From the late 1920s to the late 1940s, most Americans got their entertainment from the radio. Audiences got big laughs during tough times from popular radio comedians like Jack Benny, Edgar Bergen & Charlie McCarthy, and Fred Allen. Like the silent comedians of film, they used the limitations of the media to their advantage.

You can do anything just using audio. With the help of a talented sound effects crew, four people standing around some microphones can easily convince an audience that they are trapped inside the hull of a submarine, doctors and nurses performing a delicate operation, or the crew of a pirate ship with a fierce battle raging all around them.

But that's the past, right? Wrong! Most people think of radio as music, talk shows, and news, but it's much more. With the exploding markets of satellite and Internet radio, audio comedy is enjoying a resurgence. Today, more CDs of stand-up are being made than at any other time. Comedy stations have to supply their audiences with comedy twenty-four hours a day, seven days a week. And they have to compete with other stations that are doing the same thing. For stand-ups, that means it's easier than ever to get your voice heard. Comics benefit from the exposure and begin building a following. It's a win-win situation. Contact the stations to see what their submission policy is.

But stand-up isn't the only kind of comedy on the radio. Sketch comedy works just as well, and more comedians are adding sketch to their CDs. Sketch troupes can also benefit. Podcasts are another use of comedy; there are hundreds of comedy podcasts available that let you target practically any niche market.

What does it take to write great audio comedy? Unlimited imagination and the ability to think big. You can make the audience “see” anything with audio, and just like visual comedy, you control when they “see” it. But timing, the ability to wait just long enough before delivering the joke, is the most important thing you need with audio. Learn to trust that pauses can deliver big laughs. Just like visual comedy can be all about what you don't see, audio comedy can be all about what you aren't hearing.

For a great example of pauses and what you don't hear, check out Something Like This … The Bob Newhart Anthology. This CD is a compilation of the best of Bob Newhart's 1960s record albums. Essential listening: “Abe Lincoln versus Madison Avenue,” “Driving Instructor,” and “King Kong.” Bob Newhart is the master of the pause. Audio doesn't get better than this.

Another great thing about audio is that sound effects are cheaper than visual effects, and often just as effective. You can use sound to create any environment that you need, from the stands of a crowded baseball stadium to a campfire in the middle of the woods. With audio, your imagination doesn't have to be limited by your budget.