For the Radio Disc Jockeys and even listeners...?

Question

I have been on-air for about 6 months and I wanted to start adding material to my show. What are some good questions you have asked your listeners to get them to call in?

I know the basic ones like "What's your most embarrassing moment?" & "What is the worst pick-up line a guy has used?"

I just want to start to make my show a little more entertaining than just reading the liners from the book.

Also, to the listeners... What kind of questions would you like a DJ to ask you that would get you to call in?

Thanks a bunch everyone for you help!!!

P.S. I just want to mention that I'm a part-time weekender at a Top 40 station

Answer 1

I would prefer a DJ to just SHUT- IT  and play music.

But.. if you must ask questions to get peoples to call in...

try a would you rather question... would you rather have your hemorrhoids operated on.... or.....drink an quart of rotten milk.

Answer 2

You can always do trivia or take bets, get swag from the promotions dept. and do cheesy giveaways, you'd be amazed at what people will do for radio t-shirts.   At my old station we'd have a "bookie" and have people call in and bet on what songs they swore we'd play in the next hour, interactive stuff that you, the listener, other dept. and even use your website. Im a big fan of the pop up video board game cards for questions to ask.

And then there's the usual "give details about the time you farted in public", "5 things you'd change about the station/city/school/coworker", "ill take the request of the next person that sends me so and so pic via email" etc.  I realize your av. listener is prolly pretty young.

PS i think we may work at the same place, ha.

Answer 3

Try the pass it forward.. Ask what is the nicest thing they've ever done for a stranger

Answer 4

One of the gimmicks I hear on a local country station might help. They put on two new songs, could be new artists or old artists with new songs. Then the listeners call in to vote for which one they like. The winner is put up against another song the next day.

Answer 5

When I was in radio Trivia was all ways a lot of fun with the listeners..at the CHR station I did stomp the DJ and I would ask people to call up ask me something that they think I wouldn't now about mostly about show buzz stuff  or current events  Are you giving anything away?

Answer 6

What a fun question!  And KUDOS to you for being the type of jock that WANTS to do more than just read a liner card.  I wish you much success in your radio career.

You should research books (if you don't want to buy them) at your library on conversation starters, general trivia, or music/movie trivia.  Throwing some of that out there will ensure some terrific phone calls.  

You might also try playing with music in the production room and creating contests where you mix up music and play it backwards, or only play a few notes, or create a montage of songs from one artist and have the listeners try to figure out who it is.  There are all kinds of games you can play and with fun stuff in the studio like a 360 playback or Voxpro, you have a blast comin' up with new stuff.

Don't forget, the most successful air personalities borrow from their real life experiences!  And more likely than not, the stuff you experience is the same kind of stuff your listeners experience.  Ask them about how they might handle something that has come up in your life that you are struggling with.....

I wish you the best!