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When I became a manager in broadcasting, I noticed something surprising in my first contract negotiations with talent. I would offer a contract to a man and they would ask for more –pay, vacation, bonus, perks — almost every time. When I offered the same deal to a woman, many would sign immediately, no questions […]

Films, TV shows, sports teams, podcasts, and radio shows are built around well-branded personalities and performers. The same is true with authors. When airport passengers pick up a book for their flight, they’re likely to grab one from familiar and brand authors like Stephen King or Colleen Hoover or a branded and likable personality like Mathew Perry. Generic DJs [...]

There I sat in a squeaky studio chair behind the board at WMTY 1090 in my college town of Greenwood, South Carolina. Twenty years old, responsible for signing on the little 1000-watt AM transmitter. Every day, I would lean into the Sennheiser mic and try with all my might to emulate my morning radio heroes. […]

Your show can have a stronger emotional impact using practices from motion pictures, theatre, stand-up comedy, and improvisation. After all, radio when done well is part of the entertainment business. Director Alfred Hitchcock was known for planning. Famous for suspenseful movies like The Birds and Psycho, Hitchcock storyboarded each shot in detail before shooting and even planned the [...]

What could you learn by studying your direct competitor? Consider taking a day off the air and listening intently to your main competitor with your program director, producer, and others whose opinions you value. Where are they strong, where are they weak? How could you do something compelling that they are not doing? COMPETITIVE REVIEW […]

Your audience is in a damn big hurry. Consider these media headlines and think about what they mean for your radio show or podcast. Shorter hit songs. The average pop song length is now 3:15. In 1975, Queen’s Bohemian Rhapsody was six minutes. 60-Second clips. Executives I work with at Instagram tell me that while video posts can be […]

Vulnerability and leadership expert Brene Brown defines leadership as, “Any person who holds themselves accountable for finding the potential in people and processes and who has the courage to develop that potential.” Leadership has evolved dramatically since the 20th century. The Harvard Business Review book and course on leadership recommends authentic leadership as the most effective type [...]

Audiences are captivated by episodic content like the dramatic series Yellowstone, the melodramatic series Virgin River, and successful podcasts like True Crime All the Time. Each episode reveals resolutions to mysteries from the previous episode and raises more questions for the next installment. In radio, serial content is a proven technique to increase time spent listening, and more [...]

“94.1 WXXX, the ’90s to now with Jack and Jill in the morning. It’s sunny and 63 at 7:25.” You’ve heard a verbatim script like this hundreds of times. In addition to sounding non-conversational and inauthentic, air talents are triggered to go on autopilot with this outdated convention. Arbitron started rating radio stations with their diary methodology in 1964. […]

When the show debuted in 1999, I was fortunate to be coaching 2 Guys Named Chris at Rock 92 Greensboro, NC. It’s gratifying to see this morning show remain dominant not only in Greensboro but in numerous markets around the country.  Chris Kelly is a funny guy and a captivating storyteller with a passion for […]