Station Partner Document
Station Operations Packet
Everything your team needs to run The Skinny Daily β€” from first login to first sponsor.
Version 3.0 Β· April 2026
Contents
  1. 01The Signal Engine β€” What Makes This Different
  2. 02Quick Start β€” First Script in 5 Minutes
  3. 03The Dashboard
  4. 0460-Second Script Format
  5. 05Teleprompter Mode
  6. 06Sponsor Substitution
  7. 07Daily Workflow
  8. 08Day-of-Week Rotation
  9. 09Troubleshooting
  10. 10What Good Looks Like (On-Air Standard)
  11. 11The Sales Playbook
  12. 12First 7 Days
  13. 13Format Adaptation Guide
  14. 14Seasonal Priorities
  15. 15Growing Your Signal Pool
  16. 16PD Weekly Checklist
  17. 17The Cost of Waiting
  18. 18Handling Sponsor Objections
  19. 19Running It With Multiple Hosts
  20. 20What Good Sounds Like
  21. 21What Winning Looks Like β€” 30 / 60 / 90 Days
  22. 22The Expansion Path
  23. 23Version History & Contact
Section 01

The Signal Engine β€” What Makes This Different

The Skinny Daily is not a content feed. It is an audience intelligence system that generates scripts from two inputs: curated news from 57 sources, and verified audience signals from real people aged 45–75.

Every month, listeners and readers submit what they're actually dealing with β€” through the Life Signal form. These submissions are scored, themed, and fed directly into the script generation engine. When your host reads a Finance script, it isn't just news. It's informed by what 23 real people told us they're worried about this month.

This is the competitive advantage. No other radio content tool has verified audience signal data. Your scripts aren't written from headlines β€” they're written from what your listeners actually submitted.

Signal Intelligence Panel

When you log in to the dashboard, you'll see a gold-bordered panel above the scripts showing each domain's signal count and urgency level. HIGH means 10+ signals in that domain β€” your host should prioritize that script today.

The panel updates daily. Use it to decide which script to lead with.

How Signals Reach Your Scripts

Listeners submit β†’ signals scored by volume and recency β†’ Claude reads the signals β†’ scripts open with the exact tension people described β†’ your host reads a script that feels like it was written for their audience.

Because it was.

Section 02

Quick Start β€” First Script in 5 Minutes

  1. Go to scripts.theskinnydaily.com (or your station's script URL)
  2. Enter your station code: skinny2026
  3. The dashboard loads with today's date and all 9 scripts
  4. Today's featured category is highlighted in green at the top
  5. Click Copy Script on any script card
  6. Paste into your teleprompter, show prep doc, or read directly
  7. Add your local sponsor tag where the script ends
  8. You're live. Total time: under 5 minutes.
Section 03

The Dashboard

The dashboard is a single page with everything your morning team needs:

Signal Intelligence Panel

Gold-bordered panel showing audience signal data per domain. Urgency badges: HIGH (red), MEDIUM (gold), LOW (gray). Lead with the highest-urgency script.

Today's Featured Category

One F category is featured each day on a rotating schedule. The featured script gets a green left border and "TODAY'S FEATURE" label. This is the recommended lead script β€” but you can air any of the nine.

Host Note

A textarea where your program director or morning host can add a local angle, shout-out, or context note before going on air. This saves to the server β€” anyone on the team can see it.

Nine Script Cards

Each card shows: domain emoji and name, full script body in readable serif font, word count, estimated read time, and a Copy Script button. The featured script appears first, followed by the remaining eight.

Section 04

60-Second Script Format

Every script is exactly 140–150 words β€” calibrated for a 60-second read at broadcast pace. The structure:

The Five Beats

PATTERN (0–10 sec): Open mid-tension. Drop the listener into something already happening. The first sentence must create personal recognition β€” "wait, that's me" β€” in under 5 seconds.

PERSONAL IMPACT (10–25 sec): Make it specific to the 45–75 life stage. Money, family, health, time β€” the stakes they actually feel.

CONSEQUENCE (25–40 sec): What happens if they miss this signal. Practical, not dramatic.

TURN (40–50 sec): One sharp insight that reframes what they thought they knew. Something they haven't heard before.

ACTION (50–60 sec): One specific thing to do this week. Then the tag: "The Skinny Daily."

Example Script β€” Family
If your relationship with your kids has gotten quieter lately β€” not worse, just... less β€” that's not random. The families that stay close after kids leave home aren't the ones with the most history. They're the ones with the most recent contact. And here's what most people don't realize: that window is narrower than it feels. Your adult kids are forming their own family culture right now β€” and whoever shows up consistently gets written into it. The ones who keep meaning to call but don't... slowly get written out. Not dramatically. Just quietly. One call this week. No reason. No agenda. Just your voice. That's the whole move. That's the kind of signal most people miss until it costs them. The Skinny Daily.
Section 05

Teleprompter Mode

Copy any script and paste it into your station's teleprompter software. The scripts are written as clean copy β€” no stage directions, no brackets, no formatting markers. Just paste and read.

Recommended Settings

Font size: 32–40px for on-screen reading

Scroll speed: Medium β€” the punctuation creates natural pauses

Line spacing: 1.8x for comfortable reading

Background: Black with white text for studio use

If your station uses a browser-based teleprompter, you can bookmark the dashboard and copy scripts directly during show prep.

Section 07

Daily Workflow

The entire process takes under 5 minutes:

  1. 3:00 AM ET β€” Scripts generate automatically from 57 sources + audience signals
  2. Before first show β€” PD or morning host logs in, checks the Signal Intelligence panel
  3. Pick the lead β€” Today's featured F is highlighted, but high-urgency signals may override
  4. Add host note β€” Optional local angle, sponsor mention, or shout-out
  5. Copy script β€” One click. Paste into teleprompter or show prep doc
  6. Add sponsor tag β€” Replace "The Skinny Daily" closing with sponsor copy
  7. Air it β€” 60 seconds. Done.

That's it. Nothing to write. Nothing to research. Nothing to wait for. The dashboard is loaded before your team arrives.

Section 08

Day-of-Week Rotation

One F category is featured each day. All nine scripts are available every day β€” the rotation determines which one is highlighted and recommended as the lead.

DayFeatured CategoryTagline
MondayπŸ‘¨β€πŸ‘©β€πŸ‘§β€πŸ‘¦FamilyStronger bonds, better conversations
TuesdayπŸ’°FinanceBuild wealth, protect your legacy
WednesdayπŸ’ͺFitnessMove better, train smarter, feel stronger
Thursday🍽️FoodEat well, cook smart, nourish
FridayπŸŽ‰FunLaugh more, explore more, enjoy more
SaturdayπŸ‘—FashionStyle that ages well
Sunday (even)🀝FriendsThe relationships you choose
Sunday (odd)🧭Future SelfInvest in who you're becoming

Fitness Mental (🧠) shares Wednesday with Fitness Physical. Both scripts are available β€” the host chooses which to lead with based on signal urgency.

Section 09

Troubleshooting

Scripts not showing

Scripts generate at 3:00 AM ET. If you log in before that, the dashboard will show "No scripts generated yet." Refresh after 3 AM.

Station code not working

The current station code is skinny2026. Codes are case-sensitive. If your station has a custom code, check with your program director.

Signal Intelligence panel empty

The panel requires audience signal data. If no one has submitted a Life Signal in the past 30 days, the panel won't appear. Share the Life Signal form with your audience: /life-signal.html

Script too long / too short

Scripts target 140–150 words (~60 seconds at broadcast pace). Word count and estimated time are shown below each script. If your host reads faster or slower, adjust by trimming the TURN section or extending the ACTION.

Host note didn't save

Host notes require a generated brief for today's date. If no brief exists yet (before 3 AM), the note can't save. Try again after scripts generate.

Need help?

Email scripts@theskinnydaily.com β€” we respond within one business day.

Section 10

What Good Looks Like

The standard for consistent, high-quality execution:

Air 1–2 Scripts Per Day

Not all nine. Pick the highest-urgency domain from the Signal Intelligence panel plus today's featured category. More than two segments per day dilutes the format.

Consistent Placement

Same break, same daypart, every day. Listeners build habit from repetition. A segment that moves around the clock never becomes a feature.

Natural Read β€” Not Announcer Voice

This is a conversation, not a spot. The host should read it like they're telling a friend something they just found out. The HOST INTRO is where personality lives β€” use it.

Sponsor Read as Continuation

The LOCAL BRIDGE section hands off to the sponsor naturally. It should feel like the same voice continuing, not a gear shift into commercial mode.

The Signal Count Matters On Air

When the Signal Intelligence panel shows high urgency, the host can say it: "We've been hearing a lot from listeners about this." That's not a tease. That's true.

Section 11

The Sales Playbook

Who to call, what to say, how to close.

Top Sponsor Categories (Easiest Close First)
  1. Financial advisors and wealth management firms
  2. Health systems, hospitals, and wellness clinics
  3. Senior living communities and elder law attorneys
  4. Home services (HVAC, remodeling, lawn care)
  5. Insurance brokers and estate planning attorneys

The 3-line pitch: "This isn't an ad. It's a daily segment your customer listens to before they make decisions. You're not sponsoring radio. You're sponsoring a life category."

Positioning: The sponsor doesn't interrupt the content β€” they complete it. The LOCAL BRIDGE section is built for a natural sponsor mention. It sounds like a trusted recommendation, not a commercial.

Revenue Conversation Opener

"We have a 60-second daily Finance segment with verified audience signal data showing 18 people submitted retirement timing concerns this month. That's your customer β€” actively thinking about the decision you help them make. One sponsor. One segment. $26,000 a year."

Section 12

First 7 Days

How to introduce the segment without friction:

Day 1 Β· Soft Launch

No sponsor, no announcement. Just run it. Get the feel of the format. Let the host read it cold and find their natural voice with it.

Day 2–3 Β· Lock Placement

Consistent placement β€” lock it into the same break. The host should read the HOST INTRO in their own voice before the timed segment. Same time, same slot, every day.

Day 4 Β· Light Framing

"We've been trying something new this week β€” a daily 60-second segment built around what people your age are actually dealing with. It's called The Skinny Daily. If you've been noticing it, let us know what you think."

Day 5 Β· Signal Prompt

First on-air mention of the Life Signal form: "If you want tomorrow's segment to speak to what you're going through β€” tell us. It's anonymous. Takes two minutes." Direct listeners to /life-signal.html

Day 6 Β· Sponsor Conversation

Call your top prospect with the pitch: "We've been running a daily 60-second lifestyle segment for a week. Listeners are already responding. The Finance category is open for one exclusive sponsor." Use the signal count as proof.

Day 7 Β· Evaluate & Commit

Check the Signal Intelligence panel β€” did any signals come in? Check your phones β€” did any listeners mention it? If the answer to either is yes, you have a feature. Lock the placement permanently and close the first sponsor.

The goal of week one is not revenue. It's habit. Once the segment is in the same break every day and the host is comfortable, everything else follows.

Section 13

Format Adaptation Guide

The scripts are format-neutral by design β€” but the host voice should match your station's personality:

News / Talk

Tone: Credible. Direct. Informational. Lead with the data. "Here's what the numbers say this week." Minimal emotion, maximum authority.

Adult Contemporary

Tone: Polished. Supportive. Calm authority. Lean into the personal impact. "If this sounds familiar..." Warm but not soft.

Classic Rock / Classic Hits

Tone: Confident. No fluff. Edge. Cut the tenderness β€” go straight to the consequence. "Here's the part nobody tells you."

Country

Tone: Warm. Real. Human. The storytelling beats land hardest here. Let the first sentence breathe. Talk to one person, not an audience.

All Formats

The HOST INTRO (before the 60-second clock starts) is where you customize. The script itself stays consistent β€” the intro is where your host's personality, local references, and format voice live.

Section 14

Seasonal Priorities

Certain times of year shift audience priorities. The script engine accounts for this automatically, but hosts should know when to expect heavier signal volume:

WindowPriority DomainWhy
JanuaryFinance / FitnessNew year resolutions, tax prep, retirement review
March–AprilFinanceTax season peak, estate planning
MayFamilyMother's Day, graduation, caregiving decisions
JuneFuture SelfMid-year reset, career reflection
SeptemberFamily / FinanceBack-to-school (grandparents), open enrollment
NovemberFood / FriendsThanksgiving, holiday gathering, loneliness spike
DecemberFinance / FunYear-end tax moves, holiday experiences
Section 15

Growing Your Signal Pool

Signals are your moat. More signals = more precise scripts = stronger audience connection.

Mention On-Air 1–2 Times Per Week

"We build these segments from what you tell us. Go to theskinnydaily.com/life-signal and tell us what you're dealing with. Takes 3 minutes."

Tie It to the Content

"We've been hearing from a lot of you about retirement timing β€” so today's Finance segment speaks directly to that."

Cross-Promote

Share the Life Signal link in your station's email list, social channels, and website. Every submission makes the next month's scripts more precise.

Watch the Panel

The Signal Intelligence panel in your dashboard shows the count. Watch it grow. When Finance hits 20+ signals, your Finance script will feel like it was written specifically for your market.

Without signals, the system generates from news alone. With signals, it generates from your audience's actual life. The difference is audible.

Section 16

PD Weekly Checklist

Leadership accountability layer β€” how to make sure this doesn't drift.

Weekly
  1. Is the segment airing daily in a consistent break?
  2. Is the host reading the HOST INTRO in their own voice β€” not skipping it?
  3. Which domain has the highest signal urgency this month? Is that the lead script?
  4. Has sales had the sponsor conversation yet?
  5. Has the Life Signal link been mentioned on-air this week?
Monthly
  1. How many life signals have been submitted? (Check Signal Intelligence panel)
  2. Is the sponsor conversation closed, or still in progress?
  3. Has the segment been in the same break long enough to become listener habit? (Minimum 3 weeks before moving it)

One rule: if the answer to any weekly question is no β€” fix that one thing this week. Not all of them. One.

Section 17

The Cost of Waiting

Every day this segment isn't on your station, a competitor gets one day closer to owning the relationship. That's not a marketing claim. It's the math of habit formation.

This audience is not waiting for you to be ready. They are in their cars every morning forming new defaults β€” which stations feel familiar, which voices feel trustworthy, which content feels like it was made for them. Once those defaults are set, they are very difficult to move.

You will not see the damage in a ratings book. Ratings measure reach. What erodes quietly is something harder to measure and harder to replace: the feeling among your most valuable listeners that your station understands their life. When that feeling migrates to a competitor, it does not come back on a programmer's schedule.

Three things are happening right now whether your station moves or not:

1. Defaults Are Forming

Your 45-plus audience is deciding which morning voice belongs in their life.

2. Competitors Are Moving

At least one competitor in your market is either running this or about to.

3. Signal Data Compounds

The signal pool β€” the verified audience intelligence that makes these scripts more precise every month β€” is being built by whoever starts first. It compounds. A station that starts today has 12 months of signal data before a competitor who starts next year has one.

The window is open. This is not a call to evaluate. It is a call to move.

Section 19

Running It With Multiple Hosts

The script stays the same. The tone adapts. That's the rule.

Fill-in hosts, weekend talent, and different dayparts all read the same script. What changes is the HOST INTRO β€” that section is always the host's own words, their own personality, their own local flavor. The timed 60-second segment is fixed. Never rewrite it. Only adjust the intro.

Rule 1 β€” The HOST INTRO Is the Only Variable

Any host can add their voice in the green section before the clock starts. Everything after that is read as written.

Rule 2 β€” Never Over-Produce It

This sounds like a conversation, not a spot. The number one failure mode is a host who reads it in announcer voice. Natural pace. Direct address. Like telling a friend something you just found out.

Rule 3 β€” The ACTION Must Land Clean

Every host, every daypart, every day β€” the one specific action at the end of the script must be delivered clearly. That's where the listener decides whether to do something. Don't rush it.

Weekend and fill-in hosts: share the dashboard login and the station access code. Five minutes of orientation is all they need. The HOST INTRO section is labeled and color-coded in the teleprompter β€” it sits outside the timed segment so there's no pressure on the clock.

Section 20

What Good Sounds Like

The fastest way to understand the format is to hear it. Three approaches β€” what to aim for, and what to avoid.

The Perfect Read

Conversational pace, natural pause after the hook line, the HOST INTRO sounds like the host thought of this themselves, the sponsor handoff feels like a continuation not a pivot. The listener doesn't know where the content ends and the sponsor begins β€” because the LOCAL BRIDGE is written so the transition is invisible.

What Not to Do β€” Over-Produced

Any read that sounds like a produced spot, with dramatic pauses or voice inflection on every third word. This is not an ad. The moment it sounds like an ad, the listener's brain switches to ad-skipping mode.

What Not to Do β€” Flat Read

Reading from the screen without internalization. The script has a first sentence designed to make the listener think "that's me." If the host hasn't read it once before going live, that line won't land. Thirty seconds of prep is the difference between a script that converts and one that doesn't.

For a host orientation call or sample audio, contact: scripts@theskinnydaily.com. We cover the format, the teleprompter, and the HOST INTRO technique in 15 minutes.

Section 21

What Winning Looks Like β€” 30 / 60 / 90 Days

These are the milestones that tell you the system is working. Not philosophical signals β€” operational ones.

Week 1

Consistent placement achieved. The segment airs in the same break, same daypart, every day. If it moved, move it back. Habit is built through repetition, not variety.

Week 2–3

First listener response. A call, a comment, someone saying "I heard that thing this morning." This usually happens before the end of week two. When it does, the format is landing.

Day 30

First sponsor signed or in final conversation. The sales team has used the signal data in at least one pitch. If the first sponsor isn't closed by day 30, the sales conversation started too late β€” not the format.

Day 60

Signal pool growing. The Life Signal form has been mentioned on-air at least 8 times. The Signal Intelligence panel shows 10+ signals in at least one domain. The scripts are noticeably more specific than month one. The host is starting to reference the signals on air: "We've been hearing a lot from you about this."

Day 90

The segment is a feature, not an experiment. It has a permanent break. It has a sponsor. Listeners expect it. The host has a natural rhythm with it. The PD doesn't think about it daily anymore β€” it runs. This is the point where the segment transitions from initiative to infrastructure.

The real metric: if you took the segment away tomorrow, would anyone notice? At day 90, the answer should be yes β€” from the host, from listeners, and from the sponsor.

Section 22

This Is Bigger Than a Segment

Most stations start here: one script, one daypart, one sponsor. That's the right entry point. But what you're building is something larger.

Stage 1 β€” One Segment

Pick the highest-urgency domain from the signal panel. Air it daily in a consistent break. Sign one sponsor. Generate $26,000 in new recurring revenue. Prove the concept.

Stage 2 β€” Two to Three Segments Across Dayparts

Morning drive, midday, afternoon drive β€” each with its own sponsor in its own category. Finance in morning drive with a financial advisor. Fitness in midday with a health system. Family in afternoon drive with a senior living group. $50,000–$75,000 in new annual revenue.

Stage 3 β€” Signal Mentions Become a Format Element

The host references the signals on air. "We've been hearing a lot from you about retirement timing this month β€” so here's what we found." The audience hears that their submissions shaped the content. That's the conversion from listener to participant.

Stage 4 β€” Category Ownership

Your station becomes the voice for the 45-plus life stage in your market. Not because you're the biggest. Because you showed up first, consistently, with content that felt like it was made for them. That position is not available to the second station to try this.

The infrastructure is already built. The scripts generate automatically. The signal pool grows every month. The only variable is how many dayparts you choose to activate.

Section 23

Version History & Contact

VersionDateChanges
1.0January 2026Initial station packet β€” 9 sections
2.0March 2026Added sales toolkit, format adaptation, seasonal overrides
3.0April 2026Signal Engine integration, sales playbook, 7-day launch plan, PD checklist, sponsor objections, multi-host guide, success metrics
Contact

Scripts & Dashboard: scripts@theskinnydaily.com

Station Onboarding: scripts@theskinnydaily.com

Sales Support & Demo Scripts: scripts@theskinnydaily.com

Signal Engine Questions: scripts@theskinnydaily.com

Quick Reference

Station Dashboard: scripts.theskinnydaily.com

Consumer Site: theskinnydaily.com

Life Signal Form: theskinnydaily.com/life-signal.html

Manifesto: theskinnydaily.com/manifesto

Station Code: skinny2026