Tradition is a huge part of radio. The brand that you are working at or in charge of leading may have been there for 100 years. This is a part of what we do. There has been some weeping and gnashing of teeth over the changes at 60 Minutes. The heritage show is changing. Your show and station are changing. This is the nature of life.
Human behavior is centered on habits. I shower every morning before going out. My dog, Maggie, knows that either I am going somewhere or we are going for a car ride. Brushing teeth, doom-scrolling TikTok for 40 minutes, checking your bank balance, and eating some sort of breakfast to get ready for the day — these are all habits.
Whenever there is a change of routine, we become uncomfortable. It is hardwired into us. This has likely been part of humanity since we were living in tribal communities tens of thousands of years ago. So, CBS has new ownership. The emotional connection to any program or tradition is likely not the same as it is for some viewers of CBS programs, nor does it align with a dedication to maximizing profit. CBS is first and foremost a business. 60 Minutes is a dinosaur. It has been there forever. My grandparents never missed it.
Like any tradition, the people working on it have developed a certain loyalty to their work. We all seek significance and want to believe that our daily work and relationships mean something to all who consume the product. By all reports, 60 Minutes is a revenue juggernaut but is exceptionally expensive to produce. Skydance paid 8 billion dollars for Paramount. Skydance Media didn’t invest that money to keep things the same.
I am sure they are looking for every way to maximize ratings and revenue while seeking to eliminate unprofitable products. This is the way of the world. I know many of us in radio were saddened by the loss of CBS Radio News. I certainly know people who worked there. CBS has been quitting radio for a long time. When CBS dropped radio news, I was not surprised.
Nothing Lasts Forever — Not Even 60 Minutes
The Earth rotates every 24 hours and circles the sun every 365 days. At one point, giant reptiles roamed the land. They disappeared. Humans once lived as hunter-gatherers, traveling in bands of people who were likely extended family members searching for their next meal. Those traditions are gone. 60 Minutes is not going anywhere for now, but — like anything else — one day, it will be gone, too.
Now about your radio station — as an industry, we have been adjusting to the new reality of no longer being part of a limited number of choices for consumers and advertisers. We have been through changes in ownership and priorities. The first station I worked at flipped from news/talk radio to sports. I was kind of sad, but I realized that ownership had concluded the format change was best for that station and for the company.
My sentimentality didn’t really mean anything, nor should it have, to the company I once worked for. I have openly stated that I hope the change is good for everyone involved.
The house I grew up in was a charming Cape Cod in suburban Minneapolis. The house did need some updating, and the new owners seemed to understand that. Sadly, they have basically destroyed the charm of the place. The house is no longer a Cape Cod and was repainted in a color reminiscent of light green vomit.
Well, these changes are what the owners want for their home. These people think those changes are wonderful. My feelings about the changes are not important, nor are they even on the radar of the people who have destroyed that home’s character.
It Comes Down to the Business
Every organization has bloat and needs to evaluate efficiencies. Humanity needs change. The company you work for has a bottom line for the return on investment for any station, show, or event. This could be 4-6 times earnings. Likely, your station’s market president is struggling to make sure those numbers are met. They know that if the station does not meet its numbers, layoffs are likely, or the market manager will lose their job. Business does not know sentimentality. Businesses know about making money.
Tradition is nice, but it is not necessarily embraced by advertisers or listeners. We have all worked in a cluster where there is a dedication to tradition over market realities. There is that station with dropping revenue and ratings, but a big fear of making the necessary changes for the long-term survival of its brand. Media is changing very quickly. We must evaluate what is next while maximizing ratings and revenue. This is not an easy task.
Your next steps are being dictated by corporate initiatives, market realities, growing competition for attention, and diverse advertising opportunities for businesses. For our corporate leaders, the road is more complicated than ever. Radio companies have been turning off signals because of profitability and are unable to find a buyer.
If you have ever thought about owning radio stations at an affordable price, this is the time. You may be able to purchase some of these small-market stations for almost nothing.
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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.
