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In the next 5 years...

F

Field_strength

Often, sites like HisAir.net and Allaccess will interview a Christian radio professional and include the question, "What do You See Christian Radio doing in the next 5 years?".

I've not been asked this question yet - but my answer would be that we'll be in serious trouble in 5 years.

PDs - You need to spend time training new talent. Help them get excited about radio. Share with them your passion. Tell them why it is you do what you do every day.

We're already starving for talent today. Where does that leave us in 5 or 10 years? Every day I hear of another radio station signing up for another out of market voice tracker or sydicated morning show. I realize that in many cases, this is the best option. But maybe some of these decisions could be avoided if we decide to take the time to bring interesting people into radio and train them to be stars. The talent has to come from somewhere. PDs - it's your job. Protect the future of radio. Take a risk on somebody and invest some time.

I work in a small market, but I've been able to keep a bright, passionate LOCAL airstaff. It's a lot of work - but it can be done.

</rant>....Feel free to rip it apart.....thanks.
 
I think the biggest challenge to Christian radio NOW, not in 5 years, is that more and more local CCM stations are being bought by companies that change them to a secular format or that merely turn them into a repeater for a satellite-fed Christian format. The first scenario has happened twice in just the last 3 years in Indianapolis. Love 98, which had a CCM format from November 1980 to June 2003, was purchased by ABC which turned it into Radio Disney and The Song, which had a CCM format for 2 years, was bought by Cumulus which turned it into a secular news/talk station. There's plenty of great Christian air personalities available but fewer CCM stations for them to work.
 
Darn...I was hoping we could talk about how to bring new airstaff into the picture instead of having YET ANOTHER EMF bashing session. Stations get bought and sold, that's the industry. Seeing a Christian station get sold should be motivation for PDs on remaining stations to get their act together and superserve their audiences. Hopefully that will keep them from going under and getting sold to EMF - or much worse - a mainstream operator. This starts with having a good local airstaff.

J
 
Oh...and I should mention that this is not a SLAM on stations that are using out-of-market voice tracking. The technology has given a lot of stations the competitive edge they need. In fact, I've used out-of-market talent before. I'm just concerned that the talent pool could run dry someday.
 
KOKF had a solid local airstaff. Maybe not professional by EMF standards but they certainly related well to their young audience in Oklahoma City. I wonder if they get the same relationship with the EMF jocks dished in from California?
 
You didn't get my point. Having a good local airstaff isn't going to affect the sale of a radio station and its ensuing format change. And if you already use voicetracking from out-of-market people, you've solved your own problem.


Field_strength said:
Darn...I was hoping we could talk about how to bring new airstaff into the picture instead of having YET ANOTHER EMF bashing session.
J
Click to expand...
 
Having a local air staff certainly doesn't guarantee that a station won't be sold.

Nevermind about trying to start an intelligent discussion about something new. Is there a single thread on this board that doesn't end up slamming EMF? I could start a discussion about purple elephants here and it would still lead to a discussion about EMF. Geesh. =)
 
Do you want to fix the vast majority of Christian Stations overnight?? Simply suggest to each small market station that they add segue tones to the ends of all the elements they put on the air. I traveled from NYC to Nashville last year is a van with only an AM/FM radio in it, and in the 1500 mile trip It seemed like every Christian Station suffered from short periods of Dead Air in between each element that was on the air.

A song would play short silence, sweeper, short silence, next song and so on!

With Technology leveling the playing field it doesn't make sense to sound sloppy!
 
passafistwastaken said:
Do you want to fix the vast majority of Christian Stations overnight?? Simply suggest to each small market station that they add segue tones to the ends of all the elements they put on the air. I traveled from NYC to Nashville last year is a van with only an AM/FM radio in it, and in the 1500 mile trip It seemed like every Christian Station suffered from short periods of Dead Air in between each element that was on the air.

A song would play short silence, sweeper, short silence, next song and so on!

With Technology leveling the playing field it doesn't make sense to sound sloppy!
Click to expand...

Amen & Amen...

I recently drove from Iowa to Oklahoma & came across the same thing.
 
I used a volunteer on-air staff with announcers as young as 14. They did a fantastic job, and were courted like royalty by every secular station in town - trying to entice them to high paying on-air positions. Most declined the offer, preferring to remain in Christian radio. Some of the alumni of the station - although not from my show, are now on WPOZ Orlando.
 
Field_strength said:
Nevermind about trying to start an intelligent discussion about something new. Is there a single thread on this board that doesn't end up slamming EMF?
Click to expand...

I've read Frenchman's comment and don't see any specific mention of EMF. With all respect, satellite fed can also mean anyone from Salem or Way-FM to AFR or Moody.
 
passafistwastaken said:
A song would play short silence, sweeper, short silence, next song and so on!

With Technology leveling the playing field it doesn't make sense to sound sloppy!
Click to expand...
Isn't that simply how it is with one of the more-popular cheaper automation options? Every station I've heard run that particular one suffers from this, and, yet, people keep recommending it to each other.

Spend...the...money! The basic systems of the good stuff aren't that much more.

I just heard about a station that bought a $995 automation software package and is now going to spend $24,000 on a board. If budgets are tight and, for some reason, you just can't wait, I'd suggest $16-18,000 on the board and $7-9000 on the digital system...your studio won't be as flashy for yourselves and visitors, but your operation and on-air product will be sooo much better and you will not have a single regret.
 
Which cheap automation system are your referring? We just bought a cheaper one & it runs GREAT. Sure, it's no Prophet...but it does everything I want it to.
 
Jack,

I don't know what you're using on your AM (The Prodigal) but it sounds great. Tight, smooth...etc. http://www.theprodigalradio.com

BTW, what processor are you running your audio through on the Prodigal?

Sounds good online.

Your mix of music is really good too. Loved hearing this:


1.Slick station ID
2.Follow that up with the Imperials' "Promise Land".
3.Then a quick shotgun dry voice
4.Into First call's "Someday"
5.Sweeper
6.Twila Paris' "Sweet Victory"
7.'Once Banned By the religious' Sweeper (Great one, BTW)
8.Into Keith Green's "Asleep in the light"
9. I.D. Sweeper
10. Into Petra's "Beyond Belief"

Great Half hour of radio, pal.

Haven't heard these songs on the radio since the late 80's and early 90's. The last time I heard most of these, I was playing them on live overnights at KXOJ back in '93.

Great memories, Jack. Thanks for reminding me. I'll never forget those overnights. Some of the most fun I've ever had on the radio. All the phone calls from nuts and searchers alike. Interestingly enough, I had a large listenership of 3rd shift gas station attendants. There's something about the prospect of being the most likely shifter to be robbed that will turn one to God quickly. =)
 
Thanks, Gary! You're too kind. ;D

I honestly don't know what kind of processor the AM is being ran through. I'm pretty sure it's running through the AM transmitter processor but don't quote me on that.

My favorite part of The Prodigal is our voice guy. ;)
 
Ah...your voice guy...

Good ol' Dave Brewer.

Great set of pipes, huh. Fun to produced that voice.
 
I'm sorry for the dead air. The guy who volunteers from the homeless mission was drunk and falling asleep.



So who is going to leave Chicago to be in radio in a small market? When I started in radio plenty of people would let me tag along and work for free. I liked it then and now.

We don't see this now like we did years ago. New talent is hard to find and when they are trained they leave for greener pastures.

One group we have locally is a mission organization. Head of the group wanted to be in radio years ago. He pre-produces elements, scripts, has pastors show up for interviews. And it sounds like he spent time on it.

Can't find people who are paid to do this now.

The Song used automation here. DADPro32. 20 minutes produces 5 to 6 hours of radio. Books of artist bios and topical references help.

Love 98 had an automation system and the majority came from the bird. Salem radio. Now on WJCF. 88.1 90.1 104.5 104.9 105.3 93.9 107.1 and more soon.

Some local elements but how do you find air talent that 1) Is Honest, A Believer, and Sounds Good 2) Won't utter some theology that has pastors calling; 3) Won't steal you blind?

Even 20 years ago people had an interest in radio. Now with the multi tasking desires people are too busy..
 
When I started training for radio 15 years ago I was told that I would need a technical competency beyond the former generation. Yes, there is a skill involved in properly loading content onto carts and even more so with cueing albums on a turntable, but "my" generation has to be able to figure out what to do when that beloved automation system that rescued radio from carts and albums ceases to function --- besides scream for the engineer.

The image that radio wants to give off is that the DJ is there ... alive in that little room somewhere lovingly selecting each song as if it were a gift from God and personally playing it for you, the listener. Back in the day when there was someone there 24/7 you didn't always get lovingly selected music but at least you had the OPPORTUNITY for a shared experience.

Yes, there were bad jocks who would just spin the songs and wait four minutes reading the newspaper or drinking coffee waiting to spin the next one. Not involved in what they were doing at all. But the opportunity was there. Working a long live shift they had the CHANCE (if they wanted to take advantage of it) to LEARN. They could listen to the song and relate to it. They could learn the music by repitition, not from notes in a cheat book, and with practice they could become the airstaff we all admire. But those long lonely live shifts are almost gone.

Voicetracking five hours in 20 minutes may save the jock time and the station money but it is artificial. The jock from the get go is LYING to the listener about being there and being involved. And unless that jock has run a live shift that is a lie that they are not prepared to tell.

I could try to convince you that I was an airline pilot. I could use the right jargon and quote from a book and probably pull it off. But there would be errors because I have never flown a plane. Even if one now voicetracks, the experience of being live is missing - and without that experience the jock has nothing to share.

Back in the day the DJ would have to suffer through their shift along with the listener - with the DJ having the power to control the suffering. When some insomniac tunes in at 2am and hears a warm friendly voice on the radio it can be comforting ... but when the studio phone rings without answer the listener loses the warmth. That DJ is no longer going through the night with the listener --- they are just faking it. And the listener knows that they are alone.

Some of the best stuff on radio has been devised on the long live shift. When the jock gets bored there is a good chance that the listeners are too. A VT jock just has to make it through 20 minutes and be off to the next thing. But a live jock has to live through the bordom and either accept it (bad jock) or shake things up (good jock) and magically make the presentation less boring for the listener as well. There is so much benefit in working THROUGH things in life - not just skimming over them. If more stations would see the value in having live local jocks there for the listener radio would become better - instead of just another bland vanilla with a few sprinkles.

Listeners might as well take an ipod to work with them for as much human contact they get out of their radio stations today. A decent market will have good drive hosts that are live and local, but it is so easy to flip on the bird and just "provide a ministry" without the expense.

Here's an idea. Let's save money at church. Instead of having a pastor let's just buy tapes of Turning Point and play that for the sermon each Sunday. It is a terrific message from the word, right? No need to waste money on some local who has to come up with some sermon that will never live up to David Jeremiah. Right?

I applaud the stations that resist the urge to go national. That cultivate local talent. That have long weekend and evening shifts where "new talent" can figure out how to be a DJ instead of a jock in the box.

Where will radio be in five years? I don't know. Perhaps there will be a revival in live local radio. Perhaps not. I hope that the revival is coming. The world needs more human connections --- especially from Christian radio.
 
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