Isn’t an industry conference just a social gathering? Can you learn something? Will this help my show or station? Can networking with industry leaders help me succeed? The answer to all of these questions is yes. The BNM Summit is two weeks away, and it is important for you to attend. This is the premier event for the news talk radio industry.
Isn’t an industry conference just a social gathering? The quick answer is yes. But it is much more than that. It allows a market president, program director, or host to rub shoulders with the best and brightest in the industry. You will spend time with people like you who speak your language. You will make new friends and perhaps even more.
Can you learn something? I started in news talk radio when I was a kid. I didn’t want to play music. I have learned from the greats of this industry. In the last two years, I have learned several things at this conference. What the BNM Summit provides are ideas. We are all in the radio station working every day, and sometimes you need to hear the perspective of others. Jason Barrett does an excellent job with the panels, which is not an easy task. Some conferences just rinse and repeat what they did in years past. This is not that kind of conference.
I have brought ideas home to my station and put my own spin on them. Some ideas are just so good, you will want to play Grand Theft Radio. We all walk into these things with preconceived notions. I suggest you leave your ego at the door. If you compare the ideas to things you have already tried, you are missing the point. If there is a similar idea, speak with the person introducing the concept and ask questions. You may pick up a new wrinkle to make that promotion or on-air feature even better.
There may be a session that opens your eyes to something you have attempted and failed at. We all have social media goals—have you ever thought you were spinning your wheels? I have. You may learn something that gives you a fresh angle. I like sharing things that fail, and here’s why: you get ideas that were never considered. If you share promotions that were either executed poorly or outright failures, you will gain a lot of respect with this group. Leave your ego at the door. We are all peers, and someone in that room may give you something amazing.
Will this help my station or show? The answer is yes. Some of the best hosts and programmers in the U.S. will be in that room. I often ask why a station is doing something one way and not another. These programmers will share the context of an idea. You may be surprised by why program directors do things differently than you ever considered. Now, I am not saying that all ideas are good for your show or station. There are market-specific promotions that would never work in your community. But you will get ideas. If you are standing in front of an industry leader, ask a question and then listen.
Can networking with industry leaders help you succeed? If you are a programmer who does not come from a company that requires carrying certain network programming, you may build a relationship with leaders of affiliate relations departments. I will tell you that shaking someone’s hand is very advantageous. If these people know your face and you have built a personal bond, this may help you with station promotions and relationships with the syndicated shows on your station.
If you truly want to grow in your career, it is important to attend events where you can pick up new ideas or confirm that your ideas are sound. Here is one of the cool things to know: you will find people who have been there and done that. If you ask a question, it will be answered. Now, will the answer be right for your market or station? Perhaps not, but you will hear about ideas that work. Jason, Stephanie, and their team have worked hard to make sure this event is executed properly.
If you have not been to a conference in a while, this is truly the one to attend. I have made several new friends at the last two editions of the BNM Summit. You will be energized. You will be inspired. Are all the sessions hits? No. But the majority are excellent. If you attend and ask me, I will tell you where to get the best New York cheesecake, how to pick a great Italian restaurant, and which three steakhouses are worth visiting. I worked in the New York City market for almost seven years. I have some local intelligence to make this trip even better.
I want to see you in New York. I want to meet you, and I’ll introduce you to some of the great people attending if you would like me to do that.
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Peter Thiele is a weekly news/talk radio columnist for Barrett Media, and an experienced news/talk radio programmer. He currently serves as News/Talk Format Captain for Zimmer Communications. Prior to joining Zimmer, Peter held programming positions in New York City, San Francisco, Des Moines, Little Rock, Greenville, Hunstville, and Joplin. Peter has also worked as a host, account executive and producer in Minneapolis, and San Antonio. He can be found on Twitter at @PeterThiele.
