Loyal managers who know how to succeed are valuable human resources and when a company like CBS Radio gets its hands on one, good things typically happen. So is the case with twenty year Hartford radio veteran Steve Salhany. Hired in 1989 as Promotion Director by then WTIC-AM & FM VP Tom Barsanti and PD Dave Shakes, Salhany saw his share of promotions over a two decade span that culminated with his current programming executive role in the very same market where he began his career.
Steve Salhany
Loyal managers who know how to succeed are valuable human resources and when a company like CBS Radio gets its hands on one, good things typically happen. So is the case with twenty year Hartford radio veteran Steve Salhany. Hired in 1989 as Promotion Director by then WTIC-AM & FM VP Tom Barsanti and PD Dave Shakes, Salhany saw his share of promotions over a two decade span that culminated with his current programming executive role in the very same market where he began his career.
In the early nineties Salhany was named APD at WTIC-FM, adding Marketing Director for TIC AM&FM along the way. In 1996 when American Radio Systems purchased the two properties he became the OM for both stations, holding that position for several years and then being upped to OM for the cluster in 1999, which includes WRCH and WZMX. A few years ago Salhany was named VP Hot AC for CBS Radio walking the same path as Kevin Robinson, Jon Zellner and Greg Strassell before him.
In your capacity as VP of Hot AC you oversee twelve properties. How much interaction do you have with CBS Radio programmers in your format?
I talk to the PD’s quite often and I enjoy talking to them one-on-one about different situations. In any given month I talk to every PD at some particular point at least once. I try to be a resource for them and utilize them as a resource for me. It’s not like I know everything. We have some of the best Hot AC programmers in the country and we really try to work as a team more than anything.
Are your calls more of the troubleshooting variety or is it just a matter of connecting and touching base?
With everyone’s plates so full these days, if a station’s doing well I spend less time talking to that PD and focus on stations that need the attention. There are some projects that arise occasionally that will demand more of my time. For instance, I’ve been extremely involved with KHMX/Houston since we took it over. I’m helping Mark Adams, a fantastic programmer, get that station moving and in the right direction. We’ve made some great strides in just six months.
What issues have been dominating your discussions during the course of this past year?
It ranges from music to finding unique ways to market the radio stations as well as finding ways to integrate clients and sales aspects so it works for the client, station and listener. In PPM markets, learning what works, what doesn’t work and why, is an ongoing educational process. We talk generally about where the format’s going and how do make sure we take full advantage of this really nice music cycle we’re in.
With all the various incarnations of Hot AC over the past ten years, where do you think the format is going today?
It’s pretty much different in every market based on the competitive landscape. I do believe, based on where the music is currently, that it’s really no different than where Hot AC has been all along. Our goal is to be relevant to women 25-44. We’re an adult Top 40 in most cases and we need to make sure that everything we do is relevant to that target demo. I don’t really think it’s changed much over the fifteen years Hot AC has been around. The music cycle just tends to ebb and flow. In the early stages of the format last decade, it was more Alternative leaning, but so was Top 40 back then. Now there are more Rhythmic, Pop and Country crossovers that make up much of the music that is popular today.
What mainly drives the music of Hot AC and how pliable should the format be relative to the music?
It comes from just about all contemporary music styles so you need to maintain a pretty open mind. For the most part, Top 40’s these days are extremely Rhythmic and take their lead from the Rhythm crossover stations. I believe there’s room somewhere in the middle for a station that plays all of today’s music for adult women, 25-44. You can have great success with artists like Black Eyed Peas, Lady GaGa and Beyonce on the Rhythm side, as well as Taylor Swift, Carrie Underwood and Keith Urban on the Country side, and music from artists like Michael Buble which tends to come from the AC world. Combine that with the Alt/Rock stuff which does fantastic for the format, and the Pop/Rock material, which is the staple of the format (Rob Thomas, Daughtry), and you have a cross section of great music that appeals to your core demo.
Do you feel the Hot AC format can break records, or is that even a consideration at the format these days?
Can we? Yes. Is it difficult? Extremely, but it is definitely doable. However, what we can do more than anything is support artists that have already broken and really have no other place to go like John Mayer, Rob Thomas, Bon Jovi and U2. That’s where our home is and while we still can break artists like Jason Mraz and Colbie Caillat, that really isn’t our job. Our job is to make sure we’re as familiar as we possibly can be and we’re playing hit music.
Is the attempt to own (in large part) the 25-44 female cell, and how much research goes into studying this demo to ensure that you’re on point?
I believe it’s difficult to totally own any demographic today because there are so many splinters of formats and so many different aspects of people’s lives where they get information. Most Hot AC’s really live in that 30-40 year-old range which is where we need to be these days. I’m sure most of the stations in the country aren’t doing as much research as they’d like to today but based on all the tools we have available with the Internet, I believe we have more today than we’ve ever had throughout the history of the format.
Is CBS Radio as a rule (or your format specifically) utilizing any on-air national programming measures across properties?
First of all, local personalities are extremely important to the make-up of any Hot AC. You have to have a great morning show and in most cases, a great afternoon show sandwiching mid-days.
We find the best talent available for specific stations. Our PD’s communicate among themselves constantly and try to keep the lines of communication open. We share ideas and things that work and we throw it out there and then each PD is responsible for taking all the information and deciding what is best for their individual station in their market. The key for us is that each station is programmed locally and tailored to the market. That’s what radio does best. .
What are the opportunities you look for most in partnering with artists and labels?
A lot of Hot AC’s have done the exclusive, small-setting performances which in some respects are better than big concerts because of the exclusivity and intimacy of the events and the opportunity to see the artist in their true form. The good news in this format is we have artists that are true musicians so it really lends itself to a great opportunity and experience for the listeners.
Our relationship with the labels hasn’t really changed much over the years. It’s still vitally important for the record industry to have their music played on radio, probably more important than it’s ever been. Radio is an essential component to the success of recording artists.
You are involved with some stations with PPM measurement. What are you learning about programming in a PPM world?
The results seem to be a little more stable than the numbers that have come out of the diary world, where you don’t have as many big swings one way or the other. Although I haven’t seen the PPM numbers in smaller markets, like Hartford, to see if that holds true. That said I’m learning that there is still some fluctuation to deal with. The strategy doesn’t change too much. It’s all about finding what works best for a station. It’s the multiple task of maintaining a great brand, insuring the station stands for something and executing well. You need to make sure you’re as tight and bright as you possibly can be at all times.
What are some of the more effective measures you’re doing on the Internet for brand enhancement?
It’s all about providing unique content for our audience. Our stations produce so much unique, local content on a daily basis and our job is to manage the content and distribute it effectively keeping the listener experience dynamic whether it’s through interviews, lounges or promotions. The Internet is a great way to extend your brand on a daily basis which really helps the station, because there may be people who aren’t listeners who can become listeners, or if they’re not they can still use our brands on-line.
Is there one particular digital initiative that’s connecting with the audience in a significant way?
The streaming option has been very effective. We’ve seen the amount of people listening to the stream explode across all of our stations over the last two years. I truly believe that’s where it’s going as we move forward, and not just streaming on your web site but also on your cell phone and other mobile devices.
CBS Radio has an admirable executive programming brain trust. What is your interaction like among the SVP’s of Programming?
We really do work as a team. If there’s a question or problem or anything we need to tackle, you can always get a hold of Greg Strassell, Chris Oliviero or Kevin Weatherly, and work together with them in trying to solve a problem. We have some of the best programmers in the country at this company and we constantly use our resources. The company’s had some great success with programming over the last several years and I see that continuing. They’re all great people and we work well together to come up with solutions, and when you do that you always win.
***eQB Content by Fred Deane**
