5-23-13
Today we begin a series of interviews with winning program directors at successful news and news/talk stations around the country. Our first interview is with Tim Scheld, the Director of News and Programming at WCBS-AM in New York City. What is the WCBS secret to success? "Our mission has been the same since the radio station started its all-News format back in 1967, to be New York?s number one trusted source for news and information on the radio. You get that by delivering a product that is reliable, timely, honest, and compelling."
Talk about the success of WCBS.
I think the most important factors in the success of WCBS-AM are the consistency of the news product and the quality of the people behind it. Our mission has been the same since the radio station started its all-News format back in 1967, to be New York?s number one trusted source for news and information on the radio. You get that by delivering a product that is reliable, timely, honest, and compelling. You get that by having talented news anchors who communicate information and provide context that only experience can provide.
The other key to success for us is to have a team of reporters who can bring listeners out to the scene of breaking
news with sound and word pictures. It?s an art that we hope never to lose sight of. It?s why we decorated our new facility at Hudson Street with a large photograph of Edward R. Murrow behind a CBS Radio microphone. His words captured the imagination of an entire nation during World War II. The photo reminds us that our words can be powerful and important. I want people here to take that responsibility seriously. We take our heritage very seriously.
How do you create that special connection between station and listener?
The bond between listener and radio station is something that takes years to develop. The foundation of that bond is trust. Our job is to deliver a product that we hope will be of value to the people listening. If we do that on a consistent basis, listeners will make a conscious choice to listen to us. Over time, that develops into an implied contract that whenever there is a need, we will be there. But it?s not just about having what people need; it?s about how the information is conveyed. There needs to be an honesty and authenticity. That comes with having news personalities who can connect with listeners. We don?t put on any airs ? we are real people. We laugh at a good joke; we get mad at higher tolls, we cry inside when we are faced with stories like Sandy or Newtown. We are not just providing news to our community, we are members of the community delivering news, and hopefully that comes through in what we say, how we say it, even in the questions we ask. To be a successful News station in your community, you must.... It?s all about staying connected to the community, and understanding the responsibility of being a voice for the people in that community. First and foremost, I think it?s important to have a presence in the places you cover, and not just visit them in times of tragedy. That can be a challenge when you consider that in our Tri-State area we have hundreds of municipalities.
We also take seriously our responsibility to tell stories about the tremendous good going on across our listening area. These stories are the ones that provoke the most reaction and lead to new connections and new story ideas. I also feel strongly about building partnerships with community entities like the March of Dimes, WHY Hunger, the Special Olympics, and the 9/11 National Museum. These are organizations that we provide support to by helping them raise money and awareness. Another part of our commitment to the events that engage our listeners.
We run multiple events each year including several Small Business Breakfasts, ?The Business of Getting into College,? a Working Women?s Luncheon, and a Women?s Achievement Awards. These events help connect us to people in the communities we serve. They allow us to interact with listeners in a personal way and help us take the pulse of the people who listen to our station every day.
With the rapid growth of technology, how has gathering and delivering news changed the past 10 years?
First off, the equipment we use out on the street has changed significantly in the past 10 years. Smartphones are smarter. They allow reporters to take photos, tweet, post onto Facebook, record audio, and connect via broadband to deliver highquality live audio. The technical developments in the last few years have been breathtaking, and we continue to test new avenues all the time. We are also now seeing social media play a larger role in the delivery of news to consumers. While some might consider it competition to the traditional media, I actually view it as an opportunity for us to expose our reporting and newsgathering to an audience that may not normally consider radio news as a source of information. It?s an exciting time for us. Challenging, but exciting.
It?s almost as if listeners/consumers are telling you how they want their news delivered, isn?t it?
There isn?t a business on this planet that can afford to ignore how consumers use their product. Do people wake up to us on clock radios the way they used to? Do they stream us in their cars? Does Twitter deliver listeners to breaking news? It?s a fascinating time for our business. I am encouraged by studies that suggest that the demand for news and information is greater than ever. Our job is to figure out a way to make sure that our brand is one of the top choices.
Reach out to Tim Scheld at TScheld@wcbs880.com
Listen to WCBS NEWS RADIO HERE
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