Guest Hosts or "Best ofs"

Simple question which I am curious of everyone's opinion--During a Holiday or Host's vacation; do you prefer a Guest Host to fill in or just a running of "Best of" segments/shows?

With Talk Radio being so TOPICAL, I would rather have a Guest Host than to hear a best of show. The problem with "Best Of" talk shows is that the best shows aren't nessarily the ones from a few weeks ago. A show from six or seven months ago will be talking about issues that were put to rest several months earlier and you may have forgotten that event occuring. I just wish that a lot of the Talk Show Host would work during the Holidays since a large portion of them complain about every day Americans taking of during the Holidays. Why is it alright for them to talk time off during Christmas but not the people that work for them?

I vote for guest host. I frequently tune away from best of shows because I've heard it or the information is not so timely. Anyway guest hosts are a great way to expand the farm team by introducing them to the nationwide audience (ie: Lars Larson)

Live guest hosts, for all the reasons bturner said.

Besides, "Best of" is just code for, "we're too lazy to give you live content today".
;D

Put me under the column for guest hosts. I don't care to hear politics re-hashed from before Election Day. The public has spoken and hearing from politicians or comments about them, after they lost is bbborrrrrrinnnggg. I will change the channel. Now, a guest host talking about the topic of T-O-D-A-Y that is relevant, will make me stay tuned. Of course, a good thing would be if the host that is on vacation finds another fill-in host as good (INTERESTING) as them.

"Best of" shows are absolutely horrible when it comes to most radio talk shows.

I can't stand recycled hours of weeks' old show.

The only time "best of" shows are palatable are when a producer has put together a compilation of stellar segments or bits. But you need a show more conducive to bits. Limbaugh and those wishing they where he usually don't have shows that lend themselves to good long bits that came from the stream of the show.

Howard Stern, Imus, etc... their shows are better fits for this.

The upside to compliation shows is that 1) they allow you to remove from the tape whatever part was boring or foul that day... and 2) give a real treat to listeners who want to hear that bit again with the old woman on the phone who thinks she reached the dry cleaners but got the on-air line, etc. They're more apt to hear those things than if forced to listen to an entire old hour.

If you're show is daily topic/caller driven... I'd say go with a guest host.

True, if your show has a local flavor and very topical you need a guest host...however, make sure he's one that makes your listeners hope for your speedy return.

No brainer. The trick is to find somebody who will put the same effort into producing a show as any of your regular staff, be a close enough in 'flavor' to the regular host and fit in with the area and the rest of your day.

A for instance:

Just last week I was invited by a California Assemblyman to speak at an event where he was introducing a controversial border security bill. Now that’s becoming a tired, old talk show staple like gun control or abortion. But for me it was "show prep" and that evening on San Diego’s News and Talk Station, AM 600 KOGO that several minutes of me at the podium became a compelling and entertaining “show,” one which actually left the listeners with new information and a twist on the issue that they didn’t have before, and KOGO with exclusive content on an issue of major local concern. (Listen to the April 4 KOGO “Top Story” show here: http://www.marktalk.com/2011/02/23/sample-page/ ). It doesn't hurt that I have a history with the market and the station but it really isn't hard to catch up with any station in any market, all it takes is a little investment in time in the days leading up to a booking. I've done very good shows in market's where I have never set foot.

I hosted that KOGO show (all my fill in jobs for that matter) from my own ISDN facility in Sacramento, which I use to work as a fill in host for stations in large and major markets throughout the country (hear the show at: http://www.marktalk.com/2011/02/23/sample-page/)

Yes, a guest host is the best, and it often gives you the opportunity to hear an interesting personality. The issue of being dated is a problem especially in this election cycle where a pre-election show was run as a post-election 'best of'. Sort of anticlimactic.
In our local market (Philly to the Jersey shore) sometimes an absent local host will be 'filled in' with a syndicated show. That would be my second choice, but a substitute host is always best.

Guest hosts also act as a "farm team". Something that is SORELY lacking in today's radio business.

Producer Guy is right. Often in local markets a good caller moves up to co host and from there to substitute host. In the local southern NJ area, one afternoon host announced yesterday that he will be doing a 'best of' today. As far as I am concerned, that is as good as saying, 'Tune in to my competition on Friday.'