Why Resolution Matters

Randy Lane • June 13, 2022

The human brain is wired to be interested in just about anything if it is presented in the form of a mystery. Movies like  Top Gun  cause us to ask, what will happen next? Sporting events like the  NBA Finals , cause us to ask, who will win the game?

According to behavioral economist George Lowenstein’s  Gap Theory,  curiosity happens when we feel a gap in knowledge. That gap makes us feel compelled to fill it with a resolution. In media, one key formula for captivating content is mystery + resolution = memorable content. If Nielsen gets it right, that equals higher ratings.

Many radio shows deliver solid content that falls short of compelling content because it lacks mystery and resolution. Let’s look at how this happens with various types of content:

Interactive topics with no resolution:  If your show asks the audience for stories about the meanest thing your ex did, you’ll get some interesting stories. However, if you go on a quest to find the single meanest ex, you’ll get more engaging stories,  and  the topic will end with a resolution. Interactive topics that conclude with a finite resolution voted on by the cast and listeners are more satisfying to the audience.

Either/or topics with no resolution : While it can be entertaining to hear callers, texts, and posts’ views on a topic like whether prenup agreements are a good or bad idea, it’s more gratifying to conclude it with what most people think on this topic.  Moug and Angie  on Seattle’s Star 101.5 recently asked listeners to chime in on this topic and they wrapped it up by saying, “The consensus is, don’t do it.”

To illustrate the importance of resolution, film companies spend big bucks to get movie endings right.  The Shawshank Redemption  is regarded as one of the greatest films of all time. Did you know that the ending was reshot because test viewers didn’t like the original ending? The same is true of many other classic movies, including  Titanic ,  Bladerunner , and  ET.

Story arcs with no resolution:  Focus group respondents often tell me their favorite shows discuss various relationship scenarios and “we never hear how it turned out.” Let’s say two friends or family members have had a falling out, one apologizes but the other wants to take time to process it. Schedule the resolution or follow-up at the same time as it originally aired.

Stories without a moral:  Since childhood, we’ve heard stories end with, “the moral to the story is…” Many stories we hear on radio and podcasts just end. How do you end your story with a moral? Conclude your story with how it changed you. What did you learn or realize? Did you have an insight?

Resolutions can be funny, emotionally moving, or revealing.

Photo by Rob Laughter on Unsplash

Share this article

Recent Posts

By Randy Lane • September 29, 2026
When I start coaching a show, talents often say:“Nobody calls anymore.” Or: “Listeners in this market don’t call radio shows.” My response is, “That’s interesting, because several of our shows get more calls than they need.” The difference isn’t necessarily the market. It’s often how the show invites people into the conversation.  Airing callers and text […]
By Randy Lane • September 21, 2026
Jerry Seinfeld wrote every episode of Seinfeld longhand, on a yellow legal pad, with a blue Bic pen. He still writes that way. He’s said the flashing cursor on a screen makes him anxious, like it’s asking, “So, whaddaya got?” Why Start With Pen and Paper?Writing by hand slows you down just enough for ideas to […]
By Randy Lane • September 15, 2026
In the era of loud, fast-talking announcer DJs, my radio mentor, Todd Wallace, asked my fellow DJs and me, “Would you talk to your neighbor over the back fence like a pukey DJ or just in natural conversation?” Of course we all said we’d talk to them conversationally. Todd concluded, “Talk to listeners on air like […]
Show More