After spending all day on the phone, I think I’ve finalized the lineup for PD GRAD SCHOOL 2009. Tell me what you think about our newest guest speakers:
Gary Marince from Arbitron: “PROGRAMMING IN A PPM WORLD: How To Cut Through”
Philippe Generali gives a live demonstration of Media Monitors'”Audience Reactions” software that takes minute-by-minute PPM data and matches it up with what actually happened at that moment. Click on that moment, hear what it was.
An anonymous source forwarded this to me. It allegedly was sent by a Clear Channel employee to his/her colleagues.
This might be entirely fictitious. Then again, it might not.
I have removed any references that might identify the originator.
They are getting ready to unload a majority of the programming payroll in the company. Moved budget process to Jan so they could do it with Bain. If you work in a non-essential programming or talent position in a market beyond Top 25-50, please beware. This will also effect production, traffic, sales, IT and other positions where duties could be handled by one person.
Air talent – They are going to feed formats to above 25-30 top markets from San Antonio and other markets to start in 2009. PD’s and jocks in these stations will be let go. OM’s will program the entire cluster.
Make your plans now. They will not be paying giant severances as promised in July. That meant if you lost your job because of the transfer of power from Mays to Bain, you would be paid large. (Name Deleted) found this out last week and it’s leaking out from VP’s in the company. In (Market) where I was let go, this means all of those duplicate traffic positions, assistant IT, production people, traffic, news and promotions assistant will be absorbed by others. Most of the (Market) stations will be ordered to be voice tracked sooner than later.
Don’t let them call you into an office, you need to have the upper hand and have another job and quit on them before they blast you. Again this isn’t coming from me, I like the group there and don’t want to see them get caught in a whirlwind.
From special Guest Blogger Ken Levine…
The radio industry lost a giant on Saturday when Bill Drake died.
For any kid who grew up in the 60s, radio was a huge part of their life. It’s not like today. Back then if you were a teenager, radio was your constant companion. You had a favorite station, knew all the disc jockeys, could sing their jingles. It was a shared experience.
And one station revolutionized top 40. KHJ Los Angeles became “Boss Radio” in April of 1965. Its streamlined approach and exciting presentation captured the imagination of an entire generation. Within several years there were “Boss Radio” clones in every market in the country.
Bill Drake, along with Ron Jacobs (both pictured right), created that format.
Bill Drake became not only the most influential man in broadcasting but the music industry as well. Getting a record on KHJ could make a career. There by the grace of Bill Drake go the Doors, Byrds, Mamas & Papas, Sonny & Cher, and a hundred other 60s rock icons who might otherwise be making Blizzards at Dairy Queen today.
He was also a literal giant. Probably 6’8” with a deep commanding voice. If God did station liners that’s who He’d sound like. And Bill was rarely seen (also like God). In those heydays when he was the czar of the industry he’d camp out high in the hills in his Bel Air mansion and communicate via hotlines. It was the Zeus management style.
He later created automated music formats that ruled the nation’s FM dial for most of the 70s.
I worked for him in 1974. By then he had left KHJ and was trying to duplicate its success on FM. His star disc jockeys from Boss Radio, Robert W. Morgan and the Real Don Steele were brought over to start K100. And amazingly I was hired as well. Okay, so I was fired shortly thereafter… by Bill Drake. But my admiration for the man is so great I never held it against him.
A few years ago when my partner and I were doing research for a radio themed screenplay I called Bill and asked if we could have lunch with him and pick his brain. Generally a very private man, he graciously sat with us at Monty’s in Woodland Hills. It was a six-hour audience with the king whereby he gave us an absolute master class in the art of mass communication.
I am devastated by the loss and very blessed that I got to know him. Bill Drake was one of the most important influences of my life. And maybe yours too, even though this may be the first time you’ve ever heard the name.
To paraphrase one of his classic intros:
Bill Drake is… “number one then…and number one forever.”
NOTE: Today’s REAL posting is immediately below this announcement.
I’ve just uploaded the 4th in my series of Radio Copywriting Masters case study videos.
If you’re already on the Alert List, you should have received an email with the link.
If you’re not yet on the list and want to view the free videos, here’s where to sign up.
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Who is this woman supposed to be?
Why is she shouting & grinning?
To whom is she speaking?
Is she unbelievably stupid, or is she stupidly unbelievable?
A successful radio commercial needs to have a single Core Message — the one thing you want the targeted listener to hear, to understand, and to remember. Let’s see how many different messages (regardless of how lame) they try to squeeze into this one spot:
• Over 3,500 slot machines
• They name 3 of the new slot machine games. (“Hey, Marge! Grab your hat, we’ve got to get over to San Manuel Indian Bingo & Casinos. They’ve got a new slot machine called ‘Real Winners!’ “)
• The slots area is newly expanded.
• Smoke-free room
• Another new slot machine name: “Cash Wheel”
• Penny machines
• An area for “classic games” (complete with examples)
• “A complete gaming, entertainment and dining experience”
• The poker room has been remodeled.
• High stakes bingo
• Live entertainment
This is the kind of radio commercial that gives bad advertising a bad name.
