To Win, Radio Must Be...

“To win, brands must be relevant, responsible, honest, definable, and a welcome part of contemporary culture.” – Scott Bedbury, former Starbucks executive

The above quote from Scott Bedbury could easily be adapted into a framework for evaluating the competitiveness of your "radio brands."

Think about the programming and marketing of the stations in your cluster/company. Is each station relevant, responsible, honest, definable and a welcome part of contemporary culture in the community it serves? If not, get your team together to share, and quickly implement, ideas that will improve each station and enhance the experience listeners have when they tune-in.

Make sure listeners not only hear your stations, but FEEL them. Engage. Entertain. Differentiate. And most of all, make a difference.

60 Ideas In 60 Minutes

Great minds, great ideas…

At this year’s Canadian Music Week in Toronto, fellow programmers Tracy Johnson, Chris Kennedy, Mike McVay, and Steve Young shared “60 Ideas In 60 Minutes.” The panel discussion was facilitated Chris Byrnes. Here are a few ideas from the session to help to jumpstart your thinking.

• Have Talent Critique Themselves –Steve Young
  Allow your air talents to critique themselves during air check sessions. It will give you as a PD a sense of what they are thinking and what they see as the priorities to address in their air work.
• Target Marketing To Create Sampling –Tracy Johnson
  Target your marketing to create SAMPLING of your station, not merely imaging or positioning it. Be sure to include a specific call to action…that is easy for consumers to respond to, and don’t ask for too much. You can’t convert someone who doesn’t listen now to become their favorite station tomorrow. But you can create marketing that asks for a LITTLE sampling…at a specific time…and get them to try you out.
• Are You Blogging? –Chris Kennedy
  Are you blogging? Gives the station personalities a forum to be connected with the community and for listeners to comment and interact. Content can be anything from show bit discussions to appropriate content matching station style to community events, etc.

Get the complete list here.

Your Station Website Sucks - And Here's Why

When it comes to the internet, it's amazing how many stations still don't "get it."

Web 2.0 offers unique ways to further engage your audience, link them with other listeners, enrich their listening and online experiences, and make them feel more passionate about your radio brand.

For creative and management types alike, here's a video that explains Web 2.0 in just under 5 minutes. Watch carefully...

RCS – 2007 Daylight Savings Time (DST) Changes/Updates

In August of 2005, Congress passed an energy bill that included extending Daylight Saving Time beginning in 2007. The new DST will start on this Sunday, March 11th 2007 and end on the first Sunday in November of 2007.

Most versions of Selector® and Master Control were designed to take Daylight Saving Time directly from the Microsoft Windows™ Operating System. This means that as long as your copy of Windows is updated to recognize the new DST changes, Selector and Master Control will automatically follow these new dates. Read more here.

Email RCS Support Team here.

Microsoft Support:

Microsoft Article: 2007 Time Zone and Daylight Saving Time Update for Windows XP:
http://support.microsoft.com/kb/931836

Microsoft Article: Adjusting Daylight Saving Time manually for Windows 2000 and XP:
http://support.microsoft.com/kb/914387

>> Note: For the new Windows Vista, changes are not needed as Vista will update automatically.

The Master Motivator

In 1995, New York Times best-selling authors, Mark Victor Hansen and Joe Batten, first shared their secrets of inspiring leadership in the book, “The Master Motivator.” When I discovered their book, at that time, I was serving as Program Director for the newly relaunched WKYS in Washington, DC. Mark and Joe’s leadership insights became invaluable to me. And I quickly adopted, and adapted, many of their tips and techniques to help me motivate my programming staff in new ways.

After blowing the dust off of this classic book again this past weekend, I believe that Mark and Joe’s insights are just as relevant today as they were years ago. For me, “The Master Motivator” helped to shape my coaching style for inspiring high-ego, high-energy talent in the office and behind the mic.

A Master Motivator…

1. [Sets] clear expectations (goals and motives) requested firmly with caring confidence and consistency.
2. Bases all requests (not orders) on known and suspected strengths and on the empathic awareness of needs, desires, and fears.
3. Insures that full training, mentoring, and support are scheduled at all times.
4. [Provides] continuous, confident, and caring feedback. When firmness is needed, mean what you say!
5. Expects the best, being firm and caring. Provides generous earned praise and an example of constant commitment to learning.

Are you successfully coaching and motivating your staff to achieve their personal and professional goals, including higher ratings and revenue for your station/cluster? Be honest with yourself and those who look to you for leadership. Maybe it’s time for you to make the transition from being a “task master” to becoming a “master motivator.”

To make “The Master Motivator” a part of your leadership library, order your copy at Amazon.com. And for more from the “Master of Mindset,” Mark Victor Hansen, visit here.

The 12 Elements of Great Managing

To identify the elements of worker engagement, Gallup conducted many thousands of interviews in all kinds of organizations, at all levels, in most industries, and in many countries.These 12 statements -- the Gallup Q12 -- emerged from Gallup's pioneering research as those that best predict employee and workgroup performance.

1. I know what is expected of me at work.
2. I have the materials and equipment I need to do my work right.
3. At work, I have the opportunity to do what I do best every day.
4. In the last seven days, I have received recognition or praise for doing good work.
5. My supervisor, or someone at work, seems to care about me as a person.
6. There is someone at work who encourages my development.
7. At work, my opinions seem to count.
8. The mission or purpose of my company makes me feel my job is important.
9. My associates or fellow employees are committed to doing quality work.
10. I have a best friend at work.
11. In the last six months, someone at work has talked to me about my progress.
12. This last year, I have had opportunities at work to learn and grow.

(The Q12 items are protected by copyright of The Gallup Organization, 1992-1999. All rights reserved.)

The Urge To Merge

The media and investment communities are buzzing with talk about the announced XM-Sirius merger. Gary Parson, Chairman of XM, and Mel Karmazin, CEO of Sirius, have done their due diligence and feel that the deal is “doable.” Do you? Check out the links below, then tell us what you think.

How Sirius-XM Merger Would Cut Companies' Costs Still Unclear
Radio, Music Mergers Show Digital Arena Crowded
Hurdles loom for XM, Sirius combination
Sirius CEO Spent His Career Making Deals

Cast your vote now in latest Geometric Media Poll: Do you think the XM/Sirius Merger will go through? (See sidebar.)

Top 10 Gmail Tips And Hacks

If you use Gmail like I do, you'll love this! David Chartier shares his Top 10 Gmail Tips and Hacks here. Now, back to reading and writing more emails. Thanks, Dave!

10 Habits Of Highly Happy Couples

Dr. Mark Goulston shares “10 Tips Of Highly Happy Couples”:

1. Go to bed at the same time.
2. Cultivate common interests.
3. Walk hand in hand or side by side.
4. Make trust and forgiveness your default mode.
5. Focus more on what your partner does right than what he or she does wrong.
6. Hug each other as soon as you see each other after work.
7. Say "I love you" and "Have a good day" every morning.
8. Say "Good night" every night, regardless of how you feel.
9. Do a "weather" check during the day.
10. Be proud to be seen with your partner.

Read the full article here. Share these freely tips with your listeners and loved ones.

Happy Valentine’s Day!

“Real” Talk Or Just More “DJ” Talk

Is your on-air presentation real, relevant and relatable?

When it comes to talent, there’s a definite different between just being a “dj” and becoming a real, “authentic personality.”

Lately there’s funny viral video going around the industry that makes light of how personalities, who are real people “off-air,” can turn into real puckers “on-air.” Check it out here.

Google Encounters Hurdles Of The Audio Kind

Google’s internet advertising dominance isn’t going to be easily extended into radio advertising dominance. Google Audio has hit some snags on the road to radio. Read the New York Times article here. [Subscription required.]

3 Things About The Superbowl

1. The Best Team Won. Indianapolis Colt’s coach Tony Dungy and MVP quarterback Payton Manning made history with yesterday’s victory over Lovie Smith’s Chicago Bears – and deservedly so. Both Tony and Lovie are world class coaches and coaches with class. Recap the Big Game here.
2. The Buzz Around Superbowl Commercials was big, but didn’t seem as big as in previous years. See the best Superbowl ads here.
3. Controversial pop-star Prince’s non-controversial half-time performance may have been the best ever. Read the New York Times review here.