Memorial Day weekend is a time to remember those who have sacrificed for our freedom.  Maybe, just maybe, there is a greater lesson that applies to the legacy of your radio station.

How will your radio station be remembered?

Will it be remembered as the station that plays 25 minute music sweeps without any talk, or that it helped your community to be a better place to live and raise a family?

Will it be remembered for precisely hitting the spot sets within “bow tie” on the quarter hour, or one that helps worthy organizations in your community connect with volunteers that help others?

Will it be remembered as the station with the Joke of the Day, or one that honors moms and dads for the most important commitment they’ll ever make – raising their kids with values that make a difference in the world?

Now don’t get me wrong… there is nothing inherently wrong with a radio station having amusing little features that are appropriately targeted.

…but…

…it doesn’t matter what you do if what you do doesn’t matter.

In his book, “A Million Miles in a Thousand Years“, Donald Miller asks if they made a movie about a man who wanted to buy a Volvo, it wouldn’t be a very interesting movie.  He goes on to point out that many of us live our lives that way.

Your station has a legacy.  You are writing another chapter in that legacy every day.

“You can learn a lot by just watching”, said the great philosopher Yogi Berra.

My talented friend Lisa Barry recently watched and learned from a lady who does sign language in church.

Lisa shares, “In order to ‘sign’ a song about Passover, she has to start with Jerusalem, so she signs that first even though it’s not in the song yet.  THEN, she signs Jesus, which is her index finger sweeping across in front of her.  So the song makes sense with Jesus walking into Jerusalem – even though in the song Jerusalem comes second.

The fascinating part was when she said, with sign language, you have to start with the ‘what’ because otherwise, there’s no context to what you’re about to say.  You start with the ‘what’ and then you can give them the ‘who’ and ‘what’s happening.”

Sherwood Schwartz, the creator of many of the popular TV shows in the 60’s and 70’s including “Gilligan’s Island” and “The Brady Bunch”, told a remarkable story of ‘what’.

When he initially took the pilot for Gilligan’s Island to CBS it was rejected.  The execs told Sherwood that viewers would never understand why such an odd assortment of characters; a movie starlet in a long dress, an eccentric rich couple, a geeky scientist and a tomboy; were stranded on a desert island together. “I’ll show you”, Sherwood responded defiantly, and he went home and wrote the now famous theme song that explained the ‘what’ in only sixty seconds.

“Just sit right back and you’ll hear a tale…”

Even the best stations in the format have to fight the assumption that everyone knows the ‘what’.  What does your station stand for?  What is its purpose and its vision?  How does ‘what’ you’re doing connect to the most important things in their life?

“…If the journey begins with the assumption that everybody here knows what we are doing, you will eventually have an audience of people who already know what you are doing… Where you consistently begin and what you consistently assume determine who consistently shows up.  Why?  Because your assumptions create the common ground for the journey.”
~Andy Stanley, “Deep and Wide”

We see them but we hardly think about them.  The 4-way stop.

What’s their purpose?  To stop all traffic?  Silly question, I know.  That seems hardly the intent, but…

…that’s what happens.

Everything stops.  No traffic flow.  No one moves.

Hmmm.

Every radio station has things on the air that PREVENT it from delivering the very thing that people come there for in the first place.  Sounds crazy, doesn’t it?

Maybe it’s political – the boss has a radio show where he plays whatever music he wants.

Maybe it’s the teaching/preaching show that has always been on the air so no one brings it up.

Maybe it’s the kids’ show/the teen show/the rock show/the worship show/NASCAR/high school football that someone at some time decided to put on the air for reasons you’ll never know.

The problem with 4-way stops is that… inefficiency is designed IN. Traffic… all traffic… stops.

Flowers, candy, and cards.  Family time and reminiscing.  As we celebrate Mother’s Day, perhaps there are programming lessons we can learn from mom as well.

Be a good listener 

There is no shortage of subjective opinions about your station’s programming; from the boss, a listener or donor, the receptionist, the sales manager.  The opinions that are most valuable are the ones uncovered through objective research to understand the listeners’ needs and perspective.  Ask.  But you have to ask it the right way.

Live every moment

The most important programming element is the one that is on RIGHT NOW, not tomorrow, not next week.  “Be good now” is the best programming advice there is.  After all, the “nows” add up.

Be a good friend  

Friends make others feel welcome.  Friends don’t talk down to others.  Friends encourage.

Don’t be selfish 

The moment we think the station is all about us, we lose perspective.  Whether commercial or non-comm, your station ultimately exists to serve and bless others.

Flush 

Be vigilant about getting the bad stuff off your radio station and replacing it with good stuff.

Remember who you are

My mom used to say, “Remember who you are and what you represent.”  Your station’s brand – what your station stands for – is the primary reason people tune in.  The degree by which you elicit passion through your brand values will determine your success.

Thanks, Mom!