{"id":7432,"date":"2026-04-10T12:59:19","date_gmt":"2026-04-10T02:59:19","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/bprworld.com\/?p=7432"},"modified":"2026-04-10T12:59:19","modified_gmt":"2026-04-10T02:59:19","slug":"tell-me-a-story","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"http:\/\/bprworld.com\/de\/news\/tell-me-a-story\/","title":{"rendered":"Tell Me a Story!"},"content":{"rendered":"

By David Kidd, BPR<\/em><\/p>\n

\"\"<\/p>\n

Storytelling<\/strong>\u00a0is often described as the social and cultural act of sharing stories; usually with a healthy dose of improvisation, theatrics and embellishment. In other words, a good storyteller knows how to use the interesting bits, add a few extra layers and quietly discard the boring parts.<\/p>\n

As\u00a0Steven Spielberg<\/strong>\u00a0once observed,\u00a0\u201cThe most amazing thing for me is that every single person who sees a movie brings a whole set of unique experiences, but through careful manipulation and good storytelling, you can get everybody to clap at the same time, laugh at the same time and be afraid at the same time.\u201d<\/em><\/p>\n

And as\u00a0George Lucas<\/strong>\u00a0put it more succinctly:\u00a0\u201cStorytelling is about two things\u2014character and plot.\u201d<\/em><\/p>\n

Radio, like film, is entertainment. Or at least, it should be. Storytelling on radio isn\u2019t a sworn deposition of facts; it\u2019s not a police statement or a court transcript. It\u2019s about creating theatre of the mind<\/strong>. A talent\u2019s on-air persona doesn\u2019t need to be a literal, documentary-accurate version of their off-air self. When you tell a story on radio, you\u2019re not swearing on a bible to tell the whole truth and nothing but the truth.<\/p>\n

The best stories usually begin with real life\u2026..everyday observations, small moments, throwaway interactions. Daily life becomes daily content.<\/p>\n

Imagine sitting in a caf\u00e9 and overhearing a conversation at the next table. It\u2019s amusing, topical, maybe a little shocking. You don\u2019t simply repeat it word for word. You use imagination. You exercise creative licence.<\/p>\n

Psychologists call this\u00a0counterfactual thinking<\/em>: our natural tendency to imagine alternatives to what actually happened\u2014the \u201cwhat if?\u201d moments. What if they\u2019d said\u00a0this<\/em>\u00a0instead? What if they\u2019d done\u00a0that<\/em>? What if the situation had taken a sharper, funnier, more absurd turn?<\/p>\n

At the heart of any story are its characters. Their wins and losses are what make listeners lean in, laugh or cringe. To make that happen, you need detail; enough to paint a picture in the listener\u2019s mind. What did the couple look like? How were they dressed? How did they speak? And if the reality is too dull, too beige, too forgettable\u2026then you embellish! Make it better. Give the story colour.<\/p>\n

Then there\u2019s the dialogue. Tell us what was said\u2014but also ask yourself:\u00a0what if, in my version of events, they actually said this? What if they did that?<\/em>\u00a0The goal isn\u2019t factual perfection; it\u2019s engagement.<\/p>\n

There\u2019s a top-rating morning talent in Australia who exemplifies this beautifully. Over many years, he\u2019s told certain stories more than once. The core premise stays the same, but each retelling includes a new twist, a subtle shift in a character, a fresh angle. His audience doesn\u2019t mind. They\u2019re not auditing facts\u2014they\u2019re enjoying a story.<\/p>\n

So don\u2019t be afraid to manipulate, embellish and exaggerate when telling stories on radio. That\u2019s not cheating. That\u2019s storytelling.<\/p>\n

Just make sure it\u2019s entertaining.<\/em><\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

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