Free online resource for SA radio professionals

The Edge is updated every week and covers issues such as creating original humour, the psychology of a successful competition, dual presentations, creating the impression of purpose, breathing life into live reads, finding distinction, effective breakfast radio, challenging the listener and squashing the waffle. Notifications of each update are mailed out to subscribers.

"What many on-air professionals don't realise", says Ilbury, "is that radio is a highly competitive business and that if you're not considered an asset to the station's owners, then you're a liability and therefore immediately replaceable. The only way to make sure you remain an asset is to continually create demand for your product - i.e. what you do on air and how you do it. It's that simple."

How you do that, Ilbury goes on to say is not that simple; it requires continual self-assessment and an aggressive implementation of a focused set of disciplines. This is why Ilbury has not held back on the tone of The Edge. "It's unashamedly assertive and doesn't pull any punches. It is designed to provide real, straightforward and implementable tips on how to be more effective on air."

Radio shifting in nature

In a recent column in The Saturday Star, Ilbury explained how the nature of the radio industry has also shifted. With increasing connectivity, today's music users are no longer passive consumers. They prefer to determine their own rate of consumption and, with the upper-end range of MP3 players, they can do just that. They don't need a radio for music anymore.

This means that radio's differentiator and main drawcard has to be its on-air talent. "Add to this issues specific to South African radio, such as its shifting audience profiles and legislated demands for more balanced representation, and you get an industry in a serious state of flux," says Ilbury. This has produced a demand for increasing versatility and impact amongst on-air talent.

Ilbury draws on his 23 years experience in radio, almost exclusively in Breakfast, and is quick to point out the original nature of the material as well as its South African context. In a business dominated by American ideas, he wanted to create a realistic resource that South African broadcasters could relate to.

Consulting philosophy

This is carried through in his consulting philosophy: while many stations employ the services of overseas consultants for general programming issues, they are unable to properly motivate and develop individual on-air talent because they don't have experience in understanding our unique challenges.

And his main reason for making The Edge a free resource? "Many of those people on air at the moment are on community stations and provide their services voluntarily. Among them are the new generation of commercial radio stars. If The Edge can help them get there, then in my mind that's true empowerment."

You can find The Edge at www.darylilbury.com/edge.php?method=view.