Radio is in a tough competitive spot with aging demographics, unparalleled digital competition, and a dated image. The 70’s will never return but some buzz can still happen. Here are a few thoughts to maximize impact on a difficult situation:
- Other than staying legal and focused on the plan, there are no creative rules.
- Radio is like football: the defense is the perfect music mix…the offense is the turn ons—mind & ear candy…the special teams are the features…and the balance of these elements wins.
- Late 20th century radio was created to serve and cheat rating services. Serving and cheating ratings takes the eye off the things that really matter.
- Winning big usually creates two things: exhaustion & satisfaction (both are worth it).
- Sound production is what turns black and white sound into technicolor sound as sound is to the ear what color is to the eye.
- It’s not yet too late for radio to once again become respected, admired & loved, though it likely won’t happen on FM or AM.
- The biggest killer is denial that radio is creatively fine. It’s not. It needs surgery.
- The second biggest killer is living in the isolated radio where the playbook is admired by the industry and soul-lessly dismissed by the public.
- The radio format architecture still can work, but is crying for re-invention.
- Production consistency is over-rated and brilliance is under-rated. Meaning it’s better to have funky brilliance than well produced same old.
- The sheep factor is everywhere in entertainment business. Blind leading the blind. The circle of average. Not only in radio.
- The sheep factor cancels you out. If everyone has the same slogans, booming fake voice and writing style, there’s no differentiation. It’s fast food radio and unfortunately not always McDonald’s. (If you are dominant—ok…if you’re not…) You get the idea.
- Quality does not mean slick, upscale or expensive. A bum likes quality seats to a ball game. Funky can be magical.
- No one likes their intelligence insulted. Even a 60 IQ person resents being talked at, yelled to, or told via mindless “radio speak.”
- Programming/content/creative is a balance of art/science/empathy/street smarts/modernism. Lacking any one of these factors is deadly. Empathy is especially important in “reading” listeners without bias.
- In entertainment, assholes & ego cases are always second tier players. True winners exude confidence and swagger not bad vibes and hostility.
- If we don’t aggressively seek and deliver a new sound and look…no-one will and a massive opportunity is lost.
- Being in sync with 2024 is hard. Gotta work at it. Most stations are in sync with 1998.
- Balancing mechanics with soul. Sometimes we’re so engaged in the mechanics we forget about the soul. Need both.
- Like in football—if the other guy fumbles, who cares unless you recover…and run for a touchdown! Too many recover the mistake…and sit there.
- Winning is 10% luck, 20% smarts and 70% simply going through the exercise of “re-thinking” everything before you execute it. Is it perfect? Can it be better? Is it up to brilliance standards? Is it amazing?
- Evolving to brilliant requires a balance of insanity and detail in the execution.
- In mass terms—dumb stuff peaks fast (boy bands). Smart stuff lasts (Simpsons). Elite stuff never gets off the ground.
- It’s our job to turn users into fans.
