This Is True

If you get this column in your local paper, you probably don't need me to tell you that it can be a wonderful source of "Knuckleheads in the News" type stories. But, if you aren't aware of it, and find stories like:

An unnamed newspaper carrier in Jacksonville, Fla., was confronted by a man who said the carrier had forgotten to deliver hisnewspaper. When the 56-year-old carrier asked the man for his address to check his list, the man responded by pulling a gun. "Give me a paper," he demanded at gunpoint. The carrier handed over a paper, then called police. Officers found Christopher M. Cooper, 26, hiding in a cooler at a gas station, a gun in his car, and marijuana in his pocket. He was charged with armed robbery of the 50-cent paper, and drug possession. (Jacksonville Times-Union) ...Actually, the more interesting edition of the paper was the next day's, which contained this story.

..tempting as 'talk-abouts,' you will want to get Randy Cassingham, the crazy guy who accumulates these items and edits the "This is True" column as a show guest, email him.

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If you do this type of benchmark, please keep in mind that thousands of other air personalities around the world do exactly the same thing. So, have you created a unique way to really make it YOURS? Are you localizing it? If not, are you simply doing "the Randy Cassingham show?"

Personality is NOT just saying cute or even very funny things. It's conveying your perspective, values and point of view in a way that your listeners RELATE to it and CARE about it.