A Loyal Reader Asks:
“Could give me some insight into what GMs or Ops Managers look for when they ask for my ‘Programming Philosophy?'”
When someone asks you about your programming philosophy, usually it means someone once told them they should ask about that, so they ask.
Sometimes it means they’re looking to see if what you say exactly matches what they think.
Others — the smarter ones — want to see how you think…even if not every one of your thoughts matches yours.
Here are some all-purpose, safe, meaningless declarations to include in your Programming Philosophy….
“I believe we always should put the listeners first (while always remembering this is a business).”
“The way to market our station is to ‘be out there’ in the community (while always remembering this is a business).”
“Even if you can’t afford to pay top bucks, you can attract good talent by creating a fun, enjoyable, creative work environment (while always remembering this is a business).”
“No national or satellite station can ever beat a dedicated local radio station.”
“While we should take advantage of the latest technologies to deliver a superior product, that doesn’t mean we have to spend more money. Remember, ultimately this is still a business.”
“There’s no reason why Programming and Sales shouldn’t work together as a team. By golly, we’re in the communications business; so we should be able to communicate with each other!”
“You’ve got to plan your work and work your plan!”
“When it comes to music programming, nothing is more important than playing the right music. While research can be a helpful tool, it never can replace a good pair of ears and a solid gut instinct.”
* Radio should be fun. That’s why all dedicated employees should gladly work 12-hour days and six-day weeks with no extra compensation. Except, of course, for salespeople, whom you never should expect to see between 3 o’clock Friday afternoon and 9 o’clock Monday morning.”
“At the end of the day, it all boils down to establishing a deep, meaningful connection to our listeners, our community, and our advertisers (while always remembering this is a business).”
