Game Changers: Radio

Amanda Keller is a game changer. Her contribution to radio and the community in Sydney earned her an Order of Australia in 2016.

If it’s true that great storytelling is at the heart of radio’s connection to its audience, then it is easy to see why Amanda is recognised as an elite radio performer. She started her career at 2MMM in the late 90s on the Andrew Denton Breakfast Show, and their on-air partnership resulted in a #1 show. In more recent times, Amanda has reached #1 again with her great mate Brendan Jones on Jonesy & Amanda - a feat few broadcasters have achieved in the Sydney breakfast market. 

3:00 Describing her path to metro radio (thanks to Andrew Denton) and thinking of herself as a late bloomer

3:42 Remembering the radio lingo was foreign to her when she started out

4:30 Explaining how difficult it is to learn to speak freely and naturally on radio

5:22 Admitting it wasn’t until she worked with Jonesy that she really started to hone her craft

6:48 Describing Andrew Denton as a mentor

7:45 Explaining she can only be funny when writing about reality

8:53 Craig Bruce noting all successful broadcasters have had someone in their corner, and for Amanda it was Andrew Denton and Ray Martin

9:48 Broadcasting the day after September 11

12:09 Opening up the phone lines because people just wanted to talk

14:25 Explaining why is radio is so good for those tragic moments

15:20 Giving birth and how her stories can connect to a listener’s life

17:20 Explaining that talking about family never felt like exploitation

18:38 Recalling the end of her time at Triple M and the difficulty at not being able to say goodbye to the audience

22:00 Finding motivation after doing a program for 10 000 hours

23:13 Explaining why there is no way to fake it on air

24:05 Coping with breakfast radio hours

24:40 Talking about ratings

25:15 Describing what a good show looks like

26:45 Building a team behind the scenes

27:45 Acknowledging content director's when a program is like a well-oiled machine

29:02 Being grateful she has never been the 'girlie girl'

29:39 Explaining how to push back from becoming the 'girlie-girl'

31:29 Checking to see if you really have something to say

32:25 Explaining how to find content and how a segment comes together

34:30 Craig Bruce recommending Richard Fidler's Conversations podcast featuring Amanda Keller

35:05 Explaining how to construct a story

37:25 Sharing her approach to radio content