Programming Advice From a Billionaire

What if broadcasters treated programming like an investment instead of an expense?

Billionaire and financial guru Warren Buffett would say that an investment is money spent to make money and that an expense is money lost. Some investment firms involved with radio today seem confused about that difference.

I discovered some Warren Buffett wisdom on the blog of Chris Hladczuk of Goldman Sachs, who was so interested in Buffett that he read 50 years of Berkshire Hathaway investor letters and pulled a list of memorable quotes.

Let’s try reading a few Buffett quotes as programming philosophy and consider what would happen if we acted on it as content investment advice.

• “If we did more business operating, less would be accomplished. Instead, get out of the way.” Hire only the best superstars and eliminate top-down managers who are more interested in commanding than collaborating.  
• “Good jockeys will do well on good horses, but not on broken-down nags.” A bad strategy cannot be saved by great talent or excellent programmers. Do market research, plan your station with precision, and execute with passion.
• “It has struck me that all men’s misfortunes spring from the single cause that they are unable to stay quietly in one room.” Sometimes leaving things alone is better than making knee-jerk format flips or staff changes made for change’s sake.
• “A horse that can count to ten is a remarkable horse – not a remarkable mathematician.” There are atrocious broadcasters that seem remarkable compared to other bad AM/FM players nearby. To be certain of where you really stand, compare your content today against remarkable modern-day competitors like Spotify, Sirius XM, and podcasts.
• “If you sit down with an orangutan and carefully explain to it one of your cherished ideas, you may leave behind a puzzled primate, but will exit thinking more clearly yourself.” Teaching cutting-edge proven strategies to your team helps you learn them yourself. Talent development keeps both coaches and players current and sharp.
  
  Photo by Mackenzie Marco on Unsplash