TOOLKIT

Appendix 5c: Media: Radio Interviews
Your local radio station may be the initial place you think to start but there are also other
pathways one can go about this task. There are many different environmental radio based
programs across the U.S., and those are important to consider. Tips for approaching this
activity:
Guidelines:
Contact local radio programs: Perhaps you are planning a clean air/climate change
community event or just won a major award, this would be a great opportunity to request
for an interview.
Focus on programs that have news and talk formats
Email/Mail/Call several radio station producers in the surrounding areas: You may get an
immediate answer or no answer at all but keep contacting stations.
Write up a letter template with a short biography or description of your Youth
Council/College Chapter’s work/awards, etc., and why you want to be a guest on the
show.
Contact the radio station weeks before the actual event
Ask what type of audiences the radio program target primarily
Preparing for the Interview:
Generate a list of talking points: you will take this with you to the interview; it will be a
very brief description of the Youth Council/College Chapter’s work or projects.
Make a point to highlight the significance of the Youth Council/College Chapter’s work to
the community
Find out if the interview will be live and the number of commercial breaks; so you will
have enough information to discuss
Ask about the audience that typically tunes in during the time of the interview
Don’t talk to fast and avoid ‘umms’ and ‘like’. Stay calm and enunciate your words
Keep your answers brief; be aware of the time you have on air
Thank the host in the beginning and end of the interview, while on air
After the Interview and Follow-Up
Ask for a recording of the interview and/or a link to the online recording
Ask the producer of the show for referrals to sister stations that would be willing to
interview you
Send a thank you note 2 days after the interview to the producers
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