5 s lean | TALKERS magazine (2025)

ByTALKERS | August 16, 2024August 16, 2024 by TALKERS

ABC Audio has won three Edward R. Murrow Awards. In the “Continuing Coverage” category, it wins for “Start Here: Israel-Hamas War,” while“Reclaimed: The Forgotten League” takes honors for“Excellence in Writing.” In addition,“Start Here: On the Brink”is an award winner in the “News Documentary” category.

ByTALKERS | July 2, 2024July 2, 2024 by TALKERS

ByWalter Sabo
CEO, Sabo Media Action Partners
A.K.A.Walter M Sterling
Host, WPHT, Philadelphia – daily
Talk Media Network – Sundays

Leonard H. Goldenson was the founder/chairman of ABC, Inc. Before Disney, before Capital Cities, ABC was…ABCand it was run byMr. Goldenson. He launched the ABC Radio Networks, ABC Television Network, and the original ABC radio and television stations.

His background was as a movie theatre owner. He respected the crowd,applause, creativity,art, theshow. Many top talent and executives owe their start or standards to Mr. Goldenson. I worked at ABC Radio for five years when Leonard waschairman, here’s what I absorbed.

— Risk for the show. Allen Shaw and his team largely invented the album rock format and launched it onthe ABC FM stations. There was no proof it would work. But it made sense. That required seven stations to dump automation and hire seven AFTRA jocks and seven IATSE engineers at each station. Note the IATSE pay scale was higher than the AFTRA scale. It didn’t go as planned. In San Francisco, the presumed success was slow to profit. WRIF, Detroit, under the leadership of Willard Lochridge, slam dunk. Leonard didn’t blink. Imagine.

— ABC was caught up in the payola scandals in the early 1960s. Alan Freed was a jock on WABC. After the Congressional hearings, Goldenson saidnever again and vowed to sell the radio stations. WXYZ GM, Hal Neal went to the chairman and said,“Let me run them and I will clean them up.” He did. Without mercy. Leonard kept them and the ABC AM/FM stations became legend. Imagine.

— Leonard had the heart of an artist. He painted. Every year, at the holidays, a beautiful book of his art was distributed to all employeeswith an essay written by Leonard sharing his thoughts and feelings about each work. We had a glimpse of his soul. Imagine.

— The door was always open for talent. On-air talent could visit Mr. Goldenson without an appointment at any time. WPLJ morning star, Jim Kerr would regularly ride to the 40th floor and sit in Leonard’s office to chat. Imagine.

— At an executive conference, he got up early and started to leave. Being asmartass, I looked at him and asked why was he sneaking out? He explainedthat ABC was opening a movie that afternoon and he wanted to stand outside a theater and ask audience members how they liked his movie.Thatwas his research. Imagine.

— When WABC-AM switched from music to talk, the plan called for profit in year 10. It took11. Imagine

— Leonard Goldenson flew commercial, coach. Imagine.

Walter Sabo has been a C Suite action partner for companies such as SiriusXM, Hearst, Press Broadcasting, Gannett, RKO General and many other leading mediaoutlets. His company HITVIEWS, in 2007, was the first to identify and monetize video influencers.. His nightly show “Walter Sterling at Night” is heard on WPHT, Philadelphia. His syndicated show, “Sterling On Sunday,” from Talk Media Network, airs 10:00 pm-1:00 am ET, now in its 10th year of success.

He can be reached by email atsabowalter@gmail.com.

ByTALKERS | July 1, 2024 by TALKERS

By Holland Cooke
Consultant

Remember the old Gatorade commercial? The “Be like Mike” jingle accompanied a montage of gravity-defying Michael Jordan dunks.

If you’ve heard Mike Hulvey speak, you know his birthday and blood type, because he told you, in his enthused trademark close: “March 4^th and B positive!”

Before he recently hit-the-ground-running as Radio Advertising Bureau CEO and president, Mike was my longtime client when he ran Neuhoff Media. I consulted his news/talk/sports WSOY, Decatur and trained news people at other stations in the group. And the company’s “Media Made Locally” mantra was more than a slogan: “Nothing makes us happier than knowing thatwhile our big corporate competitors areabandoning all the thingswe think make local media special – we’re doubling down.”

With broadcasters now so challenged by non-AM/FM audio competitors – and coping with cost cuts – the “Core Values” that clicked in these small Midwest markets seem like a prescription for stations everywhere:

1. Grit: “Stick with it.”
2. Community: “Give back.”
3. Innovation: “Think different.”
4. Excellence: “Be exceptional.”

In too many places now, a legacy call letter station is referred to as “the AM” within multi-station clusters and is bundled with music stations’ inventory… not the best sales model in Mike’s estimation: “The news/talk format offers endless opportunities to local clients.” Offered properly, these stations have “unique attributes and programming that lend itself to customize sponsorship and marketing extensions in any size market;” with otherwise “hidden gems that create opportunities for naming rights inside local sports and benchmark sponsorships as the local expert,” creating what he calls “lean-in listening that benefits advertisers.”

Live-N-local 24/7 seems quaint now, so we leverage imported programming, to make it sound more like part of the station’s own on-air family, rather than sounding like we’re an affiliate plugged-into the bird. The day Mike first introduced me at WSOY, I told the morning host: “We’ve got to get your voice in Rush Limbaugh and the Cardinals games more.”

Back to the future: With Monday-Friday syndicated talk programming mostly political, I asked Mike, “Could the sort of non-political shows that were such weekday winners for the late-great KGO and Buckley-owned WOR make a comeback?” His take: “I say yes. I believe that great locally targeted content is still a winning formula of success.While we as consumers have more choices than ever, we still crave information about where we live, work, and raise our families.While national political content has a very loud voice in the market, listeners appreciate those locally‘world famous’ voices from where they live.”

Evidence, from the vault: 2-minute video, Mike explaining how winning radio is a relationship: https://youtu.be/wcsqrN7R7Ic

Holland Cooke (HollandCooke.com) is a consultant working the intersection of broadcasting and the Internet. He is the author of “The Local Radio Advantage: Your 4-Week Tune-In Tune-Up” and “Close Like Crazy: Local Direct Leads, Pitches & Specs That Earned the Benjamins” and “Confidential: Negotiation Checklist for Weekend Talk Radio.” Follow HC on Twitter @HollandCooke and connect on LinkedIn.

ByTALKERS | June 24, 2024 by TALKERS

By Steve Lapa
Lapcom Communications Corp
President

When it comes to advertisers who cancel, Elon Musk said it loud and clear at the NY Times Dealbook Summit, “Go F-Yourself.” He claimed advertisers who objected to content on X were “blackmailing him with money” by canceling ad campaigns on his X platform.

C’mon, Elon. I guess you never made the sales calls many of us have made pitching Rush Limbaugh, Howard Stern, or any of the many in talk radio who made the dreaded “no buy” list because an advertiser was alienated by their political lean, or content. Maybe Elon forgot that many advertisers feel the feedback of their customers and reflect customer input in their marketing dollars.

Many of us who made those sales calls tried to work alongside the content objections voiced by advertisers. The goal was to earn the advertiser’s dollars, not consider a cancellation as “blackmail.” A loud and clear, “Go F-Yourself,” was and still is the best way to kill the customer, torch the relationship, as your general manager, owner, stockholders, and about everyone including the wife and kids are amazed at your out-of-control rant.

Michael Richards, a.k.a. Kramer of Seinfeld fame, calls it “canceling yourself.” He should know. It seems after careful review Musk may be feeling the pain of his famous F-bomb message to “X” advertisers. Elon is now repackaging his pitch to include an A.I. component that could blunt those content objections. Will A.I. step in and keep the content compatible with the goals and objectives of those advertisers who cancelled X?

Wow, why didn’t I think of that? Eliminate good old-fashioned human judgement to understand the content the advertiser is identifying as incompatible with their goals. Maybe or maybe not. Think about how many of your advertisers listen to your talent and offer you, the seller, content feedback. Like the saying goes, many advertisers buy where they listen.

Back to the F-bomb comment. It is hard to be critical of one of the wealthiest people on the planet, but in this one instance, even a billionaire learned from his missteps. As time passed, perhaps cooler heads prevailed and those at X learned what those of us who made those early “no buy” list sales calls learned:

1. Advertisers who control budgets do not like to be told to “Go F-yourself”

2. Content cancellations are not “blackmail.” Those cancellations are based in:

a. Customer feedback

b. Advertiser culture

c. Misaligned goals

Next time you get the urge to blurt out your frustrations, remember a basic tenet of sales, “Never say anything that is too big to eat.”

Steve Lapa is the president of Lapcom Communications Corp. based in Palm Beach Gardens, FL. Lapcom is a media sales, marketing, and development consultancy. Contact Steve Lapa via email at:Steve@Lapcomventures.com.

ByTALKERS | June 7, 2024June 17, 2024 by TALKERS

ByWalter Sabo
CEO, Sabo Media Partners
A.K.A.Walter M Sterling
Host
WPHT, Philadelphia – daily
Talk Media Network – Sundays

When recently starting nightly on WPHT, Philadelphia, I asked program directorGreg Stockerif there was anything else management needed from me. Greg said, “Do your show.”

Since that luncheon meeting his words have sifted through my fevered brain and I realized that at thismoment in time, his words were profound:Do your show.

What he didnotsay:

Meet with sales.

Meet with HR.

Be sure to hit the live reads on time.

Don’t annoy (fill in the blank).

Get all the spots in.

Make sure the studio is clean when you’re done.

David Fieldlistens so be careful.

Meet with sales.

I do my show andnothing elseand I’m very happy. The endless whine coming from our colleagues can be traced to ignoring the prime directive: Do your show.

Talk radio is magic, it’s free-form radio. Your music station brethren envy your freedom. They have to call for permission to change the order of pre-programmed songs! You don’t have todoanything which means you can do what you want… which means you can do somethinggreat.

Walter Sabo has been a C Suite action partner for companies such as SiriusXM, Hearst, Press Broadcasting, Gannett, RKO General and many other leading mediaoutlets. His company HITVIEWS, in 2007, was the first to identify and monetize video influencers. HITVIEWS clients included Pepsi, FOX TV, Timberland, Microsoft, and CBS Television. He can be reached atsabowalter@gmail.com. His nightly show “Walter Sterling at Night” is heard on WPHT, Philadelphia. His syndicated show, “Sterling On Sunday,” from Talk Media Network, airs 10:00 pm-1:00 am ET, now in its 10th year of success.

ByTALKERS | June 4, 2024 by TALKERS

Audacy radio stations in 11 markets were the recipients of 20 Regional Edward R. Murrow Awards, presented by the Radio Television Digital News Association (RTDNA) for outstanding achievements in broadcast and digital journalism. NewsRadio 1080 KRLD in Dallas, WWJ Newsradio 950 in Detroit, KNX News 97.1 FM in Los Angeles and WCBS 880 in New York all were honored with the “Overall Excellence” Award. Other stations receiving Regional Murrow Awards include: KMOX, St. Louis (Newscast); KYW-AM/FM, Philadelphia (Newscast, Digital, Hard News); WWL-AM/FM, New Orleans (Breaking News, Continuing Coverage); and WCCO, Minneapolis (Newscast). See the full list of winners here.

ByTALKERS | May 1, 2024May 1, 2024 by TALKERS

Stonecom Cookeville has three positions open. They are seeking a broadcast journalist/news reporter who is a lover of news who wants to lead their team and do news the right way. It is radio but on-air does NOT have to be part of the job. Writing and reporting MUST be part of the job. Send writing samples, airchecks, and salary requirements to the address below. The company also seeks an on-air talent and programming assistant to be a part of the Lite Rock 95.9, Rock 93.7, 106.9 Kicks Country, News Talk 94.1, 93-3 The Dawg, Sports Radio 104.7, 101.9 / AM 920 WLIV, 96-9 Hwy 111 Country team. Send your resume. Send an aircheck. Send two sentences describing your goal in work and why this job interests you. You must do all three. And finally, Stonecom is seeking a graphic artist who designs clean, attention-getting logos, posters, mailers and web graphics. A great opportunity to supplement your income, add additional clients to your growing repertoire, or work from home. Send at least five examples of your work – along with your resume. Reply to: Stonecom, Attn: Human Resources, 1 Stonecom Way, Cookeville, TN 38501 Or email marcia@stonecomradio.com. Stonecom is an Equal Opportunity Employer.

ByTALKERS | April 16, 2024 by TALKERS

By Holland Cooke
Consultant

If you’re looking to jump-start – or optimize – your video interview technique, this session alone was worth the trip to Las Vegas. Washington-based video content strategist/producer/interviewer Amy DeLouise and cinematographer/gaffer Anne Saul delivered a soup-to-nuts “Boot Camp” session to an overflow crowd.

For the decks, hit AmyDeLouise.com, click Slide Decks then Real People Boot Camp, parts 1 and 2. You can devour an impressive tutorial of production techniques, including specifics about equipment and how-to-use-it.

Even if you’re just doing radio or podcast interviews, Amy offered some useful tips:

“Nervous Speaker Technique”: Before the interview, chat ‘em up, perhaps asking for a personal anecdote, i.e., “Why did you decide to become a _____?” If you are shooting video, do the B-roll and walk-and-talk shots first. Then, when they’ve gotten used to you and the set-up, start the interview. “Worst case: Let them take a break, ‘Go do some emails,’ then resume in 20 minutes.”

“The Contradict Me Technique”: Because “some speakers are very reserved, they won’t show emotion unless they feel they need to correct your misunderstanding.” So, bait them: “Isn’t A.I. just a gimmick?”

“The Shorter Answer Technique”: Some speakers have a LOT to say,’ so Amy says let them get it out of their system, THEN ask “How would I explain this to my children?”

“Two Do-Over Techniques”: If you want to re-ask a question, fib: “The part about X was really great. But we had a little bit of noise, do you mind if I ask you that one more time?” Or “lean in as if you didn’t quite hear the answer, and they will repeat it;” a ploy which “only works for the last part of what they said.”

“The Finish My Sentence Technique”: Amy says “When all else fails, ask ‘Finish this sentence: The biggest value we bring at ABC Company is…’”

Holland Cooke (HollandCooke.com) is a consultant working at the intersection of broadcasting and the Internet. He is the author of “Close Like Crazy: Local Direct Leads, Pitches & Specs That Earned the Benjamins,” and “The Local Radio Advantage: Your 4-Week Tune-In Tune-Up,” and “Confidential: Negotiation Checklist for Weekend Talk Radio.” Follow HC on Twitter @HollandCooke and connect on LinkedIn.

ByTALKERS | April 15, 2024 by TALKERS

By Steve Lapa
Lapcom Communications Corp
President

The media headlines are dizzying these days, yet they all share one common thread. See if you can solve this puzzle.

1. The “Golden Batchelor” is getting divorced, three months after tying the knot.

2. Netflix is changing their film strategy, that according to The New York Times, may mean fewer big advances to stars.

3. NCAA Women’s basketball final delivered more TV viewers than UConn’s back-to-back championship finale vs. Purdue.

4. Retail media networks are real and could replace terrestrial radio as the true purchase influencer.

These headlines reflect what great radio programmers learned a long time ago, and what smart sellers practice every day. The concept is elegantly simple: give the people what they want, and the rest will take care of itself.

The “Golden Batchelor” was targeted at the 55+ audience. The biggest demographic watching traditional TV. The finale drew over 6 million viewers and gave millions of seniors hope for romance at any age. Give the people what they want, and the audience and advertisers followed. The breakup, well maybe that leans more Dr. Phil, and he is starting his own network!

Netflix has a new film boss, Dan Lin, and according to a recent article in The New York Times, he wants the Netflix film lineup to have a wider appeal to more of us 260 million Netflix subscribers. Sound familiar? Give a bigger share of the audience more of what they want.

Pioneering radio programmers learned that strategy before Netflix was a business model.

Start with Top 40 music radio, go to the all-news model and park your pick on your favorite pioneering talk radio talent. Listeners got what they wanted, as audience and advertisers followed.

Nearly 19 million watched as Caitlin Clark tried one last time to drive her team to victory. Her final push wasn’t enough to defeat a determined South Carolina team. It didn’t matter to the millions who tuned in and the advertisers who were smart enough to jump on board. Give the fans a superstar from Iowa named Caitlin and an audience of millions will follow.

Don’t look now, but that old-school pitch of radio being the final purchase influencer as the radio plays in the car on the way to the store, is fading fast. I can’t tell you how many times I made that classic pitch, until I heard “Attention ______ shoppers” as I pushed my cart down the aisle.

Retail media networks are now online as well as “on-the-air” in store, and we are spending more and more time shopping online.

What does it all mean to you, the seller? Simple! Just find what your advertisers want and sell it!

Steve Lapa is the president of Lapcom Communications Corp. based in Palm Beach Gardens, FL. Lapcom is a media sales, marketing, and development consultancy. Contact Steve Lapa via email at:Steve@Lapcomventures.com.

ByTALKERS | April 9, 2024 by TALKERS

Cumulus Media news/talk WJR-AM, Detroit is named Market One Commercial Radio Station of the Year by the Michigan Association of Broadcasters. The station was additionally honored with a total of 10 MAB Broadcast Excellence “Best” Awards, including Best Regularly Scheduled Broadcast Personality or Team, for 760 WJR’s “JR Afternoons with Chris Renwick” and another recognizing the station’s efforts in community involvement, along with multiple merit awards. The annual MAB Broadcast Excellence Awards gala was held on Saturday, April 6 at the Sound Board inside MotorCity Casino Hotel in Detroit. WJR program director Ann Thomas states, “Thank you to everyone associated with the Michigan Association of Broadcasters for this tremendous honor. As you can imagine… because WJR is more than a hundred years old, the archives in the Golden Tower of the Fisher Building are amazing. While doing some spring cleaning the other day, I came across boxes of awards and plaques from non-profit organizations applauding our work and ‘thank you’ notes from community leaders and listeners. It reminded me that all of us here in this room stand on the shoulders of the broadcasting greats who came before us. They set the bar for excellence, and I am grateful that in 2024, the talent, producers, engineers, production, digital, and sales teams at WJR are still working to be the best in the business.”

ByTALKERS | April 8, 2024 by TALKERS

By Steve Lapa
Lapcom Communications Corp
President

The work-life balance concept is up for a new spin. Let us start in California.

A recent article in the LA Times discussed the California “right-to-disconnect” bill, “guaranteeing workers the right to ignore after-hours call, emails and texts from employers.” It is not a law yet, but if Assemblyman Matt Haney has his way, the workday could be redefined, again.

We have moved from being overworked and underpaid to the covid-driven culture of work from home and working remotely. Dress codes took on a new meaning as we Zoomed and Teamed our way through meetings, calls, and brainstorming sessions.

As the total remote work concept is being revisited by many media companies we have moved towards a hybrid of the number of in-office days vs. total remote days. Many ad agencies and rep firms are getting increasingly comfortable leaning into mainly remote work as commercial office space vacancies hit all-time highs in many cities.

With the warp speed advances of communication in the digital world, we now have the 24/7/365 always-on mindset. Some companies hire sales and customer service reps in all time zones to align unique sales and marketing with a heightened level of customer expectations.

How disappointed do you get when you hear, “our normal business hours are_____, please call back.” Are you kidding me with “normal?” One contract required my own company, considered a small business, to maintain production teams on both the East and West Coasts to adhere to final edits and posting deadlines.

The new world truly is business unusual. The “right-to-disconnect” does have a key place in the blurred workplace. The question is how to manage such a unique concept as not answering the phone when caller ID says, “Boss.”

Let us complicate the picture with my favorite growing trend, “The 4-day Work Week.” If you are in sales or marketing, you could be drooling at the opportunity this will create. No, not more time AT the beach or golf course for you the seller. I am thinking about the new opportunities to talk to the marketing director of the resort, golf course, family get-away or any other leisure activity that could make that long weekend a permanent lifestyle fixture. Some phenomenally successful businesspeople have already placed their bets. As we redefine the work-life balance, new categories will open right in front of you. Stay focused. Pickleball, anyone?

Steve Lapa is the president of Lapcom Communications Corp. based in Palm Beach Gardens, FL. Lapcom is a media sales, marketing, and development consultancy. Contact Steve Lapa via email at:Steve@Lapcomventures.com.

ByTALKERS | April 3, 2024 by TALKERS

Comrex is debuting Hotline, a major feature update to Gagl, as well as Gagl Solo, a new tier of its Gagl remote contribution service designed for one-to-one connections. Both are being introduced at NAB 2024. Gagl enables users to send and receive audio through common web browsers to a Comrex hardware IP audio codec such as an ACCESS or BRIC-Link. Gagl supports up to five remote participants in one session. Gagl Solo supports single guest connections and is perfect for users who don’t need to manage multiple participants such as a solo contributor or reporter in the field. Comrex says that Gagl is simple enough for anyone to use and doesn’t require any specialized hardware or software on the remote end for implementation. With a computer or smartphone plus a headset, high-quality audio can be transmitted bidirectionally with minimal latency providing a simple way to get anyone on the air. Hotline dramatically improves the quality of a standard cell phone call for on-air use. Gagl + Hotline provides a ten-digit telephone number with each Gagl + Hotline subscription. A guest or reporter can call the number using an AT&T, T-Mobile or Verizon cell phone. The caller’s audio will be presented within the Gagl interface in HD Voice quality for clean, clear full fidelity for use on-air. Acquiring high-quality audio from remote locations is essential for creating compelling radio. Providing flexibility for guests who can’t come into the studio was a driving force behind Gagl’s creation. Gagl Solo, Gagl + Hotline, and Comrex’s suite of broadcast reliable products will be on display at the NAB Show in Vegas April 14-17. Be sure to visit Comrex at Booth C2234 in Central Hall.

ByTALKERS | March 22, 2024 by TALKERS

Pictured above are FOX News Channel and FOX News Radio talk personality Brian Kilmeade (left) with WRVA, Richmond afternoon drive talk host Jeff Katz (right) at the historic McLean’s Restaurant in downtown Richmond. Kilmeade – whose show recently joined the lineup at WRVA – was in town broadcasting live and Katz joined Kilmeade to offer insight on the issues of the day.

ByTALKERS | March 20, 2024 by TALKERS

Sales and management pro Nichole Hartman is named market manager for Audacy’s Memphis station group that includes sports talk WMFS-AM/FM, sports betting WMC-AM “The Bet 790,” and two music outlets. Hartman currently serves in the same role for the company’s Chattanooga stations, a position she will continue to hold. In Memphis, Hartman succeeds Dan Barron, who was recently named SVP and market manager in New Orleans. Audacy regional president Claudia Menegus comments, “Memphis and Chattanooga are lucky to have Nichole’s leadership as a vital building block to local market success. She continues on a path of consistent career growth and will elevate our Memphis market by delivering exceptional performance for our team, partners, and audiences.”

ByTALKERS | February 28, 2024February 28, 2024 by TALKERS

The KBLA, Los Angeles-based “Tavis Smiley Show” is set to add four new markets to its national syndication effort. SmileyAudioMedia, Inc says that over the next couple of weeks, the show will launch on City College of New York’s WHCR-FM, New York; Urban One’s WOL-AM, Washington, DC; Courier Communications’ WNOV-AM, Milwaukee; and Minority Communications’ KJMC-FM, Des Moines. SmileyAudioMedia owner and program host Tavis Smiley says, “Our show’s rapid and continued expansion into key media markets represents an exciting next chapter. As we move deeper into the 2024 election season, we’ll continue to provide our growing listener base with enlightening and empowering programming unapologetically geared toward African Americans and other citizens of color.” The program is heard in Chicago on Midway Communications’ WVON-AM; LEVAS Communications’ WURD-AM, Philadelphia; and Equity Media’s WBOK-AM, New Orleans and plans to announce more new affiliate stations later in the spring.

ByTALKERS | February 22, 2024 by TALKERS

ByWalter Sabo
Consultant,Sabo Media Implementers
A.K.A.Walter Sterling
Radio Host, “Sterling On Sunday”
Talk Media Network

When reviewing our industry’s awards such asthe Crystals or Marconis there are two categories missing. They are: “Best New” and “Best Innovation.” Imagine if winners were announced for theseprizes:

“Best New Talent On Air”

“Best New Talent Off Air”

“Most Creative Sales Solution”

“Most Creative Station Promotion”

“Most Innovative DAB or Podcast Format”

“Best New Talent – Podcast”

“Best Innovation In Engineering”

Those awards aren’t fantasy, they are actual awards given annually byAustralian Commercial Radio(ACRA). They are presented at a magnificent well-produced event for the entire country – attendance is SRO. The subliminal message to Australian radio personnel is powerful: Innovation is expected and rewarded. NEW is expected and rewarded – no need to wait for you to become legendary (!) to be recognized. “NEW” is a powerful reward and promise to the talent you hope will find a career in radio. Face it, our “on boarding” leaves a lot to be desired. (Hey, work in the promotion department while you live at home, and we’ll let you pick up pizza that you can share!)

The best gift the late PDAl Brady Lawgave me was he greeted all new ideas with, “It might work.” Most other executives kill innovative thought with the worst question possible: “Who else is doing it?” The industry has a lame record of assessing new ideas. New ideas are systematically despised:

Bill Drake’s format was damned in jock-for-hire classifieds that warned, NO DRAKE JOCKS. Yes, dozens of stations wanted NO DRAKE JOCKS. Quickly Drake’s strategies slaughtered those stations and revolutionized music formats to this moment. Recorded music on the radio was actually thought to be illegal until WNEW-AM, New York fought that court fight in the 1940s and won. All news on WINS and WCBS certainly was not going to work after the 1960s New York newspaper strike ended. WFAN could never succeed as an all-sports station – soon after launch it became the highest biller in NYC.

When AC was launched in 1978 at the NBC FM and RKO FM stations, it had no future. FM was only for beautiful music and hard rock and besides who else is doing it?

Album rock, AOR, …why we have research to prove young people only want hits!Targeted FM talk – combining a hot format with hot talent would absolutely fail at KLSX-FM, Los Angeles and thanks toBob Moorebecame thenumberonelocal biller – turn it back to the failed classic rock format pleasebegged oneresearch hit squad! “New Jersey 101.5” has a one million cume talking all week, playing music all weekend. Which award category suits that giant station?“Best New” would have been appreciated.

Todd Storz,the inventor of Top 40, passed away at 38 and his father who owned their stations in Miami, Omaha, and New Orleans couldn’t wait to change his Top 40 format creation to MOR when the kid died. As a result, when Todd died the stations died, too.

Innovators like Bill Drake,Jeff Smulyan,Allen Shaw,Bob McAllan,Alan Mason,L. David Moorhead, andHoward Sternare first ignored, then marginalized, then vilified… then hundreds fight for their credit.

Theonly wayradio stays relevant and grows its place on the media landscape is with a constant flow of “Best New” and “Best Innovation.” That’s when younger listeners are attracted to radio – the same way they are attracted to everything – if it’s NEW. The radio you and your friends were drawn to, talked about at school, listened to constantly was saturated with new contests, new daring DJs, new promotions, new hits, new energy.

The delicious daily challenge of on-air talent and management is what can we put on the air today that hasnever been done before? If it’s new, even if it doesn’t work forever, generates buzz, attention, youthful audiences. Of course, 20-year-olds will listen to radio, it’s at the end of their arm! But they are not going to salivate at the promise of “20 of your favorites from the 80s, 90s and today.” Or a national contest.

Why not test a NEW award in just one awards category? “Best Innovation in Engineering” The Marconi Award.

Walter Sabo is a leading media industry consultant and syndicated talk radio personality.He can be emailed atWalter@Sabomedia.com. Website:www.waltersterlingshow.com

ByTALKERS | February 5, 2024 by TALKERS

By Holland Cooke
Consultant

Now that every single thing is a political argument, the angry social media conversation about Taylor Swift is unsurprising. And with the Super Bowl looming, the decibel level amps-up.

So, kudos to SiriusXM and CNN host Michael Smerconish. I’ve previously cited him here as technique worth emulating when it comes to:

– Polling the audience on an ongoing basis (a sponsored feature on smart radio stations)
– Leveraging social media to give audience ownership of the show; and
– Genuine curiosity. His centrist approach earns him scorn from both sides in this Cold Civil War we’re living through. I can relate. When I managed WTOP, Washington, the quickest way to make the phone explode was to announce a crowd estimate for an abortion rally. Both sides jammed the lines to damn the number.

This preposterous Swift kerfuffle had been all heat until Smerconish shed light on it this past weekend. Noting rumors shared by FOX News that she would photobomb the Super Bowl with a Joe Biden endorsement, his poll question was “Could Taylor Swift determine the outcome of the presidential election?”

Just now, you answered that question in your own mind. But – for our purposes – the more useful approach is to consider information Smerconish curated unfiltered by personal politics:

– Swift has 279 million Instagram followers
– She has (so far) sold 4.35 million pricey tickets for The Eras Tour. Its “record-shattering revenue” (so far) is $1 billion+
– $200 million (so far) in tour merchandise. Her gray $45 T-shirt is now sold-out in all but 3XL and 4XL.
– 26 billion+ Spotify streams in 2023.
– SSRS polling: 59% of USA adults identify as Swift fans, 63% of women; and her fans are evenly divided 50/50 between Democrat or Dem-leaning and Republican or GOP-leaning.
– On her urging, several hundred thousand Americans younger than 25 have registered to vote.

Add it all up? “Taylor knows your social media interactions, where you saw her on tour, how much merch’ you’ve bought from her website, she knows the size of your T-shirt, the number of downloads you’ve made. We’re embarking on an election cycle which will be (a) the most expensive in history, and (b) will see much of the money spent on ‘micro-targeting,’ the use of online data to tailor – pun intended – advertising messages to individuals based on the identification of recipients’ personal vulnerabilities and interests. In order to target effectively, data is essential. And Taylor’s got lots and lots of it, and on a demographic that is exactly what the Biden team needs the most: disproportionally female, young, and passionate. With truly the touch of a button Taylor Swift is uniquely situated to use the data at her disposal to impact the presidential race.”

Leave it to your nerdy consultant to ask: Are WE using OUR listener data to OUR benefit?

Bigger-picture issues:

– Privacy: We have all volunteered LOTS of information about ourselves. Look what pops up in your email and your social media.
– Vulnerability of the Electoral vote process: The last two Republican presidents took office after losing the popular vote. Taylor Swift is my coastal Rhode Island neighbor, and if she votes here, neither of us matter. Our state has four electoral votes. Just 40 thousand-some popular votes in three key states gave Biden his 2020 win.
– Tone: The measurable appeal of Swift’s sunny disposition vs. “I am your retribution.”

Good for us. News/talk radio is in the suspense business. “What JUST happened??? What happens NEXT???” So, we should wish Nikki Haley well.

Inquisitive Smerconish sounds like dispassionate Mr. Spock: “What [Swift detractors on the right] should be worried about is her data.”

Holland Cooke (HollandCooke.com) is a consultant working at the intersection of broadcasting and the Internet. He is the author of “Close Like Crazy: Local Direct Leads, Pitches & Specs That Earned the Benjamins” and “Confidential: Negotiation Checklist for Weekend Talk Radio.” Follow HC on Twitter @HollandCooke and connect on LinkedIn.

ByTALKERS | January 18, 2024 by TALKERS

According to a story by Amy Maclean in Cablefax, Newsmax has “quietly” renewed its carriage deals with cable and satellite firms. Newsmax CEO Christopher Ruddy says, “By the end of 2023, we have signed renewals with all of our major operators – Comcast, Charter, DirecTV, DISH and Verizon Fios. When I started this a while back, people said they weren’t going to let any new channels on cable anymore. And we’ve basically, I think, been accepted and are now a member of the club. I think we’re here to stay.” In order to get compensation from these multichannel video programming distributors, Newsmax shuttered its free steaming channel on November 1. Interestingly, Ruddy tells Cablefax that contrary to what people might assume, the arrival of Donald Trump on the political scene didn’t help Newsmax’s efforts. “I think President Trump has added great difficulty to Newsmax because there’s so much hostility in the industry and world against him. The media establishment, but also in the cable industry, he’s not a really liked figure. We were having more success I felt before he was elected in 2016. I think we probably would have gotten more carriage earlier had he not been elected… We try to reach out to both sides. While we have a lot of pro-Trump stuff, we also have people like Rick Santorum. He has been you know very critical of him through the years and he’s now our leading political adviser… Our night leads with Greta Van Susteren, and she’s not a polarizing figure.” Read the Cablefax piece here.

ByTALKERS | January 17, 2024January 17, 2024 by TALKERS

Audacy announces “strategic leadership updates and promotions to bolster the company’s commitment to its local markets.” Gina Massenzi is promoted to SVP and market manager for Las Vegas that includes news/talk outlets KDWN and KXNT and four music brands. She has been serving the cluster as director of sales. Dan Barron rises to SVP and market manager for New Orleans that includes news/talk WWL-AM/FM, sports talk WWWL-AM, and four music brands. Barron succeeds Kevin Cassidy, who was named SVP and market manager of Audacy Chicago in December. Additionally, Bob Mackay assumes the role of vice president of sales for Audacy Dallas after serving in the same post in Austin. And three regional presidents add responsibilities to their regions as Doug Abernethy picks up regional and direct oversight of Audacy Austin, Brian Purdy adds regional oversight for Audacy Chicago, Madison, and Milwaukee, and Mark Hannon assumes regional oversight of Audacy Minneapolis. Audacy COO Susan Larkin comments, “We have a very strong leadership team that has enabled us to make strategic changes and promote talent with multi-year track records of success. These leadership moves continue to position our local brands to deliver exceptional listener experiences and client value while reinforcing our commitment to excellence in the communities we serve.”

ByTALKERS | January 9, 2024 by TALKERS

By Holland Cooke
Consultant

Inventors from around the world are in Las Vegas this week for CES2024.

AirForestry is a Swedish company using 5G to develop a harvester drone that hugs the top of a tree, prunes-off branches on the way down, saws-off the trunk, and carries it to the nearest road. Electronic glasses from Canada’s e-Sight help the visually impaired conquer conditions like macular degeneration and diabetic retinopathy. Even legally blind people can achieve up to 20/20 enhanced vision.

From Poland, Vasco Electronics introduces its Translator E1 earpiece that translates 49 languages in real-time. And from Hong Kong, the Oclean X Pro Digital Sonic Electric Toothbrush uses a tiny built-in 6-axis gyroscope that tells you – on an interactive touch screen – how well you brushed, and which areas need more attention. And you know that technology is changing everything when the CEO of the world’s biggest beauty company, L’Oreal, is here from France to deliver a keynote.

“The winners are…”

Among this year’s Consumer Technology Association Innovation Awards: a “4D Food Printing System for Future Food.” The Care-pet bed for dogs and cats monitors their breathing, heart rate, and rest, via Bluetooth you can share with your vet. And with the 2024 election looming, there’s a blockchain-based voting system.

Bosch is addressing a sad news story we keep seeing on all these big-screen TVs: Its “Gun Detection System” uses Artificial Intelligence to merge video and audio to defend-against school shootings. Designed to reduce reaction time and quickly mobilize emergency response plans, this system helps secure approach and entry points, by detecting guns and sound signatures of gunshots, even estimating gunshot direction to help make learning environments safer.”

In addition to daily TALKERS columns this week, I’m offering daily 60-second radio reports. Help yourself to today’s here: http://getonthenet.com/CES2024-Tuesday.mp3. It can air until Friday. And I’ll be posting updates you can download at HollandCooke.com.

Holland Cooke (HollandCooke.com) is a consultant working at the intersection of broadcasting and the Internet. He is the author of “Close Like Crazy: Local Direct Leads, Pitches & Specs That Earned the Benjamins” and “Confidential: Negotiation Checklist for Weekend Talk Radio.” Follow HC on Twitter @HollandCooke

ByTALKERS | January 8, 2024 by TALKERS

By Steve Lapa
Lapcom Communications Corp
President

This column should really be called, “How I got transferred from Buffalo to Tampa.” The storyline will help explain the title and offer you a proven technique that should help you sell and earn more.

Before Zoom, Teams and other video conference platforms that drive today’s daily to-dos, sales teams worked hard to fill the day with “in-person” sales calls. Back then, most managers forgot, or did not account for how weather impacted the number, geography and quality of those money making in-person sales calls, until blizzards, hurricanes and mother nature took her toll on productivity. Those of you who work or have worked in northern markets like Buffalo know all too well what 8 to 12 inches of snow can do to a daily plan. The same holds true for southern markets that experience hurricanes that have devastated communities going back to the hurricanes that nearly destroyed Miami and New Orleans. Now it seems wildfires are becoming a more regular threat in western markets. Having experienced most of the worst, like it or not, weather is an unpredictable yet critical variable in your sales plan.

One of the most destructive blizzards in history hit Buffalo during my first year as a young general manager. Retail contract cancellations, stranded employees, and off-the-air due to frozen antennas were draining revenues. It was December and the calendar was winning. After the ice melted and the snowplows cleared the way, we packaged everything we could before year-end to try and salvage the pacing that was leading to a bonus. The calendar won, annual bonus gone, but the learning curve kicked in.

B.G. (before Google) any research had to be accomplished old school: calls, friends, articles, and experts. We determined the average number of weather impact days, just like the guys in the theme park business. We developed a “real world” budget that accounted for weather days, the accompanying limited staffing, and a set aside percentage of revenues for cancellations.

When we began the year, the “real world” budget was put in place. By November of that year, the radio station had achieved its revenue goal for the full calendar year. The day before Thanksgiving I was summoned to the corporate office and was handed a file with a one-way ticket to Tampa, Florida. Goodbye blizzards, hello hurricanes. As a young manager, the sun was much more inviting than the snow, and I am still in Florida.

The discipline of a sales or planning calendar accompanied by “what if” is a must have.

Oh yes, make sure that pencil has an eraser.

Steve Lapa is the president of Lapcom Communications Corp. based in Palm Beach Gardens, FL. Lapcom is a media sales, marketing, and development consultancy. Contact Steve Lapa via email at:Steve@Lapcomventures.com.

ByTALKERS | December 6, 2023 by TALKERS

Audacy announces two promotions within its senior leadership team. Rachel Williamson is promoted to president of local sales strategy and innovation, and Kevin Cassidy moves from his role overseeing the company’s New Orleans market to take over for Williamson as SVP and market manager for the Chicago market. Williamson reports to Brian Benedik, chief revenue officer, and Cassidy reports to Brian Purdy, regional president. Benedik says, “We are thrilled to move Rachel into this new, important assignment. Her leadership experience and expertise with linear and digital audio and video will be a tremendous asset to growing our local business across Audacy.” Purdy comments, “With an impressive multiyear track record of success overseeing our New Orleans cluster, Kevin knows how to grow brands and deliver performance. We are confident that Chicago will continue to thrive under Kevin’s guidance.”

ByTALKERS | November 20, 2023November 20, 2023 by TALKERS

By Holland Cooke
Consultant

In a recent column, I outlined win-win radio/TV station alliance tactics. This week, as stations are finalizing 2024 budgets, a tip for advertising your station on TV.

Dominate in January. Why:

— It’s a buyer’s market then, and your message won’t compete with other stations’ promotion. Slaves to conventional wisdom, they will be running DURING the Spring book, because they forgot that radio listening is habit, which will be set long before diaries and PPM will collect data. Smart stations derive a benefit message and set that habit BEFORE the book.

— If you can trade for over-the-air stations, the price is right. In January they’re lean too. Can you trade – or afford to pay cash for – cable? Two reasons cable might be a better deal:

1. You can target your signal pattern better than over-the-air channels, whose coverage footprint is bigger than yours; and

2. You can buy channels with programming similar to yours. FOX News Radio affiliate? Buy FOX News Channel (and Newsmax).

Holland Cooke (HollandCooke.com) is a consultant working at the intersection of broadcasting and the Internet. He is the author of “Close Like Crazy: Local Direct Leads, Pitches & Specs That Earned the Benjamins” and “Confidential: Negotiation Checklist for Weekend Talk Radio.” Follow HC on Twitter @HollandCooke

ByTALKERS | November 13, 2023 by TALKERS

By Steve Lapa
Lapcom Communications Corp
President

Survey says nearly half of all Americans over 13, nearly 135 million, listen to spoken word formats. The growth curve boasts an eye opening 52% jump in time spent listening at home.

Please keep in mind we are listening in 2023 via different platforms including AM/FM radio, smartphones, computer streaming, smart speakers, and smart TV. Podcasting is a major driver of this growth curve, almost tripling its share of total audio consumption. And the closer is traditional AM/FM radio is still the morning drive, in-car winner controlling 62% of listening, despite the auto industry’s attempt to shun the king of spoken word distribution – AM radio.

Audio marketers, please pound the drum a little louder when you pitch this growth story. I still haven’t seen this new validation pushed aggressively on X (formerly Twitter) among the Taylor Swift running to hug Travis Kelsey posts, have you? Anything on Instagram? Facebook? YouTube? Rumble? Are we reframing a modern version of that 1600s philosophical “if a tree falls in the forest…?”

All sellers need to take a minute to digest, discuss and integrate the findings in the Edison/NPR Spoken Word Audio report and start the drumbeat of growth, impact, engagement and influence. How else will we pushback on the taken-for-granted, same old-same old, spoken word presentation. Freshen up that media kit! Growth is an important sales point to make in any presentation and audio sellers need to keep pointing to that growth curve as competitors lean in on their own story lines.

Let’s get down to how best to answer W.I.F.A (what’s in it for advertisers) on your next presentation.

1) New. One of the most powerful words in sales and marketing. New information can drive new decisions. Let the numbers help make your point as you shape your presentation.

2) The Trend is Your Friend. Every business owner, entrepreneur, investor and CEO always want to be informed and in front of growth trends. You now have the opportunity in front of you.

3) Keep it Simple. Keep your information simple and easy to understand. Many influential newsletters use the simple technique of a bold number followed by a fast fact story line. If it works for the big boys, the technique should work for you.

4) Managers. Bring good news to your sales and marketing teams. Sellers, bring good news to your advertisers. The survey says we are growing, and positive growth is an important part of any business.

Steve Lapa is the president of Lapcom Communications Corp. based in Palm Beach Gardens, FL. Lapcom is a media sales, marketing, and development consultancy. Contact Steve Lapa via email at:Steve@Lapcomventures.com.

ByTALKERS | November 8, 2023 by TALKERS

Audacy announces a new, quarterly town hall program called “Audacy Conversations” involving 12 of its all-news formatted stations. The company says, “The quarterly program will feature a robust week of coordinated local coverage in Audacy’s news markets, a live town hall broadcast rotationally hosted by one of its brands and a syndicated news special heard across participating news and news/talk brands and nationwide via the Audacy app.” Audacy VP of news Bill Smee comments, “‘Audacy Conversations’ aims to foster meaningful conversations on vital topics, exemplifying the core of Audacy’s news platform and radio’s unwavering commitment to informing and connecting the local communities we serve. We look forward to leveraging the power and influence of our combined news brands to cultivate conversations and connections on topics relevant to our local communities throughout the year.” The next “Audacy Conversations” explores the state of downtown. It says, “Over three years later, America’s cities are still grappling with challenges and unexpected fallout caused by the COVID-19 pandemic. WBBM Newsradio (WBBM-AM/WCFS-FM) in Chicago will host a live town hall on November 9 to explore those impacts in-depth and what’s at stake for businesses and community members as cities look to revitalize their downtowns.” The program will air on WBBM Newsradio, KRLD NewsRadio 1080 (KRLD-AM) in Dallas, WWJ News Radio 950 (WWJ-AM) in Detroit, KNX News 97.1 FM (KNX-FM) in Los Angeles, WCBS 880 (WCBS-AM) in New York, KYW Newsradio (103.9 FM/1060 AM) in Philadelphia and KCBS All News (106.9 FM/740 AM) in San Francisco on November 16 at 7:00 pm local time. It will also air on WBEN-AM, Buffalo; WCCO-AM, Minneapolis; WWL-AM/FM, New Orleans; KDKA-AM, Pittsburgh; and KMOX-AM, St. Louis. Throughout the week of November 13 to 17, the all-news stations will air special content catered to the town hall topics, including interviews, news stories and feature reporting.

ByTALKERS | November 8, 2023 by TALKERS

By Bill Bartholomew
Talk Host/Podcaster/Journalist/Musician

Folks in the Gen Z and millennial demographics are heavily engaged in political issues, care about news in their communities and the world, and are constantly bombarded with content. So why are they less likely to tune into and interact with news/talk radio than older demographics?

Talk radio has historically skewed older, and from an ad portfolio standpoint, is often targeted at the coveted 35-54 and 55+ demographics. However, in a world where social media influencers and podcasters supply information to millions of young consumers, news/talk radio should be able to effectively compete for the ears of younger generations in a comparable, if not expanded way.

For all of the anecdotal and hard evidence that terrestrial radio may be trending in a downward direction, the format continues to have a vast reach. It is convenient to engage with it in automobiles, and occasionally in home or office settings. Yet, while younger generations listen to radio, news/talk is not the format that they turn to by and large.

Unlike many digital-first content producers, radio retains a unique quality: authority. By virtue of editorial standards, FCC regulation and brand – things that social media and podcasts often lack – radio has the unique ability to deliver credible, vetted, nuanced and universally trustworthy content that can instantaneously adapt to meet the needs of the moment. This is true in everything from natural disasters to rapidly evolving breaking news stories, providing a channel for immediate, reactionary insight and analysis.

There are several steps that news/talk radio should pursue in earnest to adapt to the current climate of content consumption, particularly by younger listeners, that can reach, and most importantly, retain broader, younger, more diverse and more engaged audiences.

1. Introduce younger people into the conversation.

Too often, Gen Z and millennials are skewered by older hosts, mocked for their perceived naivety, unchecked optimism and me-first approach. While some of these qualities can be accurate, that approach reflects a disconnect between older generations and the experience of younger ones. Millennials and Gen Z have grown up in a post-9/11 world replete with “endless wars”, the fallout from the 2008 financial crisis, runaway student debt, a massive housing crisis, the mental health stressors of social media, Covid19’s impact on traditional youth experiences, climate change, a deeply bifurcated political environment and a constantly evolving quest for social justice. Through these experiences, younger generations offer an important perspective that should be assigned the same news value as experts from older generations.

Are you discussing shifts towards electric vehicles? Bring on someone from Gen Z to share their perspective on why steps towards carbon neutrality are important to them. Engaging a conversation on the president’s approval rating? Perhaps younger conservative and leftist voices should be included in the conversation. Discussing immigration? How about the perspective of a younger member of a Latino organization?

By giving younger generations and more diverse guests a platform, stations can simultaneously expand their content and reach. With consistency, the station’s brand will become more familiar to younger potential listeners who may be inclined to tune in to hear someone who shares their identity and perspective on – here’s that word again – a platform of authority. Let the guest do the work of establishing the credibility and importance of your station or talk show to younger audiences by posting about their appearance on social media, sharing audio clips and mentioning to their peers. It will build familiarity and trust among those generations, who in turn, will begin to tune in on a more regular basis.

Stations should also consider bringing more younger, competent voices into on-air roles, whether that be through reporting, segments, fill-in hosts, weekend shows or full-time hosts.

2. Meet the audience where they are: their phones.

As mentioned above, the convenience of simply turning on AM/FM radio is highly appealing in automobiles, though as Apple Carplay continues to adapt and evolve, digital-first content is likely to become as simple and convenient in the near future.

Talk radio needs to make consuming their product on smartphones as simple and direct as turning on a traditional radio. This means no clunky websites, no lengthy pre-roll spots, a reliable stream connection and a “one touch” means of turning on and off the station. This should also mean expanding talk shows to high-quality video livestreams, following in the footsteps of the top YouTube and Twitch performers; developing unique content for TikTok and Instagram; building podcasts that are focused on specific issues, and; providing interaction via text and chat.

Radio has the ability to be the ultimate livestreamer, social media influencer and podcaster, but rarely harnesses these platforms in a meaningful way.

It is not enough to simply strive to “expand a digital presence”; stations and shows must engage in the hard work of building platform-specific content with their brands.

3. Music, cultural references and themes for the modern age.

A few weeks ago on a seemingly benign episode of the TV show FOX NFL Sunday, panelists Jimmy Johnson and Terry Bradshaw offered an example of the type of cultural adaptation that sophisticated writers and producers provide their brands. While describing a fight between two football players, Mr. Johnson said something to the effect of “when it comes to these two, what’s that Taylor Swift song?”, and then in synch with Mr. Bradshaw, “bad blood!”. It is highly unlikely that these two 70+ men listen to Taylor Swift’s music with any regularity or would simultaneously pull the “Bad Blood” reference. Yet, with excellent preparation that played into the greater cultural moment as well as the specific, current Taylor Swift/NFL overlap, in a six-second span, FOX NFL Sunday was able to give the illusion that their panelists are contemporary, hip and plugged into “what is going on”. Is your station or show plugged into what’s going on? Do you use contemporary music for bumps? Are your images – including headshots and social content – modern, interesting and engaging or are they more akin to a miscellaneous real estate agent? You are a performer in an entertainment business that, while certainly paying homage to the past and lineage of the industry, must be contemporary in aural and visual presentation. This goes for everything from wardrobe on video and in photo to fonts on graphic design.

How often do you or your producer read Pitchfork to learn about new music that is breaking this week? How often do you or your producer read Variety to understand major trends that are happening in the broader entertainment industry? What live events are you broadcasting from, covering and building partnerships with? You should strive to be cutting edge.

4. We need a friend now more than ever.

This is something that goes for all audiences, but particularly for younger ones. It’s OK, in fact, great to be yourself, present yourself from your generation and retain the authoritative stance that has built your brand. Take a look at the success that sports talker Mike Francesa enjoyed by leaning into his persona – and in turn – developing legions of younger listeners that fell in love with his dad-like delivery and frequent meltdowns.

Few things are as uncomfortable to see as a 40+ person dressing or acting like a teenager. Younger listeners want that senior, experienced, trusted friend to entertain them, inform them, and at times, tell them that everything is going to be OK. You can help make sense of the world for younger audiences, something that is absolutely essential in the modern era.

Through attracting younger listeners by including them in the conversation, effectively delivering content on smartphones, presenting a cutting-edge entertainment product and continuing to serve as a trusted friend, news/talk radio can greatly expand its reach, relevance and revenue.

To that point, some younger listeners who discover a radio station or show via any of the above entry points will likely work backwards to the traditional AM/FM dial. Like the resurgence of vinyl records, AM radio in particular has the opportunity to become a hip delivery format for discerning younger listeners.

The big question is: are radio companies, stations and hosts prepared to do the hard work of reimaging their product?

Bill Bartholomew is a talk radio and podcast host/producer, journalist and musician based in Providence, Rhode Island. Email him at: william.f.bartholomew@gmail.com.