And… FOX news! (Seriously!)
Have you seen FOX News’ latest image campaign? To me it’s reminiscent of ESPN’s classic campaign awhile back where famous athletes in uniform appeared in ordinary situations in the ESPN headquarters – in the break room, walking through a hallway, in the parking lot.
In other words, making celebrities (Aaron Judge, Payton Manning, Derek Jeter) ordinary, and making ordinary people (the ESPN anchors) celebrities.
Continue readingSome people say that 99% of the tips I write are for MusicRadio stations. That’s true, but I’ve worked with a LOT of Talk stations, too, and I can’t even count how many individual Talk Radio air talents.
Two of my main “rules” are actually the same as in MusicRadio. Talk is just a different format, in terms of how much time you have to talk.
But… Continue reading
It’s the most important question we can ask. Or better, it’s the most important question we can ANSWER.
Our format is foundationally based on values. It attracts people that share those values. Our most loyal listeners and donors and even staff are those that share those values the deepest.
That’s our WHY!
Continue readingMy smart friend and associate John Frost posted a tip recently titled “What do we want them to say?” using baseball as an example.
Specifically, the opening of Petco Park, home of the San Diego Padres. The question was “What do we want fans to say when they are leaving the ballpark?
I’m fixin’ to do some fuzzy math so hang on.
It recently dawned on me that I see more bumper stickers for churches than I do for radio stations. And where I live would hardly be considered the Bible belt.
Continue readingThis is a recurring theme that I’ve dealt with before, but it seems to be metastasizing…again. It’s this thing; this all too typical “tease”….
“Listen up – this is something you’ll want to hear.”
No. I already don’t want to hear it.
This week I was a part of a conversation that had nothing to do with radio. Until I realized that it did.
For 790 weeks (that’s 15+ years for those of you keeping track), I’ve been churning out these Frost Advisories on my nifty laptop with the hope that they may inspire you to do better radio. Maybe even transformational radio. Golly, maybe even to impact your listeners’ lives.
Continue readingAfter you get to a certain stage in your career where you’re confident in what you’re doing, you have a certain “flavor” that you bring to the show – and it’s working; you’re successful – how you get even better is when you show more dimensions.
Which is more important? Creativity or discipline?
My answer is ‘yes.’
My first Program Director gig was when I was 21. Obviously, I didn’t know anything about programming at that age, but I did have the lowest voice on the air staff, had my own car, and laughed at the boss’s jokes.
In the decades since I’ve trained a couple of program directors, coached a few air personalities, and taught up to a few general managers about the fundamentals of programming.
Continue readingYears ago, the great comedian Norm MacDonald was fired from doing the “Weekend Update” on Saturday Night Live. It was because one of the higher-ups at NBC was friends with O. J. Simpson, and he demanded that Norm stop doing jokes about the ex-football player and accused murderer.
After that, Norm was on Late Night with David Letterman, wondering and griping a bit about getting fired. But Norm also quoted something that Letterman had told him about the bosses of network TV –
