Playing games with listeners is a great way to engage the audience. When the game allows listeners to get to know the personalities, it’s even more powerful. And that’s what the WROR/Boston morning show has done with their game, Who’s Lyin’ Now.
The game is a variation of 2 Lies and A Truth. This is how the classic version of the game works:
- Listeners are given three headlines of stories.
- Two of the stories are lies. One is the truth.
- If they choose the real story, they win.
Bob Bronson, LBF, and Brian add another layer to the game, which is a little more complex, but the show makes it work exceptionally well.
In this version, each personality presents a headline of a personal story. They may all be lying, none lying, or any combination. Listeners have to guess who’s lying and who isn’t exactly right. The games usually span three breaks.
The game ends with at least one great personal story. This is a terrific example of helping listeners get to know personality traits in an interactive, listener-focused game.
Here’s segment 1, in which the team sets it up:
In segment 2, the show goes through a series of guesses, then provides a hint:
And here’s the payoff, where the winner is revealed and stories told:
- Bob (show host) does a masterful job navigating the contest. The game’s mechanics are a little complicated but he makes it clear and easy to follow.
- LBF and Brian add color and interest to the segments, and all three are actively engaged with callers as they guess the answer.
- They don’t take much time with each caller (segment 2) because the callers aren’t interesting! But they do serve a purpose by building anticipation and providing clues for other players to guess.
- Each story headline is interesting and related (all having to do with school).
- It’s a brilliant example of creating an organic way to name tag personalities without sounding self-serving.