If you’re new to a station, there are two questions in the listener’s mind you need to answer:
That’s what works. I had a morning show partner in Dallas who resisted this at first, clinging to being funny as his identity. But it was “punch line” funny.
When we got into cracking his chest open and seeing what was in there and what drove his real humor, the show clicked.
People don’t usually buy your act. They buy you, warts and all.
With another concert season at hand I thought we could learn something from a teenager named Isaac and his new friend Matthew. I’ve never met Isaac but I did get to witness what is likely one of the highlights of his life.
Awhile back Isaac was able to meet Matthew West prior to a concert and shared his dream of singing on stage with Matthew. While some might have viewed that as small talk with an artist, Matthew saw it as another opportunity to share a fan’s story. A few hours later Isaac was on stage singing, “Truth Be Told” with Matthew West.
In his showcasing a fan Matthew demonstrated a technique that I refer to as making big things little and little things big.
Continue readingIt’s hard for small, understaffed radio stations to cover all the bases. Many have only one live show, with everything after the morning show voice-tracked. (And sometimes, mornings are also VT.)
But what if a tornado or a huge thunderstorm suddenly poses a danger?
Here’s a solution: if you haven’t done this already, work out a deal with a local TV meteorologist to do your weather, and update the forecast when necessary. Give the TV station a sponsorship mention. They’ll get at least 365 mentions a year – for no money!
If listeners don’t trust you to be up to date and help them, then they’ll go somewhere else. Plus, an affiliation with a local TV station is a bonus for your radio station. Again, for no money. (The magic words.)
If you and I made a list of things that make a radio station ordinary we’d probably come up with the same list.
That’s the thing about ordinary. There is no surprise. There is no delight.
Consistency is good.
Predictability is not.
Continue readingI’ve written about this before, but the murder of the English language is still prevalent. So…
“It was just between He and I.”
NO. “It was just between him and me.” (Object of the preposition. You can Google it if you never learned it.)
Continue readingI was driving down the freeway this weekend, and I saw a car with a sticker in the window that read “Proud parent of a U.S. Marine.”
Being the patriotic sort, I gave the driver a thumbs up as I passed to show my support! She glanced my way, then just as quickly turned away assuming, no doubt, that I was wacky in traffic nutbucket.
Suffice it to say that the “Proud parent of a U.S. Marine” sticker was on her car but it wasn’t on her mind. It makes sense, really. We’re busy.
Your radio station is like that.
Continue readingStarting out a career in radio can be daunting. So let me help you with two foundational thoughts:
1. Learn the Basics. If you’re not sure what they are, ask the best talent on the station or the Program Director what they are (and why).
2. Be yourself as much as you possibly can. Trying to adopt other air talents’ strengths probably won’t work for you. And why be a clone anyway?
Here’s what I think is a good example: Los Angeles Lakers star Kobe Bryant studied every move Michael Jordan had. But, he didn’t have “the claw” – Jordan’s giant right hand that could control the basketball like it was a baseball.
However, Bryant took Jordan’s mindset, and added to that a skill all his own: He was a much better outside shooter than Michael.
Jordan’s still the greatest, but if he’s #1, then Kobe’s #1A. You can be that good, too.
I can sometimes predict how a Frost Advisory will land. Sometimes it can be soothing to the ear, like a gentle breeze on an autumn day. (Pardon the mixed metaphor). Other times it can create discomfort with a frantic e-mail forwarding from GM to PD to air staff to chief engineer to receptionist with an accompanying “What do you make of this #?@#& tomfoolery?”
Frost Advisory #838 will be the latter.
Continue readingA station’s Program Director once proudly told me, “We only play 280 songs. With today’s Time Spent Listening stats, that’s all we need. A hit every song.”
Wrong. While “variety” has lost its meaning in the Imaging palette, it’s very real in the mind of the music-radio listener. That’s why Sirius/XM, Apple music, etc. thrive. There’s something new available all the time.
Continue readingI was driving to see my mechanic when I heard the news on the radio about Dolly Parton. I sat in the lobby for an hour or so and everyone… everyone that came in the shop talked about Dolly.
Some observations:
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