As broadcasters, we are always in the public eye. Whether it’s people sitting down with their families to watch the evening news, someone turning on their favorite morning radio show on their way to work, or community members reading up on the latest local news, everything we do is always under the microscope of public scrutiny.
With social media being a big part of everyday life, those viewers, listeners, and readers have more ways than ever to have their opinions heard. Many times, those opinions are positive and supportive. But, there will always be people who forget there are real people behind the product and leave a nasty comment.
For me personally, as a news director, one of the hardest things I deal with on a regular basis is tempering my response to public comments. For the most part, over my more than ten-year career, I have gotten pretty good at letting negative comments roll off my back, but every now and then, the personal nature of some comments can get to me. I mean, I am only human. This is much more difficult with stories that I put a lot of time and effort into.
I know I’m not alone in this experience, so I asked some people in the industry how they have dealt with a negative response from the public.
Kori Kay – Program Director and Morning Show Host for NRG Media in Wausau
The thing about Top 40 radio… you don’t always have to be serious. And honestly, you don’t have to take everything you do on the radio seriously, either.
One of the most fun things I’ve done on my show is make “songs.” And no, they weren’t great—but I had a blast doing them. Most listeners loved them, and a lot of people thought it was pretty impressive that I was even willing to do something like that.
And listen, I know I don’t have a singing voice. I’m fully aware of that.
But one listener decided he needed to let me know that I was “cringy AF” and “an embarrassment to our race.”
So how did I deal with the negative comment and the hate?
I made another song about it—and dedicated it to him.
Sometimes, you just have to take those negative comments, roll them up into a little ball, and turn them into something fun. Make a song. Make a bit. Make it a break on the show.
Because that’s the beauty of Top 40 radio. You get to have fun, be ridiculous, and not take yourself too seriously.
And sometimes, the best way to handle the haters is to turn their negativity into your next great bit.
Terry Stevenson – Vice President of Seehafer Broadcasting in Manitowoc
As broadcasters, being in the public eye is simply part of the job. Whether it’s our face, our voice, or our name attached to our work, we’re in a public-facing industry, and that visibility naturally comes with opinions and feedback.
I started my career as a full-time salesperson at just 18 years old, so I had to learn early how to handle that feedback. For me, that often meant overcoming doubts about my age and proving that I belonged in the room.
As broadcasters, we work hard to establish ourselves as consistently reliable and trustworthy. When we approach our work with integrity, we can respond to feedback with confidence while still remaining open to learning, growth, and the opportunity to become better at what we do.
Gabriella Rusk – Morning Anchor & Executive Producer at WMTV 15 News in Madison
Working in a public-facing industry like broadcasting opens you up to public criticism. If there’s a factual error or something that needs clarification, I welcome that feedback in my role as a morning news anchor. However, sometimes viewers are quick to make comments on my physical appearance: Like my hairstyle, make-up choice, or wardrobe.
Early on in my career, I learned that people are quicker to criticize than they are to compliment. My mentality is to “kill them with kindness” and write back when there are mean or degrading comments posted on my social media pages or our station accounts. I’ve found that often times viewers or social media users don’t realize that we read these posts or emails too, and that can (sometimes) bring back the humanity that we are human too.
You build a thick skin in this business and can find others within the broadcasting space who can relate to what you’re going through on a particularly tough day or story.
Summary
The easy answer to dealing with public criticism is to simply don’t let it bother you, but as we all know, that is sometimes easier said than done. The important thing to remember is that you are amazing. Keep doing what you do and good things will come.
If it continues to bother you, find someone within your organization to talk to about it. In my extensive experience with mental health struggles, I have learned, at least for me, the best thing to do is to let it all out. Even if you don’t get any help addressing the issue, just letting your feelings out can be a huge help.
If you need someone to vent to, I would be more than happy to help. Send me an email, and we can talk it out. Ryan@SeehaferNews.com.
Ryan Brahm
News Director
WOMT Radio Manitowoc
