The Idioms of Success in Radio
Robby Bridges
By Robby Bridges
I have been absolutely lucky beyond belief in my radio career to continually have a group of mentors, coaches and friends to call on from the very beginning. I started as a wide-eyed 11-year-old gofer and while I am certain I was enthusiastic and willing to try anything asked of me, I am also bewildered by my inquisitive nature and desperation to be accepted into the group of “jocks” was not quite an irritant (maybe it was!). So, I am doubly lucky that I was taken under respective wings and that is something I’ve never forgotten.
Just last week, I got an email from a fresh talent who’d sent me a few demos over the past year. I didn’t have a full-time opportunity for him but gave him input and some encouragement on his aircheck. I was delighted when he wrote to thank me again for my time and to share he’d gotten that first full-time on-air gig in Illinois. First off, a reminder of just how critical it is that we all encourage, nurture and critique new talent wherever they come from. It only takes a few minutes to answer an email or return a call so we all should pledge to do so routinely and further to seek talent. Having said this, whether it’s an aspiring talent, a vet, a morning show or a member of the promo team, I find myself calling back to a handful of go-to idioms to guide others (and myself). I’ll share a few of my favorites and give a nod to the mentor who bestowed them on me.
- “There is a triangle of success for a talent: desire-ability-discipline.” – John Morgan (former PD, WODS/Boston, WWBB/Providence) The lesson here is simple but key: the best talent have a burning desire and ambition, natural skills and assets to put into their work and the maturity to learn and grow that comes thru discipline. With those three building blocks, a talent is on a path to success
- “Hire people to do what they do and then let them do it and if they meet you 80% of the way to your vision, that’s a win.” – Rick Everett (former OM Hall Communications/Providence, Times-Shamrock/Scranton) Translation? Talented, creative people need a script, a playbook, some coaching and counsel. But, they also need and frankly should be given the room to create and not be asked to be or to do something they aren’t in their performance. The classic example is the “King of all Media” Howard Stern; Howard is easily the best interviewer in radio and yet he routinely makes fun of how poor a Top 40 DJ he was starting out
- “Use as many words as you need and not a single one more in your content.” – Mike McVay (President McVay Media, former EVPP Cumulus Media) So true, content cuts with a hook, with a starting middle and end point and with surprises that give it momentum in duration. The idea some programmers have that a break can be “90 seconds or less period!” is wrong and the talent idea “I’ll riff for 12-13 minutes and see what happens” is too. Calculated and focused breaks may well go for 2 or for 15 minutes but they will not be a tune out because they are well-crafted and use only the points needed to execute. Period
- “Preparation, concentration, moderation” – Scott Shannon (he’s Scott Shannon!) A sign with those words on them hangs in his morning show studio at WCBS/New York. I took a page from him and have hung one in the control room of each station I program–it says it all. When on-air talent are focused, readied and willing to laser target their content to match the day, they’ll sparkle on the air. There’s no two ways about it.
A few honorable mentions: “When songs sound burnt to the air talent, turn ‘em over and grille ‘em again,” “You are only hurt by what you DO play, not by what you don’t,” “Make friends with the chief engineer and the HR manager, they are two most important people in the building” and last but not least “Radio is a tough business, always has been, but it’s better than diggin’ ditches!”
Robby Bridges has been a programmer and air talent for nearly 30 years in New York, Detroit, the network level and elsewhere. Currently he is PD and morning co-host at Press Communications Classic Rock WWZY/WBHX (107.1 The Boss)/Monmouth-Ocean, NJ. He also serves as guest host for Scott Shannon on the True Oldies Channel. He most recently worked for M.G. Broadcasting in Northern Michigan.
