Celebrity Radio Interview Tips From Radio Host

You should be able to interview a celebrity or top politician in depth, be it for a TV or radio talk. Superb interview includes researching ideas and constructing strong questions. Legal, political correctness and safety issues are also of great importance.

First of all, radio interview with a famous person shouldn’t be boring. Avoid lame and amateurish questions such as: “So Bill, tell me more about your childhood?” It always drives people away. If you plan to create these types of interview, you’ll be wasting your time. Always make your interviews compelling and interesting, especially when you interviewing a superstar or a national hero. Be professional and confident:  remember, you know your guest inside and out; at least you should have prepared beforehand.

When you have radio event, there are three possible scenarios of conducting an interview:

1. You are calling  your guest and it’s pre-recorded.
2. You are calling him or her and it’s a live interview.
3. In-studio interview – either live or pre-recorded.

Secondly, plan your calling in a couple minutes before the interview because the sound director may be either getting ready for their next segment, or finishing up a previous segment. In mass media, it’s really a tight timeline: you can’t call ten minutes before to get to know someone for the most part. Next important thing before calling is that you have to find out timing.  And ask your guest if he or she wants to have recording of your dialog at the very beginning of the interview.

Thirdly, if you talk in the studio, you don’t have to worry what to wear or about make up as much because you are not on TV. But don’t forget about smile – it’s really important for your top guest and your audience. Moreover, when you smile, your voice changes and becomes softer.

Talking With the Guest

Try not to talk very quickly. This is especially difficult when you expect that you can be interrupted at any time. The listeners will not understand much of what you say if you are in a hurry.

Radio audience just hears you, people don’t see you at the same time. So don’t let your voice be monotonous because they will just stop listening to you. They are able to estimate you very quickly, seeing you on TV or listening to you on the radio. If your voice sounds very pompous, irritated, they will perceive you as an ill-mannered, presumptuous or inattentive person.

Correct any inaccuracies in the facts immediately. If a celebrity is incorrect, politely interrupt your vis-a-vis and correct information. If the topic of your conversation is a controversial one, keep calm. If you become irritated and aggressive, listeners will oppose you, even if you are right. Whatever is the situation, stay ethical and professional.