Monthly Archives: December 2019

Geo’s Media Blog (It’s The Song Man!) New 12/23/19

Posted on by
8
Download PDF
Sitting here watching Jake Hoot win The Voice, (he gets a hundred grand and a recording contract with Universal for doing so) I suddenly realized that for whatever reason, I couldn’t even remember the name of last season’s winner.
Have you ever wondered why you seldom see any of the incredible performers from America’s Got Talent, American Idol, and The Voice ever again? The answer is simple; it’s the song, man! Just ask Burton Cummings and Randy Bachman of the Guess Who, “These Eyes” and “American Woman” were hits again when done by other artists which proved that they were great songs.
When the artists on all these amateur shows were singing their hearts out, they sounded and looked like true superstars. However, for most of them, that was as big as they would ever become. 
The reason we thought that destined for stardom was because they were singing some of the world’s greatest songs. Unfortunately, as they start their careers, they need to find some hit songs, which is almost impossible because the current group of superstars has already gobbled them up. What’s left may be pretty good, but we the fans only like the great ones.
The only two acts I know who could get away with recording so so songs were Elvis (Do The Clam) and The Beatles. (Yellow Submarine) Even Frank couldn’t pull that off.
 
GEO’S LIFE-LINES

Speaking of Jake Hoot, I wonder what his ex who left him, thinks now?

When in doubt, pause. 
 
The only way to break a bad habit is to cold Turkey it.
 
You can’t escape the past or your future. 
 
Success is a terrible teacher. 
 
Even bad radio formats do well, if well executed. 
 
The 2020 Corvette is so beautiful that it obsoletes all that came before. 
 
According to Tim Moore, leadership is lonely. 
 
If your troubles were funny, you’d be laughing all the way to the bank. 
 
Justine Trudeau is definitely his mother’s son. 
 
If we’re destined to all look the same, why did we start out looking so different? 
 
If you don’t know what it is you want, you’ll have a tough time recognizing it when it shows up. 
 
The only thing the world’s leaders agree upon is that they should live like Kings.
 
The only reason most people would go to w website is for greed, sex, or photos of them or their family. 
 
The thrill of victory fades fast. 
 
I would think that what’s in the best interests of radio listeners is what the FCC should be working on, not what the radio corporations want. 
 
Holding your tongue in a moment of anger will give you years of relief. 
 
In England and perhaps elsewhere, when things are going well, the folks want a socialist to lead them. However, when things start going south, they want a dictator.
 
It takes a hell of a lot of little things to make something big that’s worthwhile. 
 
The more freedom you have, the more freedom the psychos and bad guys also have.
 
Not knowing how it could fail is a sure sign that it probably will. 
 
You learn nothing while talking. 
 
I wonder how 4.5% of the population (LGBT) managed to get so much attention? 
 
The thought that went into a gift is usually much better than the gift itself. 
 
Sometimes you’ve got to stop preparing for a rainy day and start singing in the sunshine. 
 
America is now so cautious about being called racist that Black people no longer even come up in conversation. 
 
Whiskey never goes bad; it just makes you bad. 
 
Hockey is fast becoming another sport that only the rich can play. 
 
Nothing is mass appeal anymore. 
 
Other than big business and the government, do you know anybody else who supports drilling for oil in delicate places? 
 
The world will stop when we stop speaking out. 
 
One of the hardest things to do is to put aside the so-called emergencies so we can work on what matters. 
 

Seeing as you’re gonna think anyway, you might as well think big.

Not to worry, most of your missed opportunities will be gobbled up by somebody. 
 
Even though Asians are everywhere in America, you seldom see them on TV or in the movies? Maybe they need to whine more?
 
It’s fairly evident that women love showing off their cleavage, so I can’t understand why saying, “Hey, nice tits” is offensive? 
 
If “You are what you are,” is the answer, then, “What are you gonna do about it has to be the question.
 
I would think that most African Americans are better off than most Africans?
 
Good scripts can save bad actors, but good actors can’t save a bad script. 
 
You’re bound to lose at something, so you might as well figure out how to do it with style. 
 

Any progress is good progress. 

How come in Canada, Quebec only has twice the population of Alberta but has three times as many representatives in Parliament? 

On the 1st day of Christmas, I begin the countdown of my most read Blogs in 2019 with #12.

Geo’s Media Blog is an inside look at Radio, Music, Movies, and Life. For a sneak peek at some upcoming Blogs or to see some that you may have missed, go to Geo’s Media Blog @ GeorgeJohns.com. On Twitter @GeoOfTheRadio. Sharing and commenting is appreciated.

Geo’s Media Blog (Hidden Mentor) New 1/06/20

Posted on by
5
Download PDF

Shown above are some radio legends from Canada, L-R, Gary Russell, J.Robert Wood, George Johns, and Chuck McCoy. (Chuck contributes to this week’s blog below)
These four radio guys only had three things in common but those three things happened to be very special. They’re all from Winnipeg, they all worked at CKY, and they were all heavily influenced by Jim (Darin) Hilliard, shown below.

Chuck McCoy: At a recent gathering where I was doing my usual rambling on radio, a guy asked me who my mentors and/or motivators were. Who were the people that truly motivated my passion for the business? I thought of several; Jim McLaughlin, Tony Viner, Gary Miles, J.Robert Wood and of course the guy that gave me my name and the first piece of DJ advice after I was hired at CKY, “Hey Chuck you got to get a rag-top!” The first piece of advice I ever got. Thanks, George!

But you know as I thought about it, my real desire, passion, and excitement for radio occurred before I was ever even working in radio.  In the years ’62-’64 I became obsessed with radio, great radio at 580 on the dial. I listened all the time, just lovin’ what was coming out of my transistor. The pure magic, the production, the music, and the creativity I heard on CKY during those years steeled my desire to be on the radio and more important to be on CKY.  Listening to the likes of Dennis Corrie, Gary Todd, Jimmy Darin(JD Inc.) and one of my very favorites Chuck Dann was almost orgasmic. If I ever got on the radio, I just had to be a “Chuck.” Then, of course, you added the McCoy. Daryl was genius as a technical jock with such a tough Mother Fucker attitude. I studied Daryl daily driving out to Champs just to watch him work. 58 CKY, your Summer Spot was all I lived for at that time in my life (16-18 years old)

I did BS my way on to CKY about the same week in 1965 that Jim Hilliard was leaving.  I only met him once at the station itself. I think he said, “Hi, how are you doin’?” Hey, it made my day.
Hell George, I went on from CKY to CHLO and a good on-air career when I jocked at 1050 CHUM the epitome of TOP 40 in Canada, Made CFUN #1 in my first PD job, back to Moffat and National PD in Winnipeg again and then finally ending my career as Executive VP and General Manager in Toronto at Rogers and Canada’s biggest radio cluster.
But the other day when that guy asked me for my biggest influence, it was clearly that great AM 50,000 Watt station we were both so lucky to work at.

In thinking about it all I realized how big a part Jim Hilliard played in my success. Other than that one time at CKY and at your birthday party (70, I think), I never spoke more than 15 words to the man. And that’s a shame. Someone who really made such a difference in my life and I have never even said as much as “Thank-You.” He wouldn’t know who I am but I know you are in touch with him regularly, and before too much time goes by I’d like to say “Thank-You.” And maybe you could help in that regard.
Do you think you could do me a favor and pass this note along to him? I’d like him to know how much he did for a crazy kid in Winnipeg that lead to what I consider a very rewarding and meaningful career.
Thanks, George,
Chuck.

Geo: I’ve already sent your note onto Hilliard, Chuck, and in a couple of days I’ll probably get a call from him saying, “Johns, who the hell is this guy?” You can count on me to fill him in on your greatness. 🙂
I know just what you’re feeling, Chuck, a lot of us were very lucky that Jim had touched our lives those many years ago. He has no idea though how many guys he influenced while he was at CKY, nor how many of them went on to run Canadian radio.
Glad you wrote what you did Chuck because as I’ve always said, “Nobody does it alone, everybody owes somebody for something.”

 
GEO’S LIFE-LINES
Doing the right thing is never easy. 
 
Even though Mr. Businessman doesn’t create or invent much, he sure pays himself well. 
 
Who’s in more danger, a white guy in a black neighborhood, or a black dude in a white one? 
 
Seeing as everyone in prison is innocent, I can’t believe I’m not incarcerated. I’m the most innocent of all. 🙂 
 
The heart wants what it wants, the brain is not involved nor consulted. 
 
We are all blind to the things we don’t want to see. 
 
Only politicians could screw up a country like Venezuela. They have more oil and mineral reserves than any other country on the planet. 
 
No matter how poor a country is, its leaders always live well. 
 
Trying to change the world while having a good time is extremely difficult. 
 
Texts are personal, that’s why you get more response from them than anything else? 
 
I wish someone would calculate how much a politician makes an hour when they’re working. I think this would bring clarity to the minimum wage. 
 
You don’t need much motivation to be able to sit down, but getting up is a whole other thing.
 
Great morning shows talk about their city and the folks who live there, about them. 
 
Sometimes it takes seeing a photo of Cynthia and then Yoko, to realize that it’s not always about beauty. 
 
It’s not how hard you work, it’s how much you produce. 
 
The only people more untrustworthy then men may be women. Just ask the mother of a 14-year-old son. 
 
It’s nobody’s turn, you have to earn it to deserve it. 
 
You can’t beat a heritage radio station, it has to blow itself up. 
 
To learn, one first needs to understand. 
 
I wonder what the millennials are gonna do when they discover that no matter who’s in charge, there’s no free lunch? 
 

When what you think, say, and do, are the same thing, you pretty well can count on being happy.

Wow, the Pats and the Saints are both out not to mention the Bills and the Eagles.

Speaking of the Pats and Saints, the smart move may be to have both Brady and Brees hang it up. They don’t seem to be making many smart moves on the playing field anymore.  

Geo’s Media Blog is an inside look at Radio, Music, Movies, and Life. For a sneak peek at some upcoming Blogs or to see some that you may have missed, go to Geo’s Media Blog @ GeorgeJohns.com. On Twitter @GeoOfTheRadio. Sharing and commenting is appreciated.

 

Geo’s Media Blog (Baseball Blondes and Rock&Roll) New 12/16/19

Posted on by
Reply
Download PDF

In my mind’s eye, I can still see the day when I was about 12 or 13 and discovered the two things that would dominate me for the rest of my life.
I was at my friend Barry’s house practicing for the little league tryouts one warm spring day when Barry suggested that we head inside for some water. Once in there, I couldn’t help but notice the blonde goddess who was standing by the record player, swaying her hips to some strange sounding music.
The goddess turned out to be Barry’s seventeen-year-old sister who was playing a tune called “Crazy Man Crazy” over and over again. I found out later that the song was by Bill Haley and the Comets and was one of the first Rock & Roll records ever made and as I stood there watching her sway, I was completely mesmerized. I had no idea that women who looked like her, and that the music that she was playing, would rock my world forever.
Back then, radio didn’t play any Rock & Roll but when Patti Page recorded, “How Much Is That Doggy In The Window,” my friends and I were done. We were ready to rock even though we didn’t know what that was yet.
I recently found a rare copy of “Crazy Man Crazy,” and whenever I play it, I still see Barry’s sister’s hips swaying back and forth, back and forth, back and …
GEO’S LIFE-LINES

A torrid tale of a lusty night written by a man, is usually longer than the actual event and in fact, may take up a whole chapter. However, the woman’s version of the same event hardly takes a page.

Nielson seems to be in the business of measuring listeners who don’t buy anything.

Fear is the PD at most radio stations today.

Unfortunately, the instructions about out of the box thinking are written on the outside of the lid. 

The only difference between making 50,000 dollars a year or a month. is the knowledge it takes to do so.

Beating last year’s numbers means nothing; the world is in a whole new place now.

You eventually become who you are acting like right now.

The way you language things either makes or breaks your presentation.

The good news is, quiet Joe won the Heisman. The bad news is, he’ll have to live in Cincinnati.

Starting Christmas Day, Geo’s Media Blog begins counting down its twelve most-read Blogs from 2019.

COMMENTS
Gary Russell: (pictured with me above) Geo,
Thanks once again for the kind words my friend, but I doubt that I ever knew more about programming than you did. But even if I did for the briefest of moments, you were the guy who inspired me in how to be a leader, how to get everyone to perform beyond what they believed they were capable of.
Gar

Geo: I miss and love ya man!

Dennis John Bailey:  Geo, you recently wrote, “The only people who read USA Today are out of towners and Dee-Jays.”
Something I heard recently also struck me as very George Johnsesque.
How many radio stations put in a great deal of promotional time and effort supporting their market’s Ronald McDonald House – a wonderful resource used exclusively by people from out of town? (If Monica Had Only Kept Bill Busier)

John Trout: I was a Top 40 jock who once worked for Fairbanks at WNAP where I was motivated and inspired by the creative freedoms allowed and promotional concepts generated. However, my love for broadcasting and a little foresight, I realized that before long, corporate handcuffs would not allow the radio medium to grow from the entertainer’s standpoint, so I became a TV Meteorologist. Here, the creativity rests in the changes of daily weather patterns and the winds of change are not measured over the skies of wall street. (Women Are Not Welcome Here)

Paul Goldstein: Current broadcast owners will squeeze all the profits they can in the next 24 months or so & then exit w/lucrative packages leaving a collapsed FM/AM platform?  The lack of meaningful online content suggests that is exactly will happen.  Remind me of this quote from the CEO of Smith Corona in the early 90s:  “…We strongly believe in the continuing need for the typewriter….”  When asked what new products/services it planned to produce, Thompson said, “Nothing right now.” (The Beatles)

Bill Taylor: I have never experienced chronic depression but lived with someone who did. It’s hard to understand at first because it seems to the laymen (It doesn’t make sense.) It’s not till a person matures in age and is more understanding, do we realize that it is a sickness and a horrible one at that. I personally am so sorry that I never really understood depression. No one really talked about it but I knew Billy Wakeman and was shocked to hear how depressed he was how his life ended. I feel so sad about Kelly Richter, Barry Rodgers and a few others who took their lives because of depression. They should teach this subject in all schools and perhaps others’ lives will be saved and cured. Thanks, George for sharing this with me. (Depression Didn’t Get Rick Hallson, Cigarettes Did)

Jerry K: Jim Hilliard was a prince and an inspiration to me and many others. Although he climbed the ladder thru programming, he was a Hell of a fine salesman with a pretty keen knowledge of engineering.

Geo: He always bragged about having his “first” whatever the hell that means Jerry? (3 Halls Of Fame Baby)

Jed Duvall: George:  I feel very sorry for those young people who became child actors and then lost their way when the grew up when they weren’t as cute as they once were, and then find out that their managers and/or parents spent all of that “big” money while they were still working.  It must be challenging when the roar of the crowd stops, phone calls for roles never come, and the bank account is hovering near zero.
By the way, the fantastic thing about Bill Gardner (and Ron Chapman) was that they could almost always say something meaningful within 140-words!  That’s what practicing all of the joke punchlines does for a professional. (Lightning Bolts)

Jim Davis: Thinking about Shakespeare’s quote “The play’s the thing”, reminds me that recently I was listening to Herb Oscar Anderson record his weekly show in our Ocean FM studio where he does a weekly Saturday afternoon show.  Herb is 82 and still has that amazing voice, and the great ability to “spin a yarn”.  I always noticed that when he introduces a song, he does it in a very theatrical way with lots of “bravado”.  I said, “Herb, you always make it sound so exciting”. He said: “Jim, I was taught that when the record begins, it’s like the curtain is going up and the show begins”. Shakespeare and Herb must have gone to the same school. (Steve, I Just Said To Slow Down, Not Quit)

Doug Herman: “Speaking of wealthy there is a huge huge difference between being rich and being wealthy.” Chris Rock explained this phenomenon in one of his standup shows a couple of years ago: “Shaq is rich, the guy who writes his paychecks is wealthy.” I think that pretty well covers it. (For The Good Of The Country)

Michael Gillespie: You wrote, “Back in the day, you could tell if a radio station was successful or not by how powerful the Chief Engineer was. I wonder who it is now, probably the accountant.” OK, I was a Chief Engineer I’m not sure what you’re implying.” Confused? (Radio Wars)

Geo: The Chief at unsuccessful radio stations not only get to attend all the meetings, but they also got to vote on promotions and other programming stuff. Not so much at successful stations Michael. 

Jerry BoBo: Once upon a time, salespeople had to use both legs and a tank of gas to meet new advertising prospects. Today I’m guessing AE’s only use a chair, a screen, and a mouse. Back in the day, it was hard to get me out of your office, but now, clients can get rid of you with the mere click of their mouse. (And The Good Thing About Consolidation is?)

Doug Thompson: George, John Lennon, and George Harrison were never knighted.  Only Paul and Ringo are ‘sirs’ now.  Yesterday, I heard a DJ on the ’70s on 7 channel on Sirius/XM mention Ringo’s recent honour and say “John Lennon sent back his knighthood in 1969”. WRONG! John sent back his MBE medal in 1969.  He had no knighthood to send back. This jock lost all credibility for me in that instant and it would have taken 10 seconds to check it on google. (Let It, Snow)

Bill Gardner: As I changed jobs and cities for my old friend George Johns, I’d do this:  Drive into my new city and hit “scan” on my car radio. When it stopped on Gerry Rafferty’s “Baker Street,” that was probably the station I’d be working for……George’s station. 🙂 (Yes Men)

John Wells: Those days on lunch breaks at Portage and Main. A couple of young guys from 432 Main just watching the most beautiful Winnipeg women walk by on summer days. It was special! It remains difficult even today to find more purely attractive women anywhere than Winnipeg…..then and now!

Geo: John, the only thing that could compare, was watching the ladies of Dallas on their lunch break many years later. However, by then I was well trained by the Winnipeg lovelies so I better knew what to do with them. Miss our prowls man. (Last Dance)

Geo’s Media Blog is an inside look at Radio, Music, Movies, and Life. For a sneak peek at some upcoming Blogs or to see some that you may have missed, go to Geo’s Media Blog @ GeorgeJohns.com. On Twitter @GeoOfTheRadio. Sharing and commenting is appreciated.

Geo’s Media Blog (Ladies Of The Nite) A Repost

Posted on by
5
Download PDF
RAIJANNA+633_ppRecently I’ve been contacted by yet another pretty little songbird of the nite who needs my help.
Her name is Raijanna (pictured) and she is presently playing love songs on KZST in Santa Rosa but now wants to turn her game a way up. The reason that she wants my help is because she now wants to become the new Delilah for a whole new generation of women.

As you may remember though, I wrote in one of my blogs recently that I no longer accept a wink and a knowing smile from all the damsels in distress as payment for my services.
However, before I could even begin to say … Will that be cash or sex, Ma’am, the station jumped in and paid me. Damn!

GEO’S LIFE-LINES

I love beautiful Women but I have learned from painful experience that I can only handle one of them at a time and sometimes not even that.

Speaking of beautiful, a police officer by the name of Kari Pallotto once told me that the way the system works is you get a speeding ticket every 45th time you speed. The fact that someone in the next lane to you was actually driving faster has absolutely nothing to do your ticket, it just wasn’t his turn.

“When a Man Loves A Woman” two things happen, first he starts protecting her with his life then he tries to make her happy which of course is an impossible task so the whole affair may just be God’s way of giving himself a little chuckle.

Even though I am attracted to beautiful women of all ages, my favorites have to be the forty-year-olds because that’s when the mind and body come together. Whew!

There are four types of death. 1. You stop learning. 2. You stop making love. 3. The Child inside you dies 4. You stop breathing. 

Another one of the many things Women have over Men is they don’t waste a lot of time or money on sex. 

Have you ever noticed that most of the “Yes Men” only have the power to say no?

Has any great radio format ever got its start in a major market?

McDonald’s creates a new meal every once in a while just so they can get excited about saying McDonald’s again. I would suggest Radio do the same.

Hey, it looks like my buddy from Transcona, Ermanno Barone is going to build a huge film studio in Winnipeg hoping to attract the Hollywood crowd to my hometown.

Years ago when I asked Cami what had happened to my little girl, her reply was … She went to pictures Daddy!

Speaking of Cami I remember once when she asked me how come the parents who insist that the kids need to be closely supervised whenever they go to the mall never seem to have the time to participate in the supervision.

There are very few salespeople left in Radio because they mostly call on agencies. I think a degree in accounting would now better prepare them for their presentations.

My father was on his own and earning a living when he was only 14 and as smart as my kids are I couldn’t imagine me let alone them being able to do that at the age of 14.

When I was a kid I was afraid of my Father so when I became one I made sure my kids weren’t afraid of me but I may have even over succeeded somewhat.

When I was about 15 years of age and living some very cold winters in Transcona my “California Dreaming” began and I finally made it just in time for my 40th birthday party. Recently, my Daughter, Candis remarked … Dad, you dragged the whole Johns family to California and now you’re the only one not still here. What’s up with that? 

I think one of the big problems in life is you go from Da Da to Daddy on to Dad then to Dude and all the way back to my favorite which is “Daddy” but you do it in the blink of an eye!

When I was based at WIBC in Indianapolis we loved being sold out because the station sounded so much better because we used 3 codes for the commercials (A) Great Sounding (B) Good Sounding (C) OK. As we approached being sold out we started replacing the C’s with A’s and when we were completely sold out we replaced the B’s with A’s.

I think to make a station sound great you need to program it like a symphony. When the music soars you have to slowly bring it back down to the softer ballads then begin to take it back up once again to a crescendo. Now fitting the commercials into that without ruining your symphony takes some doing because the sales department prefers the spots be an island but unfortunately there are no islands in a symphony!

I’ve never liked Dee Jays but I love gifted characters and I’ve been lucky enough to be able to listen and work with a bunch of them over the years.

If you use fear as your motivator, know this. Whoever is afraid of you at the moment will spend most of their day plotting how to get rid of you before you can get rid of them.

Most of America will hear a Radio Station next week but few will be listening.

A lot of Radio people do Radio for other Radio people which makes them very beatable.

Why do Broadcasters who are notoriously bad bill payers get so upset over their own collection problems you would think they would be a little more understanding.

Why is it when the GSM gets GM stripes they want to start picking the tunes and design a new logo.

Radio which is in the advertising business doesn’t seem to believe much in advertising itself.

Jim Hilliard recently said to me … Johns, you have always been a poet. Is that a good thing?

When I was growing up I was always told I better curb my tongue before it adversely affected my future. Well, now it’s too late because I’m already in the future so you better stand back ’cause I’m not sure how mean this tongue is gonna get. In fact, I’m starting to feel the need to name names.

When you’re on hold and you hear “your call is very important to us, thank you for holding” Do you think they really mean it!

I was told that when Gay marriage became legal in Canada, very few got married.

Geo’s Media Blog is an inside look at Radio, Music, Movies, and Life. For a sneak peek at some upcoming Blogs or to see some that you may have missed, go to  Geo’s Media Blog @ GeorgeJohns.com. On Twitter @GeoOfTheRadio. Sharing and commenting is appreciated.