3 Lessons Radio Talent Should Learn From Reality TV Stars [ORIGINAL]

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Dozens of seasoned radio personalities would love to co-host alongside a legend like Donnie Simpson on WMMJ (Majic 102.3) in Washington, DC. So what does this “Braxton Family Values” reality TV star and radio rookie Traci Braxton have over other radio talent? Exactly what so many others who’ve appeared on reality TV have.

USE Social Media. As talent, it’s already understood that it’s important to have a presence on social media. But reality TV stars aggressively use their social platforms to market themselves. By using these vehicles to build up their fanbase, they are much more desirable to Program Directors, because they bring an active database of potential listeners. Radio talent should do more to build a following on social media, because the larger your fanbase, the more attractive you become to a station–especially if your footprint is greater than the brand’s.
Use One Platform To Propel You To Another. Instead of just leading to more money and a dose of fame, being a reality tv star has become a full-time job for many, and a lucrative one at that. The reason why, is because they are able move on from one reality show to another, secure gigs for media outlets, or even legitimate acting jobs. Radio talent should be more aggressive about securing television opportunities, partnering with local media outlets, or why not step into the world of reality television?
Make Moments Matter. Have you noticed how much attention reality TV stars get for random things that happen? The term “newsworthy” is a lot looser than it used to be, so radio talent should pitch interviews and things you do to media outlets, because you never know what media outlets will cover.

While it has not been determined if Traci will be the permanent co-host on “The Donnie Simpson Show,” the celebrity she’s built on reality TV helped her get the opportunity. Instead of hating on reality vets like Claudia Jordan and Deelishis who’ve landed morning show gigs on the syndicated program “The Rickey Smiley Morning Show” and WGPR (Hot 107.5)/Detroit, respectively, learn from how they’ve marketed themselves to secure big gigs.