Buffalo WBNY

[davideduardo]

KM --Most of what you described is Radio from 40 or 50.years ago.

You think that we did not use ratings, music research and all those other things 50 years ago?

I did sales and jukebox play research nearly 60 years ago. And I was not the first. I did the equivalent of focus groups, but we called them "listener club" gatherings. I monitored airplay in other markets. I read the trades and got one of the tipsheets. I read the ratings, and even inspected the raw ratings survey data. And the people I met at conventions all did the same sort of thing.

All that has changed is the delivery system and the number of choices listeners have. But the techniques used to find out what they like and dislike in format radio are the same... but just with better technology.

Programmers use much more than just instinct. They use market research, music tests, and consultants...

A good programmer is talented. There are not many, and never have been.

But there are lots of programmers who have the needed skill sets to do all the tasks a PD has to do. Most do average or even inferior jobs. They have the skills, but not the talent needed to put the skills to work in the best way.

A talented programmer is like a skilled carpenter: they learn how to use all the tools, but they apply them with a unique way of genius. Nearly anyone with even average intelligence can learn the basics of how to read ratings, dissect a music test or deal with management and the rest of the staff. Only the most talented can use those same skills to crate a #1 radio station, just as not every carpenter can create truly original works of art.

 

[Buddy Shula]

What happens after you retire to Key West and someone else is doing the hiring? Will they have to follow your rules?

I won’t retire

 

[TheBigA]

I won’t retire

Me either

 

[K.M. Richards]

I won’t retire

Me either

And I have already said that, many times, in many threads.

 

[ckg279]

My question to you is what is the level of alumni involvement? Could alumni help with funding the station or operations? That might make the station less vulnerable. What I've seen is that in other college stations around the country, whether public or private schools, the alumni are very important to station sustainability. That means a station alumni association that works with station management.

To the best of my knowledge, little to none. And that's a shame. For many years, we had an Alumni weekend(which I did for a few years and had a BLAST doing). I am a member of a couple of WBNY alumni groups onf Facebook, but they're mostly quiet too.