Having lived in Florida for over 30 years I’ve learned that there four seasons: summer, summer, summer, and hurricane season.

In what has been a rather uneventful hurricane season (no hurricanes developed in the Atlantic before October 1), recently Isaias snuck into the Florida panhandle and southeast as a reminder to keep The Weather Channel at arm’s length.

After all, we might learn something.

Consider: The power of ‘now.’

You may have never thought about it this way but ‘now’ is the only thing all your listeners have in common. More than ‘local’, and more than even faith since we all come from different backgrounds and perspectives. The more your radio station lives in ‘now’, the more common ground you’ll have with the largest possible audience.

I believe that any day-any town-any format-itis is a plague on radio today.

The power of ‘community.’

It’s been said that radio is the original social media.

“Comebacks always involve other people. The way we get out of trouble is by letting other people into the reality of where we are.”

Louie Giglio

The more someones with something in common the more someones there will be.

The power of winning moments.

While it’s important to minimize things that result in listeners tuning away, playing defense isn’t the same as winning. The Weather Channel uses graphics, camera angles, on the scene reporters, and live action video to keep viewers coming back.

The power of STARS.

If you see Jim Cantore in your front yard, it’s not good news, the joke goes. Jim and Stephanie Abrams are Weather Channel stars, which is why you see them doing stand ups from the most critical location at the most important time. They are seen as trustworthy and reliable. Sure, you can get the data from the bottom scroll, but Jim and Stephanie personify and humanize what the Weather Channel brand strives to be. Humanity matters.

The power of perspective.

What’s the camera angle that best connects with your listener’s life? The Weather Channel told us how FEMA uses a “Waffle House Index” to communicate in everyday language the severity of a storm.

• Index is green if the Waffle House menu is full.
• Index is yellow if they are only serving a limited menu.
• The Waffle House index is red if the restaurants are closed, because, well, Waffle House NEVER closes.

So, should you have The Weather Channel on in the coming days consider the words of baseball great Yogi Berra:

“You can observe a lot just by watching.”

*Photo is of my buddy Mike Blakemore at the Waffle House at Turner Field. After all, who can resist a yummy waffle and syrup during the 7th inning stretch?