Talk Radio Scoreboard for Major Markets: October 2014

[Ravens]

The more I think about it, the more I realize that it is suits like you who are more concerned with form than substance that are flushing OTA radio down the toilet, especially talk radio.

Reminds me of a clip I ran into on Youtube the other night. Howard Stern was playing some old WNBC jingles and telling stories about how Kevin Metheny was obsessed with playing the right jingles coming out of and going into songs. They had slow-to-medium (for a slow song into a medium song), medium-to-fast and so on. Instead of focusing on the content of the show, Metheny was focused on imaging.

Whether the story was complete (knowing Howard it probably wasn't) or not isn't the point. The point is there ARE radio guys that worry more about the "sound" than the content. That's a huge mistake.

 

[Avid Listener]

Yes. Just about every single person he went after was a communist.

To be more precise, almost everyone McCarthy went after was working in conjunction with or at the direction of the KGB. However, in all fairness, some of them were simply dupes who didn't realize who they were working for. Some had even been tricked into thinking they were working for anti-communist organizations.

 

[TheBigA]

The point is there ARE radio guys that worry more about the "sound" than the content. That's a huge mistake.

Would you rather have a PD micro-manage every word you say?

 

[wadio]

Imaging and sound are actually very important but maybe best controlled by general guidelines and instinct rather than rigid dictates. A good PD should recognize when talent pushes the envelope in a way that appeals to listeners and cut some slack if it's working. Howard loved to make fun of overreaching authority -- that was a big part his schtick and it worked.

 

[Ravens]

Would you rather have a PD micro-manage every word you say?

Of course not. The point is that a lot of people in our business focus on the wrong things. Like jingles. Or if a host supports the right candidates. Instead they need to be worried about the big picture.

 

[TheBigA]

Of course not. The point is that a lot of people in our business focus on the wrong things. Like jingles. Or if a host supports the right candidates. Instead they need to be worried about the big picture.

A lot of times "the big picture" means getting involved in what the hosts say or do. Very little represents a station more than the people on the air. If that's off limits, and the hosts don't want interference, all it leaves is imaging and marketing.

 

[Ravens]

A lot of times "the big picture" means getting involved in what the hosts say or do. Very little represents a station more than the people on the air. If that's off limits, and the hosts don't want interference, all it leaves is imaging and marketing.

Guidance isn't the same as micromanaging, though. Telling a host to focus on local stuff more than national stuff would be OK. Telling a host to use a specific phrase when talking about a particular topic wouldn't.

Again, that's not really why I bought up the Stern example, anyway. I was just using that as something we'd all know about to give an example of management not "getting it".

 

[Avid Listener]

Guidance isn't the same as micromanaging, though. Telling a host to focus on local stuff more than national stuff would be OK. Telling a host to use a specific phrase when talking about a particular topic wouldn't.

You must understand that some folks just don't understand the concept of "middle ground" or "subtle nuance". They operate exclusively in binary mode, where there are only ones and zeros. That's another shortcoming of the folks running broadcast radio into the ground. They see managing a station are either absolute totally controlled or absolutely total laissez faire management. They cannot imagine a center between those extremes.

 

[TheBigA]

Guidance isn't the same as micromanaging, though. Telling a host to focus on local stuff more than national stuff would be OK. Telling a host to use a specific phrase when talking about a particular topic wouldn't.

Which once again leaves the PD in a very limited role with regards to content. A lot of talent will have their contracts written in such a way that defines the roles pretty clearly.

 

[wadio]

You must understand that some folks just don't understand the concept of "middle ground" or "subtle nuance". They operate exclusively in binary mode, where there are only ones and zeros. That's another shortcoming of the folks running broadcast radio into the ground. They see managing a station are either absolute totally controlled or absolutely total laissez faire management. They cannot imagine a center between those extremes.

Very well said.

It used to be that owners hired managers based on their ability to think for themselves, make decisions, solve problems. Now I think the most important qualifications are to work cheap and follow the rules set forth by top corporate heads and their attorneys. That's true not just in radio.

But with so much syndicated talk on the air today there isn't much for a local PD to do anyway, is there?

 

[Ravens]

You must understand that some folks just don't understand the concept of "middle ground" or "subtle nuance". They operate exclusively in binary mode, where there are only ones and zeros. That's another shortcoming of the folks running broadcast radio into the ground. They see managing a station are either absolute totally controlled or absolutely total laissez faire management. They cannot imagine a center between those extremes.

You do realize you just said the exact same thing I did, except using twice as many words, right? We're in agreement.

 

[TheBigA]

It used to be that owners hired managers based on their ability to think for themselves, make decisions, solve problems.

You realize there's a huge gap between owners and managers? Lots of people in between. So the owners still hire people to make decisions, and hopefully solve problems without bothering the owner. But there are at least five layers between them and the front line.

 

[Avid Listener]

You do realize you just said the exact same thing I did, except using twice as many words, right? We're in agreement.

Actually, you said "What happens", which I agree with. I posted "Why it happens".

You realize there's a huge gap between owners and managers? Lots of people in between. So the owners still hire people to make decisions, and hopefully solve problems without bothering the owner. But there are at least five layers between them and the front line.

Doesn't matter how many layers are in the way, some folks still have the intelligence to actually make decisions within the parameters of their authority, and others are merely worker drones, unable to make a decision.

 

[TheBigA]

Doesn't matter how many layers are in the way, some folks still have the intelligence to actually make decisions within the parameters of their authority, and others are merely worker drones, unable to make a decision.

The "worker drones" don't have manager titles. That's the context of what I was responding to.

 

[Avid Listener]

The "worker drones" don't have manager titles. That's the context of what I was responding to.

Hogwash.

 

[TheBigA]

Hogwash.

Care to be specific? It's impossible to respond to your generalizations.

 

[wadio]

You realize there's a huge gap between owners and managers? Lots of people in between. So the owners still hire people to make decisions, and hopefully solve problems without bothering the owner. But there are at least five layers between them and the front line.

That's true today, but you do realize I'm talking about what "used to be" -- when independent station owners were often hands-on, as with R. Peter Strauss and WMCA.

 

[Avid Listener]

Care to be specific? It's impossible to respond to your generalizations.

No, when dealing with you, I do not care to be more specific. I find that when it is impossible for you to respond, that's a good thing. It is refreshing when you cannot send back one of your grossly exaggerated, mocking retorts. I enjoy net seeing responses like:

Would you rather have a PD micro-manage every word you say?

 

[TheBigA]

That's true today, but you do realize I'm talking about what "used to be" -- when independent station owners were often hands-on, as with R. Peter Strauss and WMCA.

There are lots of small independent owners today who are very hands on. They have their own personal money at stake, so you can bet they care about the decisions they make. Certainly Jerry Lee at WBEB Philadelphia is one of the best.

 

[FredLeonard]

There are lots of small independent owners today who are very hands on. They have their own personal money at stake, so you can bet they care about the decisions they make. Certainly Jerry Lee at WBEB Philadelphia is one of the best.

Right! One station playing synthedroid elevator music. With stations like that, no wonder people think Pandora is radio.