(TALENT) The Precision Decision

6-19-2014

It was an extraordinarily beautiful thing ? almost fragrant. And, like so many other beautiful things, it was also extremely rare. I had been called in to voice a TV spot for a national advertiser. I was being shown the video and the music track was in my cans. The producer then said, ?Voice it however you think it might work.? I had to look around to affirm that I had not inadvertently passed through some pearly gates.

It was so easy. There was lots of room in the copy to be expressive and the video cuts were such that there was space for the spot to breathe. There were no demands for behaviors ? what the agency weenies refer to as ?calls to action.? There were no attempts at a forced intimacy ? the arbitrary and thoroughly bogus ?one-to-one? experience. Further, the actual product was on-screen for about five seconds, tops.

Later, after waiting a few minutes for approval, there was a question from the client about there being no mention of the brand in the copy. It was explained that the video carried a ?super? that covered that off quite nicely. The client was slightly concerned and insisted the brand name be mentioned in the copy, as well. (?Some nerve,? I say.) I read a tag as an unimportant afterthought; one of those ?void where prohibited? thingies. The client found that quite acceptable. Satisfied grins, high-fives, and a few knuckle-bumps later, we adjourned for smokes, coffees, and a chat out on the balcony.

And yes, I get it. This was an agency-produced spot with all the cowbells, horns, banners, and multiple, ballooned, production invoices inserted forthwith. Since the producer was also the writer, I quizzed him on the concept for the project and, more specifically, on the lack of product-content.

As it turned out, the client was pretty sophisticated on these matters, and had charged the agency with developing an emotional connection with the target audience. The product was of the high-end variety. Nothing was going ?on sale.? This was top-quality product being offered at full-pop retail. Practically, going for an emotional connection was the only viable strategy. Even while one feature of the product was offered in the copy, any other distinctions that might exist between it and the competition were hardly worth the mentioning.

Meanwhile, out on the balcony, the producer/writer revealed that, once the creative premise was put to bed, the copy, pretty much, wrote itself ? an intuitive exercise. Plus, he was, after all, an experienced professional. That?s when I mentioned the two main points that were (fortunately) missing from the copy. Those being: a lack of direct instructions being pressed on the audience and the lack of any attempt to connect directly with any particular viewer.

He was considering those points and made a couple of mild attempts at countering them. However, to his credit, and after a few more examples were provided, the fog dissipated and the light of realization popped on. He said, ?That was just this one spot. There have been a few others. But, most of the time we write and include both of those elements you just argued against.?

In the meantime, I thanked him for the opportunity to voice the piece in a way that I thought would be more effective and appealing. That?s when the conversation shifted to the now-decade-old practice of having many more adult males who sound like 15-year-olds voicing an overwhelming number of spots ? the ol? ?guy next door? dodge. I asked him if he had any interest in considering the rationale for such an arbitrary practice. He slurped his coffee, took a long, relaxed pull on his imported Camel Filter and said, ?Sure.?

?Most radio and TV copy?, I began, ?is written from an authoritative position while attempting to make a direct connection to a single listener/viewer. ?I agree,? he said. ?Most of it is.? ?So,? I continued, ?when those positions are already embedded in the copy, engaging an authoritative-sounding, deeper, male voice for the read tends to drive a level of discomfort in the listener to an ever-higher magnitude. It?s almost always an imperceptible phenomenon, yet broadcast-media types still recoil as if something weird and disconcerting is going on. Thus, the guy-next-door rationalization and application.? ?I?ll go along with that,? says he.

Although a reminder could be redundant and unnecessary, it may serve to point out the obvious: No guy next door ever speaks in the manner in which they are portrayed in spots. Nor do they replicate the content across the fence that they do in the body of broadcast commercials. In these cases, everybody involved comes off sounding/looking like idiots ? a surefire strategy for crippling appeal, credibility, and motivation.

These are elements that demonstrate a drastic need, particularly in commercial radio, for content providers to start paying attention to ?Clarity and Precision in Communications.?

This is the element that constitutes a first priority for any broadcaster who needs to drag their sorry butts out of the glue that has been bogging radio down for decades. Radio?s salvation will not be rolling down the techno-highway and it won?t be as a result of adding more ?live and local.? I am also sorry to report, as much as I agree that, although still required in the mix, it won?t come about as a result of arbitrarily attempting to cram more ?creative? into on-air and commercial presentations.

Radio has been the go-to medium for demonstrations of the worst possible examples of so-called ?professional communications? for decades. This has been the status quo for so long that most participants don?t even recognize the issue for what it is: that which has already killed the radio star, and that which will be killing much of the rest of radio.

While there is still opportunity, it is well past the time to make a decision for precision.

Ronald T. Robinson has been involved in Canadian Radio since the '60s as a performer, writer and coach and has trained and certified as a personal counsellor. Ron makes the assertion that the most important communicative aspects of broadcasting, as they relate to Talent and Creative, have yet to be addressed. Check out his website www.voicetalentguy.com

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L.A. Ratings Problem Could Date Back A Year

6-16-14

Nielsen says it has removed the media-affiliated household from the Los Angeles ratings -- but the situation could be more damaging than originally thought. The household in the survey had been part of the PPM panel for "an extended period of time," according to Nielsen. An investigation is now underway that will have Nielsen examining data as far back as a year.

That was one of two households removed from the Los Angeles ratings; one of those households caused the much-publicized delay in the ratings. That household was not media-affilated; it was removed, Nielsen says, because "it did not meet our quality standards." Both that non-media related household and the Univision employee household have been part of the L.A. PPM panel for an extended period of time, so the damage could extend over more than just one book. Nielsen says it will conduct an impact analysis extending back over the last year and will provide the market with that analysis.

The official Nielsen release says, "The behavior of a media-affiliated household not self-reporting is a serious violation of data integrity standards." The company is planning several changes as a result of the L.A. incident, although Nielsen did not specify what those changes would be. "We will be taking a number of actions to minimize the risk of reoccurrence and ensure users of Los Angeles ratings data are adequately and prominently notified. Additionally, Nielsen will be implementing an immediate and aggressive review of our policies and procedures to protect the integrity of our panels. We will be transparent with the industry and share our plans as quickly as possible."

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What Happened to Joe Walsh in Chicago?

6-19-14

The talk show host on Salem's 560-AM The Answer was apparently pulled off the air during a commercial break. Mail Online reports the former U.S. Congressman from Illinois says he was kicked off his own show for trying to have a frank and honest discussion about race in America. Walsh took to Twitter as soon as he was pulled off the air. 'Found out if I said Redskins or Cracker or Redneck Bible Thumper, I could stay on. But if I said N***** or S***k, they cut me off,' he wrote. He'll be off the air today and has a 5PM meeting with his producers. Walsh's show was recently expanded to three hours on the station because of its popularity.

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HIRING)Relocation

6-20-2014

Remember in the old days, when it was a given that if you wanted to grow in your career, you needed to relocate to move up the ladder? One simply uprooted the family and often moved numerous times as their positions grew within a company or joined new ones.

Today it is much more difficult to find candidates willing to relocate. That doesn?t help you when you are in need of a new manager, on-air talent, PD, or any other department head. Between employees demanding a better work/life balance and wanting to be near family (which sometimes can work to your advantage), dual-spouse careers and being rooted in a community, they just won?t move.

What are your options or solutions to this? You can try to up the ante and make huge concessions, higher compensation, and creative benefits to lure them to your market, but chances of them staying are not great. If you are OK with a few years and then more turnover, this could be a solution for you. Most companies aren?t willing to spend the money to bring in someone for the short term.

When you have exhausted your search locally, what can you do to attract and keep those candidates that match your qualifications but live elsewhere? Here are some tips that we find useful when we are relocating candidates to our open positions:
? Have a solid relocation plan ? include trips back and forth until family is settled. It is OK to include a clause that if they leave within a pre-designated time period that a prorated portion of their move will be deducted from last pay period. Temporary housing for up to 90 days is a good amount of time to locate more permanent housing.
? Interview the family ? find out what is important to them, do they like certain activities, such as sports, wine, theater, etc. that are available in your area? Do they have family in the area? Are there better schools or medical facilities in your community? What career opportunities are available in your community for the spouse? Is this a place where they could see themselves living for several years if not until retirement?
? Be prepared to sell your opportunity to the family! Invite them all for a visit and have activities planned such as meetings with realtors, information from the Chamber of Commerce on key facts such as cost of living and average cost of home. Invite them to dine at popular restaurants, offer tickets to events or attractions. Set up school visits. Have them meet key staff members who can show them around. If necessary, have some informational interviews set up for their spouse.
? Review the position and think about the possibility of having someone either work flex-time in the market while commuting or working virtually. If you are in need of a local manager or seller, this probably is not the best solution for you as you really need the commitment to the community. If it is a regional position where the person is traveling most of the time, or if it is a behind-the-scenes position, then this could work for you.

Remember, not only is a new job exciting, it?s also intimidating and overwhelming when relocating. When it is done with an entire family, it is in the company?s best interest to help them all make the transition. The sooner they are settled and happy, the better your new hire will be able to flourish.

Laurie Kahn is Founder and President of Media Staffing Network and can be reached at 480-306-8930 or via e-mail at laurie@mediastaffingnetwork.com. Visit the Media Staffing Website www.mediastaffingnetwork.com

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WGN Named Station Of The Year

6-18-14

The honor was bestowed upon the Jimmy de Castro-run station by the Illinois Broadcasters Association at the 2014 IBA Silver Dome Awards. For the seventh year in a row, the IBA recognized WGN Radio as the Chicago Market Station of the Year. WGN also took home six additional awards including Best Radio Series/Documentary and Best Play-By-Play team. de Castro said, ?We are thrilled to have taken home seven awards and to be recognized by our peers at the Illinois Broadcasters Association.?

The radio station competition is divided into three market classifications, allowing stations in similarly sized markets to compete on a level playing field. Out-of-state broadcasters do the judging for the Illinois competition. Entry fees collected for the competition help fund the IBA's College Endowment and Minority Internship Programs.

In addition, WGN Radio earned first place honors in six categories:
-       Best Play-By-Play Team for Chicago Blackhawks broadcasters John Wiedeman and Troy Murray.
-       Best Radio Series or Documentary for ?Beyond Bartman: The Story of the 2003 Cubs,? produced by David Kaplan, Trey Elling, and Dan Levy.
-       Best Radio Feature for ?Halloween Rescheduled,? with Bill Leff and Wendy Snyder.
-       Best Station Website for wgnradio.com.
-       Best Use of New Media for the ?Graveyard Shift Tours? video with Nick Digilio and Dan Sugrue.
-       Best Non-Humorous Commercial for ?Des Plaines Golf Center,? produced by Jason Skaggs.

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The Things Employees Do

6-17-14
by John Garziglia

The Los Angeles Nielsen PPM ratings were delayed for over a week, all because a media?affiliated household took part in the Los Angeles sample.  In other words, a radio station employee likely did something that was against the better interests of his or her employer. 

Every industry has unique aspects in which employee misjudgment can cause headaches for the employer and possibly even the industry.  The automobile industry is currently embroiled in federal safety proceedings because of an ignition switch issue which was apparently well known within the manufacturer.  In our radio industry, an employee was just terminated for apparently failing to report to its employer that he or she was related to a Nielsen Audio sample participant. 

Rather than re-stating the obvious about the Nielsen Audio issue, let?s take a quick look at some of the other unique and often stupid things employees in our radio industry can do to harm an employer, the industry and themselves. 

The FCC has a grab-bag of regulatory requirements it expects that licensees, and its employees, will be aware of.  While a full listing would fill a book, let?s look at a few of the unique ways radio station employees can keep radio station managers awake at night. 

The local public file has to be near the top of the list.  If someone requests to see the local public file, do your personnel know where the local public file is located?  Do they know that the local public file must be available during business hours, without an appointment, to any requestor, and no one should be told to come back when the manager is there?  Do your employees reliably compile the quarterly issues/programs list, and put it into the local public file, no later than each January 10th, April 10th, July 10th and October 10th?

FCC EEO compliance is also near the top of the list.  EEO non-compliance can generate large fines or worse for employment units with five or more full-time employees.  Do your employees responsible for hiring know that FCC EEO recruitment procedures must take place for each full-time hire or promotion?  Have your managers recently reviewed your employment unit?s EEO outreach to confirm that employment vacancy information is being distributed to diverse sources, that such sources are actually sending interviewees for openings, and that your employment unit is not simply relying upon internet outreach, radio ads or word of mouth?  Is a link to your most recent EEO Annual Public File Report somewhere on your website?s home page?

Radio station towers and other technical matters are a safety-of-life issue with the FCC.  Compliance with FCC rules is taken seriously.  Do your technical employees know that tower gates should never be left unlocked?  Do your employees timely notify the FAA of any tower light outages?  Does your engineer take seriously FCC tower painting requirements and is AM tower fencing in good repair? Are all your air personnel aware of EAS responsibilities and compliance?  Is your AM station changing patterns and powers as required? 

The internet, while not unique to radio stations, brings its own set of headaches.  Are employees who create and post content for station websites aware that most photographs available on the web are copyrighted and consent must be obtained for use?   Are your employees generally obtaining releases for photos taken and audio content produced that may be used as part of station promotions?   Are your domain names registered to your business entity, and not simply under the technical and administrative control of one techie who may or may not still be your employee?  Are you sure that the radio station owns the creative content on the website, and not the individual creating the content?

No listing such as this would be complete without indicting air personalities.  Do your air personalities have at least a passing appreciation of what constitutes libel and slander?  Are your managers fully aware of any contests or promotions that may be created by your air personalities?  Are the FCC?s contest rule requirements being followed even if only for a pair of tickets to a local show? 

Do your more edgy air personalities understand why Howard Stern is no longer on terrestrial radio, and that prior to leaving he left behind a very large trail of FCC fines?  If you are running non-English programming, do your air personalities understand it is not OK to curse or tell off-color jokes on the air in the mistaken belief that the FCC cannot understand them?   If your jocks do telephone call-out bits, do they know it is not OK to broadcast a telephone conversation, or record it for later broadcast, without first informing the called party that he or she is doing so?  Are hoaxes and the like cleared with management first, no matter how much it ruins spontaneity?  And finally, does your air staff understand that anything given to them by a third party in exchange for programming is either payola or plugola absent a sponsorship identification, and that the FCC still takes payola and plugola very seriously?

This is by no means a complete list.  Creative employees can come up with any number of ways to unwittingly create nightmares for a licensee and its managers. But many issues can be avoided through timely questions to management.  Just think how differently the LA ratings data issue would have played out for the now-fired employee if that employee has simply said to management months ago, ?I think one of my family members is signed up by Nielsen Audio as a PPM participant ??.

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(SALES) What I Learned At The WAB

6-18-2014

I learned that Banff, Alberta, Canada is absolutely one of the most beautiful places on earth. Most of the time when you travel you get ?locked inside the room.? In this case I was able to get out and see how beautiful Banff is. If you are ever planning on going on a vacation to Canada, besides Kelowna, you?re going to have to visit Banff.

Lloyd Robertson -- there is nobody like him. For 41 years, until 2011, Lloyd Robertson co-anchored CBC and CTV. Lloyd started, believe it or not, in radio. For 15 years, as I?ve traveled to Canada on an extensive basis, Lloyd was the one I watched and he made me feel like I was home.

I think Lloyd is about 80 now. I spoke in the morning at the Western Association of Broadcasters last Thursday and Lloyd was also one of the speakers. To share the stage with this broadcasting icon was one of my dreams. Dream fulfilled! This is not an everyday thing. By the way, Lloyd was dead-on with his stories, and did something I respect greatly: He was in every session.

I spotted him right away in mine. He doesn?t have to attend every session and he even called me out during his session. Why? Because he was at my session first thing in the morning. Kind of reminds me of the late Radio Wayne Cornils. Radio Wayne was at all of the sessions at the RAB, even if it was just poking his head in to see you even after he introduced you.

I learned that I needed to make sure I hit the ?breaks??meaning not run over in the break for the next speaker. Rarely have I ever done that. (Sorry Lesa!) I typically finish right on time. I think all sales meetings should also end at the given time the sales manager says you will be out of there. I broke one of my cardinal rules that one time. Won?t happen again.

One of the top things people took away from my seminar -- and this was a management seminar called ?The Liquid Fire: The 10 Steps To Management Success? ? was the question a sales manager asks upon first seeing the applicant in the first five minutes of an interview. The credit for this one goes to one of my sales managers, Steve Sandman. You have to pick an unfamiliar sport that the candidate will probably not know. If you?re in Canada, you probably wouldn?t ask them who just won the Stanley Cup. Pick a non-traditional sport to ask the sales candidate about. What you are trying to do is find out if the candidate is listening. So you interrupt them somewhere in the first five minutes of conversation and ask them, ?Do you know who won the Stanley Cup last year?? Yes, the LA Kings just won the most recent one -- maybe you can ask who won a year ago. Most of them won?t know at least in most parts of the USA. When they don?t know, remind them it was the Chicago Blackhawks. At the end of the interview, the last question you want to ask the sales candidate is, ?Who won the Stanley Cup last year?? If they don?t know, they were not listening to you. The top skill of high-performing sales reps is?listening! In the cases where I?ve personally hired people who couldn?t answer that question, they didn?t make it. The ones who did, most always made it.

I learned, even after all of this time, my little Pomeranian Ajax still carries a lot of branding equity with his yellow-and-black reward-rescue sign. Top colors in the outdoors are? Yellow and black. Yes, Ajax is still alive today.
For some reason, 95 percent of that all-Canadian audience picked the circle of the three choices determining if you are, a) intelligent (those who chose the square), b) creative (those who chose the triangle), or c) your mind is constantly pre-occupied with booze and sex (those who chose the circle). Needless to say, we had a fun seminar with all the circles in the audience.

I found one Greek in the audience. It was the first time for me, speaking outside of Greece, that somebody actually recognized me speaking Greek: I throw a few words out in Greek to see if anybody understands Greek. I use this as an illustration of having the audience realize that if you are just speaking your language of broadcaster or digital maven, and you don?t know how to talk the retailer?s language of profit margins, mark-ups, forward buying, and accruals, and really understand the language of the retailer, you are speaking Greek and they are speaking retail. It?s pretty hard for your reps to gather good information to bring back to you and do a good Return On Investment calculation for them to see what the desire expectations are going to be for your campaign. Unfortunately, we rarely ever set up expectations, which is why we never have to go back and ask the question, ?Is it working??

Believe it or not, we did start out with everyone clapping and we did finish up by having all the broadcasters in Alberta holding hands and repeating the phrase ?Kiazen? at the end of the seminar. That was a very smart group of broadcasters and one of the toughest groups that I have ever spoken in front of -- they had so much experience. You can?t just drop a line on them and head to the door ? you?d better explain it. Since the competition is really outside the conference room, ?on the streets,? in terms of newspaper, direct mail, yellow pages -- anything but what we had in the room: radio, TV, and digital.

A special thank you to George Leith from Vendasta Technologies who put in a good five minutes explaining how broadcasters can help local businesses with their virtual doorway to their business. He even held their attention after I went long into the break. Truly a captivating speaker, that George Leith.
I love you Alberta! What a great group! That was my first time speaking in the Alberta province and I won?t forget it.

Sean Luce is the Head International Instructor for the Luce Performance Group International and can be reached at sean@luceperformancegroup.com or www.luceperformancegroup.com  You can also find Sean?s new book The Liquid Fire on Amazon.com.

(6/19/2014 9:05:38 PM)
Thank you Ronald. I loved it there. They were very nice and receptive to me.
(6/18/2014 8:44:20 AM)
Glad you enjoyed Banffff, Sean. During the 30 years we were in Calgary, the locals had a saying: "There are no bad days to go to the mountains."

We also said to newcomers: "Hope you can enjoy 9 months of winter and 3 months of hard sledding." :)

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