Playing On The Talk Show Circuit 

There are 3,240 national and local talk shows on the air in U.S. every day (2,400 more in Canada, the U.K . and in many foreign lands). All are looking for good guests with interesting stories or books they have written. 

The territory is now wide open for those wanting to get into the public eye. You'll need only a bit of self-confidence, determination and perseverance. Hey, like anything else in life, it takes hard work and persistence. 

WHAT ARE THE PRODUCERS OF TALK SHOWS LOOKING FOR ? 

SUBJECTS OF TOPICAL INTEREST, for starters, and BOOKS, that may or may not be headed for the Times best seller list. 

THE BIG FOUR CONCERNS OF TALK SHOW PRODUCERS 

1. The subject should relate to current news, a topical social issue or something a bit out of the ordinary. Dog bites man is a story, but if the man bites a dog, that's REALLY a story. 

2. You're "hot stuff" if you can effectively talk about crime in the streets, drugs, domestic violence, workplace harassment, child molesting and divorce. 

3. You're "on stand-by" (and that's GOOD) if you can discuss technology, the environment, the stock market, financial planning,diet, holistic and alternative medicine, aging, politics, potholes and government on any level. 

4. And you might just "make the cut" if your subject provokes controversy, is editorially compelling and if it will sustain ten minutes without phone calls. 

10 MORE THINGS TALK SHOWS LOOK FOR  

·         Someone who has self confidence and can interact with others.

·         A potential guest who knows something about the show. They've watched it or heard the show a time or two.

·         A guest who is somewhat familiar with media jargon.

·         Someone who sends the show producer a nice neat package of information but who doesn't clutter the fax with 13 pages.

·         Someone who doesn't call the show producer five minutes before air or taping time to see if the fax was received.

·         One who has had even minimal experience on a show in the past or has done some media and has a tape or a clipping to send along.

·         One whose answer phone greeting is somewhat coherent and non-offensive to a producer calling to make a booking or get more information.

·         One who has practiced a short spiel on what he/she can offer should a producer call for a qualifying pre-interview.

·         One who won't take no for an answer, but won't react violently when a rejection slip does arrive.