DAN O’DAY TALKS ABOUT RADIO

This is the second month of an experiment.

Kidd Kraddick’s death affected so many of us in part because it was so unexpected.

Unfortunately, usually Life doesn’t give us enough, if any, warning. We don’t get a second chance to say goodbye.

Here’s the experiment.

On the 4th Friday of each month, I’ll devote this space to thanking someone who helped me professionally.

By “professionally,” I don’t necessarily mean “helped me get a job,” although that could qualify. I just mean…helped or inspired me personally.

I hope each installment will generate two reactions:

1. Anyone who also had positive encounters with the individual I’m writing about will relate them there.

2. You will post your own story here about one person who helped you professionally. More than one person has helped you? Great. Save all but one for next month.

Last month I wrote about Gary Owens.

Today I want to express my gratitude toward one of my oldest radio friends, Ross Brittain.

Here is Ross, in the aircheck below, at his first professional radio gig at WIIN/Atlanta in 1975. (Notice that he bills himself as Ross B. Brittain.)

Although arguably he’s become a bit smoother in his delivery, his humor hasn’t changed at all since then.

It was while working at WJBO/Baton Rouge that Ross subscribed to my fledgling radio comedy service, OBITS.

Sometime later, a radio show prep service called Kaleidoscope News Service was about to fold. I arranged to purchase that service from the publisher.

I have no memory at all of how, why or when Ross and I first had a conversation. Perhaps I heard an aircheck of his show (by then he had teamed with Brian Wilson), which was terrific.

But upon acquiring Kaleidoscope, I called Ross and asked if he’d serve as Editor In Chief.

I do have a clear image of me, lying on my sofa in Fresno, talking on the phone to Ross in Baton Rouge, as we tried to come up with a new name for the publication.

We threw around some lame ideas and then somebody — I think it was me — said, “How about Galaxy?”

And Galaxy was born. It consisted mostly of topical information (not gossip) about popular recording artists.

I don’t know how he managed to edit Galaxy, do a consistently entertaining morning show, make tons of personal appearances, and shoulder some personal responsibilities that most people in their 20s don’t have to deal with.

But he’s been that way at least for as long as I’ve known him: passionate about his work, the guy everyone always can depend on, selfless.

Ross continued to edit Galaxy after he and Brian moved to Z93/Atlanta. When later they jumped to WABC/New York, we agreed he had bigger fish to fry than Galaxy and Terry Moss stepped into the job as Editor in Chief.

Eventually Ross left WABC and became 1/2 of the most influential radio morning show of my generation, “The Z Morning Zoo” with Scott Shannon at Z-100 (WHTZ).

I don’t know if Ross has ever said “no” to a favor request… from anyone.

When I decided to conduct my first “public” (i.e., not for a private radio group) air talent seminar, Ross did the Friday morning show at Z-100, drove to the airport, and flew to Orlando to be a special guest speaker.

I retain a vivid mental image of Ross, standing in the courtyard of our hotel that evening, surrounded by radio personalities from around the country…and “talking radio” for 2 or 3 hours.

The phrase that insistently comes to mind when attempting to describe him is “generosity of spirit.” Whatever that means.

Ross is a smart, educated guy. He would’ve succeeded at pretty much anything. He chose radio.

For me, one incident above all exemplifies how I always can depend on Ross to…be Ross.

Many years ago, I went through a period of serious depression. By then I had moved back to Los Angeles; Ross was in New York.

He called to see how I was doing. We chatted. Then, apparently in an effort to lift my spirits, he said, “Who are the three most famous (DELETED) in history?”

Trust me, there’s no way you can guess the words I’ve deleted. Just take my word for it: It obviously was the setup of what was going to be an incredibly tasteless joke.

“Ross, I don’t want to know.”

“No, you’ll love this.”

“No, I won’t. I haven’t even heard the punchline, and I’m offended already.”

“But this will cheer you up, I promise!”

“Ross, I don’t want to hear it. But hey, thanks for calling.”

“Okay….Well, if there’s anything I can do to help, just let me know.”

“Thanks,” I sighed. “I appreciate it.” And we ended the call.

Five minutes later the phone rang.

“Hello?” I answered.

“(DELETED), (DELETED) and (DELETED)!” Ross chortled before hanging up.

Radio morning show on a major market oldies station.

Dionne Warwick’s “Walk On By” fades out.

HOST:  Suzie Sidekick, Entertainment Reporter — that song was written by someone who visited us here a few years ago. Can you tell us who?

SUZIE:  Uh….No.

HOST:  C’mon!

Suzie:  Holland-Dozier-Holland?

HOST:  No.

SUZIE: (desperation in her voice) Paul Anka?

Clue #1

The station didn’t “cast” the show properly. Suzie Sidekick is too young to know and apparently not smart enough to learn the music that is the ONLY thing that oldies station offers its audience.

(Trust me, no one turns them on to hear her “entertainment reports,” which consist of her reading wire service stories about people in show business.)

Clue #2

If you’re the show host, you never ask a factual question of anyone whose job can be considered “news” or “information” — unless you know in advance the person can answer the question.

A Loyal Reader Writes:

“Three times a year, our station conducts a ‘Live Radio Auction’ where our clients give us products or services in exchange for advertising, and we sell the stuff on the air to listeners at a reduced rate.

“The problem is some of our clients only advertise this way and some complain about the type of people who take advantage of the bargains.

“This radio station began conducting these just once a year. Then we switched to two per year, and now three. A radio station in our area does one almost every month!

“I think they cheapen the value of our medium and tune out some listeners. What do you think of radio auctions?”

It would be smarter to trade the advertising for a specified total credit at each of the participating merchants and convert that credit into discounted certificates that you sell — at fixed prices, not at auction — on your station’s website.

In addition to the advertising you air (in otherwise unsold slots) for the individual merchants, you run spots promoting the website feature (but not mentioning any sponsors):

“Would you like to save 50% on practically everything? Check out the RadioX.com’s Discount Store. You can’t miss it: Just go to RadioX.com and click on ‘Discount Store!’ ”

So if you’ve traded $1,000 of advertising for $1,000 of merchandise at a particular store, you might sell ten $100 certificates (online) for $50 each.

The purchaser pays $50 and in return gets an unrestricted $100 credit at the store, thereby saving $50. The station keeps the $50.

And when the merchant that doesn’t usually use radio starts seeing immediate traffic (people redeeming the certificates), the merchant often wakes up to the power of local radio advertising.

None of this pollutes your airwaves or reduces the value of your paid advertising, and it’s much less likely to generate complaints from your regular advertisers (who also are welcome to participate in the program).

Too many radio imaging directors and producers think “it’s all about the tools.”

They think the job of a great radio producer is to impress the audience (and other radio people) with all sorts of technical tricks.

Here’s one of my all-time favorite radio station promos, from WINS/New York.

If it didn’t make you smile, that’s okay. That just means it didn’t fit your taste or sensibility.

But if it did make you smile — or, as I did, respond with awe at its brave creativity — a reminder:

The people who did this 5 decades ago didn’t have 99% of the production tools available to you today.

All they had was an idea.

And a “what if…?”

And the desire to find out.