When I start coaching a show, talents often say:“Nobody calls anymore.” Or: “Listeners in this market don’t call radio shows.” My response is, “That’s interesting, because several of our shows get more calls than they need.” The difference isn’t necessarily the market. It’s often how the show invites people into the conversation. Airing callers and text […]
Jerry Seinfeld wrote every episode of Seinfeld longhand, on a yellow legal pad, with a blue Bic pen. He still writes that way. He’s said the flashing cursor on a screen makes him anxious, like it’s asking, “So, whaddaya got?” Why Start With Pen and Paper?Writing by hand slows you down just enough for ideas to […]
In the era of loud, fast-talking announcer DJs, my radio mentor, Todd Wallace, asked my fellow DJs and me, “Would you talk to your neighbor over the back fence like a pukey DJ or just in natural conversation?” Of course we all said we’d talk to them conversationally. Todd concluded, “Talk to listeners on air like […]
(What Personalities Can Learn From Dolly) We all came together over Dolly Parton. That’s quite a statement in this divided world. Left, right, young, old loved Dolly. Are there any other public personalities that are universally loved? Hmm…Dolly Parton pulled it off. Dolly represents something our culture craves: joy, authenticity, humor, generosity, and a unifying spirit. […]
Albert Einstein famously said, “Imagination is more important than knowledge.” He went on to state, “Logic will get you from A to B. Imagination will take you everywhere.” It’s no wonder that so many performers in media and sports use their imagination to visualize success. Jim Carrey was a struggling, broke comedian when he drove up Mulholland Drive in […]
The Rule of 3 is one of the most powerful communication principles because it’s how the human brain naturally organizes and remembers information. Whether you’re writing, coaching, or entertaining, three creates a sense of completeness and rhythm. For media personalities, it’s especially valuable because most listeners can’t retain more than three points. Three is the […]
My friend and colleague Paul Kaye is the incoming President for Pattison Media, Canada’s largest Western-based media company. Since his recent post as VP Media, Product, and Talent Development at Roger Sports & Media, Paul Kaye has traveled the world observing radio. His travels include the US, UK, Germany, and Asia. Paul believes radio has become good at […]
I once hired and coached a morning host in a Top 3 market who enjoyed tremendous success for years. Twelve years later, he was still doing the same bits, delivering the same energy, and making the same cultural references. The audience had changed. He hadn’t. He lost his job and never regained success again. One […]
Disney has a performance policy that most guests have never heard of, but every Imagineer understands. It’s called Low Ride Out. When a ride consistently ranks at the bottom of attendance rankings, Disney doesn’t launch a marketing campaign to save it. And it certainly doesn’t keep it around because of nostalgia. They replace it. That’s one […]
“We have met the enemy, and he is us.” Walt Kelly’s famous Pogo line perfectly captures how radio executives and owners engineered their own crisis. It applies just as well to other legacy media companies, like Paramount and The Washington Post. Many executives point to external factors, especially all the tech platforms, as the source […]