Tom McParland 
Recently, I had the pleasure of joining WMMR’s Preston & Steve Show to discuss a mystery posed by one of the hosts of the region’s top-rated morning radio show.
It was a fun segment, which marked the culmination of my weeklong search for the identities of two young people who were pictured in an old Polaroid photo that the host, Steve Morrison, found behind a kitchen wall during a home renovation project. Steve and I happen to live on the same block in the Mount Airy section of Philadelphia, and his curious discovery inspired me to tap into my skills as a former reporter to investigate this little neighborhood mystery.
With little to go on, I used a mix of housing records, obituaries, and news clippings to identify the photo’s subjects as Maria and Aaron Ruby, who stayed in Steve’s house as teenagers back in the 1970s, when the Polaroid was taken. My winding search also connected me with former residents of the block, who joined me on the show in August to share their memories of growing up in the neighborhood.
You can listen to a recording of the segment (which includes a mention of Philadelphia’s premier communications agency) here at the 1:58:30 mark.
It was an unforgettable experience that reinforced the importance of diligent research, curiosity, and storytelling, particularly when it came time to sit in the hot seat and share my findings live on air.
In today’s blog, I’ll recount some of my key takeaways from both the investigation and the live radio segment, which I think are applicable to my work on behalf of Maven’s clients.
Preparation
As with anything in communications, diligent research and preparation were the keys to success. Before reaching out to enlist former neighbors in the search, I spent hours combing the internet for as much information as I could find on the old block. When it did come time to contact folks—most often via Facebook Messenger—I used that base of knowledge to be as transparent as possible about my motives, what I knew, and what I was hoping to find out.
As the hosts noted during the segment, it can be a little disconcerting to be contacted out of the blue by an amateur sleuth, so it was important to be authentic and approachable throughout the entire process. In the end, I think the level of detail I provided in my initial outreach went a long way toward getting people to open up and share their stories.
Messaging
For me, messaging my journey for the radio segment was the most difficult part of this adventure. I likely spent upwards of 15 hours over the course of a week tracking down leads, talking to neighbors, and informing the show’s producers of my progress. So, when it came time to package everything into quick talking points for a ten-minute radio segment, the task certainly felt a bit daunting.
Fortunately for me, the exercise felt similar to drafting the kind of key messaging documents that I compile for my clients all the time. These outlines are designed to be media-friendly, with made-to-order quotes tucked in a neat narrative that delivers everything a reporter could need to know. With the help of this script, I was easily able to envision the in-studio conversation and practice my delivery for the air.
Delivery
When the time finally came to share the results of my investigation live on the radio, however, I gained a whole new appreciation of what it’s like for my clients to deliver their message under the bright of the media spotlight. No amount of rehearsal could have prepared me for the big moment as I finally stepped up to the microphone during the broadcast.
Thankfully, the Radio Hall of Fame hosts of the Preston & Steve Show deftly steered the conversation with humor and aplomb, allowing me the time to fall back on my notes and stay on message. The practice I put in also helped me pick my spot to deliver what ended up being the reveal of the episode, when I told Preston that he had correctly guessed the young woman’s name during the original radio segment weeks prior.
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Listening back to the recording, it’s easy to identify things I wish I would have said or lines I could have delivered better. But all in all, I’m very grateful for the opportunity I had to tell the story live on air, and I know the experience will ultimately make me a better and more understanding partner in helping my clients deliver their own important messages.
Posted In Media & Culture, Public Relations, Thought Leadership