Where Do You Put The Camera?

Normally, my coaching tips are for air talents, but this one is primarily for music radio Program Directors, simply because I don't want air talents to get in trouble with their bosses over something that I said. The old "it's easier to get forgiveness than it is permission" thing isn't really true in this day of corporate programming templates and marching orders from above. Now, all too often, "This is the way we do it," good or bad, is the way of the world. So if you're a PD, please just take five minutes and read this through, then take a day and let it wash over you. At the end of this tip's rainbow is true content, better flow, a more music perception, and a training ground for jocks that can never be equaled in any other way.

No matter what you think, to the listener there are only two elements:

1. Music.
2. Things that aren't music.

To the listener, your imaging is just a commercial for you.

Your "Imaging," to the LISTENER, is just a commercial for you. It is not music, plain and simple. So when you play a song, then a recorded "positioner" of some sort, then another song, you do NOT have the image of playing more music, even though the deejay didn't say anything. In the mind of the listener, it was song-commercial-song.

In the old days, we had a simple but incredibly effective way of dealing with this. Either the jock talked over the song intro (or outro, if you were stopping down), or a jingle played between songs.

Think about it. The quickest way to get from music to music seamlessly, with no interruption, is with MUSIC-which is what a jingle is. (There is nothing more ludicrous than an imaging voice TALKING to say "less talk" or "more music." Talk is not music. And talk is not less talk.)

The added benefit of this template is that the jock talks more often, which allows things to be talked about, more opportunities for meaningful teases to be given, the personality of each jock to emerge (simply because of more chances to connect with the listener), and true forward momentum to be the first impression a person gets of your station, compared to your competition.

Yes, I know. If your staff isn't that great, you think it would be better to not have them talk much. This sounds logical, but it's counterproductive, because then you're at the mercy of your budget, instead of TRAINING your jocks to be great. You can't learn to ride a horse if you never get in the saddle.

Radio "sells" too much, and people don't believe the pap you're selling at all. So instead of just saying that you're a great station, develop a truly great station instead. Set up a training ground that allows jocks to actually become interesting and develop real skills. And when they move on, you have no shortage of fine candidates to replace them, because you've become known as the place that cranks out great jocks.

Your imaging guy (or girl) is not a great jock. He (or she) never says anything that makes Tuesday's show different from Monday's show, is never personally revealing, is never topical, and means nothing to your listener. Your imaging is on constantly, 24/7, and means nothing. All the "sloganeering" in the world won't make me think what you want me to think. If you really want me to think you're a great station, be great. If you want me to think you're funny, do something funny. If you want me to believe that you play great music, then play a song I love. "Fifty-minute music hours" just mean 10 minutes of commercials. "No talk triple plays" just tell me that if it's not that, it's a whole bunch of talk, and I never hear more than two songs in a row. "No repeat work days" just mean that I'll only hear my favorite song once in eight hours.

There are only two elements. Choose the ratio wisely.