“Where do you get your ideas?” I get that note occasionally from other program directors and readers of this column. I have been writing these weekly musings for almost three years. I have written over 145 columns so far. Jason has yet to fire me, which is nice, because reflection has really helped my career.
Writing a column is a different challenge than hosting a talk show. Particularly a column on a narrow subject such as news/talk radio. I want to explain how I do these — not because I am an egotistical genius, but because the process has allowed me to grow as a program director, manager, and perhaps as a human being.
You are insanely busy. Radio in 2026 is a multi-dimensional job. You are likely performing the jobs that three or more people did five or ten years ago. You are stretched thin and seemingly are in the putting-out-fires club for a significant amount of time each week.
That being said, you must address certain issues before anything else. This is a time suck that keeps you from getting your job done. Perhaps the market manager or your immediate supervisor wants you to complete something immediately, and you need to shoehorn that between an air shift, a meeting with your team, production, and family commitments. You may be one of those people who get up before the chickens and go to sleep 18 hours later. Your day is filled with activities, let alone getting some downtime for yourself.
We are in a rapidly evolving media landscape, and thinking through the challenges in new and innovative ways is essential. Where do you carve out the time? Which task can you sacrifice? We must have downtime. Many of our major religions encourage us to have a day off to recover from our busy lives. For those who are not religious, most of these days are supposed to be set aside for you to connect with a spouse, kids, or other important people in your live.
I get it — if there is a big news or weather event, we get to go to work. We are very rarely completely off the grid. But it is mentally important for us to be at rest.
I have found that writing these columns allows me to focus exclusively on an aspect of our business. It gives me the opportunity to think through my philosophy, experiences, and execution of my radio station and our format. I have been doing this news/talk thing for more than just a cup of coffee, and I continue to learn and adapt. I tend to be a person who is not living in an aspirational fantasyland. Because I tend to think that everything can be done better.
Here is an example: when I started my current position, there were several issues with the automation templates on the three news/talk stations that I am responsible for. I rebuilt them all. I fixed many of the issues. But I’m not done — I am now going through them again to add some more advanced features. I didn’t rest on my laurels. It is always about what is next and what can be done better.
You may benefit from my experiences, but your knowledge and experiences may be better or different from mine. Lock yourself away and take time to reflect on an issue at your station or in your life. Write about it. If the term “journaling” drives you nuts, take time to write through a problem.
Start by admitting that there are issues. So, you have a staffer or co-worker who is just not getting it. The individual is a difference maker, and you need them to be fully engaged. There are ways to address this. As a program director, I have heard this line: “When I was hired, I was told to focus on a particular topic or way to execute a show.”
I always follow up with the question of who told them that and when. Then you hear the story of the market manager who left in 2019, telling them to do something. Your answer? That was three market managers ago — do you think the market has changed since 2019? I write through that scenario to give me answers.
Most people are myopic. They are only focused on what is in front of them. It is a tough concept to teach and even harder to understand. Look at how to improve everything on your show, your station, and in your life. We are often resistant to change. The victorious adapt. So, I work on how that person really wants to do well but has never received different orders. Or if they have, they don’t understand why it is important to change. Writing that through can really assist them and you.
I hope that my columns are a good jumping-off point for you. These ideas and concepts that I share will allow you to build on them.
I don’t have all the answers, but I hope that I am asking myself the right questions. Your knowledge and experience can lead to innovative ideas that will benefit you, your company, and your personal life.
Take time each week to write through something. It is very important for us to reflect.
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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.
You are so “right on,” Peter! We always have to keep thinking about how to make ourselves and our teams better, and I’ve always been a big advocate of carving out the time for thinking. As you state, it’s hard to do, but it’s so important if you want to thrive and stay on top of the game. Thanks for putting it into words.
Thanks, Corinne!