I just want to warn you this Frost Advisory is going to be a little different. But that’s okay because that is the point.
The CCM format is known for many good things; inspiring hope, encouraging people in difficult times, and offering a more eternal perspective.
But let’s face it, our format is not particularly known for being creative. We can all name well-known radio stations that don’t sound much different than they did twenty years ago.
Continue readingYou have ten seconds to “get” me… to make me want to listen to whatever else you have to say.
If you don’t get me in that ten seconds, then nothing else you do matters. It’s simply human nature to decide quickly whether or not something is a waste of time.
So think about what that opening ten seconds of whatever it is you’re going to talk about is going to be BEFORE you open the mic. No matter how good you are, this is something you can improve.
On this 54th anniversary of man on the moon I reckon’ it’s a good time to bring it up.
With the historic words, “One small step for man, one giant leap for mankind,” Neil Armstrong and Buzz Aldrin became the first men to walk on the moon, followed closely by the planting of the American flag to show that the USA was first in this historic achievement.
Radio stations whose foundation is “Beliefs and Values” have an opportunity to communicate that position by putting their flag in the ground.
Continue readingThere are so many voice trackers these days, and if you’re in that world you know that it’s hard to keep improving if you’re not on the air in real time and don’t get any feedback that you can trust. Here’s a simple system I recommend that’ll improve your work and keep you sharp. It’s “go, stop, go.”
Go. Record an hour of breaks. Continue reading
I first loved baseball because my dad loved baseball. In fact, my first game ever was a really big deal – I got to see my baseball hero Mickey Mantle get the first hit in the very first indoor baseball game at the Astrodome in Houston.
My dad simply said, “You should see this.”
Continue readingLike most people, I listen to the radio at some point every day. I hear promos. I hear commercials. I hear songs. I hear people trying to sound cheerful. I hear people trying to be funny.
What I all-too-rarely hear is something that actually surprises me. Gee, I wish that wasn’t true. Surprises are great.
I want Surprises. I loathe The Obvious. And I’m not alone. People want companionship. They want entertainment. They want pertinent information. (We’ve all heard the voice-tracked Talent that’s really cheerful while a tornado is headed our way.)
Don’t fall for the “This is good enough” trap. “Good enough” … never is.
SURPRISE ME.
Everyone’s favorite radio station is the station that plays their favorite music.
Why does this matter?
People love what is familiar, and what is familiar is what we love.
Continue readingLately, with Mother’s Day, Father’s Day, etc. I heard several stations trying to orchestrate the reaction to a giveaway for those days, saying things like “You’re gonna like it!”
How do you know? (You don’t. After all, one person’s “great” prize is another person’s “yard sale” junk.)
The United States of America was born 247 years ago with a Declaration of Independence, and a subsequent Bill of Rights for all citizens to life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness. But as Americans we know that with rights comes responsibility.
So it is for your radio station.
Continue reading