As we reported yesterday Maureen Lesourd was let go from her most recent job in the radio industry. For Lesourd it's been a 35 year run and she does not plan to call it quits now. Her career began in the traffic department of WJLK AM and FM, an accidental job, when the position she applied for with the Asbury Park Press was already filled. Lesourd learned how to write commercials and read meters at her new job and that was followed by her getting a position at WHN in New York City. Last night we caught up with Lesourd and peppered her about her three-and-half decades working in an industry she says she still loves.
You say you love this industry. The changes going on do not bother you?
Well on the positive side, I'm a great believer that there really is no growth without change or some risk. I've always embraced the willingness to reach outside of my comfort zone to learn new things and grasp new innovations that are impactful to the business. What is concerning are the recent dramatic cut backs industry wide. I do contend that maximizing talent and positions is wise consolidation, but I wonder what the long term effect will be on our products and customer service if we overload our people with more work than can be handled with due diligence. Ah yes, the challenges of every manager today is to work through that, find new ways to measure and keep people motivated in the process.
What would you consider some of your biggest successes?
I'm proud of the many great stations and business units I've managed and honestly, what has made them successes are the people. I love building teams and driving business. Many come to mind, but WRQX in Washington, DC was especially rewarding because it was my first GM job. When I got there it was a struggling CHR with low ratings and margins. I built a great team with Jim Robinson as our GSM and Lorrin Palagi as PD. Research supported a couple of format opportunities. HAC was fairly new at the time, but we really believed it had greater growth potential than the format corporate had signed off on. I recall aggressively petitioning corporate and they supported us...although I knew Norm Schrutt would have creamed me if we were wrong!...so we flipped to HAC as Mix 107.3, hired Jack Diamond and Bert and grew it into a monster station in the market and highly profitable for the company.
WYCD in Detroit is another. We shared similar ratings with our competitor at the time, but only one Country station got the buy, so I decide the only way to beat them was on the street. It was my hope they'd flip the format if the revenue wasn't there; so I hired Deb Kenyon as GSM and we built a great sales force. A year later, they changed format. Then when I became Market Manager for the cluster, I made Deb DOS where we grew the revenues to be the #1 cluster in the market. WQCD in NY was another. We woke up the market from a sleepy market competitor as a niche Jazz station to a mainstream Smooth Jazz by tweaking the format and executing a strong marketing plan led by Russ King.. We took a share out of the AC and bite out of market revenues. KRTH in LA is another great story...it's all about Jhani Kaye.
What was the pressure like working in some of the big markets in America?
There must be something in my DNA that helps me manage pressure. I balance my business and personal life which may be a large part. That said, the top line success in a big market is always a focus for broadcast companies. It can make or break a year depending upon it's value to the company portfolio. A costly mistake or a revenue blip can have disastrous impact overall, so it's critical to embrace new revenue streams and audience building initiatives and technologies, plan strategically and be disciplined regarding expenses.
What is it like to be under a microscope on nearly a daily basis?
For some people accountability may be considered a daily microscope, but if a company is highly leveraged, the price to pay is greater scrutiny from above. I set a high bar for performance and hold people accountable. I've also learned from some very good supervisors along the way who have held me accountable how and what to anticipate. Plus I work to have a good relationship with them and an open dialogue,which typically fosters an understanding of how to best work with them. That's not to say I haven't had a bad year; I have, but I think healthy communication and mutual respect can make the phone calls less intense. The more leveraged a company is of course, the price to pay is greater scrutiny from above and of course, we've seen more of that in recent years. I don't think I've ever been under a daily microscope, but I know me and I know that's not a culture I would enjoy.
What is your fondest memory in radio?
Oh gosh, there have been a few that bring a smile to my face, but I'd have to say it was landing my first sales job at WPLJ in NY. I wanted to stand out from the crowd, so I drew a picture of me and wrote a poem as one of many many follow-up letters to Marc Morgan, the GSM. I interviewed there several times because he never hired anyone without radio sales experience. The poem did it and I got the job.
What would you like to do next and where would you like to do it?
Identifying, coaching and leading talented people is my strength, so I'll always naturally gravitate to leadership positions. As has been my passion, I want to be more than an employee, but be an active participant in the growth and new initiatives of a business.
Name 3 people in the radio industry you most admire and why?
I've never actually met him, but I've known of his career since his PD role at WNBC a number of years ago, but I'd have to say Bob Pittman is one. I attended his session at the NAB this year and was completely inspired by his knowledge, enthusiasm for diving into new technologies and growth areas for his company and most of all for his "all industry", not just for Clear Channel, commitment to foster positive change. I'd like to meet him.
I admire and appreciate people who have ventured out of the traditional radio environment of working for companies to embark upon new businesses that are brand extensions of radio. Women like Tracy Gilliam, President of Topline Matters was my GSM at KRTH who started a busy company serving stations sales research and marketing needs and Mary Beth Garber. I was in LA when Mary Beth was selected to lead SCBA; well she did more than that, she revived it and built it into a most notable organization.
Also in this category is Daniel Anstandig, President of Listener Driven Radio and my former client at the Network. He's under 30 and is the creator of a terrific crowdcasting platform for radio stations to activate their listeners on-line and on-air participation through social networking.
Finally, I know they are no longer in radio, but they will always have my sincerest admiration....Tom Murphy and Dan Burke, formerly the Chairman and COO, respectively, of Cap Cities/ABC. Two incredibly fine men and and great leaders.
Reach out to Maureen at Maureen Lesourd mo_lesourd@yahoo.com
Add a Comment Send This Story To A Friend
