Nearly two years ago to the day, Jason Barrett posed a question that still echoes through my brain, and maybe even news/talk radio hallways. Is being a program director still appealing? It was a fair question then. It might be an even more urgent one now.
The role of a program director has always been demanding. It has never been a 9-to-5 job. It is pressure-packed, highly visible, and often thankless. Yet it remains one of the most influential seats in any radio building.
I believe the answer to Jason’s question is yes. Being a program director is still appealing. At least, it should be. What I’m less certain about is whether everyone in leadership feels the same way.
That doubt creeps in when you look around the industry. Some stations — some of the most prominent, you could argue — no longer have a true programming leader. Others have the title filled, but the authority stripped. In a few cases, the job has quietly disappeared altogether.
That should worry people.
If owners and executives can point to a station and say, “They don’t have a PD, and they haven’t missed a beat,” that’s not a great harbinger. It sends a message. It suggests the position is optional rather than essential.
Radio has always been good at rationalizing change. Sometimes too good. When budgets tighten, roles get blended. When headcount shrinks, responsibilities stack. The program director’s job can start to look like a luxury.
It isn’t.
There is still real value in a good programmer. Not just any programmer. That distinction matters more now than ever.
If all you want from a program director is someone to schedule logs, approve vacations, and make sure there’s sound coming out of the speakers, then no. The future for that version of the job is not especially rosy.
AI can do some of that. Corporate structures can handle the rest. You don’t need a visionary for basic maintenance.
But that’s not what great program directors do.
A strong PD puts together a plan. They align strategy with local reality. And they get a staff pulling in the same direction, even when resources are thin, and morale is tested.
They coach talent. Not just on content, but on preparation, pacing, and purpose. They help hosts become better versions of themselves. That doesn’t happen by accident.
They also understand revenue. Not in a buzzword way, but in a practical one. They see opportunities for sponsorships, events, podcasts, and digital extensions. They know how programming choices impact sales conversations.
Most importantly, they help shape a station’s voice in its city. They understand the audience. They know when to lead a conversation and when to listen. That kind of instinct can’t be pulled from a spreadsheet.
Without that leadership, stations risk drifting. They may sound fine day to day. They may even post decent numbers for a while. But over time, the lack of direction shows.
Culture erodes. Talent stagnates. Innovation slows.
It’s my hope that people across the industry still understand the value a good program director brings to a brand or company. Respect for that role matters. So does empowering it.
Because you often don’t realize how important a programming leader is until you don’t have one. By then, the damage may already be done.
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Garrett Searight is Barrett Media’s News Editor, which includes writing daily news stories, features, and opinion columns. He joined Barrett Media in 2022 after a decade leading several radio brands in several formats, as well as a 5-year stint working in local television. In addition to his work with Barrett Media, he is a radio and TV play-by-play broadcaster. Reach out to him at Garrett@BarrettMedia.com.
Sadly, most program directors today lack that level of instinct—or the leeway to act on it. As radio group after radio group, and cluster after cluster, slashes budgets, cuts workforces, and sells stations just to survive (or become debt-free), we lose more talent and listeners to more sustainable mediums that actually deliver stability.
There needs to be an evolution in perspective at the top. Radio is just one spoke in the wheel of how listeners consume content. When you remove the foresight and leadership of a visionary PD with strong instincts, you’re left holding a losing hand.
Long live the PD!