Game Changers: Radio

Christian O’Connell is a UK game changer. Christian has been the host of The Christian O'Connell Breakfast Show on Absolute Radio for a decade, and is one of the UK's most creative radio presenters.

Fans of Hamish Blake and Andy Lee will remember Christian from the world's first international radio simulcast (18 May 2012), when Christian's breakfast show (in London) broadcast live with Hamish & Andy's afternoon show (in Melbourne). For those in Australia who don't know Christian, you can find him on Facebook, Twitter and at christianoconnell.com.

2:04 Explaining how he got his start in Hospital Radio

3:02 Wanting to create a show along the lines of Steve Wright in the Afternoon

4:11 Getting fired

5:13 Leveraging College Radio to apply for gigs

5:58 Being rejected and receiving career advice

6:29 Living life and how that led to his radio career

7:18 Taking a pay cut to be a presenter and treating it like an apprenticeship

8:12 Picking up extra shifts for free to learn more about radio

8:33 Improving technical skills

8:56 Moving to Juice radio station in Liverpool

9:06 Learning about radio from programmer Giles Squire 

11:12 Working for a station that has no money

13:05 Getting poached into London radio

13:38 Working for a station that doesn't believe in you

14:24 Working with Karl Pilkington

15:05 Getting a pay rise

16:05 Trusting his instinct to only say yes to the right gig

16:57 Craig sharing the route Kyle Sandilands took

18:05 Reflecting on being different

18:30 Getting feedback and having a coach

21:54 Describing the 'single worst thing I’ve ever done on the radio' and what he learnt from it

24:10 Describing how to make a bad interview good

25:56 Explaining the program benchmark Who’s Calling Christian? 

30:34 Understanding famous people don't always make the best guests

31:03 Creating content 

34:40 Understanding what makes good radio

35:35 Reflecting on why the radio industry looks out-dated as a medium

36:10 Describing Howard Stern's interview style

36:40 Connecting with Hamish and Andy

37:35 Getting the culture you deserve

37:53 Coming across Martin/Molloy

39:00 Being defined by what you say no to

39:22 Approaching the big story of the day that will be discussed everywhere

41:20 Surprising the audience and let them know that you’re real

41:50 Going to air with Hamish and Andy 

45:02 Describing what it was like to change brand

46:09 Building the audience after a name change

46:51 Describing Clive Dickens as the ultimate salesman

52:03 Recommending stand-up comedy to all presenters

52:43 Doing stand-up and writing content

53:38 Using failures as content

55:44 Reflecting on what he would tell a younger version of himself starting out.