When you have a conversation with Chase Murphy, you typically walk away with a little extra knowledge and usually gain a lesson or two from the experience. The well-respected programmer has a knack for teaching, and like any strong leader he sees the results in the form of success for his stations and his staff. As a product of his leadership, WFBC and WSPA continue to sit at the head of the class.
Chase Murphy
By Mark LaSpina
His title may be Operations Manager, but it should also include Educator. Murphy’s a strong believer in the fact that “talent will only take you so far” and that serves as his motivation to fully develop his team and make them as knowledgeable about the radio industry as he has become. “It’s a selfish thing to not want to help in the betterment of others and you will only contribute to the lack of potential talent,” says Murphy. His enthusiasm, drive and passion for radio, strong family values, and of course Notre Dame Football, are unparalleled and under his leadership the future of WFBC and WSPA are in the very best of hands.
What does it take to be a successful programmer and how are you applying this to your programming philosophy?
I have always stressed the importance of making sure that the people around me respect and appreciate the industry. It pains me when I read or hear people talk about “playing radio.” Sure, it’s more fun than busting rocks for a living, but radio is the lifestyle that feeds our families and puts a roof over our head. Like almost everything in life, we should always give more than we expect to get back. If you are not taking steps to impact the future of this industry, you will soon be run over by the busload of others who will. It’s a selfish thing to not want to help in the betterment of others and you will only contribute to the lack of potential talent. You have to put in the work and understand that not only is it important to educate yourself, but you must utilize your abilities as a manager to convey that information to the people who work with you. You have to be a leader that influences others and sets industry trends, failure to do this will force you into the role of a follower and will create an environment where you are continually ordered to run someone else’s offence. Welcome conflict, education, personal growth and new ideas. Always hold yourself and others to a set of defined achievable goals and set appropriate timelines for those goals.
How much has new media helped advance and expand each brand?
Websites, Facebook, twitter and the like are today’s billboards, newspaper and TV marketing. We are challenged to think smarter, utilize these assets and create engagement with our audience that should evoke more passion for our brands. Radio, no matter the format, needs to embrace new media and manipulate that technology in order to help grow their brands beyond the dial. When it comes to “the next big thing,” we need to master that new technology, share our knowledge with the audience and teach them how to use it. Much like we teach our listeners how to use our radio stations.
On another level, new media has helped to create fresh opportunities for talent. Not only has it given many of the personalities a platform to share thoughts and feelings beyond what they do between songs, but it also gives them an opportunity to grow their personal brand. Many of us have more to say than what the ramp of a song allows and blogging, Facebook, twitter, etc have opened these doors for sharing and engagement. We also utilize these assets to create opportunities for the support staff to get more involved in creating content for the brands.
You recently elevated Kaci Kruz to Music Director. What strengths does she bring to the table?
WFBC has a great history and continues to influence the overall culture of today’s contemporary radio. The last five people to hold the MD position at the station have gone on to become Program Directors. Much of the knowledge that was gained from working here has been applied towards the betterment of other brands. When interviewing candidates, Kaci seemed to stand out amongst the group as someone who understood the expectation of the position and was not afraid to embrace the work that was required to get the job. She was hired under the guise of eventually becoming the MD for B93.7, but understood that the title would be something she still had to work for. Our strategy is that you have to already do the job before you get the job. She’s done a great job so far and I’m very proud of her progression.
How do you effectively use research to make music decisions, and what role does gut play in assessing and reacting to new music?
Balance is imperative. The old radio adage “Science vs. Art” needs to be utilized when trying to forecast potential changes on your radio stations. Decisions must be made by utilizing an agreed upon filter and often gut becomes the tie breaker. The key is to carefully utilize the advantages of research without letting it misdirect the path of the radio station. Too often programmers allow research to steer the station in the wrong direction, because they have not utilized the proper station filters when setting up the research. For example, if it doesn’t make sense for your brand to play a certain song…then don’t test the song. Even if you know it’s a hit, certain songs can negatively impact the competitive goals of the station.
How critical is it to mentor and critique the staff on a daily basis?
If you are a GM, Program Director, Sales Manager, a member of management or a senior staff member; you should never pass up a teaching opportunity. If you are knowingly doing this – shame on you. If you are a talent in need of learning more about your craft and do nothing to attain that knowledge – shame on you as well. Education needs to be both shared and sought.
I remember sitting at an old Gavin Convention 10+ years ago and listening to the topic of “the dwindling talent pool.” Mr.Ed Lambert was on the panel and he made a comment to the tune of “what are you doing at your station RIGHT NOW to educate and coach the next generation.” Honestly, that’s a question that you should ask yourself every day.
A while back I was teaching a class at the Keller Institute at Appalachian State University for Dan Vallie (fromVallie/Richards/Donovan Consulting). I came in early to watch some of the other guest speakers and happened to catch the last thirty minutes of Arroe Collins‘ class. He said something that kind of stuck with me. “You can’t get into the Hall of Fame unless the next generation votes you in.” It’s a great quote! He’s exactly right.
So, what are you doing today that will guarantee you to be a first round induction to the radio Hall of Fame? Chances are, not enough. It is critical that you are spending time to mentor your staff as well as people outside of your building. Giving back to the community of radio and helping to cultivate the minds of our future programmers is essential to the growth of the industry.
How important is it to work closely with your sales staff in understanding each other’s needs and goals?
It is imperative that you get station “buy-in” from the sales department. It is equally important that you understand their needs and goals. Smart Program Directors have to understand and embrace the plight of the sales person and create events, promotions, benchmarks, etc that can help to enhance the client experience, while staying true to the focus and goals of the radio station. You can have the #1 station in town, own all the cume and TSL, but without sales buy-in you will not be truly successful. Understand that it is your challenge to make sure that the sales department is just as educated about best programming practices as the on air talent. By being proactive in educating the sales department, you will spend less time having to “fix” things and more time working on making things bigger and better.
Among the many fun things one can find on your website (b937online.com) is the “Awkward Moments” videos. Who comes up with concepts and are any of these really awkward?
We were brainstorming ideas a little over a year ago on how we could create viral content that could be easily shared with our audience. The goal was to make the videos quick, clever and worth forwarding from listener to listener. Our “Awkward Moments” videos have really caught on and we now have artists asking us if they could be in them! So far our “Awkward Moments” videos have featured Kelly Rowland, Flo Rida, Iyaz, Cody Simpson, New Boyz, and a few others. I get tweets and emails from bands that are doing them while they are on the road and sending them to us. Other radio stations have seen what we are doing and have created a few of their own! All of the B93.7 personalities have flip cameras and most of these ideas are created off the cuff. We have a dry erase board dedicated to these ideas and all of the building gets involved in playing a part in their creation.
Where do you see the greatest potential for growth for the medium of radio?
In order to continue to be successful, radio will need to embrace new ways of creating revenue beyond commercial inventory. We will look to our websites and other digital assets in order to create positive experiences for our clients. Radio stations need to utilize their online stores (1/2 off deals, Perks, etc) in order to create and build new business. If we embrace this now, work to make it successful, I think there is tremendous upside for both our bottom line and the competitive advantages of our radio stations. With new commercial free content providers, like Pandora, popping up every day, we will need to embrace new ways to drive revenue and look for ways to limit commercial interruptions on our brands.
Is the radio/record label relationship in a good place where both have a better understanding of each other’s goals?
When people invest the time to create a clear and healthy relationship with another person, it usually pays dividends in terms of understanding. Like any healthy relationship, you have to make sure that you can express your goals as well as feel like you are being heard by the other party. This communication needs to go both ways. Because of differences in personality, it’s not ever going to be perfect, but I pride myself on being available to the people who invest time in trying to create a relationship with me. I cannot speak for the industry as a whole, but I certainly hope that others conduct business this way. It’s a partnership and we are both very important to each other.
What’s the one aspect of your job that keeps you motivated on a daily basis?
Being able to influence the people listening to my radio stations, as well as positively influencing the culture of the building that I work in.
What advice would you give to up and comers who want to shine on the programming/management side of radio?
You have to put in the time and education. Raw skill and ability can take you far in this business, but without the education, you will eventually run into obstacles that can hinder your progress. You can’t wake up one morning, walk into a garage and overhaul an engine with your charisma. It’s important to understand that the people who are managing a station or a group of workers are there because of the time and education that they put in. I was given the opportunity to become a PD at 24. In many ways timing and luck was involved, but at the end of the day, I had to put in the time, get the life and work experience and fail a few times before I got a stronger grasp on what it takes to be a successful manager. I’m still learning every day. If you ever think that once you get to sit in the “chair” you can stop paying “dues”…think again.
Are you familiar with the expression “you don’t know what you don’t know?” This expression is used for people who are not aware of the amount of knowledge they need to possess in order to truly understand the gravity and big picture of a situation. People walk around with certain assumptions or ideas, without having access to the information or reasoning. In many ways it’s refreshing to listen to these thoughts (you can learn from these people too), but often the individual can deliver them in a way that comes across as ignorant to those who have embraced the information.
Needless to say, the 24 year old version of me is quite different than the manager I am today.
What excites you most about the future of radio?
I get excited when talking to the next generation of radio people. To see the fresh way they look at the industry without all of the rules we have been applied to radio over the years. It’s refreshing to listen to these people talk about radio in a pure, almost innocent, way. As the years go by and we look at all the reasons we don’t do this or that, we often lose sight of the fact that radio is an ever changing medium. Even though radio is an “old” form of media, we do a better job of reinventing ourselves and creating new opportunities than all of the other outlets. With radio, we need to remember that what was once taboo, is now an opportunity.
What has been the most valuable lesson you’ve learned about yourself over the course of your career that continues to guide you today?
If you are a perceptive person, you learn new things about yourself every day. Whenever I find myself with free time, I try to use that time to better myself. Often through reading, or engaging in conversation with someone who I feel has something they can teach me. It’s not all about work. As a husband and father, I want to make sure I am always living up to my expectations and the expectations of my family. To some, this might be a stressful practice. I have always lived life with a passion for teaching and being taught. So to me, it has become second nature and not something that I force upon myself.
For those who might be looking for a takeaway from this question or something they can apply to their programming playbook, I would encourage you, when dealing with an issue, to remove yourself from some of the emotional aspects of the situation. You have to be able to see the big picture and always think about what is right for the greater good of the product. You have to be able to approach most issues with a disarming attitude and think logically. Yes, I show passion and evoke it from others, but at the same time, you cannot allow that passion to blind yourself or others from the greater goal.
[eQB Content by Mark LaSpina]
