Greg Strassell has been a prized programming pupil for CBS Radio for over a decade with his role expanding on a perpetual basis. In 2004, he reached a pinnacle position with the company ascending to SVP of Programming. He works closely with CBS Radio key executives Dan Mason, Kevin Weatherly and Chris Oliviero, constituting one on the most potent programming brain trusts in the business today.
Greg Strassell
Greg Strassell has been in radio programming for over twenty years. His career has been accented by upwardly mobile moves from his early days of programming in the Midwest to the productive run he continues to enjoy in Boston, Mass. He took over WBMX/Boston in 1991 upon its conversion to the Mix format it still thrives under today. Between then and now, he’s risen to VP positions with two companies and in 2004 was appointed SVP of Programming for CBS Radio.
Strassell is among an elite group of programmers who were feted last year with Career Achievement Awards at the FMQB 40th Anniversary event. He captured honors as the top HOT AC programmer of all-time. Going forward for Strassell and CBS Radio, it continues to be all about new challenges, and as of late…AMP Radio.
eQB presents excerpts from the March FMQB magazine Cover Story with Greg Strassell, SVP Programming, CBS Radio
On the motivation behind the launch of AMP Radio in Los Angeles…
AMP Radio is an exciting new approach to Top 40 that was developed by Kevin Weatherly and his team a couple of years ago when introducing an HD music channel. LA is the #1 radio revenue market and this is our first chance to target Women 18-34 and Women 18-49. We love Top 40. It continues to be an evergreen format that showcases the symbiotic relationship between radio and records. A two way Top 40 battle in LA will be great for listeners, labels and radio’s vibrancy.
On variables that will allow the AMP format to succeed…
PPM has changed the rules for this format. This is the first major change for this format since the “soft diary” was introduced in the late 80’s. At that time there were two top 40’s in most markets. But the diary methodology changed and favored AC formats. Top 40 began to disappear as stations chased Adult 25-54 formats. Radio has been accused of abandoning the younger demos.
On the pre-launch research that went into AMP Radio…
We did a full market audience study in December which was presented in mid-January. Kevin knew in his head what the station might sound like going into the project. The research confirmed that approach and offered views on various station names and opportunities to exploit with competitors. The name AMP tested well in the audience research. Kevin took it a step further and organized the playing of production pieces for women in the demo. We had the chance to hear comments and observe facial reactions to the various station names. Watching their faces showed the implication of energy, fun and uniqueness of this brand. This was the brand where they broke out into smiles when they heard it. Hard to get the smile factor on some research!
On the CBS Radio executive programming team…
Our programming team consists of SVP/Programming Kevin Weatherly, VP/Programming Chris Oliviero and myself. We interact daily with (President/CEO) Dan Mason, who is a former air talent, programmer and group programmer. So we all speak in programming shorthand and know how to move quickly. I put Kevin up there with the greatest programmers ever in this business. He always wins with class, originality and quality while remaining very humble. Chris is based in New York and is highly skilled in talk radio, content development and talent relations. My CHR and Hot AC background blends well with the talents of Chris and Kevin.
On the programming team’s general philosophy of dealing with programmers…
We subscribe to the theory that you hire the best program director possible, support them and let them make their magic. Corporate can consult all day, but at the end ownership of the product is given to the programmer to execute their vision. We do not want to strangle the creativity of a good programmer, only encourage it.
On the immediate changes for CBS Radio when Dan Mason took charge two years ago…
Immediately Dan showed that he is a collaborator and team builder. He challenges all programmers on a daily basis to deal in reality with an eye on the future. He is a champion of reviewing and learning from PPM and streaming statistics to look for programming wins and losses, and how we can learn quickly to adapt.
On CBS Radio’s pursuit of new formats/brands on a company-wide basis…
Our plan is to do what is right for individual market and cluster needs, whether it’s the return of CBS-FM or the launch of hot new brands like Jamz in Phoenix and Hot 95.7 in Houston. We have more projects on the drawing board that are exciting for us and I believe radio as well.
On the reaction in New York to the flip back to CBS-FM…
Front page newspaper headlines and huge TV coverage along with the emotion of the return of that station will never be duplicated. The brand has roared back and the listeners value this station more than ever before. Brian Thomas continues to do a terrific job keeping CBS-FM vibrant everyday. A local junior high last year actually wrote a musical for their school about the return of CBS-FM. You can’t touch listeners’ lives any more than how that radio station has.
On the key challenges facing the radio industry going forward…
The proposed royalty tax on radio airplay for one. A 2008 Edison Research and Arbitron random survey of all persons showed that the largest percent of the population still turns to radio first to hear new music. Radio reaches over 90% of the population. Radio breaks new music and offers hundreds of millions of dollars in promotional support for free. You can see a direct correlation between radio airplay and increased downloads. When radio gets behind new music, sales take-off. The radio and music industries have an important and mutually beneficial relationship.
Radio must continue to be on all things digital. Dan (Mason), along with David Goodman, have led the way in putting our products on new platforms so listeners can experience them worldwide, wherever and whenever they want. Radio is just beginning in these efforts and must continue to do great things in this space.
Radio programmers must think of themselves as sales consultants to their sales management team to hit sales budgets. If programmers lay out strong planning up front that sales can support, you are ahead of the game. Each programmer should take the time to make sure the top AE and the rookies know the latest value of the audience we reach.
On radio groups operating with tight budgets in these recessionary times…
Every company will explore their internal options on how to provide what they believe is the best way to program in their company. We have strong programmers and confidence in them to come up with the right strategies locally to answer the needs of better products at reduced costs during this recession. If they feel a syndicated option is the right play to a certain daypart, then we will discuss their viewpoint, but let it be their decision. If they opt for talent importation, we will do the same. If there are other ways to stay within budget but improve the product, our PD’s and GM’s will make the call.
On mentoring people to become the next generation of key programmers and marquis talent…
We ask this question a lot ourselves. The farm system isn’t what it used to be with less live talent in smaller markets, but there is a passionate and smart talent pool inside radio stations if you take the time to identify and train them. Teach them great radio and let them teach us how to create new digital paths for our brands.
On whether smaller is better than bigger when it comes to (large) radio groups operating in the economic quandary of our time…
You can argue that a well run large company has more advantages to share expertise and resources. Regardless of being a large or small company, the radio stations owned must be structured to fulfill the needs of the marketplace and community and have the right management to run their brands. Large or small, it gets down to having great brands that entertain the audience and a structure that makes each station profitable. This can be done inside large or small companies. Best management gets it and wins.
** QB Content by Fred Deane **
