Where New Talent Could Come From

First of all, let's define what is meant by "new talent." Sure, it can mean people who have never had a radio show before. They might be successful bloggers, YouTube filmmakers, maybe even former reality show stars (who'll probably quickly get arrested and get you some press).

They could be local politicians who shot their mouth off one too many times. They could be newspaper columnists out of a job because print is the only thing worse to be in than radio. They could be local theater people or improv actors. Yeah, they could be standup comics, though radio went through that phase already and learned that once they do their existing material, they usually turn out to be not particularly fun personalities.

But it can also mean people who have been and are even still on the radio. Let me ask you something: Of the people you have on the air, how many of them are doing the shows they really WANT to do? How many of them are doing the kind of show they know they're best at?

I know, just the thought of letting a talent do their thing and create long-lasting human bonds with the audience they build for what they do is enough to make any micro-managing, PPM-crunching OM go screaming over a cliff.

Let's let get some water and let them calm down while we take a few steps back. The title of this article presupposes there's a need and a desire to find new talent. There is a need. There is no desire. Talent does nothing but get in the way of any "more music because we STILL think we can beat iPod and Pandora" strategy. It doesn't fit into any "local personality is the only differentiator we've got to compete with an onslaught of other music sources, so that's what we're going to eliminate" scenario.

When you take a former or existing talent, and you give them the stage to do the show they have inside them and know they can successfully execute, then you have discovered a "new" talent. But ... like any egg, you have to give it the nest, hatch it, and feed it worms for a relatively short time before it can take off and fly. Too risky. Not worth the time. Too expensive!

Keep in mind we're an industry that's telling Ryan Seacrest to shut up. Genius. We're an industry that doesn't think it's worth paying Jeff Foxworthy to do a syndicated show. Genius. These guys will print money in every other medium. They're probably only doing radio as a favor as it is. But we are deeply committed to no-talent radio.

So ... the talent who are already major brands, who are established and "grandfathered in" (mostly in the Talk format), will soon not need terrestrial broadcast signals, radio stations or syndicators. They'll own their own shows, syndicate themselves, and distribute themselves globally via their own web presence. Their company will sell all their own audio ads, and they'll keep all the money. They'll share the graphic online ad revenue with Google.

From their own show, the web being limitless, they'll expand and launch their own branded network. When that happens, they're going to need talent to put on that network. That's where new talent is going to come from. They'll be discovered, nurtured, and launched by existing TALENT. Why? Because talent knows the value of talent. Talent values entertainers. You'll never have to convince a successful talent that personality matters and is worth developing and giving a stage. They already know that.

Some in radio are already inching toward that model. One TV personality has it completely figured out. Oprah nurtures new personalities and brand names on her show, then launches them into their own endeavors, which she owns, where she reaps the benefits of her investment in them. Dr. Phil. Dr. Oz. Now she's dumping her syndicated show, because she's bigger than that system now. All fueled by a talent ... finding other talent.

Imagine pitching yourself and your ideas not to open-mouthed PDs or OMs or GMs or Market Managers or Regional VPPs or national VPs or COOs or CEOs or shareholders or consultants ... but to talent. What a world! To make it a reality, established names must commit to launching new talent, and new talent must commit to getting a hit when they get up to bat.