There are really only two categories of Content in terms of when you use it. There’s what’s immediate. Needs to be on NOW. Or at least TODAY.
And then there’s “anytime” Content. I’ve heard it called “Rainy day” Content or “Evergreen” Content. My translation: crap that should be thrown into the trash. Continue reading
Let’s make this simple.
A music radio station has in its most basic form just two components – 1) the music, and 2) everything else. Music is designed to do one thing. Everything else is designed for something else.
That something else is to connect to what’s happening NOW in the listener’s life, something the music isn’t designed to do.
Continue readingThe biggest challenge for anyone who’s on the air is the search for Content each day. Often in coaching sessions, I get asked about social media, and what its place is in show prep.
Social media is what it is. There’s an entire generation of people who’ve apparently grown up caring about what complete strangers have to say about them.
No one has ever walked into a restaurant and asked, “How many different menu items do you have?”
But every day a customer asks, “What do you like here?” Every day a waiter says, “It’s one of our favorites.”
If I really wanted to impress you I would talk about the reticular area of the brain. That’s the reason you can hear a song that you haven’t heard in years and sing along with every word.
Continue readingOn last week’s show I shared what an exhausting emotional week it was for me and several dozen of my teammates. As you’ve heard, Salem sold its seven Contemporary Christian music stations to EMF in one fell swoop. A huge industry story for sure but very personal to me and my teammates impacted.
My relationship with Salem goes back 24 years when I was invited into the team to launch The Fish stations in Chicago, Cleveland, and Sacramento.
Continue readingWords are what we do. Crafting what we want to say into a shape that’s relatable and connective is always the challenge. But remember, the words grow from the camera angle.
Example: If my wife and I got into an argument standing in line at the bank, how I see it is one angle, and how she sees it is the most obvious choice for a second camera angle.
In the last tip, I (again) addressed why your Content should tap into an Emotion. This is basic “What’s my motivation?” acting stuff.
But here’s the deal: Over the years, I’ve had a surprising number of air talents tell me that they don’t really HAVE an Emotion about a given subject.
So here’s another tip:
This has never happened to me before, I must confess.
For someone that has spent 5 decades plus doing this thing we love called radio I reckon’ that’s saying somethin’.
It’s been an exhaustingly emotional week for me and several dozen of my teammates. Our industry has been abuzz over the news that Salem was selling its seven Contemporary Christian music stations to EMF in one fell swoop. A huge industry story for sure but very personal to me and dozens of my teammates whose lives are impacted.
Continue reading