The Mission

"We have almost a religious fervor about two things: the user experience and the quality of the content. If you just keep focused on those two things, the rest of it falls into place."

That's former NPR Pres./CEO Vivian Schiller.

Those two simple sentences tell you everything you need to know about why NPR is thriving in the new digital world, and why consolidated radio is continually retrenching.

It's been a long, long time since commercial radio has focused on the "quality of the content."

When Apple's iPad was released, NPR was ready with a simple, elegant app that made using NPR easier and richer as an experience.

Was your station?

How does your app make listening to your station better for the user on an iPad or iPhone than on the car radio?

Understanding how your listeners want to use your product, and then prioritizing touch points so that you use limited resources most effectively, rather than the scatter-shot approach I see at most stations, is a key to your survival.

Do yourself a favor and take 60 seconds to read this brief interview with Ms Schiller in AdAge.

And call me when you're ready to focus on the quality of your content. I know a lot of talented people who are eager to help...