So you’d like to get your client on the radio, but you’ve got limited broadcast experience and don’t know how to go about it. First up, don’t be intimidated. The way you pitch to radio is different to print, but the idea doesn’t need to change. Follow our golden rules, and you’ll be hitting the airwaves in no time.
The different types of radio programmes
Radio shows fall into many categories – news, factual, documentaries, one-off specials, presenter-led shows. But the three big ones are magazine shows, presenter-led shows and news programmes.
For magazine shows such as BBC Radio 4’s Woman’s Hour the planning is done about six weeks in advance, and the show usually follows a regular format with slots for guests such as experts in a field, authors, artists, politicians or activists.
Presenter-led shows can be live or pre-recorded. The tone is directed by the station’s identity and the presenter’s personality. For example, the presenter-led shows on BBC Radio 2 such as Zoe Ball and Steve Wright’s, reflect the station’s older audience, and feature a mix of chat, music, listener phone-ins and guests – think Strictly stars, rather than TikTok celebrities. Virgin Radio has Chris Evans and Graham Norton, and even though BBC Radio four doesn’t go in for presenter-led shows per se, its presenters such as Emma Barnett, Justin Webb and Richard Coles have pulling power.
For news programmes such as Today or PM on BBC Radio 4, or Five Live’s Naga Munchetty, the content is planned very quickly, as they are much more reactive to the news agenda. Pre-planned slots are built into schedules and might be linked to an anticipated news event, such as International Women’s day, or The Proms.
Find a spokesperson
For broadcast slots, your client needs to have an articulate spokesperson who can answer quick-fire questions and won’t buckle under the pressure of being in front of a microphone. They must get their message across succinctly and answer both negative and positive questions. If your client doesn’t have anyone quite up to the job, it’s worth investing in some media training – although not too much. The press are very suspicious of heavily-trained spokespeople.
Who do I pitch to?
The key person to pitch to for any radio show is the producer. Producers are with the entire process of developing a programme. They will generate ideas for the next show, field PR pitches, source potential interviewees, write scripts and oversee the smooth-running of the show itself. They are the gatekeepers of any programme – don’t bother pitching to the presenter unless you’ve got a really strong relationship with them, as they rarely have a say in the content.
What type of stories work?
Much like for print, you need to listen to a radio show and understand its audience, to make sure it’s right for your story or guest. If you decide that a specific show is the right place to pitch, you then need to email the producer with a What-Why-When approach that is as concise as possible. What is the story, why is it relevant to the show, and when is it happening.
The types of radio slots vary wildly – a news show might give 7-10 minutes to an interviewee, where a magazine show would be longer. For example, Saturday Live gives each guest about 15 minutes to discuss their life and projects, but the guest has to be present throughout the 90-minute show and chats with other guests on air.
The BBC and the wider picture
Unlike commercial radio stations, the BBC won’t directly plug anything you are promoting. However, they can incorporate the product or client into a news bulletin or show by building it into a wider piece of content. For example, on Woman’s Hour they might do a story on how child mental health rates are at an all-time high, and talk to a leading child psychologist about the issue, who also happens to be plugging their new book.
How should I pitch?
Always pitch initially by email with a catchy subject line. For fast-paced newsy shows, try ‘Guest idea for Thursday’s show’; or ‘Exclusive news to be announced tomorrow’. In the body of the email, make it clear who your guest suggestion is, and what they can talk about, plus the peg and quick details of what they are plugging. Your email should be no longer than 250 words. When you pitch to presenter-led shows, it’s important to show you know what makes the presenter tick, so cars will appeal for Chris Evans, Graham Norton loves wine and dogs, Claudia Winkleman like fashion, family and miso, and so on. A reference to this in your pitch demonstrates a PRs diligence and understanding of the show and might lead to a more favourable response from a producer.
If your story gets picked up, you’ll probably migrate to the phone to discuss things. This is great for you, because it’s the spoken word which will really resonate with the producers, rather than your written pitch.
When do I pitch?
Lead times vary for each show. For news programmes turnaround is 24-48 hours, while magazine shows are happy to receive pitches up to 12 weeks in advance. For daily shows, you can pitch any day, but for weekend shows, steer clear of Fridays, which are very busy. And never pitch while a show is on air – the producers have got other things on their minds. Some PRs will find that producers are very receptive to ideas about 20-30 minutes after a show finishes, when they return to their desks on a high after broadcast. However, this obviously depends on the producer.
And finally…
Don’t be disheartened if your client isn’t picked up straight away. It’s always worth keeping your relationship going with producers – if your client is right for the show, an opportunity will arise at some point. Bearing that in mind, it’s important that your client is ready for an interview at ten-minutes notice, for when you do get the call.
