Helen Martin’s Blog

Joe Soucheray is my favorite talk radio guy ever. No one could be like him and I wouldn’t want anyone to try. But there are a few things about him that keep me listening that others could emulate and yet stay absolutely true to their own style.

1) It isn’t “about him.” There are lots of ways in which that simple statement applies to and benefits his show. When he approaches a topic he isn’t interested in just hearing his opinion broadcast back into his headphones; he is trying to get somewhere.

And if it’s an expedition, he doesn’t mind company. You can really see it in the way he listens to and learns from his callers. For the extreme example, how often does Rush stand corrected, or heaven forbid, change his opinion in mid-show. Joe can do both and the way he does it makes you respect and like him more.

2) He has the golden ability to rephrase. It is probably the writer in him. But if a host simply restates his point, using the very same combination of words repeatedly within a single segment, it drives me nuts. Joe *wants* you to understand his point of view so he is willing to keep trying until he’s made himself clear.

3) This is perhaps his most unique quality: He can make simple, everyday things interesting. Because of his observant nature - again, perhaps the writer emerging - he can find a facet of something even downright boring and turn it into the most called about topic of the show. Corn stoves? Come on! (But it works!)

This might be more of a gift than a technique. So I guess it shouldn’t be attempted by someone not similarly gifted. (”I never knew dead air could be so noisy…”)

[Listen][1] weekday afternoons from 2:00 to 5:30!

[1]:http://www.am1500.com/