May 22, 2020
Given the shelter-in-place edicts, what have been the more creative ways you’ve discovered to get work accomplished on your own and/or with your staff during the pandemic?
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Matt Johnson, KSLZ: We have Zoom staff meetings every day, but I can’t wait to get back in the office though. The options right now are get it done or don’t get it done, so I opt for the former…sheer will! Jagger, WKSS: All of our Zoom team meetings have been great and have served us well. We’re involved with some creative promotions as well. We recently did an audio prom event with some great artists, many of whom promoted the event on our Instagram feed. We’re currently in the process of a ten-day run where during my 5pm Happy Hour we’re posting it through Instagram and we’re partnering with Hulu to give away gift cards from Uber Eats via a trivia contest. Bartel, WKTU: Trying to work as close to your normal schedule as much as possible. Take certain parts of the day elsewhere. Meetings don’t always have to be from the same room. Try different rooms or sometimes safely outdoors, if the weather is right for it. Jammer, WEZB: Everyone knows our team is just crushing from their remote locations.
Mike “OD” O’Donnell, WKRZ: More efficient conference calls, staffers are doing their work remotely from their homes. Life hasn’t changed that much on the air for us because we were a fine-oiled machine going into this from the initial stages. The labels are doing more virtual artist showcases on Zoom so we’re able to experience their performances and have a nice Q&A with them which has been very cool. Max Volume, KOZZ: Zoom. |
Drew Heyman, Y100: Going back to the radio station to get it done even on a limited basis.
Jonathan Shuford, WRVW: We’ve discovered that promotionally a focus on the local economy and our local essential workers has been the optimal way to really engage the audience in a way that doesn’t defy our brand expectations, which I believe has been the biggest challenge through this entire process. Jeff Hurley, iHeartMedia: We had to shift to the remote model pretty quickly because we didn’t have another option. In my new position I really wasn’t doing the day-day or on-air duties since January. Given the regions across the country I’ve been involved with, Microsoft Teams has been great to maintain constant communication and flow of information. I’m not in the field at all now, so we do miss that cohesiveness of being in the hallways and the creative energies that comes from that. It just doesn’t happen over virtual, but that’s the sensible tradeoff right now.
Rod Phillips, iHeartMedia: On my own is on my back porch, best office yet! With my staff, it has evolved ‘back’ to in person, but from more than six feet away. It’s still great to be in person and we’re doing that safely. Bob Patrick, WXLK: On my own conference calls from my walk-in closet in my house using Zoom. |
Jon Zellner, iHeartMedia: Microsoft Teams and Zoom have brought everyone together in ways we never thought possible. Dom Theodore, Radio Animal Media Strategies: Lots and lots of conference calls and Zoom meetings.
Randi West, WRMF: I work incredibly efficiently at home. I’m also in a unique situation in that I took myself off the air because only our on-air staff are coming in and we’re trying to limit the amount of people in the building. I’ve found that, even though we’re in the radio business, we’re terrible at communication. But you get a lot better at it when you’re not physically with people on a daily basis and have to do it virtually and via calls. This has really created an environment for more communication which is a great thing. Paul Kelly, WWAC: Zoom has been a Godsend. We’re still able to have all our weekly meetings and it’s so much more engaging than a conference call. |
Orlando, WLLD: With the fluidity of news and COVID updates, staying in communication has been key. We have questions, we ask the city leaders and audience. In addition, when our “outside of the box” ideas come, we let them grow during these “outside of the box” times.
Jeremy Rice, WBLI: I guess I’m now supposedly famous in the company for working in my car and taking Zoom/Teams calls from it. I don’t see what the big deal is (LOL). It’s like a luxury quiet set on an airplane and the triplets are not screaming at each other while I’m trying to work. Thank You GMC!
Rick Vaughn, KENZ: Get up early! I start my days a 4:30 a.m. and get my logs and reports and things like that out of the way, and by the time noon rolls around, I have all the time in the world in the afternoon for staff related issues and creative time, Zoom meetings and whatever else arises to stimulate idea and staff energy.
Josh Wolff, WAEB: Microsoft teams has been a very effective commutations tool for us. We’ve been getting our use out of that tool.
Ally Reid, WFLY: With my on-air team, we’ve all been coming in and doing our air-shifts in the main studio. One half of my morning team is here, and the other half is home. So, I basically see everyone and we’re conscious of social distancing. We wipe down and disinfect the studio after each person and switch out mic’s every day.
Jordan, KSLZ: I established an at-home work schedule as the shutdown began, so I had a plan in place early-on for my local show, custom work, and ‘office’ responsibilities. I’m not being afraid to take a call when out on a walk. Sitting on the porch has helped to spread work out and not feel the need to rush it all in a limited period of time. I have consistent video call check-ins with my PD (MJ) and other staff members and that has been crucial in maintaining pace with the station. I’m setting more reminders on my phone which is a great help as well, keeping me in check throughout the day.Next Week’s Question Of The Week:
Which radio station from any era, would you like to see a behind-the-scenes “Last Dance” documentary style piece on and why?
e-Mail your responses to: jodorisio@deanemediasolutions.com or bburke@deanemediasolutions.com
