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How Rachael Ray’s TV Career Was Propelled By Radio
By Scott Lorenz
President
Westwind Communications
 Rachael
Ray heads an empire that includes hit TV shows, best selling books, a magazine and her
own product lines. Things keep getting better and better for Rachael Ray. But, you might
be interested to know that it was a couple of radio interviews that propelled her to
fame and fortune.
As a book publicist I talk to authors and clients every
day and every so often one says, “Oh I really don’t want to do radio” or I’ll have a
client who’ll decline a radio interview and then give me reasons like “There’s only
5,000 people listening to that station, or such and such is a small town, or nobody
listens to radio at 2AM,” or whatever. I usually respond with “If the Rotary Club in
your home town called you today and invited you to speak to their club and 450 people
would be in the audience, would you go?” The answer is always a resounding “YES! I’d
love to do that…” What’s the difference? Perhaps it’s perception. If you can see them,
450 people are a lot of folks. If you can’t see them it’s too small. How about 5,000
people? But, it’s not always the quantity of listeners it’s the quality of that
listening audience.
Let me tell you, radio makes stars, radio interviews
get people on TV, radio gets people on Oprah.
That brings me to the story of Rachael Ray and her big
break in 2001. She had already sold 10,000 of her cookbooks and she had her own TV segment
on WRGB, the local CBS affiliate in Albany, New York. Jennifer Pullinger, the publicist
at National Book Network assigned to work on two of her books, Comfort Foods
and Veggie Meals, had booked her on various radio shows for phone interviews
as part of the publicity campaign. After booking Ray on a handful of small-market radio
shows, Pullinger utilized one of Ray’s contacts at WAMC in Albany, New York and scheduled
her for a cooking demo on Northeast Public Radio's "Vox Pop." The host, Joe Donahue,
had had Ray on his program before and happily booked her again. Ray did her demo, and
of course, listeners loved it.
And, guess who was listening to that station? Someone
who knew the Food Network’s VP of Programming, Bob Tuschman. That “influential” person
heard Ray’s segment, and told Tuschman about her. Tuschman then called Pullinger to
arrange a meeting with Ray and the rest is history. Oh, and who was listening to another
of Rachael Ray’s radio interviews while on his vacation? Al Roker, the weatherman from
the Today Show. Al told the show’s food producer to check her out. The producer called
Pullinger and booked Ray for a live cooking segment with Al on the Today Show. She was
a hit. Then after a couple of years on the Food Network she got THE BIG CALL from Oprah
which led to her daily nationally syndicated TV show.
Her big break(s) can be traced back to radio interviews
and the groundwork laid by her publicist Jennifer Pullinger, who had previously shipped
tapes of Rachael on WRGB-TV to the Food Network and all the morning shows. Think about
it. A major star’s career was born from a radio interview, and one that happened at
the last minute, and one she nearly turned down. PR opened the door for Rachael Ray
and it can do that for you too. Putting a value on that is hard to do but, I’d have
to say it’s priceless.
I am often called by producers who want a guest at the
last minute. I always deliver them a guest and since I just helped them out of a jam
they remember it.
The bottom line is, radio works - radio is a great medium.
If you get a radio opportunity, take it! You never know who’ll be listening.
About Scott Lorenz
Scott Lorenz is President of Westwind Communications, a
public relations and marketing firm that specializes
in book marketing and author publicity.
His clients have been featured by Good Morning America, FOX & Friends, CNN, ABC Nightly
News, The New York Times, Nightline, TIME, PBS, Los Angeles Times, USA Today, Washington
Post, Family Circle, Woman's World, & Howard Stern to name a few. To discuss how
Westwind Communications helps authors get all the publicity they deserve and
more call 734-667-2090 or email scottlorenz@westwindcos.com.
For more information visit www.Book-Marketing-Expert.com
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