When I first started out as a young news reporter working for a regional newspaper I quickly learned that news doesn’t always come to you.
There were days when the phones didn’t ring, the fax machine stayed silent, and there was nothing useful in the post. After calling around the usual contacts, schools, emergency services, local officials, I’d still come up empty. But there was one reliable fallback that never failed me.
Go out and find the story.
So that’s exactly what I’d do. I’d grab a notepad and pen (these days, it might be your phone or a digital recorder), drive out to my patch, head to the local high street, and start talking to people.
Simple as that.
I’d stop passersby and ask for their opinions, on anything, really. It could be a council decision, vandalism in a playground, late-night noise, or something else affecting the community. Within half an hour, I’d have a notebook full of names, quotes, and viewpoints.
Not only would I get material for a solid news story featuring loads of local people, but those conversations often opened the door to other issues I hadn’t even considered. One question could lead to five more story ideas. Before long, I had both a publishable piece and a pipeline of future content.
Now, while I was doing this for newspapers back then, the exact same approach works brilliantly today for local radio and podcasts.
Getting out into the community and recording real voices adds energy, authenticity, and relevance to your content. It turns your show into something people can connect with because it reflects their concerns and opinions.
Of course, there are a few things to keep in mind. Keep it general and avoid naming individuals in any potentially defamatory way. You’re after opinions, not accusations.
It can feel a bit daunting at first, approaching strangers isn’t easy, but it gets easier with practice. One tip I always recommend is to carry a business card. Even in today’s digital world, it gives people something tangible to remember you by and adds credibility to what you’re doing.
You never know who you’re speaking to, either. It could be someone influential, a business owner, or simply someone with a great story to tell. Either way, you’re building connections within your community.
This technique is known as a “vox pop” (short for vox populi, meaning “voice of the people”), and it’s incredibly powerful. Done regularly, it can even become a signature segment for your show, something your audience looks forward to each week.
If you’re creating local content, I can’t recommend it enough. It’s simple, effective, and genuinely rewarding.
