Tips for Media Outreach > Tips for Talking to Talk Radio

Tips for Talking to Talk Radio About Health Care

Calling into a radio program is a great way to let others know about health care reform.  Talk radio has become one of the most influential and effective forms of communication.  More than a million Americans call into radio stations in America every year. 

Here are some tips on how to get on a program:

• Watch for programming on health care reform by checking the websites of your local stations, particularly public radio. 
• Place your call near the beginning or end of the program – it is easier to get on then. 
• Be prepared to get a busy signal and keep hitting the redial button.
• You will first speak to a screener or producer who will ask for your name, where you live and what topic you want to discuss.

Here are some tips once you are on:

• When you get on the air, don’t pause – you may only have 20 to 60 seconds to make your point.
• Be brief – get your points in quickly and with punch. Don’t ramble.
• Don’t sound rehearsed even if you have prepared a written statement.   
• Speak clearly and firmly, but be natural.   Your opinions matter and you want to be taken seriously.

Here are some local radio stations (List of all Maryland stations):

• WAMU  88.5 FM (NPR) - Washington, DC
• G. Gordon Liddy - SIlver Spring, MD
• WARW 94.7 FM - Rockville, MD
• WASH 97.1 FM - Rockville, MD
• WBAL 1090 AM - Baltimore, MD
• WBIG 100.3 FM - Rockville, MD
• WCBM 680 AM - Baltimore, MD
• WCTN 950 AM - Potomac, MD
• WEAA 88.9 FM (NPR) Morgan St. Univ. - Baltimore, MD
• WESM 91.3 FM (NPR) Univ. of MD Eastern Shore - Princess Anne, MD
• WFDM 930 AM - Frederick, MD
• WFRE 99.9 FM - Frederick, MD
• WFWM 91.9 FM Frostburg State Univ. - Frostburg, MD
• WGTS 91.9 FM - Takoma Park, MD
• WHFS 99.1 FM - Lanham, MD
• WIHT 99.5 FM - Rockville, MD
• WLIF 101.9 FM - Baltimore MD
• WNAV 1430 AM - Annapolis, MD
• WOL 1450 AM - Lanham, MD
• WRBS 95.1 FM - Baltimore, MD
• WRC 1260 AM - Silver Spring, MD
• WSCL 89.5 FM (NPR) Salisbury State Univ. - Salisbury, MD
• WTMD 89.7 FM Towson Univ. - Towson, MD
• WWDC 101.1 FM - Rockville, MD
• WYCB 1340 AM - Lanham, MD
• WYPR 88.1 FM (NPR) - Baltimore
• WYRE 810 AM / WRNR - Annapolis, MD