NOTE TO RADIO GM's
My thoughts on Current Rock Radio Mornings from My twitter Ramble this morning....
I'm up early listening to mobile feeds of the employed morning radio jocks on rock radio, so now I know why radio is in the shitter.
Radio is the only business where intentionally there are some truly talented individuals that are not allowed to work at entertaining listeners because they dont play the asskiss game. Meanwhile asskissers have risen to the top all at the cost of truly entertaining radio.
When it comes to Rock radio, Listeners are leaving in droves because there is no one talented enough to make them want to put down the ipod and listen every morning and that lack of the dedicated fan who listens for more than an hour at a time is hurting radio.
But Thank God there are morning guys that attend station functions, play golf with the boss, agree with sales people and still find time to help ruin the industry.
The problem however is not with the morning Radio guys. You are who you are. You are either talented or not. The problem is not the guys looking for the jobs but the people that hire them.
General managers are hiring people based on how the morning person will affect their job as management. What Radio needs is more GREAT GENERAL MANAGERS.
GM's with Balls big enuff to make Tough decisions for the sake of their listeners and bring in morning shows that not only make people want to listen, but demand that casual listeners become fanatics of their shows. Radio needs GMs who are not afraid to work. GMs STOP picking the easy to handle asskisser or syndicated show that wont make waves in your building. Start picking the personalities that will demand your listeners attention, and grow your casual listener into your die hard listener that will shop where you tell them to shop. Yes these people will require you to manage them. Yes you wil have to hold their hand and tell them they are good enough or slap their hand and tell them they did wrong. Yes other staff members might not like the way they dont show up to station going away parties or pot luck lunches. They might have crazy listeners show up in the building willing to do something to win a prize. They might even have an occasional woman of questionable morality on the air that could offend the girl in accounting....
Yes they might ruffle feathers, its what creative talented people do. But your title is GENERAL MANAGER. Don't be afraid to manage people. Make the decision to be a Great GM who sets the standard and breaks records because while having to deal with insecure talented people that might stir up a little trouble now and then and force you to take an extra 15 minutes out of your day. Dont just be an average GM meeting your cashflow requirements and having a big happy family under your business roof. Sbhow the people around you that you are willing to make a decision that will add some extra work on your plate. Show those around you that you are willing to make a sacrifice in order to better your company.
You cannot expect your employees to either make or understand hard decisions and take chances unless you are doing the same!!
I'm up early listening to mobile feeds of the employed morning radio jocks on rock radio, so now I know why radio is in the shitter.
Radio is the only business where intentionally there are some truly talented individuals that are not allowed to work at entertaining listeners because they dont play the asskiss game. Meanwhile asskissers have risen to the top all at the cost of truly entertaining radio.
When it comes to Rock radio, Listeners are leaving in droves because there is no one talented enough to make them want to put down the ipod and listen every morning and that lack of the dedicated fan who listens for more than an hour at a time is hurting radio.
But Thank God there are morning guys that attend station functions, play golf with the boss, agree with sales people and still find time to help ruin the industry.
The problem however is not with the morning Radio guys. You are who you are. You are either talented or not. The problem is not the guys looking for the jobs but the people that hire them.
General managers are hiring people based on how the morning person will affect their job as management. What Radio needs is more GREAT GENERAL MANAGERS.
GM's with Balls big enuff to make Tough decisions for the sake of their listeners and bring in morning shows that not only make people want to listen, but demand that casual listeners become fanatics of their shows. Radio needs GMs who are not afraid to work. GMs STOP picking the easy to handle asskisser or syndicated show that wont make waves in your building. Start picking the personalities that will demand your listeners attention, and grow your casual listener into your die hard listener that will shop where you tell them to shop. Yes these people will require you to manage them. Yes you wil have to hold their hand and tell them they are good enough or slap their hand and tell them they did wrong. Yes other staff members might not like the way they dont show up to station going away parties or pot luck lunches. They might have crazy listeners show up in the building willing to do something to win a prize. They might even have an occasional woman of questionable morality on the air that could offend the girl in accounting....
Yes they might ruffle feathers, its what creative talented people do. But your title is GENERAL MANAGER. Don't be afraid to manage people. Make the decision to be a Great GM who sets the standard and breaks records because while having to deal with insecure talented people that might stir up a little trouble now and then and force you to take an extra 15 minutes out of your day. Dont just be an average GM meeting your cashflow requirements and having a big happy family under your business roof. Sbhow the people around you that you are willing to make a decision that will add some extra work on your plate. Show those around you that you are willing to make a sacrifice in order to better your company.
You cannot expect your employees to either make or understand hard decisions and take chances unless you are doing the same!!
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