Constructing and Performing an On-Air Radio Identity in a Changing Media Landscape

Abstract

The radio industry is fighting to stay relevant in an age of expanding media options. Scholarship has slackened, and media experts say that radio's best days are in the past. This dissertation investigates how today's radio announcer presents him/herself on the air as a personality, creating and performing a self that is meant for mass consumption by a listening audience. A participant observation of eleven different broadcast sites was conducted, backed by interviews with most key on-air personnel at each site. A grounded theory approach was used for data analysis. The resulting theoretical model focuses on the performance itself as the focal point that determines a successful (positive) interaction for personality and listener. Associated processes include narrative formation of the on-air personality, communication that takes place outside of the performance, effects of setting and situation, the role of the listening audience, and the reduction of social distance between personality and listener. The model demonstrates that a personality performed with the intent of being realistic and relatable will be more likely to cement a connection with the listener that leads to repeated listening and ultimately loyalty and fidelity to that personality. The successful deployments of these on-air identities across multiple channels (in-person, online, and through social media as well as broadcast) suggests that the demand for relatable and informative content will persist, regardless of radio's future delivery mechanisms.