Broadcasters beat their chests about the pride of being live and local, which can be an advantage. But local is more about relevance than geography. Great performance beats local, but local is a tremendous advantage. Unfortunately, there’s more syndicated and voice-tracked non-local programming on the radio today. Fortunately, programmers can have the best of both worlds. It’s possible to sound local even if the content is not generated in your city. 

 

How To Sound Local With Non-Local Programming

 

Whether carrying a syndicated show in the morning like Free Beer & Hot Wings or relying on a 24/7 format, programmers can project a local connection while running a syndicated show just by being creative with the tools available.

 

First, fully embrace the show. Many programmers ignore key time slots because the show originates from another city. That’s a fatal mistake. If Bobby Bones is on the air in the morning, Bobby Bones is your morning show. Treat the show as if it were local. Each syndicated show should be programmed, promoted, and optimized as if it were local.

 

Involve Local Talent

 

Even the most understaffed stations have at least one local personality. Use them as spokespersons to introduce and promote syndicated personalities. Train each host, traffic personality, and news anchor to introduce the syndicated program or personalities creatively.

 

If Ryan Seacrest follows the local morning host, promote it by introducing the next show. Here’s an example:

 

"Desiree’s boyfriend bought her a fake bag and he’s caught. Find out what happens  in a new group therapy Tomorrow morning at 7:10. And Ryan Seacrest has inside information on Kelly Clarkson’s stunning reveal from her TV talk show yesterday. Ryan dishes the dirt next on WXXX."

 

Similarly, newspersons should throw to the talent coming out of an update.

 

"For updates on these stories and more, visit wxxx.com. now laugh along with Jubal’s PHone Tap on WXXX."

 

Some music stations use local traffic talent in local breaks. Train them to introduce the talent when going back to the show.

 

"With up-to-the-minute traffic, I’m Peppy with The Morning Hustle … on WXXX."

 

Use Local Liners

 

Every syndicated personality is willing to record local liners for any affiliate. Most will record as many as you want, anytime you want. They usually deliver the audio the same day or the next. Use this opportunity and be creative with liners that:

 

• Mention local landmarks, streets, neighborhoods, and celebrities.
• Promote other air personalities, features, contests, and station benefits.
• Introduce other personalities and shows on the station.
• Sell contests, appointment tune-ins, and promotions.

Be sure to provide correct pronunciation and whatever background the talent needs to sound like a local.

 

Promote Other Personalities

 

This is an easy way to sound involved with your station. Send the syndicated show a page full of liners and promos that promote other personalities on the station with various lines to talk about them.

 

For example,

 

"Hey it’s DeDe in the Morning…I’m back tomorrow morning at 5, but now..here comes (city’s) best music with Peppy and Zippy on (station)."

 

Use Listener Testimonials

 

Listener testimonials are a great way to add credibility to a station. Direct some of those to promote the syndicated show and include local mentions. For example:

 

"Hey, this is Thomas from Lakeview. The Bert Show makes me laugh through the traffic on the 805 each morning. Thanks, guys."

 

Use them during the show, when rejoining the syndicated show, and as part of station promos. Go here for details on creating effective testimonials.

 

Acknowledge Listeners And Winners

 

Use the syndicated talent for winner promos and announcements as much as possible. A simple message like this sounds great:

 

"Hey, it’s Elvis Duran. We’re thinking about taking next week off to go to the Bahamas with (winner name). Yeah, she chose us as her guest after winning (contest). Wait. She’s taking her husband instead? Dammit. Oh well. Congratulations (winner) and thanks for listening to (station)."

 

This is not hard to do if you are organized and work ahead.

Another contest tip: Use non-local hosts to record contest solicits to trigger a contest in other time slots.

 

Local Identification

 

Most syndicated show clocks are built for frequent local identification. Use every opportunity to fill it with local content. Don’t just add generic material. That goes for IDs coming out of talk breaks, into stop sets, and even the breaks between songs on music stations.

 

Sure, it takes time to set up, but once established, it’s easy to manage. This is one of the easiest ways to make a show sound like yours.

Similarly, most syndicated hosts are willing to endorse local businesses. Take advantage of it. It’s a great way to generate revenue, and it helps the personalities sound connected to the community.

 

Make sure you understand the talent fee structure. Some syndicated hosts charge for commercial reads, while others (like Free Beer and Hot Wings) do it for no added cost.

 

Local Features

 

Local breaks don’t have to be jammed with commercials. Include local features when appropriate. Just because the clock says “news” doesn’t mean news has to be programmed there. Use it creatively. This may be a good slot for a short commentary from another host, promoting his or her show later in the day.

 

For example:

 

• Concert updates.
• Local activities and events.
• Local news.

But don’t just jam them in the break. Ask the show hosts to record intros and outros to sound like part of the show.

 

Conclusion

 

Local radio is important. It can be the voice of a community and comfort when tragedy strikes. Some programming does not originate locally, but syndicated shows can sound local with a little effort. In fact, a well-programmed show can sound more local than the competition broadcasting from Main Street.

 

Radio Content Pro has a variety of tools to customize non-local programming with the ingenious Local Beat. It's a non-stop feed of content customized to your market, curated in 13 ways to complement your station on-air, online, and on social media. Get a demo and trial of their services today.

 

Being local is more important than ever! Broadcasters obsess about being Live and Local, but running some liners and promos doesn’t make you local. Mentioning Main Street in a traffic report, shouting out a winner from Springfield, and plugging the Kiwanis Club’s pancake breakfast are local, but is it local enough? No, it’s not. Yet, many managers think they’re separating their brands from syndicated programming and large companies by tossing on a “more local winners” when giving away tickets to the community theater. None of those are bad things, but if you think that earns the badge of local, you’re missing the mark – and missing the opportunity.

Local is about relevance, resonance, and reflection. It’s about being in touch with what your audience is experiencing, not just reminding them of where they live. And the truth? Most stations don’t have the time, resources, or team to do that consistently.

 

Stations need to reflect the emotional tone of their city, not just the zip code, by sharing stories with context, not just headlines. They must spark conversation, not just report information. And it must happen on multiple platforms, where their audience is — on-air, online, and on-screen.

 

Here’s what that could look like.

 

Relating In The News

Newscasts are typically written to inform, which is valuable for some stations. However, news spreads at record speed today. By the time it’s on the air, your audience probably knows about it. Your job is to add perspective to it. Here’s what most stations consider a good “local reference”:

 

"Police are investigating a crash on Main Street. More at our website."

Here’s how to be more relatable and connected to your community:

 

"You know that stretch of Main Street by the school where it gets crazy around 3 pm? There was another accident there yesterday. You probably got the alert if you’ve got kids at Lincoln Elementary. What do we do about that intersection?"

 

Connecting On Your Website

 

Stations go out of their way to post information online so their website displays fresh content when users visit. That’s a good goal, but is the information useful? Is it something they can’t get anywhere else, or is it republishing someone else’s content because that’s easier? You’re not local enough unless you add perspective to the story. You can do that with a blog post, video, or conversation.

 

Instead of posting a press release or stiff report about the City Council passing a zoning bill, make it a blog-style article that inserts your brand into the conversation:

 

"What the new zoning bill means for that vacant lot near the old bowling alley — and why your neighborhood group is already organizing."

Suddenly, you’re not just a radio station with a website. You’re a source of relevant local insight. You could even consider starting a new local website as a business and feed it by promoting it on each station in your cluster. This is especially valuable if one of your brands is a news/talk station.

 

Videos That Promote Talent

Slapping a story online isn’t always easy, but it’s easier than posting a video. However, video gets more shares, attention, and traffic. Plus, it promotes talent and tune-in. You can post a video on your website and social media.

 

Most stations say, “Here’s the news story and a link to the source.” What if you made a 30-second selfie video?

 

“Hey, so you know the old movie theater downtown that’s been empty for years? It’s finally getting a new life. Here’s what we know — and the one thing that might derail it…”

Now you’re human, connected, and present. You’re in it with your audience.

 

But Who Has Time for All That?

That’s the real problem. Your midday talent is voicetracking two other markets. The news team is down to one person (if it hasn’t been outsourced) who has to write and perform the news on every station in the cluster. And your digital team? Oh wait… You are the digital team.

 

Meanwhile, the demand for local relevance has never been higher, especially from younger audiences who expect immediacy and authenticity across platforms. The disconnect between what we want to do and what we can do is growing. So, how can you close that gap? The Right Tools Make It Possible

 

Get Local Pulse

That’s where Local Pulse comes in. It was built for this challenge and designed by people who understand radio. Local Pulse uses AI to hunt and gather stories in your market 24/7, then converts them into 13 different, ready-to-use formats designed for local radio stations. It covers everything you need to connect on-air, online, and on social. You don’t have to create from scratch — but you can customize, tweak, and add your voice.

 

It saves time and gives you more to work with:

 

• Get spoken-word news versions of stories ready for air — no rewrites needed.
• Post long-form blog posts with thought-starters that drive engagement.
• Use video scripts that add personality and perspective for social media.
• Plus phone topics, teases, social media posts, and much more.

It’s truly the most remarkable tool available for local radio stations. For details and a demo, go here.

 

Local matters more than ever, but most stations only go through the motions. You’re probably not local enough.