As I had written, when our merger with the Hicks brothers fell apart, I’d already resigned most of my clients, but I still did a little work with Toney Brooks who was the President of Sandusky.
Every quarter Toney would have me join him and his National PD, Jeff Sattler on their pre-rating book tour of all their stations. (Toney pictured below)
Every quarter Toney would have me join him and his National PD, Jeff Sattler on their pre-rating book tour of all their stations. (Toney pictured below)
My job was to sit in on the promotion meetings and offer up a better way to do them if I could..
I’m sure my presence at those meetings was a joyous occasion for all concerned. NOT!
I’m sure my presence at those meetings was a joyous occasion for all concerned. NOT!
Anyway, on this particular tour, our last meeting was at KLSY in Seattle, and while Toney was doing some house cleaning with the GM, I was leafing through the Seattle rating book.
At some point, I heard the GM tell Toney that his only problem was that he needed to find a hip person to do nights because the woman he currently had was too square.
As they continued to chat about the situation, I took a peek at the nighttime numbers and was shocked to discover that they were bigger than their morning numbers.
“Gentlemen,” I said as I interrupted them, “Unless I’ve forgotten how to read a rating book, according to Arbitron, your nighttime ratings are huge.” “Yes,” the GM replied, “But they used to be bigger, and because she doesn’t sound radio, I think it’s time to move on.”
“Gentlemen,” I said as I interrupted them, “Unless I’ve forgotten how to read a rating book, according to Arbitron, your nighttime ratings are huge.” “Yes,” the GM replied, “But they used to be bigger, and because she doesn’t sound radio, I think it’s time to move on.”
Toney, who knows only too well how difficult it is to get ratings suggested that maybe I get involved in the project.
“Talent,” he said to the GM, “Seem to like George, so they tend to follow his suggestions, so maybe he can fix her for you.
“Talent,” he said to the GM, “Seem to like George, so they tend to follow his suggestions, so maybe he can fix her for you.
Later that night, I sat in with Delilah and was amazed to see that her phones were lit up like a Christmas tree.
Lonely ladies from all over Seattle were calling to tell her about their problems which Delilah would tape and then mix them in with some love songs.
Lonely ladies from all over Seattle were calling to tell her about their problems which Delilah would tape and then mix them in with some love songs.
To me, Delilah sounded like a street corner psychologist but when I asked her why she didn’t use some of the juicier calls, she claimed that it was because her listeners trusted her not to.
Her GM was right, Delilah didn’t and still doesn’t sound radio; instead, she has a magical quality in her voice that makes her listeners trust her.
Her GM was right, Delilah didn’t and still doesn’t sound radio; instead, she has a magical quality in her voice that makes her listeners trust her.
What amazes me, though, is that as successful as she is, many broadcasters still have a love-hate thing going with her; they love her ratings, but they hate her sound.
I believe that a lot of Delilah’s appeal comes from the fact that she’s lived an even tougher life than her listeners, so she doesn’t let them jive her.
John Huston once said, “All an artist needs is sincerity; if they can fake that, they’ve got it made.” Delilah ain’t fakin’ it.
John Huston once said, “All an artist needs is sincerity; if they can fake that, they’ve got it made.” Delilah ain’t fakin’ it.
My involvement with Delilah consisted of my critiquing a few tapes of her show and also trying to encourage her to make her boundaries.
Things were progressing well, or so I thought until I got a call from her GM, who angrily claimed that since she started working with me, she sounded even less radio, so he fired me.
Things were progressing well, or so I thought until I got a call from her GM, who angrily claimed that since she started working with me, she sounded even less radio, so he fired me.
The GM was right; she did sound even less radio, so I figured I owed him something.
What I did for him was to get rid of her by taking her to Boston. (Delilah pictured in Boston on top)
What I did for him was to get rid of her by taking her to Boston. (Delilah pictured in Boston on top)
Even though I hadn’t seen Delilah since we worked together in Boston, I’d kept up as best I could with her career.
One of the neat things I heard was that after she got into syndication, she put some of her money into buying up older homes in the Seattle area.
One of the neat things I heard was that after she got into syndication, she put some of her money into buying up older homes in the Seattle area.
When we finally bumped into each other again, it was at a radio convention when she’d just signed a massive deal with Premiere Networks.
After congratulating her, I asked if she still had all her houses in Seattle. “No,” she said, “My new deal is so good that I gave them to my staff.”
Hey, put that in your pipe Mr. Businessman and smoke it.