Mike Stern takes a look at the concept of “conflict” in this week’s Programming To Win. Stern argues that real, honest conversation wins out as compelling content over manufactured, fake arguments. And what can radio learn about character development from The Sopranos?
Mike Stern
By Mike Stern
One of the most ridiculous things I hear frequently on radio shows across the country is manufactured conflict.
It sounds something like this:
Host A: Hey, it’s almost Halloween. I can’t wait to take my kids out trick-or-treating and bring home a big bag of candy.
Host B: I can’t believe you are going to do that. All that candy will rot their teeth.
Unfortunately, Host B has never once shown any disdain for sugary snacks nor has he or she ever expressed concern about children’s dental issues.
Believe me, when you manufacture a conflict, regardless of how good an actor you consider yourself to be, the audience knows you are faking it.
The root of this problem is an old radio axiom that has been handed down across generations of hosts: conflict makes good radio.
I disagree. The truth is: Fake conflict is awful.
Genuine conflict is fine in small doses but no one wants to hear people argue all the time. It’s depressing.
A real discussion between people with established relationships and unique viewpoints makes great radio.
It also makes great movies, TV shows and more. Here are some examples:
• Riggs and Murtaugh (Lethal Weapon): “Lethal Weapon” chronicles the adventures of two cops who never disagree about the ultimate goal, catching the bad guys. However, they often disagree about how to do it because of their differing backgrounds and points-of-view. Riggs, a crazy Viet Nam veteran and bachelor with no personal ties, tends to plow ahead recklessly without regard for personal danger. Murtaugh, who is close to retirement and has a wife and kids at home, is concerned about survival and is understandably more conservative. The characters naturally conflicting viewpoints inevitably lead to the movie’s best moments.
• Harry, Ron and Hermoine (Harry Potter): The heroes of J.K. Rowling’s Harry Potter series have plenty of conflict but never just for the sake of argument. Their disagreements are often driven by their differing backgrounds which have molded their views of the world. Harry is an orphan, Hermoine comes from a small family that is only half magicians and Ron comes from a large family of Wizards. These differences, not forced arguments, make the interplay between the characters interesting.
• Tony, Paulie, Christopher, Silvio, Pussy, et al (The Sopranos): It wasn’t the violence or the depiction of life in the mob that truly drove The Sopranos, though I will admit it helped. What really made the series stand out was the consistent theme of family that was woven throughout the show. The complex interpersonal relationships and conflicting beliefs of the characters made the show truly riveting. Frankly, it’s the reason I was one of the few people who didn’t hate the show’s final episode. The show was always a look at the life of Tony and the characters around him. I’m glad it didn’t have a dramatic finale. I like the idea that life continues on for the Soprano family, we just don’t get to watch anymore.
Notice how these examples mimic some of the most common configurations of radio shows; two men, two men with a woman providing “the female perspective” or an ensemble of diverse characters.
The fact is it’s not the size of the cast that’s important it’s the characters themselves and the relationships between them that engage the audience.
When I present these ideas to hosts the most common objection I hear about working to develop their on-air characters is they don’t want to be pigeonholed into a specific viewpoint.
Not only is that not the goal but quite often the best moments for any show come when a host or character detours from their usual views.
Think about the Soprano’s plotline that centered on the discovery that Vito Spatafore, a longtime member of Tony’s crew, is gay.
Not the scenes where Vito eats pancakes somewhere in the northeastern United States, that was just painful, but the fracas that erupts back home.
Tony, who isn’t the most forward thinking character on TV, takes the uncharacteristic viewpoint of “live and let live” which causes an unbelievable amount of turmoil both within his remaining crew and amongst members of Vito’s family.
What makes the story arc interesting is Tony’s unexpected viewpoint. If he had just sent some of his guys to make Vito disappear it wouldn’t have been very interesting.
However, it’s important to remember that this only works because the audience already has an expectation of what Tony will do.
That expectation comes from the time spent establishing Tony’s character across all sort of situations in other episodes.
Building a character is not about being pigeonholed into one point of view, it’s about being authentic and consistent so the audience knows the person and has an expectation of how they will react.
If you want a barometer of how successful show has been in establishing its host’s characteristics and the relationships between them look to the listeners.
If the audience can articulate which cast member’s viewpoint they generally agree with the show is starting to make inroads. When callers recognize that a host has done something out of character and callers say things like, “Jimmy, I generally always agree with you but this time you’re wrong,” the idea is taking root.
But getting to that point takes both patience and consistency.
The audience doesn’t listen nearly as closely as you would hope.
You can help speed up the process by looking at the differences between hosts and focusing on topics that will highlight them.
Gender and age gaps are obvious areas to focus on but establishing more dimensions can be what really creates a deeper bond with the audience.
It can be nearly anything as long as the audience can relate:
One person in a long-term relationship and another who can’t settle down.
Someone fascinated by celebrity gossip with someone else who couldn’t care less.
A person who loves technology with one who can’t ever push the right button.
When the characters are genuine and consistent there will be plenty of things to disagree about without having to manufacture fake conflict.
It’s hard work but in the end your audience will care more, your ratings will improve and no one will have to argue against Halloween candy.
Mike Stern is a veteran radio programmer with more than 10 years of experience in markets such as Chicago, Detroit, Denver and Las Vegas. He recently opened Talent Mechanic, a coaching service for talent who want to improve their on-air performance and build their personality platform. For more information visit his Website www.talentmechanic.com or the Talent Mechanic blog; Free Estimates at http://talentmechanic.wordpress.com
