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Friday 19 February 2010

Don't eat the free food

Eight top tips to be a great Radio Producer, these are rules that should never be broken.

I have updated these and Anglicised them from a book written by Rick Kaemfer and John Swanson you can buy their book at Amazon




1 Don't take the piss out of the Presenter even though he takes the piss out of you.

2 Don't speak to a celeb guest unless spoken to - asking if they want coffee is ok.

3 Never repeat a story you hear your Presenter tell off air.

4 Don't highlight your Presenter's weight, height of physical imperfections.

5 Don't ask them to pay for something just cos they earn more than you do.

6 Don't ask if you can go on air with them, be their sidekick.

7 Don't bring your mates to 'see the show.'

8 Never eat the free food before the Presenter gets a crack at it.

The last rule is probably the most important, it shows your pecking order in the pack.  I have seen the most appalling rows just because someone ate 'that piece of cheese that the PR company sent round.' I even worked with a Producer (Initials MF - you know who you are) who used to nab the free things before the Presenter knew about them and grab the best bits out of the box, or whatever then re-arrange it so the host didn't know any better.  How naughty! 

3 comments:

James Cridland said...

Couldn't agree less.

I've seen too many half-decent presenters who have been badly served by subservient producers.

A producer's job is to make the show sound better, not be the lacky to the talent. A producer can, and should, criticise as well as praise; should suggest that the oh-so-funny feature is tightened-up, edited, or re-thought; must be able to command respect from the talent, as well as respect the talent too.

A presenter/producer team is just that - a team. As a presenter, you shorten your career if you don't treat it as such.

Here endeth the lesson.

Steve Campen said...

Half agree with you. Yes you shouldn't be subservient. And you gain respect only by mutual trust. There's also a big difference in the way Commercial Radio Producers and BBC Producers operate and are backed up (or not) by their management if they make a decision that upsets the talent. You still shouldn't eat the free food first tho lol.

Connor Walsh said...

I agree with both of you! to be a good presenter requires quite an ego, so it's smart not to hurt it by commenting on their weight etc – but don't be subservient, otherwise you get Jonathan Ross and Russell Brand recording inappropriate phone calls…
If the presenter knows you are there to help the show sound good, and therefore make him/her sound as good as possible, then teamwork is going right.