Behold the importance of radio

Whether it's the words of a tight contemporary music presenter or a trusted and engaging speech broadcaster, the importance of radio - what we say and how we say it - is becoming more important than ever.

In this age of misinformation, a free and fair broadcast media is relied upon to deliver relevant facts and to hold those in power to account for the decisions they make affecting its audiences.

You also have outlets renowned for entertainment and offering an escape from the things that upset or divide us.

These two parts of our industry are, and will be throughout this crisis, equally essential.

What a small proportion of listeners forget - ironically, given it is a key reason for choosing radio - is that the voice going into their ears belongs to a real human being. A person, like them, with loved ones and emotions.

I've always said the role of a presenter is to, at any given moment, either make someone smile and laugh or stop and think. The very best can do both depending on the topic.

As people, we are adaptable to the conversation. Similarly, the true masters of this craft never forget exactly who they're talking to and have a continuous understanding of what interests that person and different circumstances.

It is with those who appear to have the best grasp of their lives - and don't talk down to them - that listeners really connect with, get to know and regard as a companion.

Friendship is mutual and the presenter may feel able to open up to that one individual who is genuinely interested in what they have to say.

When times are tough, the relationship between you as a presenter and your listener can be a lifeline.

It's never easy rocking up to do an entertainment show when you're feeling like shit (trust me, as someone who's long struggled with my mental health, I've been there many times!) But we do it.

We also judge the mood. At the moment, coronavirus is causing widespread uncertainty and anxiety.

How do I, as a presenter, handle this? Will a sense of normality and the usual smiles sound out of place? Will my unease just make people feel worse when they're seeking an escape? It's a difficult balance to strike - and doing so requires enormous skill.

Ignoring the situation we all find ourselves in would be wrong as you're human and your job is to be relevant - acknowledge it, perhaps offering an interesting but sensible perspective (obviously without being patronising, speculating or making any other ill-informed comment).

At the same time, while the usual "feel-good weekend" amongst other features would sound out of place, there are many things your listeners will be clinging onto for a sense of normality.

Always remember who you're talking to and what they'd expect from the station or you personally.

Whilst the coming weeks look set to be very challenging, our appreciation of creative industries will become more apparent than ever.

This is our great medium's chance to really step up and show the world just how essential public service broadcasting can be.

Thanks to the talents within, radio will excel in being both a trusted source of information and a warm comfort blanket.