How Can We Talk About This?

I've gotten some feedback from colleagues about the issues I raised two posts ago. Most agree with me, but don't want to "go public" for fear of their jobs. Good Lord. I guess for now you can whisper in my ear, and I'll be the mouthpiece. But...  I'm wondering how we can best talk about this? I don't want to do another "discussion forum" (we have enough of those, don't we?) and there is no way we can talk about this stuff at the existing industry conferences. Trust me, I've been shut down at those before when I wanted to raise questions about what the Wall Streeters are doing to radio (uh...who do you think PAYS for those big conferences anyway?). Ideas? Anyone?

Comments

[Haley Jones]

Hello Ray - I'm happy to have come across your blog. Congrats on the book and I'm happy to see you're still passionate about radio.

I think you're absolutely right, these are topics we need to talk about. Radio has changed and is changing. But pieces that simply claim that Wall Street is ruining radio can be fatiguing though. What does that mean? What do we do?

Maybe we as Programmers should take some responsibility too? Sure, being a publically held company in the entertainment industry might be a creative contradiction, but the pencil pushers and the guys in the $1000 suits are not looking over our desks saying "don't come up with a good story today" or "don't figure out a way to do things differently or better." Their knee jerk reactions and the lack of patience leaves lots to be desired, but as PDs/APDs/MDs and jocks, we have the power to at least try to stand out. Instead, many of us are still followers. We all sit around and watch and wait for a song or a morning show bit or a slogan to succeed elsewhere, and only then do we put our big toe in. We use phrases like "this is how it's worked for years" or "I'll consider that record when it makes the top ten" or "as long as the parameters are set by Arbitron, we're stuck in the box..." No wonder radio sounds homogenous.

With a new year and a new landscape (i.e. mornings) for many of us, I'd like to see more articles/blogs/discussion boards that focus on the specifics of radio's evolution. Where do we start? How do we make better radio? If we're overly fearful that sweeping changes will cost us our jobs, then what are the baby steps? I'm not claiming to have all the answers, but what I do know is that even Wall Street handsomely rewards the most innovative businesses.

[Ray Edwards]

Thanks Haley...I'm glad you're still "in it", too! And congrats on your new gig.

Perhaps my language is a bit inflammatory when it comes to "pencil pushers" and "Wall Streeters"...but I write it that way for the very reason that you responded: to get people to pay attention and talk back.

Are there Wall Street companies that reward innovation? You bet. Look at Apple, for instance. There are others, but Apple is on everyone's lips these days.

But...there are plenty of big Wall Street companies that seem hell-bent to squash every last ounce of creativity from their people. It results in the "big toe" mentality you mention in your post. In some businesses, if an idea has been "done before", the company will move on and try to find a new idea. In our business, the usual question is, "Has anybody done this before?" And if the answer is "no"...the $1,000 suits want to move on to something more "safe".

It's not always the case - but is often so.

What I'm really looking for is people like you, Haley, who will stand up and say, as you did, "How do we make better radio?"

I'd like to bring people together who feel it's up to them to save the "soul" of radio - and create some sense of community where we can help one another do just that.

Thanks Haley, for jumping in!