How to make your radio show sound more gooder

CJUC aims for the ‘Goldilocks Zone’ of broadcasting: sounding better than a hobby, but more human than a corporate station.   We want our broadcasts to be smooth and reliable so that the focus stays on our local stories and great music – not technical mistakes.  Whether the song breaks are thirty seconds or 5 minutes, the goal is flow. By keeping our transitions clean and our delivery intentional, we show respect for our listeners’ while keeping the friendly ‘kitchen table’ feel that makes Whitehorse community radio special.

Here are some tips for our radio hosts to have a more polished show.

1. Speak to the ‘One’

Don’t say ‘Hello, everyone out there’, Say, “How are you doing today?”

Radio is an intimate, one-on-one medium. Most people are listening alone in their truck or on headphones. When you speak to a single person, you become a companion rather than a performer.

 

2. Always Air-Check Your Show

The Rule: Listen back to your own broadcasts.

Why: This is the only way to catch bad habits (like saying “um” too much).  Don’t aim for perfection, but for vibe.  Do you sound like someone you would want to hang out with?

 

3. ‘Hit the post’ – community radio style

This is the art of starting the music before you’ve finished introducing it. You want to time your intro so you stop talking right when the vocals begin.

 

• The move: Push the music fader up to about 30-40%, where the music is audible, but doesn’t drown you out.  Start your introduction over this lower-volume music.
• In the last 2 seconds of your introduction, slide the fader up to 100%.  Aim to have the fader hit the top exactly when the lyrics come in.

 

It makes the station feel ‘tight’ and prevents that awkward dead-air gap between your voice and the song

4. Stick the landing – talking over the fade out of a song

Don’t wait for a song to hit total silence before you open the mic. Use the “tail” of the song as your background music. Start speaking when the song begins its natural decline, but before it disappears completely. Cross-fading your voice into the song’s exit creates a constant, unbroken stream of sound.

5. Never be boring

Enthusiasm is more important than a perfect voice.  You can make the most mundane topics interesting if you are genuinely engaged and curious.  Community radio is all about exploring your special interests.

6. Clarity is kindness – no mumbling

Avoid the “mumbly college DJ” trope.  Don’t talk to your shoes or lean away from the mic.  Imagine your listener is sitting across the desk from you.  Sit up straight, keep your diaphragm open, and smile as you talk – it makes your voice sound warmer.

 

7. Profanity: Intentionality over impulse

Speak like you’re at a dinner party where there are kids, elders, and neighbours you haven’t met yet.  It’s not about being prude, it’s about inclusivity.  Our goal is to be played in local businesses, and community spaces – swearing makes people turn the station off.

8. Do your research

Be accurate and informed about what you’re discussing. Misinformation / AI hallucinated facts destroy trust.  Don’t just read the wikipedia article online.  Getting a local name / pronunciation wrong is the fastest way to lose credibility.

9. Radical Authenticity

Use your natural voice. Please don’t adopt a deep, rhythmic ‘radio persona.’ Community listeners tune in for honesty. If you stumble over a word, just laugh it off. If you’re nervous, say so. Your flaws are what make you relatable and distinct from the polished, soulless corporate radio.

10. Curate the “Why”

Don’t just list the artist and song title; we have Spotify for that. Tell the listener why you chose it. “I’m playing this because it reminds me of a late night at the ‘98” is 100x more valuable than “That was the Lucky Ones.” Radio is all about context

11. Hyper-local specificity

Name-drop local landmarks and Whitehorse realities. Mention the waterfront trail, the Riverdale bridge, or the massive pothole on 4th near McDonalds. It proves you’re in the same world as your listeners and builds a shared reality.

12. Support your fellow show hosts

Talk about the show that comes after yours.  This turns a collection of individual shows into a station identity. It tells the listener, ‘Stay tuned, because Colin Booth in the Booth has some great hot takes and freshly squeezed CanCon for you”.  It builds a family vibe.

13. Master your tech 

You don’t need to be a pro, but your levels should be consistent. Listeners will forgive a ‘hot mic’ or a skip, but they’ll turn off if they have to constantly adjust their volume because your music is 10x louder than your voice. Wear headphones!

14. Reveal your process

Talk about the physical reality of the booth. Mention the warm studio or the fact that you’re drinking lukewarm coffee. It reminds the audience that CJUC is a handmade product. It feels artisanal rather than industrial..

 

Wrap up

The best show isn’t the one that goes perfectly; it’s the one where the listener feels like they’ve made a new friend. Be professional, but stay human.  If you’re having a good time, they are too.