What happens on a radio day

From brief to coverage report

Radio day PR follows the same eight stages every time. The detail changes with each story, but the order does not.

1. Brief and angle: we learn your aims and audience, then shape an angle a producer will want.
2. Research if needed: if the story lacks a fresh number, we design a short survey to create one.
3. Press material and audio: we write the sell-in, the background notes and any pre-recorded audio.
4. Sell-in to producers: we call and email producers and news editors at BBC local, commercial and national stations and news networks.
5. Scheduling: we build a timed running order of live and pre-recorded interviews.
6. Briefing the spokesperson: we talk them through the angle, the key messages and the questions to expect.
7. The day itself: every interview is done remotely, from home or the office, over a studio-quality link.
8. Coverage report: we report items of coverage, combined reach, time on air, highlights and the value of the coverage.

What the day feels like for your spokesperson

It starts early, because the breakfast show is a busy slot for guests. Your spokesperson sits somewhere quiet with the link ready and the schedule in front of them.

Our team runs the schedule and keeps them on time. Between interviews, we pass on useful notes, such as the next presenter's name.

Each conversation is different. One presenter wants a quick two-way, while another wants a longer chat and may take listener questions.

A director of South Devon Chilli Farm spent International Hot and Spicy Food Day 2026 on BBC local radio. Highlights included BBC Radio WM, BBC Radio Stoke and BBC Radio Nottingham.

The day delivered 11 items, 1h 33m on air and a 15:1 return.

Tips for a great radio day

Small things make a big difference to how your spokesperson sounds.

• Use a headset in a quiet room, away from echo and household noise.
• Keep water nearby and try standing up for a livelier voice.
• Know your key messages, but answer the question you are asked first.
• Use the presenter's name and mention the local area where it fits.
• Tell stories, because a real example sticks longer than a percentage.
• Mention your website once, naturally, and only where it helps the listener.
• Keep the energy up for the last interview, because that audience is hearing you for the first time.

Lived experience makes great radio

DEBRA UK showed this in summer 2025. A disability activist and author living with EBS, a painful genetic skin condition, spoke for 14m 37s on BBC Radio Gloucestershire alone.

The campaign reached 3.5 million, with Sky News Radio among the highlights. A spokesperson who can speak from experience gives presenters a reason to keep talking.