7-20-2012
(by Fred Jacobs) It was an n interesting second day at the Conclave in Minneapolis, complete with fireworks. Mike Huckabee led off the festivities by being interviewed in front of a full house in the main ballroom. He had strong comments telling attendees, "Like politics and radio, you?re only as good as you were yesterday." He also added an interesting comment about those who say dumb, offensive things but, ?only apologize if I offended someone.?
In Huckabee?s mind, you should ?Man up and admit you made a mistake.? He compared the role of a Vice President to a spare tire: ?You?re kept in the dark, out of sight, but all pumped up and ready to go when you?re needed.? Says that local hosts make better interviewers because they ask deeper questions, connected to local issues and concerns.
Then, a couple of sessions where ?Minnesota Nice? was MIA. Starting with the ?Syndicated All-Star Session,? featuring Jim Brickman, Geoerge Noory, Todd Schnitt, and Andy Dean. It was moderated by Perry Michael Simon, and for a while was pretty much what you?d expect from a panel of nationwide hosts.
They talked about how they got started in the business, but then Andy Dean began to turn the session into what Pamela Muldoon referred to on Twitter as a WWE match. At times, Dean looked bored, aloof, and even not paying attention. At other times, he attacked Schnitt who gave as good as he got. Some attendees were either entertained by the banter, while others couldn?t believe it was happening. As one tweeter noted, there?s a fine line between arrogance and confidence.
Next up, ?Keeping It Local? moderated by Mike Stern, featuring Clear Channel?s Mike Crusham, WCCO PD Bob Shomper, Entercom Madison Ops Mgr David Moore, and consultant Keith Hill. In this session, Hill was the agent provocateur. He argued that radio is ?broken? because of voicetracking and cutbacks. He also advised attendees: ?Do not take a job at Clear Channel, Cumulus, or CBS. Find a job with a local owner-operator.? All this, with managers from Clear Channel and CBS on the panel. Moderator Stern fired back that there are lots of local owners who are pretty crazy, too.
On the substantive side, the panelists agreed on lots of things:
Social media and the Internet make it even easier for local hosts to prepare their shows.
Shomper: Vertical recycling works and helped grow CCO?s share.
Crusham: ?I bemoan the past but the past is gone.?
Crusham: ?Radio is tribal.?
All-time great local host? Dave Moore says Alaska?s Rick Rydell.
Shomper: Bob Sirott
The always inspiring Val Geller?s ?Finding Future Stars?
?All-stars are storyteller junkies. If you?re a great storyteller and love stories, you?re halfway there.?
And ?Every great talent takes risks.?
And Val?s big 3: Tell the truth, make it better, never be boring.
Doug Harris (head honcho at Noisemaker Communications) had a fun session that had
attendees taking notes?
Quotes: ?Sales thinks programming?s favorite word is ?no.? Programming thinks sales? favorite word is ?yes.? A PD?s best defense against bad sales promotions ? a ?station bill of rights.? Put together your rules for how promotions are going to be done at your station.
One of the more interesting sessions of the day, ?New Ways To Make Money,? moderated by Jacobs Media?s Paul Jacobs. On the panel, Chief Strategy Office of Federated Media James Derby, Dir of Bus Dev & Strategy for Hubbard Interactive Rob McCracken, Northern Lights Broadcasting?s Sam Elliot, and an interesting addition ? a non-radio person, Maureen Carlson from a company called Good Scout.
Paul Jacobs: ?Radio has two secret weapons and needs to leverage them ? our cume and our megaphone. Stop with the CPM and CPP.? Rob McCraken talked about how Hubbard has ?rebranded? its digital marketing efforts using ?2060 Digital.? He says they?ve become one of the biggest social media agencies in the Midwest.
Carlson talked about how non-profits are now using corporate dollars for cause marketing, but need media partners. Oftentimes, she doesn?t know which stations to talk to, or even who to talk to at the station. The room ? and the other panelists ? really responded to this, definitely thinking that non-profit + corporate opportunities may be a missed opportunity for radio.
To get help because they were using the receptionist to handle social media, Northern Lights? Elliot talked about how they?ve brought in an outside agency to help them with social.
Derby: Out of 7 reps at most stations, 1 or 1? ?get? digital.
McCracken: ?The old days with the PD and sales manager fighting over promos is over.? Important to get buy-in from both.
Derby noted that ad agencies are now referring business to Federated Media because of the sophistication of their digital departments.
Good Scout?s Carlson: Don?t give ways your PSAs or just show up at events. Sit down the non-profit and think about strategic opportunities that are win-win.
Federated Media?s Derby: ?It?s about the ask. The digital dollars are out there. Be aggressive.?
Finally, this quote from Matt Fisher (mornings, KKIA, The Moose) :?Conclave is such a valuable tool for the radio industry. I wish more stations and staff members were here to benefit.?
Reach out to Fred Jacobs via e-mail fredjacobs@jacobsmedia.com
Check out his blog
www.jacobsmedia.com
Follow on Twitter @fnjacobs
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