Getting on the Talk Shows

A broadcast news item may last only a fraction of a minute and get lost among a dozen stories squeezed between two commercials. But get a spokesperson for your organization on a talk show, and you are virtually assured of ten minutes of leisurely and uninterrupted attention. And if the host is a major personality who takes a liking to you or your organi­zation's cause, you can garner an extremely influential "testimonial" at no cost.

Of course, an appearance on "The Tonight Show" on NBC is the top target. The syndicated Phil Donahue, Oprah Winfrey, and Geraldo Rivera shows are also considered prime spots.

Most talk shows have talent coordinators or assistant producers in charge of screening suggestions for guest spots. One survey of these gatekeepers showed that most prefer to be contacted by telephone, so that they can save time by giving the public relations person an immedi­ate reaction to a proposed guest or topic. If they are interested, they'll ask for a written proposal summarizing what is interesting about the guest. Phil Donahue's producer stresses that all ideas are kept on file in case a guest might fit in well on a later show.

Before grabbing the phone, the PR person should study the format of the target show carefully. Some shows use only celebrities or oddi­ties. Some are so frivolous, or the hosts so inane, that they may not provide a good showcase for your spokesperson. Others may be prefer­able because they regularly provide a consumer-oriented spot or a seri­ous segment involving representatives of all sides of a current issue. You have a better chance of getting on some shows if you're willing to take a controversial stand. Other shows put a premium on the visual aspect, such as whether a guest is good-looking or whether he or she can bring something to the studio to show or demonstrate.

Most talk shows shy away from guests who want to use the opportu­nity for obvious and heavy-handed product publicity. But they don't mind if someone works in a few "plugs" while discussing trends, con­sumer issues, technology of the future, or public issues. Many local shows have regular features where new products, unusual gifts, and other innovations are demonstrated.

Now that more than half of American homes subscribe to cable. Originally cable was used to ensure clearer signals for the existing broadcast stations. Twenty years ago it carried very little original pro­gramming. Today, some cable services carry dozens or even scores of channels, many of which offer original programming, and some with programs of local or regional interest. More important, the specialized channels are watched by thin slices of the demographic pie, and thus they may be used to target very specific publics.