I once hired and coached a morning host in a Top 3 market who enjoyed tremendous success for years. Twelve years later, he was still doing the same bits, delivering the same energy, and making the same cultural references. The audience had changed. He hadn’t. He lost his job and never regained success again. One […]
Disney has a performance policy that most guests have never heard of, but every Imagineer understands. It’s called Low Ride Out. When a ride consistently ranks at the bottom of attendance rankings, Disney doesn’t launch a marketing campaign to save it. And it certainly doesn’t keep it around because of nostalgia. They replace it. That’s one […]
“We have met the enemy, and he is us.” Walt Kelly’s famous Pogo line perfectly captures how radio executives and owners engineered their own crisis. It applies just as well to other legacy media companies, like Paramount and The Washington Post. Many executives point to external factors, especially all the tech platforms, as the source […]
My long-time collaborator and friend, the legendary Dave Ryan, shares his wisdom after recently retiring from dominating morning radio in Minneapolis-St. Paul for three decades. Dave is not only a highly creative personality, but he’s also a sharp businessman. There are only a handful of morning show truths, and we are honored to share them […]
When I was a baby DJ in Phoenix, as Scott Shannon likes to call them, I learned how not to coach talent. I was hosting middays at KUPD and had just delivered what I thought was a pretty good intro over a song ramp. I turned off the mic, feeling confident. Suddenly, the program director burst into […]
How long is best to give a new show before management pulls the plug? Traditionally, the answer was at least 18 months. In 2026, many companies don’t have that kind of patience, but that could be a big mistake. Why 18 Months? This standard originated in the diary era, and it still applies today because […]
Evaluating a radio show well is both an art and a science. Whether you’re a programmer assessing your station’s talent or a host critiquing your own show, having a reliable process makes all the difference. Knowing how to listen and what to listen for is the foundation of a thorough review. Here’s the process we use at RLC. THE […]
Almost 30 years ago, I started journaling after reading Julie Cameron’s The Artist’s Way. One of her key recommendations was “The Morning Pages,” a daily journaling exercise designed to unlock creativity and improve well-being. Like many habits, I did it consistently for a while, even several weeks. Then life would get busy. I’d miss a day, […]
What will radio morning shows sound like ten years from now? Will War of the Roses and Florida Man still be staples? And is the talent even live, or human? Those are the questions Barrett Media‘s Keith Cunningham recently put to me in our interview. My first instinct was, “Honestly, my guess is as good as anyone’s.” But after […]
Jeff Bezos is the latest high-profile believer in The 5 AM Club: Own Your Morning, Elevate Your Life. Other early-risers include Tim Cook, Michelle Obama, Richard Branson, Oprah Winfrey, and many more. The core philosophy of the book and podcast is to use the early, undisturbed hours to cultivate personal growth, leading to long-term success and elite […]
