After 27 years in radio it’s still a mystery what a Program Director/Consultant wants from the jock. I’ve heard every gripe and criticism known to modern broadcast man. Remember the days of, be informative, be humorous, pre-sell, back-cell and communicate with the audience and do it all in 10 seconds. Geez. Please. I really think that most of the young consultants and Program Directors have no idea what it means to connect with the listener. Why is this always an issue between the talent and the P.D.?
Let me interject that I no longer have the want or need to be a Program Director. Corporate Radio has no clue. It’s all paper work and what hoop your market manager has for you to leap into and where he/she wants you to land. The guy I work for does a great job at leaping and landing. He’s a great guy and a wonderful talent. Really, I’m not just writing this perchance he reads this piece. I admire him for having the stomach to deal with the current climate. He does a better job than most.
I remember when a Program Director lead the jock army. He/She was a leader and was in charge. Corporate radio has reduced the Program Director in most markets to a Program Follower. The modern day P.D. just carries out the whim of the Consultant. Is this bad? Not if the P.D. is a young talent and has no experience. The issue is when the P.D. is talented and has a vision for what his/her station could be for a specific market. These people get lost in the paperwork and hoops.
Time Spent Listening.
This is the formula I use each day. Each break you do should consist of 4 elements. They work well in any format. Back-sell, Pre-sell, topical, GO!
1. Back-sell - tell the listener what you just played. We know the music, the average listener doesn’t know as much as you think. Titles and artists you take for granted the “sometime” listener doesn’t know. Not everybody is a walking encyclopedia of music knowledge like most jocks.
2. Pre-sell - Tell the listener what you are going to do next. DANGER!!!!
Don’t bog down and blow this element off to just give song information.
You can mention your going to play the new 3 Doors Down song but tease a bit or artist info your going to give… Example: coming up in about 10 minutes the new 3 doors down track Landing in London, and who the band invited to be in their new video. (Goes without saying you have to do show prep to have all this in advance of your show. I do about 3 hours a day. I check all the bands on our play-lists web sites, and I also have a service.)
3.Topical - Give some info about the band your about to play. (again show prep!)
4. GO! Get out of the break!
And … Call letters/slogan 1st thing out of your mouth and last thing out of your mouth. Open and close the break with the calls!
This process varies in length from format to format…. Top 40, AC and Country Jocks can pull it off on intros… it takes some thought when time is tight but can be done.
Classic Rock jocks get it easy. Most don’t talk intros and can take the time to work this process through the break.
So why post this? Most of us know this stuff. It’s basic.
I hear a lot of talent not doing the basics. How is this happening? I guess most Program Directors are asleep, or they don’t care. Busy jumping thru hoops and don't have time to work with the young jocks? I was listening to a local morning show in Montgomery last week and the jock on the air comes out of a song, rambles thru a list of the last (I kid you not) 6 songs he played. Talks about the weather and what he watched on t.v. the night before and intros another song and NEVER gave the call letters or his name. ???? He probably makes more money than both of us….
Let me interject that I no longer have the want or need to be a Program Director. Corporate Radio has no clue. It’s all paper work and what hoop your market manager has for you to leap into and where he/she wants you to land. The guy I work for does a great job at leaping and landing. He’s a great guy and a wonderful talent. Really, I’m not just writing this perchance he reads this piece. I admire him for having the stomach to deal with the current climate. He does a better job than most.
I remember when a Program Director lead the jock army. He/She was a leader and was in charge. Corporate radio has reduced the Program Director in most markets to a Program Follower. The modern day P.D. just carries out the whim of the Consultant. Is this bad? Not if the P.D. is a young talent and has no experience. The issue is when the P.D. is talented and has a vision for what his/her station could be for a specific market. These people get lost in the paperwork and hoops.
Time Spent Listening.
This is the formula I use each day. Each break you do should consist of 4 elements. They work well in any format. Back-sell, Pre-sell, topical, GO!
1. Back-sell - tell the listener what you just played. We know the music, the average listener doesn’t know as much as you think. Titles and artists you take for granted the “sometime” listener doesn’t know. Not everybody is a walking encyclopedia of music knowledge like most jocks.
2. Pre-sell - Tell the listener what you are going to do next. DANGER!!!!
Don’t bog down and blow this element off to just give song information.
You can mention your going to play the new 3 Doors Down song but tease a bit or artist info your going to give… Example: coming up in about 10 minutes the new 3 doors down track Landing in London, and who the band invited to be in their new video. (Goes without saying you have to do show prep to have all this in advance of your show. I do about 3 hours a day. I check all the bands on our play-lists web sites, and I also have a service.)
3.Topical - Give some info about the band your about to play. (again show prep!)
4. GO! Get out of the break!
And … Call letters/slogan 1st thing out of your mouth and last thing out of your mouth. Open and close the break with the calls!
This process varies in length from format to format…. Top 40, AC and Country Jocks can pull it off on intros… it takes some thought when time is tight but can be done.
Classic Rock jocks get it easy. Most don’t talk intros and can take the time to work this process through the break.
So why post this? Most of us know this stuff. It’s basic.
I hear a lot of talent not doing the basics. How is this happening? I guess most Program Directors are asleep, or they don’t care. Busy jumping thru hoops and don't have time to work with the young jocks? I was listening to a local morning show in Montgomery last week and the jock on the air comes out of a song, rambles thru a list of the last (I kid you not) 6 songs he played. Talks about the weather and what he watched on t.v. the night before and intros another song and NEVER gave the call letters or his name. ???? He probably makes more money than both of us….