The West Wing. It’s my favorite TV show ever. (Unless you consider Seinfeld, The Brady Bunch Variety Hour, or The Beverly Hillbillies return to Hooterville).
They’ve just celebrated the 25th anniversary of The West Wing at the West Wing. The 25 best episodes, rated from Great to Perfect.
Continue readingHere’s a question for you: What stood out on your show today? Anything? A funny line? A really connective ‘take’ on something? A phone call that surprised you?
Great radio is about Memorable Moments.
If YOU can’t remember anything that stood out on your show today, no one else will, either.
I met a new friend during the pandemic. His name is Marvin. He’s a very skilled general contractor who helped us remodel during COVID, a time that was a challenge for hiring folks if you remember.
We learned a lot from Marvin. As the homeowner I had a sense of things I would enjoy. But Marvin, being the professional with far more experience, was able to connect the dots and see beyond the emotion of the idea that we thought was neato.
Continue readingEarly in my career, working at a 50,00 watt Top 40 giant, KEEL in Shreveport, Louisiana, I got a huge break.
Although I was probably the weakest air talent on the staff, my PD made me Music Director. (I’m a musician. That helps.)
All of a sudden, I had WORTH. I controlled the music we played. It was important. I became a link in the chain of terrific jocks we had.
It’s a question we don’t ask enough. Why do people tune in to our stations, either for the first time or the 500th time? And I’m not just talking about the music.
What point of view do they expect? What lifestyle do our stations reflect?
“What are people hiring you for?” Mark Ramsey asks.
Continue readingIn the last tip, I mentioned one of my earliest mentors, Howard Clark. Howard was part of the original air staff of the legendary KFRC in San Francisco, and later in life returned to his (and my) hometown of Shreveport, Louisiana. And believe me, just listening to Howard was a lesson in how there are endless opportunities to do real Content.
I’m often quizzed about the most common challenge in making good programming decisions. My response? Understanding the difference between CORRELATION and CAUSATION. Particularly as it relates to reacting to ratings.
We added a new jingle package and our ratings went up!
We ran that new promotion and our ratings went down.
Continue readingIn a session recently with an air talent on a station my partner John Frost and I both work with, we discussed something “under the radar” for most people on the air. As Frosty put it, “Most air talents think only the longer breaks matter because ‘I get to prepare those.'”
John and I were fortunate in that early in our careers, we had a wonderful mentor named Howard Clark, who showed us what could be done in a short break. Because short breaks matter too. (This became a real strength for each of us, and a staple of what we teach.)
Howard could do a killer, genuinely funny line in seven seconds or less. You listened more closely, because you never knew when Howard would say something that would crack you up – or at least, make you pay attention.
Since you probably never heard of Howard Clark, here’s the lesson:
My thought? Until you master the art of having short breaks be an opportunity to inform or entertain, you’re not a complete air talent.
The turning of the calendar to September welcomes new seasons in our lives.
It could be college football season. Or pumpkin spice latte season. Or back to school season.
And, of course, there is the political season. One that can seemingly bring out the worst in us. Even with our friends.
Continue reading