School’s out, so I peeked at Radio‘s grades this semester. As expected, there were some As and Bs, several Cs, and a few Ds and Fs in the mix. Overall, C+.
Before anyone fires up a group chat to get me cancelled — this isn’t a dunk on radio or the people in it. I love the industry. I’ve bled for it. I’ve bled on it.
But if you’ve been in the industry long enough, you’ve heard those from TV, Film, Print, and especially Ad Buyers say:
“Radio is a C student industry.”
Like most stereotypes, there’s some truth to it, and a lot that misses the mark.
Where They’re Wrong
Radio isn’t dumb or lazy. It’s not elementary school. It’s high-level media. Big revenue. Huge audiences. It’s not the kid in the back drawing AC/DC logos on his notebook instead of doing algebra. I may have done that, but I’m certainly not all of radio.
Radio is full of:
- Brainiacs, overachievers, people who can build a rocket with Excel
- Creators who generate more content than anyone in TV, print, or social
- Live on-air talent who can out-riff, out-story, and out-perform half of Hollywood
- Brands that build larger audiences than most “MBA-run” companies
- Stations that feed the homeless, rescue pets, raise millions, and save lives
The people and the medium aren’t the problems.
Where They’re Right
The system and its tolerance for “just good enough.”
- We don’t need live DJs all the time, we’ll be fine
- The CHR is doing well, have that PD run all the others
- The hits are the hits, we don’t need research
- Vinnie sounds great in Boston, have him track 10 more markets — save ten salaries
- Marketing? We’re a marketing medium; we don’t need to market ourselves
- Long commercial sets and rigid playlists are the model, it’s fine
- There’s no ROI in social, stop talking about it so much
The Standard Is Set Elsewhere
Film, TV, and Print require near perfection to survive. Radio’s mindset is often, “eh, it’s good enough to get by.” So while a few A+s are nice, head further down the dial and start adding it all up. That’s how the transcript starts looking like the drummer’s report card.
Today’s system rewards tenure over talent, safeness over boldness, and sameness over creativity. It also rewards savings over investment, and today over tomorrow. In some cases, employees don’t even have to listen to the station they work for — and the system treats that as acceptable.
What Happens When the System Wins
This creates long-term problems. Talent isn’t coached, creativity isn’t mandatory, and risk and innovation die. Recruiting becomes a challenge, listeners get bored and lose interest. Eventually the best people will leave — and so will the audience.
That’s what happens when A students can only play in a C-level system. We know who the A+ standouts are — but even their greatness alone can’t propel the entire industry into an A world. Not unless the “just good enough” system of tolerance changes.
This isn’t a widespread people or talent problem. It’s the system. And it’s like putting Flea on drums or telling the Foos there were cutbacks so their new record will be in mono.
The Path to an A-System
Leaping radio into an A-system can be done quickly. It doesn’t need any “how to” guides, and everyone reading this knows some of the key things that need to happen.
Radio has the talent and it still has AUDIENCE, although neither can be taken for granted. But radio can’t keep downgrading the amp and expect the same volume. Will improving the system cause quarterly earnings to dip some? Probably.
But that’s the cost of having a brighter future — an A+ student’s future.
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Keith Cunningham is a music industry and Rock/Alternative columnist for Barrett Media and the founder of Black Box Group, a modern-modeled creative & strategic consultancy built for brands that need strategies with teeth. He’s the former Master of Mayhem at 95.5 KLOS-FM in Los Angeles for over a decade, a nationwide consultant, and has been repeatedly voted one of America’s top Program Directors and strategic thinkers. Keith has built his career by taking multi-million-dollar brands from worst to first and leading Marconi & Gracie award winners along the way. A data nerd with a rock-and-roll heart, he is an advisory council member for St. Jude fundraising, a fantasy football champion, and lover of his daughters & dogs. Reach him at keithblackboxgroup@gmail.com or on LinkedIn or X.
