Facebook Live from Monaco.

FacebookLive from Monaco.

Click the link to watch today's live broadcast with Dusty Rhodes at Riviera Radio.

The Sound of Silence.

I had a short but interesting conversation with a local radio CEO a while back.
He has a large on air staff...mostly freelance and part-time with the daytime on air crew consisting of four main presenters. The rest all cover various weekend and fill-in shifts.
The chat was about....coaching, what else!
This CEO believes that coaching is a waste of time and money - their time and his money. I didn't set out to debate him. I did want to listen to his reasons though.
They varied from "Anyone could do that job" to "Sure they're just in there waffling" to "I've done a few shows myself and it wasn't that hard".
I wanted to say - "So, why do you think three of your presenters have come to me in the past year for coaching"?
But I didn't!

I was reminded of this while reading about the RadioDays conference in Amsterdam this week.
Industry leaders from programming and presentation and marketing, all pitting their wits together, mingling and sharing and developing. Was that a waste of time or money? Did everyone come away from that conference thinking they learned nothing?
Nope.
The very fact that people think and ponder on what we do for a living helps develop radio for us all. Someone will have had their career changed by one sentence uttered this week. That's worth any amount of time and/or money because that 'someone' will go and advance radio for all of us.

Radio presentation, in it's simplest form, is you filling the silence between two pieces of audio.
The art is in how you fill that silence. That's the debate, that's the discussion, that's the key.
There are endless ways and each one is unique to the individual presenter.
We can analyse and dissect every nuance and put each pixel under a magnifying glass, but the simple fact remains - you are filling silence as only you can.
As with anything in life, you need support and encouragement.
"Anyone could do that job" is the obvious opposite of that.
If your PD or CEO don't know how to help you advance and improve - find someone who will. A friend, a colleague, a peer, a PD in another market, yes...even a coach (any coach...they're all different).
Reach out and contact others. It's a small industry littered with people who think BIG. Find those people and engage with them and if your PD or CEO don't know how to do that, then don't wait for them to change. It will ultimately hold you back.
It's why people travel and attend conferences like RadioDays - to connect with and share ideas with like minded people.

I'd love to have airchecked that CEO's show !!

Facebook Live Coaching Session.

Thanks to all who viewed and commented on the recent Facebook Live Radio Coaching Session.

I really enjoyed putting it together with you and was delighted with the response. Over one and a half thousand full views (all 22 minutes) and over three thousand views otherwise.
The next Facebook Live will be Thursday March 30th when I will be alongside a special industry guest.
If you would like to know ahead of time who the future guests will be and any other info...or if you have questions, why not join the FB Live Group.  Look it up in 'Groups' or just message me.

In the above video I talk about:
* Why you shouldn't always try to please your PD.
* Radio Courses - be careful where you go!
* 'Motion Creates Emotion'.

Mind Your Language.

Swearing. Cursing. Bad language.
Call it what you want. We accept it on TV, in movies and in print.
What about radio?
I asked radio people online for their views on cursing on air because, depending on how you listen (satellite for example) chances are you're starting to hear 'F Bombs' more frequently.
In Ireland, the first person I heard utter the words 'shit and 'bollox' was the late Gerry Ryan on 2FM. It really took me by surprise and I wasn't sure how I felt about it.
I recall saying 'Damn' on CKLG in Vancouver back in '91 and my PD pointing out that it was a 'no-no'.
Damn!
OK, some stations, formats and markets have zero tolerance for swearing, but if you listen to podcasts or subscribe to the likes of SiriusXM, you will be unable to avoid it. Eventually.

So where do you stand on this?
Is it just done for effect? Is it lazy? Is it real? Is it honest?

Tony Robbins curses during his live seminars because "it snaps you out of your state".
During my live workshops I consciously avoided swearing...at first. Then I realised that by doing that, I was holding back.
I'm Irish. We swear! At first it felt weird...I didn't want to offend anyone. Now when I swear on a public setting like these, it's honest. Therefore I feel my performance is more honest.

Swear words are immensely powerful.
They pack a heavyweight punch.
Due to radio's personal nature, you need to know your relationship with your listener first.
Are you their pal, confidante, uncle, mother, brother, partner...?
No one wants their older uncle throwing four letter hand grenades at them!
Your swear words WILL be heard and you WILL be judged on them.

The secret, as with everything we do, is knowing how/where/why and when to use it.
Also predict and handle the reaction...creatively.
Otherwise, what's the f**king point??

Facebook Live.

I experimented with Facebook Live earlier today...inspired, as I was, by all of the talk of viral videos earlier this week.
Here's what I have decided.
Once a week (Thursdays, to be precise) I will go live on FB for a coaching session. You can join in live or watch later.
Some weeks I will have guests. You will be given lots of advance notice who that guest is so that you can put questions or pointers their way, should you want.
I think it'll  be fun and the reaction I got today leads me to think this may have legs.
Not as many as a centipede...but legs, nonetheless.

Game Changer.

It was one of those moments when you realised the bar had just been raised and everything from now on would be compared to this one event.
For me, social media for radio stations has a new level to aspire to.
Not just me...I received messages from all over claiming this to be "Maybe the best promo video ever".
We've all seen (and probably been part of) in-house videos.
Usually a presenter or someone in the office has an idea, a "wouldn't it be funny if..." idea. Someone grabs a phone and the idea is filmed in the hallways or studio. Five minutes later it's on YouTube and receives 301 views!
No harm done?
Well.....
Depends.
If you want to shoot phone footage and post it online, then keep it for your personal accounts. Stick it on your Instagram, FB or Twitter. Your casual attitude can be endearing.
But for anything appearing on the radio station's platforms, it needs to be amazing.
FB Live is a great example. I monitor an unhealthy amount of radio and the vast majority of FB Live content consists of a person holding a phone, filming the presenter while all audio is picked up by the phone microphone.
Twelve year old kids can do a better job.
Channel 4 in Dubai work studio footage really well. Audio is from the desk feed, video is taken from mounted, automated HD cameras. Simple but effective. They run graphics and text too, in the station colours and fonts.
Their presenters have their own social media accounts but the station ones reflect the brand very well.
Q107 in Toronto is another example of proper use of Live footage. They ony ever go live when they have specific content - studio guests, online-only contests etc.
The Today FM promo is big budget and has the feel of a movie trailer...not all content can do that. However, being professional means a decent camera, decent audio and good editing. Plus a good reason to film in the first place!
Radio station online content produced by office staff on a mobile phone damages the station's image and reputation.

I watched the Today FM promo and it encouraged me to check out their website.
Job done.
By the way, as of my writing this, the only place to view the video is on the station's website and Social Media. They take full control and always bring you back to their brand.

Click here to view on FB.

What's Your Job?

Have you been learning your on-air craft for years?
Do you live in a market where opportunities are rare?
Have you seen one of those opportunities go to a 'non-radio' person?

I get a lot of messages from presenters venting that "the guy from the TV got that gig". How could management dilute the industry by using people with no on air pedigree and little to no experience? They tell me they have dedicated themselves to the industry and feel let down.

A decade ago, I might have sympathised.

But here's the deal - the industry you dedicated yourself to has now changed.
It changed over a decade ago.
Now, you need to be more than an on-air presenter.
You need other skills...like the TV or print people (or now web contributors) have. They see it all as one opportunity. They see radio, TV, print, online as one beast.


Look at this ad for a presenter in Canada - how many jobs are they fitting into one position here?

-  Producing the show five days a week possibly as a co-host to the morning show
-  Build a network of local contacts and sources
-  Write and Post one to two stories to both station website and social media sites
-  Work closely with the Talk Show show for stories and interact on air
with show hosts
-  Ability to swing host and fill in for the news room is an asset
-  Voiceover for commercials, promos, etc.
-  Update Social Media on a regular basis
-  Assist on-air staff with programming requirements when needed
-  On-air board operation required
-  Voice tracking as required
-  Any other duties as assigned 

That's one job.

Maybe it's time to be more and offer more.