Anyone that knows me- knows that radio is my passion. I've been playing music for people since I started high school. I've been fortunate enough to live and work in many different cities in many parts of the Country because of Radio. I'd made the decision to get out of it full time about 10 years ago so I wouldn't have to move Brian & Lyn all over the place. If the USPS is one thing - its a stable gig. (Until recently, anyway!) Boring - but stable.
I have been lucky enough to work with some of the best radio programming minds in the Country - from the start of my career in the early 80's all the way through the 90's. Working under these programmers - watching...soaking up programming philosophies like a sponge. Professionally - this was the most exciting & fulfilling time of my life. Now, these "hands on" radio people I looked up to, all believed the same thing - "Radio Isn't Brain Surgery". The goal is simple, actually - Get alot of people to listen to your radio station - and then make 'em listen for a long time. Period. End of sentence. I can tell you - that does NOT happen without having compelling on-air talent. This is something that the radio dial is missing very badly.
Now, I will tell you that some consultants, some ratings services, & those that don't understand radio talent, will tell you different. They begin their sentences with phrases like "Research shows us we need to talk less"......."Our data says this...".....Bullshit. Its ALWAYS just a weak sales pitch from someone who never drew an audience by making them feel like they'd miss something if they didn't tune in. These are NEVER people that had the talent to create a "show". You want to win in Radio Broadcasting? Simple - Program Compelling Content. At the risk of sounding pretentious - It Ain't Brain Surgery! While I will agree that in 2011 a person has many more choices than we had in the early 80's. With Facebook - TMZ - CNN - Pandora - ipods - online streaming - etc... We all have many more choices than the radio to entertain us. But what radio stations have become - is lazy jukeboxes - a bad version of your ipod. That ain't gonna keep listeners tuned in long.
People tune into a radio station with some kind of content that they are familiar with - usually the format of the music. Ya know what KEEPS them there? It's what happens between the songs. The dude on the air. If the personality sucks - you won't stay long. If the person on the air creates something you enjoy - you will stay as long as you can - and when you choose to tune into the radio again - you will most likely go back to the same station.
TV works the same. Do you have favorite TV shows? Shows that you try and plan to watch the new episode each week? That's because you are Compelled to watch. The network did their job well. Made you want to come back. Just like Radio programming, we know you aren't listening 24/7. What a good programmer wants to do is give you a reason to come back to us when you can. On TV - whether it's a comedy, or mystery, or drama - if you are compelled enough- you tune back in to the next episode. Again - not brain surgery.
My big question is this - Why are the radio programmers of today treating radio like it's brain surgery? Create compelling radio. Or get out of the way.
Tuesday, June 21, 2011
Saturday, June 18, 2011
Dad
It's Fathers' Day weekend. I never really liked that they call it "Fathers' Day', as my opinion has always been that all it takes to be a Father is for some dude to supply the needed DNA - same thing for "Mothers'Day". I've liked to think of these 2 as "Mom's Day" & "Dad's Day". That seems to me anyway, to mean more than simply being a "donor" of the raw materials. It takes more to be a "Dad" than a "Father"........
That being said, I think I remember a different Dad than my brothers and sister do. Being the last of 5 kids, I think I had different experiences with Dad than everyone else had. Maybe because he screwed up with everyone else that he figured he'd try to be different with me. Maybe he saw it like a "batting average" kind of thing, who knows! Maybe he was trying to learn from the mistakes he'd made with my older siblings. I know he grew up in a different time and age that I did. That's something my own children bring up to me, thats for sure! Not, that I'm making excuses for him, but I can attest to not knowing what the Hell I was doing sometimes either! At some point - EVERY Parent is a rookie. I'm no Master of raisng children - everyday, month, year has me trying to figure something new out. I know he made mistakes raising his kids. I know I have as well. We all do the best job we can do - at least I like to think that is what I did raising mine. Was my Dad one of those guys who really tried to be a good one - did he simply not know what he was doing? Or was it easier to be the guy the rest of the Family paints? Was he choosing to be a jerk? Was it because he was unhappy with how his life turned out - I mean, he really didn't have a very good start in life anyways....A bastard Son - growing up in the era he did HAD to be a tough road to hoe. Again, not making excuses - just looking at it from a different angle. Regardless, I would rather remember the old dude that took me fishing....took me to his work when I was little - let me ride along with him on his route, (as it usually meant a big lunch!) I'd rather remember that guy - not the guy that threw ashtrays at Mom, or didn't come to any of my games.
As different Holidays roll around, you see people changing their Facebook pictures. Well, it's Fathers' Day, and I don't think I even HAVE a picture of my Dad - let alone one of the both of us. That kinda hurts. Guilt, I guess. I dunno.
I know as I have raised my kids, I tried to make a point to be picture crazy! I wanted to have a bunch of pictures as they grew up. I kept telling myself, that they were gonna get opportunities I never had - that just because they didn't have a "Mom", they werent' gonna miss anything. When they were small, they loved it & it was easy to get pictures of 'em - as they got older, they complained, but I still got my pictures!
I know someday, I'll be gone - naturally. When my kids grow more to adulthood & are able to look back at times in their lives, like I do about my Dad, I'm hoping there's no confusion for them. They already have enough confusion - unanswered questions about their Mother. They don't need anything like that from me.
When that time comes, & I've passed on and whatever social networks exist, I'm hoping they'll have plenty of pictures of me with them. It's something I think they'd appreciate.
That being said, I think I remember a different Dad than my brothers and sister do. Being the last of 5 kids, I think I had different experiences with Dad than everyone else had. Maybe because he screwed up with everyone else that he figured he'd try to be different with me. Maybe he saw it like a "batting average" kind of thing, who knows! Maybe he was trying to learn from the mistakes he'd made with my older siblings. I know he grew up in a different time and age that I did. That's something my own children bring up to me, thats for sure! Not, that I'm making excuses for him, but I can attest to not knowing what the Hell I was doing sometimes either! At some point - EVERY Parent is a rookie. I'm no Master of raisng children - everyday, month, year has me trying to figure something new out. I know he made mistakes raising his kids. I know I have as well. We all do the best job we can do - at least I like to think that is what I did raising mine. Was my Dad one of those guys who really tried to be a good one - did he simply not know what he was doing? Or was it easier to be the guy the rest of the Family paints? Was he choosing to be a jerk? Was it because he was unhappy with how his life turned out - I mean, he really didn't have a very good start in life anyways....A bastard Son - growing up in the era he did HAD to be a tough road to hoe. Again, not making excuses - just looking at it from a different angle. Regardless, I would rather remember the old dude that took me fishing....took me to his work when I was little - let me ride along with him on his route, (as it usually meant a big lunch!) I'd rather remember that guy - not the guy that threw ashtrays at Mom, or didn't come to any of my games.
As different Holidays roll around, you see people changing their Facebook pictures. Well, it's Fathers' Day, and I don't think I even HAVE a picture of my Dad - let alone one of the both of us. That kinda hurts. Guilt, I guess. I dunno.
I know as I have raised my kids, I tried to make a point to be picture crazy! I wanted to have a bunch of pictures as they grew up. I kept telling myself, that they were gonna get opportunities I never had - that just because they didn't have a "Mom", they werent' gonna miss anything. When they were small, they loved it & it was easy to get pictures of 'em - as they got older, they complained, but I still got my pictures!
I know someday, I'll be gone - naturally. When my kids grow more to adulthood & are able to look back at times in their lives, like I do about my Dad, I'm hoping there's no confusion for them. They already have enough confusion - unanswered questions about their Mother. They don't need anything like that from me.
When that time comes, & I've passed on and whatever social networks exist, I'm hoping they'll have plenty of pictures of me with them. It's something I think they'd appreciate.
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