Monday, December 19, 2016

RIP Scruff Connors.


You don't always have to meet people to understand the effect they have had on your life and career.
I never met Scruff Connors, but I am aware of what he did and who he was and the fact that his existence laid the ground work for the likes of me - the ones who followed him.
Scruff Connors was a leggend in the Toronto radio market in the 80s. His was the type of radio I would catch snippets of on cassette and try to emulate. His was the kind of style that reached out and did more...always looking to entertain and catch your attention.
I never met the man but am so happy he was here.
He passed away yesterday aged 64.
Somebody, in a radio studio somewhere, every single day is using an element of radio they learned from him. Whether that be first, second or third hand.
Influence is not something that disappears when you leave.

RIP Scruff Connors.

Tuesday, November 29, 2016

Who Are Ya ??


I spend a lot of my time explaining to programmers what it is I do exactly.
"So you aircheck..." Well, yes. Yes  do...but not the way a PD does.
"So you train..." Yes, I do. If the person needs 'training'.
"So you teach..." There's an element of teaching alright, but not always.
"So...what is it you do??".

Can't blame them really. There's no actual, written in stone, description for what a Radio Presenter Coach does.
Some people need motivation, others don't. Some want technical guidance, others don't. One presenter may just need a confidence boost, others need to face their reality.
There's no One-Size-Fits-All method to coaching and that's tough for a programmer to nail down.
Presenters get it. They 'get it' because once we start our work together, they realise the process is aimed exclusively at them. No one else.

Swansea City coach Bob Bradley arrived at the Premier league club recently to howls of protest. He's American , you see...and the pundits demanded to know what a Yank could teach them about football.
Turns out he brought one valuable lesson they hadn't expected. When asked his main strength, he said "I know who I am".
In other words, whatever criticism is levelled at him or how many times he hears comments questioning his abiities, he can deal with them because he knows his strengths and weaknesses. He knows how to be the best he can be. He knows what will work for hm and his players and he passes that onto them.

If I had to sum up what a Radio Presenter Coach does, it's just that - helping presenters find out who they are, so they can use that on air. That helps the radio station sound confident, solid and in control wheteher it be CHR, Talk, AC...
What programmer wouldn't want that?

Thanks for asking :)  

Monday, November 28, 2016

Nobody Was Fired!



Nobody got fired!
Everyone kept their job!
Result!!

Last week, I encouraged some presenters I coach to do just 'one thing' different in their show. More if they want, but at least one thing. 
Something new, something original, something only they can do.
It's not as easy as it sounds. 
BUT - it is possible (as Broadway Bill at CBS-FM told us) "if you feel you can do it".
Getting to that stage requires work and time...once you ht that mark though, you just know you can try something new.

* One presenter developed a theme...he threw out a topic and ran with it for an hour. First time he ever tried something like that on air.
* The second presenter attempted a live call; not a pre-record. He said he was nervous in case it didn't work and he wouldn't know how to get out of it, but felt he was ready. It did work.
* The third presenter dropped the music BEDS she usually uses for her CHR-style delivery once an hour and stretched her dry read a little longer than usual. She said it sounded odd at first "just me and the silence", but (again) it worked on air.

My point?
Each presenter was looking for a way to stretch their talent. They each wanted to be 'more' on air. In order to do that, they needed to try something they had never done before. 
Part of the fear was related to rocking the boat...not upsetting the PD. We all prefer not to get the PD's attention at times like that. 
However, you have to stretch. You have to learn what you are capable of. These are tiny steps but they lead to much bigger and far reaching steps in the future.
Try something. Anything (if you feel you can do it).

These three did and they're back in work behind the mic again today :)

Thursday, November 24, 2016

Got Nothing.


I hit a bit of a roadblock today.
There were three blog post ideas bumping into eachther inside my head but none of them fully formed.
So, I grabbed a pencil and piece of paper and tried to work through the thoughts. A note here, a line there.
Nope. Nothing.
Basically, I was trying to force the issue...or 'Trying Too hard'.

Have you ever had one of those days on air when your brain seems to have decided to take the day off (rhetorical question)? When the ideas have gone on holiday and your usual spark has decided to have a lie in (lots of visuals there!).
The usual response is to try harder. Force the issue. Work at it.

Sometimes it's OK to just relax and let the format do the work for you. That's what it's there for. It's alright to not always be absolutely amazing and award winning on air every day.
The 'Try Too Hard' approach can make your listener feel uncomfortable because your pace and tone and delivery all change when you try too hard, so you no longer sound like 'you'. Your pace quickens and voice raises in pitch - which is exactly what it does when you are in panic mode. Your listener is a human being (usually) and human beings are hard wired to notice these changes and to react. Panic means out of control and needy...two traits the listener is NOT looking for!

You don't need to force a conversation with great friends...that's why silence was invented!
Take a deep breath, take the pressure to perform off your shoulders, don't think about what you feel is expected of you and allow yourself some space. Then, you gradually find your way again. Listeners won't miss what you haven't done.

See? - I just wrote a blog post about nothing!

Tuesday, November 22, 2016

How to be Average and Mediocre.


I'm a big fan of marketing writer and thinker Seth Godin.
What he writes about 'average' and 'mediocre' can easily be used to debate radio.

If you're spending the money and taking the financial risk - average makes sense. Average output is what you want. It builds reliabiity and predictability. An average product for an average market - so you hear the same songs and similar promotions on different stations, with presenters pretty much saying what they said yesterday. 
Nice and safe. 

But (he says), for groups - average can mean mediocre. Not worth seeking out. Boring. And remember, your listeer listens in groups of one.

Average stuff is fine for a while. It's taken for granted, not talked about. 
It's fine...until something new and above average shows up. 

As a presenter, you generally have very little control over station output...music, promos etc. What you DO have control over is what comes out of your mouth.
It can be average = mediocre = taken for granted.
Or you can try something.

I'm not saying you need to go out and break format and shock jock the life out of your listener...but try something that's not average. Try raise your game. Mediocrity is not why you are on air. Be great at what you do. Be above average every day.
Life's too short to be average at something you love. 

Sunday, November 20, 2016

Got Prep?


There are lots of Prep services out there...you may have tried a few. You may have tried them all!!
Sometimes the radio station you work for has a station subscription but if not, it can be an idea to take a look around and see what's available.
Some of the BIG sites such as Radio-Online or Complete Sheet offer free trials. In the UK, Francis Currie's Radio Warfare is worth the £1 for one week trial period.

I have been in touch with the creator of Pepper Prep recently. It's well worth a look.
It's designed so that everyone can afford it. The owner has added a 'Pay per Day' option because (as she says) she is "well aware that some individuals only need to buy prep a few times a month". 
Very true. You don't always need lots of prep every day. Sometimes your life gives you enough :)

The service has been around for a couple of years, so it has legs now. It's based in Canada but can easily be used by presenters/podcasters/internet radio stations anywhere.

This is NOT an ad for PepperPrep...I'm just passing on a nice find. 

Oh and last of all -  The referral program is quite simple for subscribers. For every person you refer that subscribes, you get two weeks added to your subscription.

Your call : http://www.pepperprep.com/


Friday, November 18, 2016

What Laurie Anderson taught me about radio.


I recently bought tickets to go see Laurie Anderson in concert. That Laurie Anderson...the 'O Superman' woman. I'm a huge fan (personal musical taste there mayte!)
In an interview a few years back she was asked to describe what she does. She said, "I'm a multi-media artist".
The interviewer asked her what that means...she said "I don't know...but it gives you something to write ".

Her point was - she likes to sing. She also likes to speak, she enjoys writing poems and long essays, she creates video and audio, she dances and sits, she conducts and plays, she plays a violin and electronic keyboard, she uses on stage visuals and darkness. She does LOTS of stuff on stage...each one with it's own description. Each one with it's own relevance at that time. So, 'What do you do?' is an impossible question to answer.

It's the same with you. A 'Radio Presenter' is a talker, laugher, provoker, teaser, messer, information giver, surpriser, emotion bringer, story teller, antagonist, musicologist, agony aunt, debater, friend, annoyance, creator, innovator....

You get the idea.
Yes, you are a 'Radio Presenter'...but don't let the label hold you back from being whatever that means to you at any point in time.

You can be that 'O Superman'...or 'woman' :)

Thursday, November 17, 2016

Why you can NEVER 'Be Yourself' on air.


Have you ever been told 'Be yourself' on the radio?
Good advice...if you know yourself inside out - which most people don't.

I prefer - 'Find the part of you that you want to present on the radio and be THAT'.

Let's say your name is John. John at work is different to John at home or John at a party or John alone. Same person, different interpretations. It depends on where you are and who you are with. Radio is just an extension of that.

'Be yourself' is too vague.

Think of the superstar presenters - Stern, Moyles, the late Gerry Ryan in Ireland.

Each one has/had ONE particular charaacteristic that they became known for. Think of Stern and you know exctly what to expect...the same for the others.
They take that one trait and expand upon it; but that one trait is their foundation. They build the other rooms and floors on top of that.

The listener needs to know what they are listening for. Then you can begin the process of building around that.

 If Chris Moyles jokes for 3 hours on air and then wants to be serious for 20 minutes, we accept it - because he built his foundations strongly.

To have any chance at success though, you need to ask yourself a few questions. Questions only YOU can answer.
What are your values and beliefs? What motivates you, gets you passionate, angry, sad? What do you find funny, tragic? What will you say/won't you say on air...?

And on and on.

If you don't know who you are then how can the listener be expected to know who you are?
It's impossible to communicate your message effectively without doing this. Impossible!

Imagine all of these other presenters trying so hard to be something on air - and they don't know what that something is. So they use crutches and clichés and "Hey how are ya" because they don't know.
And that sounds super unnatural (because it is) and that's what turns listeners away. It's not just the cheesy lines, it's the unconscious feeling of not knowing who that person is. This person on the radio seems odd because nobody they know speaks like that.

So...who are you?

Tuesday, November 15, 2016

PD's New Pal ?

I received an email this week from a presenter who was having trouble finding a gig.
Audio sounded fine, CV was nice.
So what was the problem? I couldn't figure it out.
"Send me over your cover letter" I wrote.
Problem solved!

The cover letter was written in the style of a wannabe stand up comedian.
Lots of LOL's, Ha Ha's and attempts at humour.
Example being: "Hope you enjoy the audio...more than some of my listeners in the past Ha Ha".
Seriously?

Here's the deal: An accountant applying for a job won't write in a cover letter - "Here's a sample of my work...hope I balance the books for you and don't lose the company lots of money LOL".
Or an airline pilot won't write: "The last company I worked for were very impressed with my loop the loop skills Ha Ha".

That's because they are professionals.

The PD (or whoever you send your audio to) is not looking for a new pal. He/she is looking for a professional who they believe will create memorable radio and increase ratings. That way everyone gets to eat.
The demo will showcase your humour. The Cover letter is the business end.
Treat yourself with the respect you would like to receive and you will receive it.

It's easy to dismiss a clown.

Friday, November 11, 2016

WeAreRadio


It's been an interesting week.
On Monday I started the series called #WeAreRadio - the idea being to ask radio professionals I admire/like/notice - presenters, producers, PDs, consultants, coaches - to share their radio message.
The response has been wonderful and it proves to me what I beleved to be true - we are all trying to create great radio and all of our methods are valid.

I never subscribe to the 'enemy' mentality of the business. I understand the need for healthy competition but always felt that as an industry we are better together.
That was one of the reasons for this series - to hear from radio people from all over the world and realise they want what you want - to be great, to succeed, to have fun.
No one wants to suck!!
The feedback I have been getting is that everyone seems to agree with these sentiments.

In Ireland, overall radio listenership is down. As a community of professionals (worldwide) it's our duty to fix that...and nothing gets fixed by pulling it apart.
So thank you to the great pros who have taken part in this series so far and to you for reading and commenting on them.
Feel free to share them around if you know someone who might like to see them.

I will present ten more quotes for you next week. Each one an inspiration steeped in experience and passion.

Tuesday, November 8, 2016

1010 WINS Big Time.

Valerie Geller shared this a couple of days ago and with New York being the centre of the media universe today, I thought it might be nice for you to see it.

Here we have veteran news man Lee Harris running the top hour headlines at 1010WINS in NYC.
This is like watching a great conductor guide his Orchestra.
It all just flows beautifully. Smooth and on purpose.
I suppose nowadays, this would be termed #radiogoals (I know, I'm so hip).

For two minutes of your time...it's well worth the look.


Monday, November 7, 2016

RIP Sir Jimmy Young.


We all have people we credit with getting us interested in radio. It might be a person we know who encouraged us to listen to some show or other, or you may have listened for music and stayed because you liked the host.
When I was a very young lad - before I even appreciated Radio Luxembourg - I knew about Jimmy Young.
As a family, we travelled to Liverpool a lot to visit relatives. I used to think we were actually FROM Merseyside ;)
I have memories of sitting in a kitchen, the transistor radio on and rushing over to turn up the volume as Jimmy Young and Terry Wogan slagged eachother, joked around and generally had fun as one took over from the other.
There was nothing quite like it on Irish radio. It was cheeky, funny, irreverent and sounded completely off the cuff. A far cry from the staid, straight back RTE offerings.
I loved it. They made me laugh.

Earlier this year we lost Sir Terry. Now he has been joined by his pal. Maybe they're having a good old laugh again. 
I learned it's possible to entertain and try to be funny and cheeky while maintaining your class and style, from Jimmy Young.
I owe him.
Big time. 

A Great Radio Producer.

I'm a massive fan of Katherine Boyle.
Katherine and Iain lee have produced some of the most innovative, creative, funny and absolutely surreal radio I have heard in years.
Together they have built up an understanding that goes beyond most radio partnerships.
I've written about their current late night show on talkRADIO on different forums, but usually from the perspective of the presenter.
However, without a great producer - great radio like this can't happen.
Katherine Boyle is more than the producer of this show - she is a personality in her own right with an instinct for what makes radio great...plus the ability to deliver it.
This stuff can be taught up to a point...then, the pure talent and genius takes over. There - I said the word!
So I'm thrilled she agreed to contribute to this series today :)

Radio Thoughts from Professionals.

I'm a big believer in the fact that if you work in radio, you contribute to radio.
Whether you are aware of it or not.
Every time you open the mic or line up a call or edit a feature, you are contributing to how the industry sounds and is received.
I always say to new presenters - when you are on air, YOU are the radio station. YOU become the programme.

We get caught up in ratngs battles and how our promotion is bigger than theirs - but the bottom line is, we all work in the same industry. We all go through the same challenges. How we face them, is down to personality and experience.

As a broadcaster, what you do impacts me and everyone else in radio. Likewise - I impact you.  The better you are at radio, the better the industry becomes.

With that in mind, I asked some people I admire (presenters, producers, podcasters) to share their thoughts on radio.
I thank them for doing this - these people get the fact that even if we are competing, we are also gaining and learning from eachother.

The first contribution is later today - here, on twitter, facebook and instagram.
I hope you enjoy them.

Friday, November 4, 2016

Secret Weapon They Don't Teach You.

Ever see one of those ads that claim "Here's the secret they don't want you to know"?
Well, at the risk of sounding like one of those...here IS somethng they don't tell you about - but usually it's because they DON'T know.

One of your most important weapons as a radio presenter is your voice. It's obvious, right? You have no career without a voice. It's the ONLY way you can make a living as a radio presenter.
So, how come we are never taught how to USE the voice?

We are airchecked about mechanics and elements per link and hooking and teasing etc. All very important, but once you master these and know them unconsciously - then what? How do you deliver your message as YOU?
Your voice.
I don't mean the 'sound' of your voice. I mean the way you use it as a tool for communication.

Do you know about the different effects a quiet or loud word can have on your listener? How you can change their emotion with a whisper or yell and how to harness the wonder of your voice to hit exactly where you want to?
Do you know how Olfactory, Auditory, Kinaesthetic words can impact a listener?
How saying "Let me tell you" and "Let me show you" attracts different people?
How vowels reveal your true emotion and how you can create that emotion with your listener?
Most PDs and consultants don't talk about this because they are not aware of it.
But you CAN be.
I call it the Thinking Behind The Talking. You do it every day in 'real' life.
Learn how to use your voice and learn how to make your words work for you.

Delivering words alone is like driving a Rolls Royce to the corner shop and back wearing a blindfold.

Wednesday, November 2, 2016

Z100 for the first time.

When I was a kid...(no, it's not a 'Good Old Days' post) whenever I, or one of my friends, went away somewhere we always brought back some tape of local radio.
Especially from the States.

I remember one time a pal of mine arriving home from a trip and handing me three cassettes full of radio from Boston, Hartford and....New York!!!  I spent hours listening to the presenters (the 'DJs'), the imaging, the callers...everything. Mind blown before 'mind blown' became a thing. This really was the only way to hear US radio - you had to literally travel there. 

Now, with a little bit of  streaming creativity, you can listen to pretty much any station you want. Anywhere.
One thing you notice now is how inter-changeable stations have become. That CHR in New Orleans is the same as the one in Phoenix as the one in Boise. Big corporations buying up and playing safe etc. 
Once again, the main difference at any station is the presenter. The presenter is the real voice of the radio station. That's why I still get excited when I hear something new and fresh. It's like listening to Z100 for the very first time.

What gets you excited about radio?
What gives you that 'mind blown' feeling?
If you can figure that out and draw on that emotion, it will help you as you become the presenter you know you can be.

Tuesday, November 1, 2016

When Great Gigs Happen to Great People.

I'll admit it - I LOVE when great people land great gigs!

Two success stories for you.

Tracey Lee.
Tracey is an Irish presenter who has been living in Malta for the past few years (who can blame her - what a place). Tracey had a lovely career on Irish radio working with South East Radio and nationally with Today FM, among others.
Radio took a back seat to her family life...until last month!
Now you can hear the Irish lilt of Tracey Lee on XFM in Malta during lunchtimes Monday to Friday.
Malta is a tough nut to crack (sometimes the so-called 'smaller' ones are) but she has cracked it and they're lucky to get her.



Erin Wilde.
I first met Erin when we both worked together at Z95.3 in Vancouver in the mid-90s.
Erin was always fun to be around - positive, engaging, smart, funny and mischievous. Perfect combo for a radio presenter :)
Erin ended up in Calgary presenting for a long time on a particular station...until the radio industry did what it is good at sometimes - eating it's young! The job disappeared.
NOW, you can catch Erin on afternoon Drive with KISS959 in Calgary. Her positive never-say-die attitude got her back in the saddle (a pretty great saddle too).

I'm delighted for both presenters...class is permanent.

Friday, October 28, 2016

Where Are The Opportunites?



Genuine question: If you are starting out in radio as a presenter...where do you get your experience?

I ask this because I posted a quote on my facebook page yesterday from a PD in California who puts her new talent on the midnight-3am shift. Then airchecks once a week.  Simple idea. Unfortunately very few stations still nurture like that.

So, if you are new - where do you go?
Community radio? College radio? Pirates?
So many stations automate evenings from 7pm, all weekend in some cases, even weekday blocks. The opportunities for live experince are less now than ever.

How, then, are you getting feedback?
Is there someone helping you find your way while teaching you how it really is inside the studio?
Studying radio and doing radio are two completely different animals. Nothing wrong with studying it (some courses like the Radio Kerry one in Ireland are really good) but it's like learning to drive - once you pass the test, you develop your style!

So, again - legit question: Where do you go to learn real world radio?

Thursday, October 27, 2016

That 'Ratings' Feeling!

No matter how calm or casual you are - no matter how 'in control' you appear to others - I bet you experience this:
It's ratings day. You feel good. You've put in the work and the trends show upward momentum (tech speak!).
Everyone in the station is going about their business as usual...with one elephant sitting in the middle of the room.
The Ratings Meeting at 1 o'clock (or 2 or 3 or whenever).
Management have been in their offices, studying charts and spreadsheets - sleeves rolled up, coffee cups empty. You can see them behind the glass panels. Doors closed.

Then, the call comes.
"OK folks - if you all want to head into the boardroom for a bit, we can take a look at the numbers".

There's the feeling. In the pit of your stomach. Unsettled, uneasy, unsure.
Hey - everyone said the book would level out. No one is expecting an amazing result.
("Just don't let me be the only one to go down").
On the other hand - you fantasise about absolutely blowing the competition away and the CEO telling you "We've never seen figures as great as this...".

However it went for you - I hope you are happy in your job and get the time and trust to create.

As for ratings....they're so yesterday!

Wednesday, October 26, 2016

TXfm - Goodbye.


Have you ever been in a radio station on it's last day?
I don't mean the day before it flips format or morphs into something new.
I mean - the very last day.

Today is the final day for TXfm in Dublin. From tomorrow, 105.2 FM wll be silent.
The radio station was staffed by enthusiastic, knowledgeble, friendy, talented people.
That's what I will miss.
Yes, it was the only place in the market where you could catch the likes of Talking Heads, LCD Sound System or Catatonia...that was enough to make it unique. But the presenters truly sounded like they cared. They sounded honest and passionate. They sounded like a bunch of friends sharing their music with their other friends.
I know in this cut throat radio industry they probaby needed more friends to make it a viable business blah blah blah...doesn't change the fact that a radio station has to close.
And that's a shame.
Thanks Claire Beck for the story telling in the afternoon.
Thanks Phantom FM (and Spectrum) for making it possible.

Tuesday, October 25, 2016

Which Direction Do You Go?


There are two ways you can look at yourself and your radio career.

You can:
Look ahead with excitement at what is possible.
Or
Look ahead with trepidation at what is possible.

This is known as 'Working Towards' and 'Working Away From'.

One is fuelled by excitement and hope.
The other by fear and worry.

Radio presenters are creative people. We enjoy expressing our thoughts and ideas in original ways.
How you picture the result of those ideas can influence how you execute them on air.

If you 'Work Towards' a great link with desire and determination, you have a better chance of delivering the killer link than if you 'Work Away From'.
A series of great links becomes a great hour...great show..great week...

If you can learn how to craft and then trust your work, you will find this is a key part of being a great presenter because it gives you the freedom to express yourself with confidence (and support).

Then you can more naturally 'Work Towards'.

Monday, October 24, 2016

Hook Differently.


"Coming up..."
"On the way..."
"In a minute..."
"Next..."
"Right after this..."

You could say those in your sleep (you possibly do!)
It's not that easy coming up with NEW ways to say the same old things.
Sometimes you get a dose of inspiration, other times it just happens.

One of the great things about coaching a person regularly is you get to notice the little things - they're always the most important.
One presenter I work with hooked like this:
"I'll tell you more in two songs".

I love that.
Maybe you've heard that before - I hadn't.
It's simple, easy to understand and puts a time on an item without puttng a time on an item! Plus it highlghts that you play music (might sound obvious - but it's the little things).

Nothing worng with the other statements I used at the start....this one just sounded different.


Friday, October 21, 2016

Consulting V Coaching.


Consultants are great at a lot of things.
That's why I'm not a consultant.
I'm great at ONE thing: Coaching Radio Presenters.
That's what I do. So, I'm a Coach.

For programmers, here's an insight into how radio presenters work with consultants.
Consultant arrives every three months (maybe). 
Consultant sits down with presenter and tells presenter how to improve.
Presenter agrees to implement consultant's advice.
Presenter puts advice into practice...until consultant leaves.
Presenter returns to doing what he did before speaking with consultant.

I know. I 'worked' with consultants as a presenter for two decades.

The one aspect of helping a presenter be the best they can be on air is overlooked - and it's the most obvious: Let the presenter own the changes.

Presenters want to be great. No one ever went on air hoping to suck.
However, they need to do it on their terms.
Presenters are creative people and creative people need freedom to express their own individuality.
Your radio station plays the same music as others, has the same ads...so the presenters are what makes the difference.
A consultant telling your guys the same formula as he tells presenters in a dozen other markets is not allowing creativity to flourish.

That's what a coach does.
A coach works alongside the talent - nurturing, supporting, challenging and developing him/her, all under the station's parameters.
Everyone wins.

So, you can get your generic 'Tell it' consultant whose results last as long as they are in town.
Or get a coach who is committed to helping you and your on air talent develop a unique sound that belongs to them and your station.

That adds lasting value to you and your station.


Thursday, October 20, 2016

What Will You Do With That Great Link?

I understand.
The gig you have right now is your ultimate gig...you'll never move. You'll never leave.
You love everything about your job, format and output. It's the greatest gig in the world.
However...should you ever decide you might like a change of scene or management feels like refreshing the schedule...it may be an idea to think ahead.

Let's say you have a great show tomorrow.  You're on fire...all systems are go. Listening back, you hear one link that hits all the right points.
Do yourself a favour: save it.
Then save one more, then one more until you have more than six.
Keep them.

I know you're not looking, but sometimes life can catch you unprepared.
Unless you're prepared :)

Wednesday, October 19, 2016

We Don't Hire Assholes.


When I landed an on air gig in Toronto a few years ago, at my first meeting with the CEO, I said what a pleasure it was to be there. His reply stuck with me. He said "I think you'll like it here. We don't hire assholes".
And you know what...he was right. It was as if each staff member was hand picked. Turns out - there were!
That off the cuff comment packed a lot of power.
Not hiring assholes means a creative, happy and fulfilling environment with supportive people pulling together. Not a group of individuals out for their own personal good.

Which leads me to a conversation I had yesterday with a well known presenter in Ireland. He was commenting about how he felt lucky to have a good relationship with his PD. He IS lucky. But he shouldn't be. It should be a given.
Good leaders create that atmosphere - you know the one, where you actually enjoy your job and the people you meet in it. Where you feel valued, important and appreciated.
You then take that energy into the studio with you and 'transmit' it on air. You can actually hear your happiness on air. The opposite is also true.

So, how do you get along with your PD or PC or Content Editor (terrible term)?

One way to make a work relationship great is to be the 'Class Act'. People react to that. You lead the way.

Or, just don't be an asshole.

Tuesday, October 18, 2016

Sho Time!

Have you ever been aware of a presenter...but not sure why or how?
Some presenters have a knack for getting noticed.
Lena Sho is the new host of mornings on 98Cool in Saskatoon, Canada. She's a talent who is very much involved with her social media. Facebook in particular. It's through her posts online that I notice her. The fact that I DO notice them among all the other noise, means they are working.
Take this post relating to a station promotion and how she makes it personal.
The promotion is for a trip to a Caribbean resort. The way to win - post a pic of you beside her poster.
Simple.
The fact that it's on her own page as well as the station's personalises it for me.
It shows that she is involved and it links her picture with the audience. It's a visible club now, instead of an anonymous group. 
I noticed it.


Her Post: "Have you seen the Gregger & Lena cutout around town? Take a selfie with us (just like Dena) and tag #sandalsdreaming. You'll be entered to win a sweet vacay to Jamaica from Sandals and Air Canada Vacations!"

Monday, October 17, 2016

Who Do You Listen To?

Working in the radio industry, it's sometimes tough to just ...'listen'.
Y'know, like a listener!
We put a radio station on and immediately start critiquing the imaging, the music rotation, the presentation. Whichever you go for.

That's not neccessarily a bad thing.

It most definitely helps as you learn how others do it. What it also does is help you find what and who you like to listen to...just for pleasure.
That's right! You can work in radio and still enjoy listening to radio !! ;)

I have three people I will switch on and just enjoy for their style, attitude, skills, genius...all of the things that atract you to a presenter.

Iain Lee in talkRADIO UK
Greg Beharrell at Live 105 San Francisco and
Robin Banks Hi-FM Oman.

Who do you enjoy listening to for pleasure?
Why?
What can you learn from them that you can possibly use (not copy - use)?

We all learn from eachother.

Thursday, October 13, 2016

Visiting Time.

Do you get a lot of visitors to your studio?
Great to be popular isn't it?
Sales people with ten minutes to kill, office staff popping in to shoot the breeze.
They look in the studio and see you there staring into space and figure you're not busy. Chat, chat, chat.
In your studio. Your office.
Unscheduled visits to your office are a disruption. Plain and simple.
They distract you.
Yes, you're staring into space. That's what people do when they are thinking. Thinkng is a very important part of your job. Disturbing that, disturbs you and that disturbs the sound of 'you' on the radio station.
No one wins in that situation.
Life is a series of small events and decisions. The more there are, the bigger the impact. One sloppy link can become one sloppy hour/show/week...
You respect people in their offices. You let them do their job.
Let them know that you need to be allowed the space to work in yours. Your way.
No visitors.
It's your career.
Treat it well.

Wednesday, October 12, 2016

Get Ready for your Next Job Now.

Are you in your ultimate job right now?
Is this it? The pinnacle?
Probably not.
I mean, you could love your current gig and the people you work with - that's not the point.
The fact is, this will probably not be your final job. You'll move or (as Danny Baker puts it) the schedule will be 'refreshed' with the station going in a 'different direction'.
But while you're in this job, learn all you can from it. Take from all you hear and see everyday both on and off air.

Watch people, listen to their points and if you agree or disagree, form your own opinion on how radio should sound and how people in radio need to behave. Create your own code of conduct, for YOU.
And if someone in work is really challenging you - pay attention. You learn the most from them.

Then, when the next gig comes along - you'll recognise the same patterns and be able to handle them more comfortably.                    

Tuesday, October 11, 2016

Still Bored? Good!

I recently wrote a piece about being bored when on the air. That terrible taboo that presenters are not supposed to acknowledge!
Feedback was interestng. Some messages to me re-enforced the idea that if you're bored, you must be  "doing something wrong".
Well, y'see I don't look at it like that.
We're humans. Humans get bored.
You can be bored on holiday, at a concert on a date. Boredom strikes when it strikes. .
It's not the "wrong" holiday or concert or date.
The point about boredom is to acknowledge that it has happened.

The learning is - what to do about it.

When you're bored, it's nature's way of telling you that you need to make a change. Any change. Do something. This isn't workng anymore.
Boredom frees your mind to look for a solution. How can I 'cure' the boredom?
So when I talk about being bored on air, I mean it as somethng you can use to figure out a positive change. Maybe you need to re-think your links, your routine, your overall studio mindset. That's your call.

Instead of doing something wrong - I believe you are doing something right.
Listen to your boredom when it shows up.
It's telling you something about yourself.
Then try act upon it.




















Monday, October 10, 2016

Can One Person Change a Radio Market?

The Irish radio awards (PPI) were held over the past weekend.
Having worked mostly outside the country in recent years, I haven't attended - but, it looked great on social media :)
One thing struck me as I followed the ceremony through twitter - a trend.
A trend towards one market.
Cork.
The city of Cork took awards for best presenter, talk show, breakfast show and overall station. Red FM and 96FM in the city battling it out on ratings day and now awards day.
How did this happen? Don't get me wrong, Cork has always been a vibrant radio town...it's just that now - it may be the MOST vibrant in the country.
Can one person be responsible?

When Keith Cunningham (KC) left national outlet TodayFM to return to his old stomping ground (Red FM), he returned not only as the morning guy but as Programme Director too. He immediately made a splash by poaching the main competitor's (96FM) number one asset - their talk show host.
New promotions, new attitude...all counted for ratings boosts.
96FM in response, re-branded their talk show and the recovery began.
It's been a very well mannered battle, but a battle none the less.
Now with award winning presenters, shows and station gongs - Cork has become 'the' place for creative radio minds in Ireland.
I believe one person kick started that.

What will YOU do to impact the radio industry?
  

Sunday, October 9, 2016

Why Radio?

Why do you work on radio?
To make a living? There are plenty of ways to do that ...and countless amounts of them are way easier than radio.
If it's just to make a living, I'd suggest something else.
But, I reckon that's not the reason.
Only you know the reason.
Finding out the 'why' can help you figure out the 'how'.

Comedian Jeff Garlin has one piece of advice for stand up comedians: "What do you care about? Then tell me about it".
The same can work for your on air performance.
Do you want to play '5 Hits in A Row' forever? Do you want to file 20 second Celebrity reports for the next ten years?
Or do you have something to say?

Find out why you do what you do, figure out what you care about and then work out how to make that your career.

On air, you have silence to fill - might as well fill it with something uniquely 'you'.

 

Friday, October 7, 2016

Theatre of The Mind.

I bet you've heard that expression a thousand times.
But what does it really mean? Has it ever been explained why it works?
No one ever gave me a definitive explanation...so I went searching.

Here's the deal:
When I say a word, you automatically create an image of that word.
'City'.
What city did you picture...New York, Sydney, Oslo, your own city?
Was it an ariel or street view?
Day or night?
Quiet or busy?
The picture you create is based on your thoughts, memories and perceptions. YOURS. You decide what picture to create.

Let's do something now that ony humans can do.
I want you to change that city picture.
Let's set it in the 1940s - black and white and raining.
Now take it to the 1970s - colour and sunny.
Now to today - lots of traffic and it's windy.

Humans are the only species that can take a picture and change it like that. A dog can't picture a bone and change it into a cat to chase. Only we can change pictures. We create the drama in our heads. THAT'S the theatre part.

The pictures we choose are purely our own...NO ONE else's.
That's why the concept works.
Our pictures and our drama.

All from one word.
The power of radio.

Thursday, October 6, 2016

Chemistry.

I was listening to morning radio in Belfast yesterday and stumbled upon a wonderful thing:
On Air chemistry.

That impossible to fake, wonder of human nature that is one person in complete sync with the other.

As individuals, they sounded great but together, even better.

Picking up on eachother's thoughts, teasing eachother, laughing, questioning...all the aspects of a relationship you have with someone special in your life.
Someone you genuinely like.

They didn't re-invent radio in the handful of links I heard - they didn't have to...but they did keep me with them because of their special bond.
I felt I had joined a couple of friends and that they were pleased I joined in.

I remember being told years ago, that was the goal of a morning show.
Well, goal achieved.

The station was QRadio and the on air duo were Stephen (Clements) and Cate (Conway).

Credit where it's due.

Wednesday, October 5, 2016

All You Shouldn't Do...!

Have you ever sold a contest or feature on air by saying "All you've got to do..."?

Sure you have. We ALL have!

In fact, I heard FIVE different presenters use that very phrase yesterday. That's an
industry crutch if ever there was one.

"Two weeks in the Bahamas...all you gotta do is head to our facebook page and yadda yadda yadda".

"Want to request your favourite song? All you've got to do..."

The thing is - it doesn't do you any favours.

The reason?

It sounds unnatural.

When have you ever said to a friend: "Want some toast? All you gotta do is get some bread and put it in the toaster"

Or: "I'm getting the bus into town. All you have to do is get the exact fare and sit down on the bus".

No one speaks like that.

Yet, on the radio we DO.

We use phrases that our listener doesn't use.

That's not really communicating.

Try think of a different way to describe a contest or feature action. A more natural way. Use words the listener uses in everyday life.

"It really is THAT easy..."!

Tuesday, October 4, 2016

Attention, Attention!!

Have you ever noticed how people react to the unexpected?
I don't mean positive or negative reactions...not opinions or emotions.
Physically.
I'll give you an example:
You're in the city. It's a quiet afternoon with a few cars and buses passing by. Lots of people walking in and out of shops. The sun is shining and the atmosphere is cheery.
Next, in the distance, you hear the unmistakable sound of an ambulance siren.
It gets closer very quickly.
Everyone can hear it now.
What do they do?
The one thing they don't do is ignore it.
Most people will react by stopping, turning and looking. Even for just a moment.
Some might halt their conversation to watch it go by.
They react.
They react to the siren and they each have an opinion on it's existence based on a personal memory and/or perseption.

You can 'turn heads' on air by occasionally using a 'headline' as your siren at the start of a link. Something unexpected to grab the attention.
Not all the time, but when you feel the need.

Monday, October 3, 2016

Bored on air?

What do you do if you become bored while on the air?

I mean, properly bored.

You're in the middle of another '10 in a Row NonStop' and your next link is in 18 minutes.

All the splitters and features are loaded in the system, you've tightened a few intros and read your prep for the 10th time.

Now...most consultants will say you should never be bored in studio. If you're bored then you're 'Doing something wrong'.

Well, in the real world - radio presenters can become bored. It's a fact. Playing nonstop hits (no matter how much you love it) can sometimes be an uninteresting way to spend an afternoon. Any consultant who tells you otherwise hasn't been in a studio for a lonnnnng time. It's not their job (or your PD's) to MAKE it interesting for you but it is their job to understand that it happens and not pretend it doesn't.

I have no doubt that you have been one of those presenters who has loitered outside the studio after hitting song number two in a sweep, just to break the monotony of the next twenty minutes.

The problem for the presenter is, boredom can be very real - but it is crucial to overcome it because it can influence your mood and therefore your on air performance. I know you might say that you are a professional and that you can easily 'fake' excitement or what ever emotion is required by your format, but the point here is that it is 'fake'.

Sure there's an element of acting every time you open the mic...it is a performance after all. But making it sound 'real' depends on your mood.

If you are bored, it's quite easy to over compensate that mood by going over the top on the excitement level and that never sounds good (a little thing called 'Trying Too Hard'). The opposite is complete apathy...if you're feeling that, then maybe you need a holiday (or change of career!).

Ever hear a presenter say "I'm here til six o'clock..." ? That's them watching the clock...literally telling the listener when they finish work today.

So what do you do?

How do you break the boredom...no matter how temporary it is?

Well...you tell me!

Seriously.

What do you do?

Do you sit up straight, lower the studio temperature, crank the music, re-arrange your prep...?

The point is:

Presenters get bored. It happens. It's not a bad thing, it's just a 'thing'. Acknowledge it.

Then do whatever YOU need to do to get through it.

I'm here til Friday !!