I don’t know why radio keeps on dumbing itself down. Broadway continues to come up with new plays or do an exciting new version of an old one and Singers are singing new songs every day. Hollywood comes out with new blockbusters all the time so that they can compete with Cable Companies. What if HBO, Showtime, and Netflix had radio’s attitude, would they have created addictive shows were all hooked on like the Sopranos and Game Of Thrones or House Of Cards? Hey, who hasn’t seen Breaking Bad?
It’s time for radio to take the blinders off and get the hell out of the forest so they can breathe some fresh air. We need to start creating some new radio. All the stuff I’m hearing on the radio today, I’ve heard before. The radio industry needs create something so new and compelling that its listeners can’t resist telling their friends and co-workers all about it. Well, that’s my story, and I’m stickin’ to it!
HOLD ON, IM NOT OFF MY SOAPBOX YET, HERE’S A FEW OTHER RADIO THINGS THAT POPPED INTO MY HEAD
Here’s the secret radio formula used by Howard Stern, Delilah, Jeff & Jer, Ron Chapman, Scott Shannon, Jim Harper, Craig Walker, Loren & Wally and a few other Hall of Famers to make millions.
“T + S= A + (p+i x t+ee) x P + I =$.”
In order For a radio station to be great it must show us a little love, put some joy on-the-air, throw a surprise or two at us, get angry at things now and then, add a touch of sadness, and then even scare us a time or two. In other words, emote baby!
Most successful radio personalities have a lot of character in their voices which adds to their charm and makes us wonder where they’ve been spending their nights.
Everybody sounds much better working with a script.
A lot of people hear the radio, but many of them aren’t listening.
The three steps to stardom begin with your being professional first and then try to become interesting. Then and only then would I ever attempt trying to be entertaining. Good luck!
The four most disliked words used in radio station are the words that radio can’t survive without … Show Prep & Cold Calls!
The first rule of Showbiz is “Be Noticed.”
Every radio station needs to be first, best, or different. If you can be all three, syndicate!
Great radio personalities stand for all things that are good and are against all things that are bad.
Successful morning show hosts are great storytellers, and their fans love to tell stories about them.
Fear is a great motivator, but inspiration is much better.
As I’ve written before, I know of only two-morning show concepts that work. The Jack Benny approach used by Johnny Carson and the Laurel & Hardy concept used by John Madden and Pat Summerall.
Everything on the radio needs an attention-getting open, a little drama in the middle, and a killer close. If that’s too difficult to come up with, just have the killer close ready. Hell, even Sir Paul doesn’t fade “Hey Jude” when he does it live!
Every great radio station has three types of people. The Dreamer, The Business Man and The Son of a Bitch!
Your off the air job is to explore what’s unique about your community and then exploit the shit out of it.
The more gifted you are, the less local you need to be. However, if you’re both, you’re unbeatable.
Morning hosts should use the people around them including their callers to say the things that their image won’t allow them to say, but the show needs the content.
Evolution is the way to go; revolution scares owners, management, clients, the staff and the listeners.
USA Today isn’t even close to being the most read newspaper in your town. If I were you, I would get my stuff out of the local rag.
Great actors cannot save a bad script, but bad actors can sure kill a good one.
“Alpha” types are good morning show hosts, others not so much.
Like the old song says, “Accentuate the positive, eliminate the negative, and don’t mess with Mr. In-between.”
An air personality’s job is to observe life and then comment on it.
Most successful radio stations start with some a “cause,” but making a buck, ain’t one of them.
Even a bad plan, well executed, has a decent shot at succeeding.
On-air people should spend some prep time writing down the five topics that they think the people are talking about today. Here’s a clue, they’re not talking about radio or music, only radio people do that.
You should do radio for the people who don’t give a damn about radio.
What the two themes that always work in the movies and will work on the radio are, “An unfamiliar path leading to a familiar ending and a familiar path leading to an unfamiliar ending.”
All the greats know how to make me see what they’re saying.
Most humor comes from the dark side.
Every manufactured bit needs to be 5 sensed before being put on the air.
If you don’t bring a little science to your performance, you’ll die penniless like Mozart did.
Humor without boundaries ain’t that funny.
You can’t force chemistry, I know, ’cause I’ve tried.
As Shakespeare said long ago, “The radio station is the thing.”
“Exaggerated Emotion” works really well on the radio.
If you can fake sincerity you’re wasting your time on the radio, Hollywood pays a lot more.
The secret words you need to know to have a great morning show will also work later that night in bed. Passion & Imagination!
Successful on-air people are great interviewers.
You’re already halfway there if there is something unique about your voice.
Gifted and creative people all sound the same. Thankfully, unlike gifted, creativity can be taught.
People listen to radio one person at a time.
Great morning show hosts, marry and make love to the city that they live in.
The responsibility of the GM is to bring good news to the sales department; everything else pales in comparison.
No matter how softly you praise an air personality, they always hear it.
The best music system in the world is also the easiest. Simply play the tunes the folks like more often than the ones that they don’t.
If you force your program director to stay home and listen to your radio station once a week, I guarantee the ratings will go up.
How come broadcasters still aren’t upset about the fact that the PPM device misses at least 30 minutes of listening every morning?
Music is either up, or it’s not!
Everything great has a secret about it, including radio.
It takes courage to be different on the radio.
The selling of radio begins at home.
There are no small parts in radio, only small minded players.
When you substitute “You” for “I” the ratings always go up.
The folks know what they like and like what they know.
The world used to look to America for the new radio formats, but now it tries to sell us theirs.
Being normal on the radio buys you a ticket to nowhere.
Listening to advice requires a lot more wisdom than giving it does.
Much more @ GeorgeJohns.com and on Twitter @GeoOfTheRadio. Feel free to share and comment.
So right on George, regarding Radio needing to create something compelling… not only to return to relevance, but to become a form of entertainment people cannot live without. Our industry is the most overanalyzed, under-innovating form of media available. You’d think with the endless conferences, seminars, and conventions we hold there would be a lot more inspiration turning into Radio magic.
Wow, that was fast Jim I was just finishing writing this and there you were. Thanks for the read man and more importantly thanks for some great radio.
You are welcome, George.
I learned long ago when wise men generously send a message, only a fool puts off reading it, thinking he himself is too wise to be bothered.
🙂
That was poetry George.
Thank you Tony, hope you’re well man!
George,
How can some things be so clearly true and, at the same time, so hugely ignored. Good morning radio isn’t a science. It’s an art.
Craig
Wow, the incredible Mr. Walker checks in. As you well know Craig when you take a gifted person such as yourself and mix in a little science you end up with a piece of “Art.” The pictures you painted at K103 have stood the test of time they are still #1. We did some good work brother.
Some undeniable truths posted here. Some bromides that don’t pass the litmus test of “real world”. Here’s my truth… I have had a fairly successful radio career for 45 years…and a very successful morning program for 35 straight years now…if we had blindly accepted and implented even half of what was “strongly” recommended by a dozen big name conultants, we would have most assuredly joined the post Telecom 96 off the air club. But, I have always read it all…there is so much left to learn.
Thanks for the read John and you’re right never blindly follow anybody. As the guy who has worked backstage for most of my career, I’ve always felt that my main job was to give the air talent the courage to follow their own heart. Now that a bunch of them are in the Hall of Fame it worked out pretty good for all involved,
All the blogs are good but this one is a little better..
Thanks Jerry, I thought it was time to do an all radio one just for fun.
Substitute You For I is without a doubt the Truth.
I enjoyed it George your the Soup Dajour
Thanks for the read Cat, enjoyed seeing you for the Superbowl.
Lots of insight in this one, George. I still wish you had a station in every city you were helping.
Thanks for the read and the kind words Doug.
Geo, you and I have talked about this for years whether we were drinking those special martinis or not.
Your thoughts brought to mind the classic Jess Cain, “I was having dinner last night at the Ritz with Lauren Bacall and I must say the chef at the Ritz still makes the finest clam chowder in Boston.” Never mentioned the famous Ms Bacall again.
BTW Jess was close enough with Lauren Bacall to call her Betty. Only her friends could call her that.
I was at the little dinner, it was fabulous as was the chowder.
Bobby one of the best things about radio was how many great stars we got to meet but you’re right those small intimate dinners when no one else is about are the best because they finally get off the stage.
Looking forward to having one of your special martinis with you at the end of the month.
We agreed you’d quit giving away all the secrets! What are you doing? How’re you going to sell it if you give it away for free? Study the secrets of the worlds oldest profession! No give aways! You just dumped a million dollars on that little memo. Ya gotta eat Geo! Jim h
Jim as I told you, I doubt that there are many left in radio who have any idea what I’m talking about. They probably think I’m a raving maniac but they better hope that you and I don’t get pissed and do it again.
Looking forward to seeing you and Babs near the end of the month.
Bravos, George. Thank you. You have, as ever, provided a lucid theory of the case. Please let me suggest the obvious (always the hardest thing to see since it hides in plain sight): winners respect and are obsessed with the fundamentals. Winning involves the cumulative effect of important details (e.g., superior blocking and tackling, prowess at the free throw line).
My sense is what we have here is a leadership problem. A continuing failure of imagination. The awesome news – as you have taught us – is competing against luck remains relatively simple. Hard work, audacity, resilience and having fun on the radio continues to produce incredible results. Allow me to add … today is not a dress rehearsal.
Again, thanks for the inspiration, George. All the best
Wow, the great Dave Martin checks in. Thanks for the read Dave and of course, your comments nailed it. As I was reminded today by something I read today in Tim Moore’s Blog, Vince Lombardi was often misquoted as having said that “winning is everything” but what he really said was that the “will to win was everything.”
Dave, I believe that it’s the “will to win” that is missing from our industry because we don’t have leadership.