Be Careful What You Wish For

Dare To Be Different?

What can we really do to be different - to distinguish ourselves from the rest of the format-similar stations in the market? Chances are, if you dial around, especially after 10 o'clock, you will hear that monument to sameness that we referred to in an earlier editorial. With most music stations in continuous music sweeps, little content and virtually all the air-talent simply segueing and reading liner cards, there is a sameness of sound that is boring. Once upon a time, those of us who have been in the game for a while longed for the day when our research would be complete and we could play nothing but the hits in all three categories - them that was (the gold), them that is (the currents) and them that will be (the future jams). Now, most of those options are available to us. But guess what? They're not enough. Most of today's urban stations are merely modern-day jukeboxes. Music radio is so wrapped up in the "science" of programming, we've either ignored or just plain forgotten how to communicate what's top-of-mind to the new generation of listeners. As programmers, we've been granted the authority to influence a part of society and make a tremendous, positive impact on thousands of lives. But, we've failed.

Before we look at who is to blame, and there are many most of us could bring into that group, we probably should really just blame ourselves. We decided that we wanted minimum talk. We decided that a syndicated wake-up show or a morning musical jukebox would force those fickle format fingers to find our frequency. In some cases, the decision came from a corporate force from afar, who also decided that middays, evenings and overnights could be voicetracked.

But wait, how about the consultants and programmers who said, "Just read the liner cards and don't say anything else"? Regardless of what we say we want, what we really want are jocks who can be distinct, compelling or even funny while keeping talk to a minimum. That means they can personalize the weather, kid with the callers and do a bunch of little things which won't take up a lot of time but can make a big difference.

But unfortunately, instead of following the path of creativity, or looking for an edge, we've allowed ourselves to be led by a fear of being different and so we reduced talk to absolute minimums. The result, according to recent research results from focus groups to listeners' panels, have shown that listeners all feel that stations sound alike and that they perceive radio as boring. Another result is that our time spent listening keeps dropping. How do we solve this problem? The solution rests with our ability to make our stations distinctive, to stand out from the crowd.

Troubled Talent Development

One of what is often the toughest but most effective ways to upgrade our stations' sound is to improve the talent. First, we have to recognize the talent. Then we have to understand that talent by its very nature never stands still. Talent involves creativity, evolution and even some risk. Risk has now become a dirty word, following the recent Don Imus incident and the ensuing responses from number of sources. But we can channel the risk-taking, guide it, foster it, or thwart it. But especially these days, we must control it.

Another of the problems in urban radio lately is that a lot of program directors have been put in place who have little or no experience in managing or developing major talent. In many cases, these former music schedulers or air-talent themselves, try to avoid being placed in situations where they have to deal with talent. The program director should be hired, in part, for their ability to work with talent, to guide them, with frequent, regular feedback and to act as coach and even psychiatrist when needed. We should expect more from our air-talent than liner cards readers. Every jock, including weekenders and part-timers, should be required to do daily show prep. The question is always how much? And while there is no set answer, the reality is that they have to do enough daily show prep so that they have more new things of substance to say that he/she can use in each day's show. Even so-called, continuous music stations can benefit from air-talent who make emotional contact with the audience.

Another major problem that we have to address has to do with the frequency of the critiquing sessions. They can't occur only when the jock is in trouble. Often, by that time it may be too late - for both of you. As a consultant, what I try to do is observe each situation and treat it accordingly. The most common problems I have found are jocks that

Always look for the easy way out. What's the minimum they can do and still get paid? So it's no wonder they concentrate on simply reading the liners and doing basics. When I can I also try to spot talent on the way up and tell the program director about someone I feel is really talented and advise them to make certain that talent is nurtured, encouraged and rewarded.

Assessing our stations' talent level should be the first step in determining the style or approach we use to improve them. We want personalities that are mature, but hip,

regardless of market size. Chances are we will have talent at significantly different levels. They need to coached and improved accordingly. It is important to understand that regardless of how we personally feel about this aspect of our job, it must be done! The fact is that few, in any, individuals or teams ever become champions on their own without good coaching. If students could lean from books alone there would be no need for teachers.

In response to some e-mails I received lately from programmers who say things like, "I know I ought to schedule some air-check sessions, but I just don't have the time. They've got me watching three stations now and it's all I can do just to get the music scheduled." That may be true, but it doesn't really matter. Ratings depend as much on what happens between the records as the records themselves. Our air-talent are performers who need to know that we are there to support them and offer them ideas and guidance and provide answers so they will know just how far to stretch the envelope.

Arbitron numbers are prone to fluctuations and wobbles, and even the best stations suffer through or benefit from an unusually strong or weak book or trend. In time, if we continue to stay as boring and predictable as we have been recently, a new exodus of listeners will take place, generating yet another flurry of boardroom brainstorming among executives whose mortgage payments are jeopardized by low ratings.

Be careful what you wish for. You wished for an easy win. But you've still got to pass the test. And you can't cheat on this test because it's a test with no correct answers. A problem with no permanent solutions. Winning affects every owner, manager, PD/MD and air personality. We all have to be concerned that "our playing days may be over," long before we're ready to hang up our headphones or bury our blackberries. The fact is we can keep playing as long as we keep wining. But just one loss could force some into early retirement, adding to the expansion of radio's ever-growing casualty list. And it wasn't as though we didn't see it coming. It was not as though we didn't get some warnings. But warnings are not answers. The answers, my friend, are not written in the wind. They're etched in the corners of your mind.

Word.