio presenter?

Helen, our client and content manager went first, “A great radio presenter has me saying out loud ‘yes! that’s exactly what I think!’, I want to feel they are talking directly to me and I want them to make me laugh, smile and think. I also want them to sound genuine and honest”.

One of our presenters, Michaela went next “Great presenters have friendliness, authenticity and warmth. If I hear those qualities, the presenter is more likely to draw me in”.

Ross, our CEO has worked with presenters for a long time, he agreed with Helen and Michaela and added “A great presenter makes it sound easy when I know it’s not. They have to balance sounding calm and in control with showing a passion. I look forward to hearing the great presenters I can think of, they brighten up my day and I miss them when they’re not there”.

Finance Director John picked up on one of radio’s big strengths – it’s live and flexible to events. He said, “Great presenters are quick to react and bring in new and unique items out of the blue when they’re needed”.

We all agreed that a great radio presenter is someone you actively choose to spend time with, they’ll give you something in return, and they won’t let you down.

In a nutshell, a great radio presenter always feels like a great friend.

Written by Euan McMorrow, Content Director at AVC Immedia.