Interchangeable People

Consolidated radio needs interchangeable employees at almost every position, but certainly at the air talent positions.

Interchangeable talent costs less. It requires less daily management. And replacements are, by their definition, so much easier to find when you need a new one.

But spending less and less on talent every year is not the way to grow anything.

“The rules of production have changed…which means the value of those who do what they’re told goes close to zero, because there’s a race to the bottom…and the problem with the race to the bottom…is you might win, and winning the race to the bottom (I’m just a little bit cheaper than that guy) is no fun whatsoever."

“The race to the top is a totally different race. It says, I can do something no one else can do."

That’s Seth Godin in a talk you can watch HERE.

We still have radio owners in America who understand this, but it’s a harder race to win right now because of owners who are content to go the cheapest route, to offer easy alternatives for those who don’t understand our business (most of our advertising clients.)

The problem is, as Seth said, these guys may actually win the race they’re running, providing a product worth nothing at all eventually.

It’s happening in most major markets across America. Just refinance the debt, extend it further into the future, keep paying yourself tens of millions, run more and cheaper spots, and leave before the whole thing collapses — whenever that is.

The only way for radio to win — really win — going forward is to race to the top.

I know stations where you can hear this. I know managers and programmers who are committed to this.

Thank God!