Talk radio guru: change or die

Talkers magazine publisher and self-appointed radio guru and industry spokeshole, Michael Harrison gave his annual State of Talk Radio speech at the NAB-RAB Radio Show in Washington DC. Thursday.

It was a 10-point countdown on how to survive in talk radio in the new era. The interweb is not only shaking up media, he says, but is making a “giant change in humanity.” Radio “has to provide the best programming in the world and do so exclusively. If it doesn’t, it will lose to the new media.”

In #6 he said what we have been saying for years: commercials spotloads are killing radio -- time for a new business plan. He also acknowledged the growing generation gap, which, if not addressed, is by simple definition, terminal.

As reported by Radio-Info's Tom Taylor:

#10 is “Pop culture rules.” That may not be a great thing, but it’s reality in a world where people talk about politics as if it were sports, and where “Lady Gaga could become president, and the president is a rock star.”

#9 – Technology is relentless. “if you think the iPad and Facebook and Twitter” are something special – “this will all be quaint five years from now.”

#8 – “Locality is not community.” Big implications for radio straining to be “local.”

#7 – Qualitative is the new quantitative. “You can make a fortune with a small audience, or lose your shirt with a big audience.”

#6 – Goodbye, Madison Avenue. “The thing that’s killing us is commercials…people now buy things based on research,” not commercials. It's ripe for re-thinking.

#5 – Widening generation gap, with the acceleration of change and cultural reference points.

#4 – The rise of the “media station.” Radio stations can be audio, video, text, graphics, photos, all under the umbrella of stationality.

#3 – Audiences of 1. “The concept of group listening and group viewing is disappearing. People are listening alone.”

#2 – The danger of celebrity. “Being famous is increasingly dirty and dangerous… I see the hate letters sent to talkshow hosts.”

#1 – The “disappearing magic.” Harrison says “the wizard has been exposed, and everyone’s now in show business.” For talk radio, it gets worse – “having a good voice, following the right talking points, ain’t gonna cut it. If you can’t cut it [on the air, with all the competition], go to your room and tweet to your friends.” Harrison’s advice – “Dig down deep” and be the best you possibly can – “the only way to make it is to have a helluva lot of talent.”

Comments

[sparky]

#10 and #5 explain the popularity of Ron and Don and of Luke Burbank.

Excellent list..looking forward to people's thoughts. I sure agree with a lot of what he says...especially about commercials. I think a lot of us punch the FM button until they are over.

[alan alanson]

" The interweb is not only shaking up media, he says, but is making a “giant change in humanity.” "

Beware of inflated claims for new technologies. Was it Wired Mag who pubbed an article in the 1990s claiming that the internet was creating a new species of human being? Cheeses...

This era isn't so special. Imagine being born around 1900, and experiencing the developing availability of electricity, indoor plumbing, cars, airplanes, movies, radio...That was change.

#8 – “Locality is not community.”

It isn't *necessarily* community; but people do live in defined areas and are forced into a degree of common interest/community. Heard of the viaduct/tunnel? 520 bridge? Rapid transit? etc...

Was it the late Tom Donahue who referred to some then-aspect of the radio biz [AM at that time?] as "A rotting corpse stinking up the airwaves."?

I think of that whenever I hear "Ron and Don."

[Rat_Bastard]

I once had someone in radio tell me that I was "Useless as a listener" because I would tune away during ads.
That's when I was listening to music and would tune away during songs I didn't want.
Lots of stations to bounce around.
In later years with talk radio addiction, you want to stay with a good topic or conversation.
(Therefore I tolerate the ads)
I would much rather download shows now, but I like to listen to different individual radios.
Inside, outside, vehicle...
Not quite ready to wander around with a "walkman" so to speak.
I can see it coming though.
The point made about people using "reviews" on line for what they buy... absolutely.
Seems that salespeople at radio stations these days must feel like "Phone book ad sales" 5 or 10 years ago,
The end is near for them.

[blameitonme]

Whatever. What a bunch of crap. Truth is NOBODY knows what's going on in this wired PPM world. But, true talent, fun and joy are contagious, wherever they are found. Bring back the joy. That's what I say.

[bobby bobberson]

"But, true talent, fun and joy are contagious, wherever they are found. Bring back the joy."

...but managers/owners are too chickenshit to hire Pat O'Day. If POD could program a station... no, wouldn't be KJR at its prime, but it'd be fun, interesting, compelling.

Btw, I tuned in J.Carlson 9am today on KOMO--first time I listened in his new slot. Seemed like 50-percent commercials. JC is a fine communicator, but I can't listen to "half commercials, all the time" radio.

Btw alan alanson, you can add telephones to your list. Growing up 1900-1920 must have been a kick. People these days suffer from a narcissistic "presentism." Ain't we special.

[dave, not dave ross]

Speaking of PPM, someone who works in radio yesterday was telling me that the entire sample of people that dictate the PPM ratings is only 90?!? It just seems so crazy to me that such a small group can have radio by the balls.

[Andrew]

I find that hard to believe seeing as there's nearly as many radio stations in the market. For that to be true, they'd have to have hired a monkey to do statistical work instead of hiring a real statician.

[The Anti-Dori]

Goodbye, Madison Avenue. “The thing that’s killing us is commercials…people now buy things based on research,” not commercials. It's ripe for re-thinking.

Who is he kidding? Madison Avenue still rules. That's who elects politicians with the money K Street gives them. I don't see McDonald's or Wendy's going out of business. Nike doing pretty well. The teabaggers and almost everyone non-public radio is a target for Madison Avenue.

10 and 1 seems like contradictions: pop culture rules but talent will out?

C'mon.

[The Anti-Dori]

As for commercials, if ownership didn't want to profit like health care CEOs and would pay themselves and their talent a reasonable wage, they could survive. But they're killing their business with commercials. Thank Dave Ross would have done the same work for $50,000 a year? I do. He loves it. People don't always choose their jobs for money. Sometimes they choose what they want to do and take the money that is offered.

And fewer commercials would attract more listeners.

[Andrew]

True, he lost a lot of cred with the "good bye maddison avenue. What a hack. He clearly has no idea how advertising works. It's all subliminal. It has nothing to do with reasoned argument or research. The more you hear about a company, the more you are familiar with it. People trust things that are familiar, thus you trust the company. That will influence any research you might do. This guy is a hack.

[The Anti-Dori]

What? No talk about the sixties redux on CSPAN? Is that the one Schultz put together? Too many black faces for the country. Isn't going to play well.

[Tommy008]

folks this is Dr. Bill, and I'm coming on the air in a few minutes down here to give all you vulgar greenie lib bastards hell. say, did you see this example of a chickenbleep vulgar political cheapshot from Gloria Allred, accusing Meg Whitman of being mean ot her maid? what kind of horsecrap is this? I would have told this illegal You're damn right you are fired and you'd better say you don't know me and have never seen me - just like Meg did. I'm going to count to ten and you better start walking. by the time i finish you'd better be off my property. That's what i would have told her. Greenie Jerry Brown supporter bastards.

[Tommy008]

Dr. Bill said last night that Gloria Allred would lick a toilet seat if she thought there was some money in it for her.