By Sheldon Baker09.10.18
He has interviewed thousands of people on television, radio, and the web with topics ranging from food to health, as well as politics and finance. Mr. Alyn is a storyteller, sharing stories to inform, educate and entertain. As host of Late Night Health (LNH) a syndicated radio show (www.latenighthealth.com) he has participated in the Natural Products Association Lobby Day the past three years. He helps educate congressional leaders and their staff on the importance of GMO labeling and the importance of supplements to people's health.
Health E-Insights: What’s the history behind Late Night Health?
Mr. Alyn: Late Night Health was created when I had a health issue. My back went out and after visits with my chiropractor, my wife sent me to an MD. The two-minute exam ended with the realization that I had messed up my back. After five physical therapy appointments, my insurance company denied the claim. That’s when Darrel Wayne, a Los Angeles radio icon, asked me what I would do if I was back on radio. I answered I would create a show empowering people over 40 to take charge of their own healthcare. The program is six years old, teaching people to stand up to doctors, healthcare professionals, and insurance companies.
Health E-Insights: Is radio still an important media platform?
Mr. Alyn: Today, radio is a viable media with opportunities for stations, networks, and companies to explode with the true information age. Radio and audio programming is an intimate, one-on-one media that engages listeners. Providing information and entertainment, radio is the number two driver to the Internet only second to television. With the growth of podcasting, more people have access to a variety of information, from earthworm farming to alternative health, now than ever before. Audio books, which I consider a form of radio, now outsell print books. More people listen to a book than read it. Audio books, a tangent form of radio, make it easy to read a wide range of topics.
Health E-Insights: Can you envision a syndicated radio network that would only focus on health?
Mr. Alyn: All health all the time? This is an interesting concept. I know there is a radio station in Minnesota that is experimenting with this format. Most of the programs are direct response vehicles for healthcare providers, not real radio programs. There are television networks dedicated to health, but I’m not sure how well they do. With the growing group of boomers and millennials interested in taking care of themselves, it would be a good time to experiment with all health radio and television stations, networks, and podcasting sites. This concept would afford supplement makers an ideal marketing channel to provide information on their products, while selling them at the same time.
Health E-Insights: What makes your show different from others?
Mr. Alyn: I’m not a healthcare pro; I’m a healthcare consumer advocate. That’s what sets our show apart from others. I speak from the point of view of the consumer. Late Night Health is designed to educate and inform listeners about the various options available to them. Many consumers, especially those in their 50s and older, defer to their doctors without asking any questions. We talk about insurance companies and Big Pharma running healthcare, rather than allowing consumers to find answers from different perspectives. My personal belief is supplements and alternative health practices are the way for me. Others may prefer an allopathic approach.
Health E-Insights: What health topics do you feature?
Mr. Alyn: Our topics range from energy healing to the latest news on supplements. Our conversations include cancer, diabetes, heart disease, and more. We blend traditional allopathic health along with alternative thoughts to offer listeners an integrative approach to health. We talk about health as it relates to the boomer generation, but also discuss topics of interest to those in their 20s. As a boomer, I pride myself as being the spokesperson for the boomer generation as it pertains to health.
Health E-Insights: Who are your sponsors?
Mr. Alyn: Our sponsors range from health to legal. We have had a wide variety of advertisers. As you could imagine, we are always looking for others. LNH offers all advertisers a unique opportunity to target their prospective audience with information, data, and education, in an upbeat easy-to-digest format. Our audience responds to offers from legal to health, financial to education. With niche marketing, that is aiming for a specific segment of the market rather than a broad marketing approach, LNH can appeal to those who are interested in their own and their family’s health.
Health E-Insights: Would you agree women make up a large percentage of your listening audience?
Mr. Alyn: The audience responds to everything health. Young people and older people want to be active, vital, and in the pink of health. We feature a diverse range of issues and subjects. Our demographic is mostly women. Traditionally, women take charge of healthcare for their families. We take that into account, focusing on family matters as well as women’s issues. We also provide men with information about their health.
Health E-Insights: You talk about supplements on your show. Do you take them?
Mr. Alyn: I like supplements and endorse them. Some of the companies I buy from include Life Extension, NOW, and Clear. My health concerns are heart and brain health, as well as general health and allergies. I combine this with the E word (exercise) to stay alert and healthy. But I still need to work out more than I do. Brain health is high on my list. As we age one of my fears is waking up and not knowing who I am. I take supplements because I believe they work.
Sheldon Baker is CEO of the Baker Dillon Group LLC and has created numerous nutraceutical marketing communications and public relations campaigns for many well-known companies and brands. For Health E-Insights interview consideration or public relations consulting, contact him at SBaker@BakerDillon.com.
Health E-Insights: What’s the history behind Late Night Health?
Mr. Alyn: Late Night Health was created when I had a health issue. My back went out and after visits with my chiropractor, my wife sent me to an MD. The two-minute exam ended with the realization that I had messed up my back. After five physical therapy appointments, my insurance company denied the claim. That’s when Darrel Wayne, a Los Angeles radio icon, asked me what I would do if I was back on radio. I answered I would create a show empowering people over 40 to take charge of their own healthcare. The program is six years old, teaching people to stand up to doctors, healthcare professionals, and insurance companies.
Health E-Insights: Is radio still an important media platform?
Mr. Alyn: Today, radio is a viable media with opportunities for stations, networks, and companies to explode with the true information age. Radio and audio programming is an intimate, one-on-one media that engages listeners. Providing information and entertainment, radio is the number two driver to the Internet only second to television. With the growth of podcasting, more people have access to a variety of information, from earthworm farming to alternative health, now than ever before. Audio books, which I consider a form of radio, now outsell print books. More people listen to a book than read it. Audio books, a tangent form of radio, make it easy to read a wide range of topics.
Health E-Insights: Can you envision a syndicated radio network that would only focus on health?
Mr. Alyn: All health all the time? This is an interesting concept. I know there is a radio station in Minnesota that is experimenting with this format. Most of the programs are direct response vehicles for healthcare providers, not real radio programs. There are television networks dedicated to health, but I’m not sure how well they do. With the growing group of boomers and millennials interested in taking care of themselves, it would be a good time to experiment with all health radio and television stations, networks, and podcasting sites. This concept would afford supplement makers an ideal marketing channel to provide information on their products, while selling them at the same time.
Health E-Insights: What makes your show different from others?
Mr. Alyn: I’m not a healthcare pro; I’m a healthcare consumer advocate. That’s what sets our show apart from others. I speak from the point of view of the consumer. Late Night Health is designed to educate and inform listeners about the various options available to them. Many consumers, especially those in their 50s and older, defer to their doctors without asking any questions. We talk about insurance companies and Big Pharma running healthcare, rather than allowing consumers to find answers from different perspectives. My personal belief is supplements and alternative health practices are the way for me. Others may prefer an allopathic approach.
Health E-Insights: What health topics do you feature?
Health E-Insights: Who are your sponsors?
Mr. Alyn: Our sponsors range from health to legal. We have had a wide variety of advertisers. As you could imagine, we are always looking for others. LNH offers all advertisers a unique opportunity to target their prospective audience with information, data, and education, in an upbeat easy-to-digest format. Our audience responds to offers from legal to health, financial to education. With niche marketing, that is aiming for a specific segment of the market rather than a broad marketing approach, LNH can appeal to those who are interested in their own and their family’s health.
Health E-Insights: Would you agree women make up a large percentage of your listening audience?
Mr. Alyn: The audience responds to everything health. Young people and older people want to be active, vital, and in the pink of health. We feature a diverse range of issues and subjects. Our demographic is mostly women. Traditionally, women take charge of healthcare for their families. We take that into account, focusing on family matters as well as women’s issues. We also provide men with information about their health.
Health E-Insights: You talk about supplements on your show. Do you take them?
Mr. Alyn: I like supplements and endorse them. Some of the companies I buy from include Life Extension, NOW, and Clear. My health concerns are heart and brain health, as well as general health and allergies. I combine this with the E word (exercise) to stay alert and healthy. But I still need to work out more than I do. Brain health is high on my list. As we age one of my fears is waking up and not knowing who I am. I take supplements because I believe they work.
Sheldon Baker is CEO of the Baker Dillon Group LLC and has created numerous nutraceutical marketing communications and public relations campaigns for many well-known companies and brands. For Health E-Insights interview consideration or public relations consulting, contact him at SBaker@BakerDillon.com.
