The latest dish: Radio program relates to women's lives

What do you get when you combine two veteran Kansas City radio personalities, add a generous helping of savvy and provocative conversation, and sprinkle of gossip? The Radio Dish — a new weekly radio talk show hosted by Darcie Blake, formerly with KUDL, and Mary McKenna, previously with KFKF, along with Mindy Hart — is winning over listeners. 

With more than 20 years of radio experience, Blake and McKenna reached out to Hart, who worked in the nonprofit sector, to complete their unique brand of show, which has something for everyone. Topics range from family to finances.

“Ever since KUDL and STAR 102 no longer existed, we felt there was a hole that needed to be filled in Kansas City radio shows,” Blake says. “We as women love to sit down and talk about things. We discuss issues about family and marriage. We’ll cover some celebrity gossip but also talk about more serious subjects like the current economy and local businesses.”

When the hosts got together to brainstorm about a new radio talk show, they were surprised how quickly the show gained momentum and became a reality. “It basically went from a concept to on the air in two months,” Hart says. 

The Radio Dish airs from 2 to 3 p.m. every Saturday on KCMO 710 AM. All of their past shows also are available by podcast on their website, www.theradiodish.com. “If you’re busy and you miss the live show, you can log on to our website and listen at your convenience,” Hart says.

Though the program is run and hosted by women, more than 40 percent of the listeners are men. From comments left on The Radio Dish’s social media pages, both sexes have found something in the show to dish about. “We really try to speak to everyone, and we especially love hearing what men are thinking,” Blake says. 

According to Hart, the soul of the program is the interaction the listeners have with the show. “Having been a radio listener, I think the interaction you can have with the station is really important,” Hart says. “That’s something we do that’s a little different. A lot of programs are more like a long infomercial.”

The hosts said they encourage listener participation not only through calling in to the show, but also through their website and social media. “We have a very active audience, and we receive so much feedback and interaction through our podcasts and Facebook page,” Hart says.

The breakdown of the show follows similar formats to television talk shows like The View. The hosts start with “The Dirty Dish,” a short segment on the latest news and gossip. From there, they move to corporate and local business news with “The Power of the Purse,” focusing on mainly female-owned businesses in the Kansas City area.

“We wanted to showcase females who have worked hard and had to reinvent themselves, like we did,” Blake says. “We talk with women CEOs who motivate and inspire us, people who have been our mentors.”

Though they try to avoid politics, the trio may make an exception if the story hits on other points of interest, such as the news about Herman Cain’s campaign being rocked by sexual harassment accusations. But for the most part the ladies keep the conversation “smart, savvy and provocative,” Blake says.

Be sure to tune in to the uplifting “Just to Make You Smile” segment of The Radio Dish to escape the constant barrage of negative news stories many people are accustomed to hearing.

Blake, Hart and McKenna say they take pride in starting The Radio Dish, which they not only host but for which they also handle all the marketing and sales. They also plan to expand their radio show aspirations. They currently are producing three additional shows: The Gardening Gal, The Everyday Concierge, and The Art and Joy of Movies. And they are discussing adding a fourth show.

Hart says their future looks bright. “We look forward to expanding our listener audience and making this a radio destination for Kansas City."