Seth Sums It Up

Apologies to Seth Godin for the cut 'n paste...but his short summary sums it up:

The pillars of social media site success:

Why people choose to visit online social sites:
Who likes me?
Is everything okay?
How can I become more popular?
What's new?
I'm bored, let's make some noise

None of these are new, but in the digital world, they're still magnetic.
If you want to understand why Twitter is so hot, look at those five attributes. They deliver all five, instantly.

Seth Godin's blog - a daily must read - is here.

Sunday Morning Odds & Sods

55° - clear at 1:15pm Left: Gerald R. Ford Presidential Museum - cell phone photo taken this past Thursday in Grand Rapids, Michigan.

Good Morning/Afternoon. I do start writing this in the morning, but by the time I finish, a new daypart begins.

Catching up from a long week in Grand Rapids at the Great Lakes Broadcast Conference. Highlight of the show was watching and chatting with fellow blogger/new media evangelist Dave Martin.

During Dave's session on social media - it became obvious to me that more than a few in the room didn't quite get it, though they were trying to understand. Its hard to get over the fact that radio and television has always been a one-way "us to them" proposition; even with websites and email clubs. And there's fear of losing control.

Perhaps there needs to be a "deprogramming" retreat for the old media types who still don't see it - showing them the new ways and how other old media is using the new tools available (in most cases "free" and "almost free"). A great example here....all done by an air talent in less time than it takes to answer the request line.

That said - there's many OMs, PDs, MDs, and air talent who do "get it". Sadly however, many are working for management and ownership who don't and won't get behind it. Without support from the top down, these efforts are not as effective as they could be, benefiting sales and programming together.

And....thanks for the career tip Dave!

Listening this morning: a bit of Bob Stroud on Chicago's WDRV; followed by Steve Palec on Milwaukee's WKLH. Mr. Palec in the middle of an excellent segment on the late Warren Zevon; with many more good things to follow.

Dave Lange. Dave posted a great read this past week on the demise of New York's WXRK. Dave shares his thoughts on why WXRK didn't work....and why some great stations are what they are. See here.

And for those of you running syndicated programming (Bob & Tom, Alice Cooper, etc.), Dave has a great piece on "Making a Syndicated Show Local" - here.

Programming Basics: Edison Media's Sean Ross writes about "Keeping your station moving". Here.

Another another read for PDs: "Are Your Personalities Heathers Or Karens?" In this week's FMQB - here.

Radio stories: Rick Kaempfer interviews WGN Radio's Mary Van De Viede on his Chicago Radio Spotlight. Here.

Spring is here...sort of...hope it is where you are. Have a great Sunday.

End Of My Writer's Block

38° - overcast at 10:27am

My first post of the year. And it's almost March. Haven't had much inspiration to write. Much has happened in our industry over the last several months, most of it leaves an uneasy feeling. That said, my vision now much clearer; as I hope yours is.

One ritual I have early almost every morning is first reading Tom Taylor's daily column. And R&R's Kevin Carter with his Street Talk Daily. Plus Jerry Del Colliano (pictured above left).

I've had this love/hate thing with Jerry since the days of Inside Radio...going way to the pre-net days when it was a black-on-yellow newsletter that would come in the mail. I feel Jerry focuses far too much on the negative.

But Jerry often makes some great observations - and this morning he wrote:

"We've got lots of ways to direct our listeners to someone other than the person playing the music. And don't get me started on texting. Radio stations by and large don't understand how to use texting in a way consistent with how their audience uses it. It is not a blatant promotional tool even if you think it is. To them, it is social connection.

Someone needs to be home."

More soon - including something brilliant I recently read from David Martin.

Wednesday Blogs

43° - clear at 8:37am; left: downtown Lansing this morning. Current Image

Hello from Sunny Michigan.

Good Read: Yesterday's piece by Dave Martin on how radio appears to devalue 41% of its inventory. He's referring to nights and overnights, suggesting that its "perhaps the most undervalued asset in radio". Dave writes:

"Being #1 at night too often viewed as a Pyrrhic victory - "So what, we can't sell it!" This is the same logic frequently used in walking away from renewal of sports rights - "We can no longer make the math work." While it may indeed be easier to save a dollar than to bring a dollar in, that's no way to build or grow a business."

"The dirty little secret here is nobody likes live sports programming at night or overnight but the listeners. They never got the memo giving them the heads up that all the good stuff happens between 5a and 7p."

Read Dave's complete post here. Good things can happen on music radio between 7pm and 5am too. One I miss dearly is the late Alan Stagg doing overnights (classic rock) in Chicago. Alan just fit the daypart so well.

Speaking of. I read Tuesday in Tom Taylor's newsletter that Premiere was offering Bob & Tom for overnights. From the affiliate website it appears so. Don't get me wrong - I'm a big Bob & Tom fan and have been for years. But does a morning drive show have the right "feel" for overnights? Just asking...

Follow-up file: Yesterday I mentioned WGRF/Buffalo and its Memorial Day Top 500.

Late yesterday, I received a listener email from the station mentioning the "debate" going on regarding the number one song and inviting me to join the discussion on the station's message board. Very clever and very cool.

Only in Santa Fe. And I say that as a former resident of the "City Different". Read here.

Pondering. How many "social networks" can one person manage? Rarely does a week go by where I haven't been invited to join yet another online social network - or asked if "I'm on social network X".

And these are from people I'm already connected with through another social network. "But I already know you from (fill in the blank)!

I'd like to think that its an age/generation thing. But those invitations are coming from my own peers. What are the burn and churn rates? Hmmm....

Am I just getting old and cranky????

Doing AC? Hire this guy: Chris Reynolds. Chris released yesterday after 7+ highly successful years programming WFMK/Lansing - which has consistently lead its target demos and often the entire market during Chris' tenure.

Prior to Lansing, Chris had stops in Flint, Saginaw, Detroit, and San Antonio. He's great and he gets it.

I'd be pleased to pass on contact information. And if you're looking for a classic rock PD, I can help with that too.....