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10 Tips For Getting Hired In Radio

Jason Barrett
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10 Tips For Getting Hired In Radio

Every Program Director has a different approach when it comes to hiring people so take that into account as you read through this column. I can only speak to my own philosophy and experiences but for what they’re worth, I’m happy to share how I do things. As you pursue future opportunities in the industry, don’t assume that my way is going to work for you in other markets because chances are it won’t. None the less here’s a few things I consider important in the hiring process.

1. Build Relationships First: If you’re looking to be considered for a position at any radio station, don’t wait until you see a job posting for an open position. This is a business that is very much built on who you know and what you’ve done. You can go into Walmart and apply for a job and they’ll call you if they have an opening, Radio works differently. Chances are, I’ve got a number of people in mind for an opportunity before I even post the position for my radio station. Why? Because any solid PD is thinking about the change in his or her building before anyone else is. During the posting process I’ll receive a few applications which stand out and catch my eye but usually I’ve already got an idea for a few different roads to pursue before I turn to the unknown. All the more reason why getting to know the PD prior to a job posting can be important.

2. Follow Instructions: If a job is posted and gives specific instructions of how to proceed and you don’t have a relationship already with the PD, follow them precisely. For example, if it says “no calls please” don’t be the one person who thinks they’re going to stand out because they did what the posting said not to do. While you may think that type of aggressiveness is going to stand out, it will but in a very negative way. If I’ve taken the time to tell you how to approach me and the company for a possible opportunity, following instructions is important. If your first move is to show me that you can’t follow instructions then how can I trust you if I were to hire you? In the past I’ve had people follow me into elevators, approach me in the urinals at ballgames, show up at radio station events when I was with my family and even track me down at a train stop after I posted that I was heading home on Twitter and in every situation, the candidate was not hired. I recognize you’re hungry for an opportunity but so are others who follow instructions and trust in their body of work being good enough to generate attention and a response.

3. Are You Qualified For The Opening: If you’re applying for an on-air position and have never done a radio show, why exactly are you applying? I realize it’s a cool job and we all think we can do it but just because you make your friends laugh or you know every sports stat known to mankind doesn’t mean you’re qualified to entertain an audience for 45 minutes an hour. I may think I can do a better job than the president but that doesn’t make me qualified to run the country and occupy the white house.

4. Are You a Proven Difference Maker: If you’re an on-air talent and haven’t had ratings success, PD’s will find out. If you’re in a weekend or night-time position and looking to take the next step, PD’s will ask you why those in your own building don’t think you’re good enough to crack their daytime lineup yet you expect someone else to see you differently who hasn’t even worked with you. I’m not saying that to be a hard ass or to crush your dreams, I’m sharing it because when you’re hired as a weekday talk show host in a prime daypart, there’s an expectation that comes with it. The PD is saying to his/her bosses that you’re good enough to generate ratings, experienced enough to deliver results for advertisers and the type of individual who will be a great teammate, a strong representative for the brand in the community and someone who will foster relationships with teams and local players which will be beneficial to the product. I’m not saying you can’t go from weekends/evenings in a market to prime time in another because it has happened but I’m telling you that it’s not easy and doing it in a top 5 market or on a national network is going to be extremely tough.

5. Show Your Unedited Work: When you submit a demo, don’t send something that makes you look good for 2-3 minutes but can’t be duplicated when you get in front of a microphone. Numerous times I’ve received a good MP3 or CD and I’ll follow up with a candidate and when I have them come to the studio to hear how they sound, I find out that they had 2 good minutes courtesy of a good Adobe Audition editing job. The reality is this, unedited tape doesn’t lie. Chances are you’ll send me an hour of tape and I won’t listen to all of it. That said, something interesting or funny right away will get my attention and keep me intrigued. It’s no different than what I tell my on-air hosts and what other PD’s tell theirs. If you don’t grab a listener’s attention quickly, they’ll tune you out. Come to the table with something that showcases your style, originality and unfiltered opinion and you have a shot at keeping my ear. If you can do that, I’m likely to at least touch base to have a discussion. Also understand that if a PD doesn’t like your work right now, that doesn’t mean they won’t in the future. If they tell you to work on some things, apply the feedback and make sure the next time you submit something that it reflects progress. That attention to detail tells a PD you’ll accept coaching and that’s something PD’s seek out of the people they hire.

6. Network, Network, Network: Between the radio station’s website where you can obtain the email to the PD and social media sites like LinkedIn, Facebook, Twitter and Instagram where many of these same PD’s have accounts, are you connected to them on any platform? Furthermore, have you gotten to know others who work inside the radio station? The more people you know and the more relationships you build, the more likely you are to attract people’s attention. I remember being at 590 The Fan in St. Louis and a guy came in the door wanting to pick the brains of some of our personalities just to find out how they approach their jobs. His research stood out and he was a young guy looking to break into the business. About 2 years later I was launching 101 ESPN in St. Louis and the same guy applied for a Board Operator job just to get his foot in the door and I wound up hiring him. It was that initial visit to my previous building and a few notes in between that caught my attention and impressed me. His name was Aaron Goldsmith and he was the first board operator to put 101 ESPN on the air and now he’s the play-by-play announcer for the Seattle Mariners. He understood the value of networking and so should you.

7. Set Realistic Goals: PD’s talk to one another much like NFL Head Coaches talk to each other. We may not discuss strategies or company secrets but we do provide feedback when asked for it. If you’re an individual sending resumes and airchecks to 20 PD’s in 20 different markets, chances are everyone knows you as the “I’ll work anywhere” candidate. If you’re applying for the board operator, producer and on-air host position then you’re the “jack of all trades, master of none” candidate. I mention these two specifically because any dynamic and entertaining on-air personality who can move the needle for a radio station would never apply for a Board Operator or Producer position. Be smart when you apply and remember, PD’s have long memories. We know when you’ve applied 6 months earlier, 2 years earlier and in some cases even 5-10 years earlier. Know what it is you want to pursue, give good evidence to support why you believe you’re qualified and then follow up when appropriate. If you’ve got the talent to attract a PD’s attention, trust me they’ll be in touch. If they’re not then either you’re not a fit for that specific PD or market or your talent for the position may not be as strong as you may think it is. I will also tell you that if two people are equally qualified for a position and one is local and one isn’t, almost 99% of the time the call is going to go to the person who is already in the market and knows the local scene. If you want to work in a specific market and you’re not there, you may want to think abut relocating first and then continuing to chase opportunities at the radio station.

8. Understand The Job Description: Too many times candidates interview for a specific job and then proceed to explain why the radio station should adapt to fit them as opposed to the individual explaining how they can help fit the position. You may eventually land a bigger opportunity in the company if you’re good but it’s not going to come without doing the current job in front of you first. If a baseball team needs a lead-off hitter who can take pitches, draw walks, get on base and steal bases, do you think they’re going to put someone in that spot who hits for low average and swings at every pitch they see? It’s no different here. If I need a producer who can book guests, produce promos and rejoins, screen calls and make quality cuts, that’s what I expect to be done. If your true ambition is to be on the air that’s fine but you’re not going to get that opportunity at the expense of a prime time talk show. Do the job you were hired to do, request to earn more opportunities and be truthful about your goals and if you’ve built a good relationship with your PD, they’ll give you a chance to go into a production room and put some material on tape, critique it and if it’s good enough, throw you a weekend or overnight shift to see how you do. It’s all about going through the process and having the talent to do the job but you’ve got to touch first base before you proceed to second.

9. The Actual Interview: When you get called to come in for an interview, be on time. You should also show up looking professional. You don’t need to be in a 3-piece suit but you may want to save the running pants and short sleeve t-shirt for another day. Andre Agassi once said “image is everything” and whether it’s fair or not, PD’s want to know that they’re bringing in people who understand that they’re working in a place of business and can present themselves well. In addition to being punctual and presenting yourself well, let the PD guide the conversation. You’re walking in and trying to sell yourself and why you can help the brand but for the PD they can only find out about you by asking questions and seeing how you respond. If you’re confident in yourself they’ll see it and those who can adapt and stay loose, conversational and engaged in discussion will stand out. If you’re shy, quiet, nervous or breaking out in a sweat, chances are the PD’s made mental notes and they’re not going to be favorable.

10. Follow Up: If you interview for an opportunity and don’t get the nod, your career isn’t over. The right thing to do, is follow up and thank the PD for their consideration and let them know you’d like to be kept in consideration for future opportunities. In many situations there are a lot of qualified candidates for an opening and only 1 person gets hired. Those who act professionally when they don’t get the call stand a better chance of being thought of favorably in the future, especially if they remain employed in the business and continue working at their craft. I have a number of people in this business who I keep on a short-list and if situations pop up and I need help, I’m very likely to call on them. What doesn’t work is when someone follows up and proceeds to blast the candidate I hired or fires personal insults my way because they weren’t hired (it’s happened before). Before I got my opportunity with ESPN in 2004, I had reached out a year earlier to Bruce Gilbert and what I was pitching wasn’t needed by the network at that time. I thanked him for considering me, asked him to hold on to my materials and reminded him that if a need came up in the future, I was ready, willing and able to get to work. As luck would have it, one year later he had an opening and because I connected well during the previous process, I was given a chance to interview and ultimately landed the job. While the call may not always come the first time, it certainly won’t come a second time if you don’t conduct yourself the right way.

As I finalize this column, I’d like to share a personal story that applies to this subject. When I entered this business, I hoped to one day be good enough to work at WFAN in NY. For years I reached out to Mark Chernoff seeking his feedback and because I didn’t bombard him regularly, he’d provide me with some of it. I gained a solid understanding of what I’d need to do in the future to earn consideration for a job there, and I’d keep working on the things he told me needed improvement.

After 8 years, I finally received an offer to work for WFAN as a FT Producer and as crazy as it sounds, I rejected it. ESPN presented a great opportunity at the same time, and I couldn’t say no. If I had given up after my first or second attempt, I’d never have been in that position. Because I had a little bit of talent, was accepting of feedback, and didn’t overwhelm Mark with my approach, it allowed me to stay on the radar of one of the industry’s best PD’s.

Many times in this industry, being hired for a position comes down to relationships, fit, financials and subjective opinions. If you don’t get the call today, don’t be discouraged. It’s amazing how a perceived setback on your end can actually be a blessing in disguise and an opening into something even more amazing. Sometimes a great NFL or MLB player has to wait a few turns to get a call to the Hall of Fame and the same type of things happen in radio. If you have talent and want it bad enough, people will eventually find you. You’ll just never know who, when or why they’re watching so always present yourself well, don’t be overbearing and let your body of work do the talking.

Houston Radio Ratings Down In July

BSM Staff
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Houston Radio Ratings Down In July

Here’s the July sports radio report from Nielsen Media. Again, it was a slow month for the four sports stations (one of which, KGOW, did not show up in the ratings). KILT (610 AM) remained the weeklong leader over KBME (790 AM) and KFNC (97.5 FM), but only KFNC, thanks perhaps to World Cup broadcasts, was up from June.

KILT’s weeklong share (6 a.m.-midnight) among men 25-54 dropped to 2.6 percent, down six-tenths from June. KBME fell four-tenths of a point to 1.7. KFNC improved by one-tenth to 1.3, and KGOW (1560 AM) did not register.

Both frontrunners continued to slump in morning drive. KBME retook the lead with a 3.0 share, a tenth of a point ahead of KILT. In July, the stations were at 4.5 and 4.1, respectively. KFNC improved by five-tenths of a point.

After a nice midday (10 a.m.-3 p.m.) number in June at 4.6, KILT slumped to 3.3 KBME fell to 2.3 from 3.4 in June. KFNC improved by a half-point to a 1.5 share.

KILT kept its lead in afternoon drive (3-7 p.m.) but dropped to a 3.5 share from 4.2 a month earlier. KFNC fell four-tenths to 1.5, and KBME was down four-tenths to 1.2.

From 7 p.m. to midnight, KILT improved three-tenths to 2.1, KBME dropped six-tenths to 1.2 and KFNC dropped three-tenths to 1.0.

Turning to show-by-show comparisons, KBME’s Greg Koch-N.D. Kalu (9-11 a.m.) program topped the list with a 4.5 share. Mike Meltser-Seth Payne (10 a.m.-2 p.m.) on KILT were second at 3.4, a tenth of a point ahead of KILT’s Rich Lord-Sean Pendergast-Ted Johnson show (2-7 p.m.).

KILT’s Nick Wright-John Lopez (6-10 a.m.) show was fourth with a 2.9 share in its time slot, followed by KILT’s Paul Gallant-Brien Straw (7-11 p.m.) and occasional Texans programming at 1.9.

Rounding out the field were three KBME shows: Adam Clanton-Lance Zierlein (6-9 a.m.) at 2.4, Charlie Pallilo (2-6 p.m.) at 1.8 and Matt Thomas (11 a.m.-2 p.m.) at 1.7. KFNC’s Fred Faour-A.J. Hoffman (4-7 p.m.) and Jerome Solomon-Dave Tepper (noon-2 p.m.) were at 1.6.

For more on this story visit the Houston Chronicle where it was originally published

Bob Fescoe – 610 Sports

Jason Barrett
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For the better part of the last decade, “Bulldog” Bob Fescoe has been entertaining Kansas City sports radio listeners on a daily basis. Having worked for both of the market’s top sports radio stations (610 Sports & 810 WHB), Bob has gained valuable insight into what the Kansas City sports fan cares about and his passion, hard work and commitment to the local community have played a strong role in helping him achieve success with his current show “Fescoe In The Morning“.

Fescoe10On a national level, Talkers Magazine has recognized his program for the past two years as one of the nation’s Top 100 most important sports talk shows. For 2012 and 2013 he was ranked 69th overall and that recognition by fellow sports media professionals further demonstrates how respected his brand has become in the Kansas City market.

I first crossed paths with Bob 8 years ago while programming SportsTalk 950 (now 97.5 The Fanatic) in Philadelphia. I was looking for a morning show at the time and I brought Bob in for an audition opposite former NY Jets QB Ray Lucas. I remember coming away impressed by what he did on the air that day especially considering he and Ray hadn’t met until the day of the show. Unfortunately, the call for the opening wouldn’t come his way as I’d end up leaving Philadelphia for St. Louis and putting the morning show search into the hands of the next Program Director Gregg Henson.

IMG_2786While the situation in Philadelphia didn’t materialize, Bob had gained my respect and attention and once I settled in at my new job in St. Louis and had an opening become available, I made him an offer to come join me at 590 The Fan. Bob accepted and was eager to take on the challenge of doing mornings opposite Tim McKernan but unfortunately all of us were thrust into an impossible situation due to poor company finances and as a result, the whole show would be dismantled in less than a year and leave tension high and everyone involved with the show confused and frustrated.

Despite going through some difficult situations in St. Louis, Bob and I clicked personally and professionally. We even co-hosted a weekly NFL show together which I’m pretty sure he’s since tried to forget about. While working for KFNS, he gained the opportunity of covering the Rams on a regular basis plus he had the chance to host a weekly show with former wide receiver Isaac Bruce.

Fescoe4What stood out to me about Bob during the time I worked with him was how hungry he was for coaching and how receptive he was to feedback. Not every talent in this business is always looking to get better but that wasn’t the case with Bob. That willingness to constantly search for ways to improve is an important trait that I believe all on-air personalities should have.

When you turn on Bob’s show, one thing that’s impossible to ignore is how fired up he can get. He delivers his opinions with authority and sometimes gets so fired up that you’re worried he may just pop a blood vessel or two. While the force in which he presents his points may tick off local players or teams at times, it’s that genuine raw emotion on the air that has earned him the respect and appreciation of his audience throughout the years. Case in point, take a listen to one of Bob’s most memorable rants on the Kansas City Chiefs.

I reached out to Bob recently to get a sense of how he feels he’s grown as a personality throughout the years as well as what he considers some of the most important aspects of creating good radio. I hope you enjoy reading the conversation as much as I enjoyed conducting it.

Q: When did you first start to think about getting into sports radio? What made you want to do it?

fescoe1A: I first thought about getting into sports broadcasting when I was 8. I was watching John Madden every Sunday and thought that seems like a cool job. It was at 8 when I realized I did not have the skills to play sports so why not talk about them. I never considered “Sports Talk” until about 2001. A job came open in KC as a producer and it eventually morphed into hosting nights. Ever since then I have been talking sports. Play by Play was what I thought I wanted to do in life.

Q: Who have been some of the people who you’ve learned from and would list as influences on your career? How have they helped you in developing as a talent?

A: First and foremost Ryan Maguire. My first PD at KCSP in KC. He was very instrumental in helping me develop further as a host. Constant feedback and involvement helped early on. I still do a lot of the things he talked about today. Jason Barrett was influential as well. It was from him I learned the “Art of Teasing” which is so vital and necessary in the business today. Barrett was also the first PD who actually gave me feedback which was so important in the early days of my career.

Q: Your first big career opportunity came with WHB in Kansas City. How would you summarize that experience?

Fescoe3A: It was fun. The guys at WHB gave me my first real chance when they allowed me to do morning. I am grateful for that chance because it allowed me to blossom and spring board on to the host I am today.

Q: During your first stint in Kansas City, you made national headlines as a result of having your Royals press pass revoked after you pissed off Royals Owner David Glass. How did that experience effect you and how you communicate with teams today?

A: I think the experience with the Royals was great. It made me realize “It’s not what you say but how you say it“. My mom used to say that to me all the time growing up but it took a real world incident to hammer it home. Its also made me realize that this business is all about relationships and without them it makes your job very difficult

Q: After working for WHB, you moved on to KFNS in St. Louis. What did you gain from that experience?

IMG_2796A: It made me realize that it’s not easy moving to a market like St Louis that is very provincial. It was tough. I bounced around from day part to day part and job to job. It made me become a much better broadcaster and stronger person. Without St. Louis I’m not sure I’d be in the position I am in today. I learned so much about putting together a show, how to tease, how to make radio compelling. I never learned any of that before.

Q: After leaving St. Louis, you elected to return to Kansas City and join 610 Sports. What made you decide to return to KC?

A: It was a great opportunity to return to one of the best sports cities in America. If you haven’t been to KC you are missing out on the most passionate fans in America. We have not had the most success on the field but fans live and die with their teams here and the college scene is awesome as well. 3 passionate fan bases with MU, KU and K-State make it a great place to talk sports.

Q: When it comes to the fundamentals of doing sports radio, what do you believe are your biggest strengths and biggest weaknesses?

Fescoe7A: I think my biggest strength is that I know what the fans are talking about. I feel like I have a good feel for the KC fan. I also think that having a fast pace, tons of energy and fun are big strengths. You can’t take yourself too seriously. My biggest weakness would have to be “the bits” that come with a radio show. That could use some work.

Q: When you listen to sports radio shows locally or nationally, what are some things that frustrate you as a listener and cause you to tune out?

A: Droning on and on with a topic. The one thing that our PD John Hanson has stressed is pacing. He is right. Make your point and move on. I also hate hosts who keep a guest for too long. 5-7 minutes is enough. 20 minute interviews do nothing for me. I usually turn on a show to hear the host, not a conversation with a writer. I also can’t stand when hosts don’t re-set. Let us know who you are talking to every few minutes.

Q: What’s your philosophy on guests and what do you hope to accomplish when conducting an interview?

Fescoe5A: I like guests, if they are a big name. I think the days of bringing on beat writer guys to preview a game are done. I also think that short chats are the best. Get the nuts and bolts out of them and move on. Again that is something that John Hanson has stressed and I agree with. I find myself getting mad when I hear guests on too long now.

Q: Being known as someone who wears his emotions on his sleeve during his show, how do you balance being explosive vs. going too far and crossing the line?

A: I think you have to be calculated. You can’t explode a lot or it becomes white noise. But when a fan base is upset and you can sense that, you have to give them what they want. Numerous times I have found myself taking a deep breath because you don’t want to go too far. However at times it’s warranted. I think there have been 2 times where it was really warranted and I let em have it!

Q: When it comes to improving as a personality, what are some things you do to measure your progress? 

Fescoe6A: We meet weekly. We talk about the good and the bad of the show. We try to implement the new stuff each week.

Q: How important are the ratings to you and what are some things you do to try and maximize your audience? 

A: Obviously ratings are important but radio is so much more than just ratings. You have to spend a lot of time on social media these days talking with listeners and interacting. I think it has helped me a ton and I am sure it has with other hosts as well. As we all do, I wish there was a more efficient way of measuring listeners. I think podcast downloads and streaming numbers are vital as well since that is the way the young generation consumes everything. I was talking to a class at the University of Kansas a few years ago and a student said they don’t listen to the show. I said how do you know me then? He said podcasts. A lot of people listen to the show later in the day. Most people use their phones to stream. All those avenues are coming on fast and we need to embrace them.

Q: As you look at the sports radio industry, what do you believe has been the biggest change over the past 10-20 years?

Fescoe8A: The internet. Listening habits have changed. In a way, it is kind of on demand radio. People can consume your product 24/7. Interaction with listeners has changed so much with social media. IF you are a host and not on twitter you should just quit.

Q: In assessing your own work, what would you list as the biggest accomplishments of your career and what do you still hope to achieve in the future?

A: I think my biggest accomplishment was taking over my competition. We have worked hard to put a good product out. When we became the top sports morning show that was huge. But its not enough. We have to find a way to maintain that consistently.

Q: To those who are thinking about entering the sports radio business today, what one piece of advice would you like to pass along to them?

A: Be ready to work hard.  Then work harder.  IF you are not willing to put in the time then don’t bother.

Bob Fescoe can be heard weekday mornings from 6A-10A on 610 Sports in Kansas City. To check out the show’s web page click here. You can also follow Bob on Twitter by clicking here.

Detroit Sports Radio Heats Up

BSM Staff
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Detroit Sports Radio Heats Up

Detroit sports talk ‘radio wars’ are heating up with rival stations trying to one-up each other.

Fox 2’s own Ryan Ermanni hosts a shot on Detroit Sports 105.1 and took part in a latest stunt that has taken the rivalry to new heights at Lions training camp in Allen Park.

With 97.1 The Ticket owning the radio broadcast rights to the Detroit Lions and not wanting competitor 105.1 at camp, the radio station took to the air.

The radio station’s bosses got a scissor lift and stationed it at an adjacent property allowing the “Ryan and Rico” show to broadcast high above the action.

The duo got to see everything from a vantage point of 50 feet up.

When it was over, Ermanni’s co-host Rico Beard was happy to be back on solid ground.

“You felt every gust of wind,” Beard said. “It was very outside the box. We could not broadcast from Lions training camp, so we did the next best thing.”

Credit to Fox Detroit who originally published this story

The 3 L’s: Laugh, Learn and Likeability

Jason Barrett
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During my time in St. Louis, I had the privilege of hiring Rick Venturi as a talk show host. Aside from being a very talented communicator, Rick had spent his entire adult life coaching college and professional football. More than 35 years were spent designing schemes, motivating players and gaining knowledge with the ultimate goal being to use it all to help the teams he worked for win a championship.

While Rick didn’t win a Super Bowl or National Championship during his career, he had a wealth of knowledge to share and after working with great leaders such as Bill Belichick, Mike Ditka, Jim Mora, Jon Gruden and Jim Haslett, I was curious to find out what made each of them and their teams unique and successful.

What I remember most was a discussion we had about the importance in every team having an identity and philosophy that was understood and shared by every member inside the organization. During our chat, Rick mentioned how he could look at a team in the NFL and know if they were a sound organization with a strong game plan or if they were a collection of parts just hoping to stumble into the right place. In most cases, he felt it was reflective of the Head Coach and GM’s attention to detail and overall vision for the organization.

I recall asking specifically about Bill Belichick because Rick had worked under him in Cleveland from 1994-1995 and following a number of Super Bowl titles in New England, I felt Bill knew a thing or two about winning and getting the most out of his players. Bill not only had a strong plan but he also surrounded himself with outstanding leaders who understood his vision and were committed to helping him realize it.

If you look back at the group that Belichick assembled in Cleveland it’s one of the best groups of all time. Nick Saban, Eric Mangini, Al Groh, Jim Schwartz and Kirk Ferentz were all coaches under Belichick and every single one of them went on to be a Head Coach. Inside the organization, the team employed Scott Pioli, Thomas Dimitroff, Ozzie Newsome, Michael Lombardi and Mike Tannenbaum. Each of them went on to become a General Manager.

While the Browns didn’t deliver on the field the way they should have given that amazing array of expertise, if you look at the Patriots of the past 14 years they’ve been one of the NFL’s most consistent and elite franchises. Once again Belichick surrounded himself with great people. Romeo Crennel, Charlie Weis, Bill O’Brien and Josh McDaniels all have worked under him and each has gone on to become a Head Coach too.

What jumped out to me when I spoke to Rick was how quickly he could tell you what a Bill Belichick football team looked like. He took me through the way Bill looked at various positions on a football team and what he expected out of those positions from a performance standpoint but even more important, he could tell you every detail of what the position should look like from the player’s height, weight and speed. If a player didn’t fit the description of what they looked for, more times than not they’d take a pass.

I asked Rick to provide a few examples and he was able to do so without missing a beat. He mentioned how Bill would look for physical running backs who could take a toll but wouldn’t necessarily be the fastest guy on the field. He liked wide receivers with a chip on their shoulders who weren’t afraid of contact. He liked taller corners who could play man to man and punish a wideout for 60 minutes even if they weren’t the fastest at their positions and he preferred heavier defensive tackles who could clog the middle and stop the run, even if it meant less ability to sack the QB.

When I took a look at Belichick’s teams I was blown away by the similarities. From Andre Rison in Cleveland to Randy Moss and Wes Welker in New England. At RB he went from Leroy Hoard, Tommy Vardell and Kevin Mack in Cleveland to Kevin Faulk, Antowain Smith, Corey Dillon and Laurence Maroney in New England. All very much similar type of players from a height, weight and style standpoint. If you log on to Pro Football Reference and look at some of those Browns and Patriots rosters you’ll be really surprised at how many similarities exist for players at each position.

Now when you ask Rick about his time with the St. Louis Rams, it’s not something he enjoys spending much time talking about. While he liked and respected Scott Linehan and was grateful for the opportunity to coach with the Rams, Rick knew the team was in trouble the first day he walked into the locker room.

He’d recall how each position had inconsistencies when it came to player attributes and styles. The vision on draft day would be cloudy which caused confusion on what the team was trying to become and when it carried over to the field, the organization lacked an identity and as a result finished with an 11-25 record under Linehan.

That isn’t to suggest that Scott Linehan can’t coach because he did a nice job for the Detroit Lions as their offensive coordinator and now he’s the passing game coordinator for the Dallas Cowboys but it illustrates the importance in knowing what you want your team to look like, feel like and ultimately play like in professional sports.

When you think of how that applies to sports talk radio, the comparisons are endless. Every detail inside an organization is critical to having success and it’s very true that much of the personality of the leader is reflected in the mindset and overall attitude of the team.

When I started programming radio stations I didn’t think about this at all. I was just trying to focus on helping guys out with doing a good show while also trying to convince myself that I was ready for the opportunity I had been handed. I didn’t know what I wanted out of each position on my radio stations, I just knew I wanted to win.

While that goal was one that everyone shared, having a plan for how to do it was absent. I certainly didn’t have enough of the right type of people around me to reflect my vision, but that wasn’t their fault, it was mine. I didn’t create the identity and brand vision that was needed for everyone to have success.

Since that time, I’ve grown a lot as a leader. It started at 101 ESPN in St. Louis and has continued for me in San Francisco with 95.7 The Game. The best thing to happen to me was going through a bad situation at 590 The Fan in St. Louis. Because the end result was failure and a 6-month stay on the beach, I used my free time to analyze every aspect of my game. I thought about what I wanted to accomplish if I got another chance, and who would be part of my team to carry out my vision if I got the call.

What I ultimately came up with was, any Jason Barrett programmed radio station was going to carry with it the identity of the 3 L’s. While there are other things that are important to a show or radio station’s success, these are the core principles that I believe in and seek out of my personalities. If I don’t feel an individual possesses these traits, then it’s difficult for me to bring myself to adding them to my team.

Learn: On the radio station’s that I have programmed, I have hired on-air personalities who possess the ability to help our audiences learn something new about the subjects were discussing. Any talk show host can throw out a basic statement and get an audience to react if they do it with passion. I want my hosts to dig deeper and give me some piece of insight I can’t get anywhere else. I should always feel as a listener that the host on the radio station is smart, prepared and informed and gives me things to think about that I can use with my friends to make myself look good. A few examples of hosts who’ve worked with me and fit this bill would be Bernie Miklasz, Greg Papa, Ric Bucher, Chris Dimino and Randy Karraker. There are plenty of others too.

Laugh: Let’s face it, the audience looks to us to take them away from the stress of their day. We are in business to entertain people. If you can’t laugh at yourself or with the audience, then what’s the point? Sports is supposed to be fun. So is doing a sports radio show. We’re not digging ditches or searching for the cure for cancer. Those are tough jobs. This is a labor of love, a passion play if you will. If you don’t have the ability to laugh, make people laugh, be vulnerable, and make an audience feel like they’re entering a sports bar to have a beer and shoot the shit with you, then you’re missing the point. Laughter brings people together and our job is to form a bond with our audience. When I think of hosts who deliver the laugh trait consistently I immediately think of John Lund, Zack McCrite, Whitey Gleason, Tim McKernan and Damon Bruce. Once again, I’m leaving some others out.

Likeability: This is the toughest of the 3 because the audience ultimately decides whether or not you’re likable but there are some factors that I look at that play into it. For example, are you willing to put your heart and soul into your content and let your audience into your world? If so, that matters to people. Can you acknowledge you’re wrong when you miss on an opinion or statement? It’s OK to be wrong in this business. You can strive to be right but need to be smart and own up to it when you’re not. People appreciate it because it tells them you’re human and you make mistakes just like them. Last but not least, are you approachable when you’re in front of people or are you the person who can’t wait to break away from the crowd? We’re in the people business. If you don’t like being around people, then that’s going to make it really hard to build lasting relationships. When I think of some hosts I’ve worked with who have the Likability characteristic, D’Marco Farr, Chris Duncan, Rob Ellis, Guy Haberman and Frank Cusumano all come to mind. Yes I know, I’m leaving a few others out too.

While I may seek personalities for my brands who possess the 3 L’s, it doesn’t mean you’re guaranteed to be successful if you have them. You could have a slow pace show that bores the audience. You could conduct 30 minute interviews each hour that fatigue the audience. You could talk fast and loud and cause the listener to only listen in small doses. Or, you could use references to help your positions that the audience simply can’t relate to.

In each of those cases, I believe coaching can help make a difference. Having the ability though to make an audience laugh and learn and come across as someone who’s likable is something you either have or don’t. It’s kind of like following the Belichick system. You can check all the boxes but if you’re not a good football player eventually you’ll be exposed.

The purpose of this exercise isn’t to instruct you to go back to work tomorrow and implement the 3 L’s, it’s to get you thinking on what makes you or your brand unique and what strategies you plan to use to help you further establish that philosophy.

Think about how it compares to sports since that’s what our format focuses on 24/7. Bill Walsh teams were known for playing the west coast offense and the players who were picked to play for his teams either fit that system or they played elsewhere in the NFL.

This didn’t mean that other players like Dan Marino, Lawrence Taylor or Marcus Allen couldn’t adapt and fit in, it just meant that the people who were already in place fit the system so well and helped the team win so much that there was no need to worry about changing anything. The same applies to the radio business.

There are always talented people out there who could help us perform. The question you must ask though is, do they fit the organization and my philosophy or not? If they don’t then it doesn’t matter how good they are because the end result will be your own dissatisfaction. That’s not just for a PD either. It can be a Host’s view of a Producer. A Producer’s view of a Board Operator or any other part of your organization.

Yes we all want to win but we also want to win with people who we enjoy working with and who we believe reflect the values and mission statement of our brands. Having an understanding of who you want to be and how you’re going to become that type of team is essential to determining whether or not you’re built to succeed or fail. Knowing or not knowing could be the difference of whether you become Bill Belichick or Scott Linehan.

Bob Stelton – 710 ESPN Seattle

Jason Barrett
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It was November 2009 when I first crossed paths with this week’s featured personality Bob Stelton. Bob had spent 12 years in sports radio at that point with stints at Sporting News Radio and KJR in Seattle and I was looking for a new host to join me in St. Louis at 101 ESPN.

Initially I thought there was no way he was going to leave the 2nd largest market (Los Angeles) to move to the 20th largest market (St. Louis) but Sporting News Radio had gone through some layoffs which left Bob looking for his next opportunity and after we made arrangements to have him come to town for a trial run with Bryan Burwell, we both could tell that there was a good connection and a situation worth exploring.

steltonburwellI remember telling Bob when I hired him “St. Louis is a tough market to break into as an outsider so I want to place you with Bryan which will help you get over“. Fast forward 9 months later and the show had made some progress but nowhere near where the others on the station had gone.

I then had to make a tough call and part ways with Bryan, a guy who I liked and respected a lot. I called Bob and told him I wanted to meet for dinner and talk about the show and I broke the news that evening that I was going to make a change and put him on solo.

Bob looked at me with his “I mean business” stare and said “let me get this straight, you said this is a tough market to break into and now you feel that our best way to grow the ratings on the show are to put me on solo and takeaway my partner“? I responded back with a confident “yes” even though I knew that was a damn good question and he had every right to question the game plan. To get an idea of Bob and Bryan as a team, check out this video.

As luck would have it, we made the change and within the next few months the show took off and started delivering inside the Top 5 like the rest of the radio station. Much of that success was due to how hard Bob worked to shape his identity with the audience and build relationships in the market. He was also open minded, candid and honest with me and his producer John Semar about his views on the show and that team collaboration and desire to do whatever it takes to win was a big reason why he did so well.

bobgroz2It was not only a big turning point for the radio station but it was a big achievement for Bob as well and the momentum from that success would ultimately put him in a position to land a weekday spot in his hometown of Seattle working 12pm to 3pm with Dave Grosby for 710 ESPN.

The rollout video that 710 ESPN put together for the start of the show was excellent. Make sure to check it out.

When you listen to Bob host a show, one of the first things you’ll notice is the way he presents himself to his audience. He has a deep voice and showcases a youthful approach with some of his phrasing and he’ll come across as a guy who’s serious, informed and passionate yet loves to have fun as well. Sometimes it’ll even happen at the expense of an update anchor which I’m sure Cliff Saunders remembers all too well (sorry Tasty Cakes).

Much of that presentation I believe stems from Bob’s background. He was the lead singer of a rock band on the Seattle music scene in the 1990’s so he got comfortable at a young age at entertaining audiences on stage. I used to love breaking his chops that he was the only musician in Seattle during the 90’s explosion to not land a record deal. I’m not sure he enjoyed that line as much as I did though! Here he is rocking out back in the day.

bobsteltonIn addition to being an avid lover of music, Bob practices martial arts and is a diehard UFC fan. He’s also a Mariners and Seahawks fan and one of the few guys I know who likes Alex Rodriguez. I’m pretty sure that Bob is also the only guy on this planet to attend a Train concert and nearly get into a fight. Who knew that a song like “Drops of Jupiter” could cause such a reaction?

Having managed him, one of the things I appreciated and respected was how he put his heart and soul into his show each day. I can tell you that the same effort is given off of the microphone and he was always looking for feedback for ways to improve. Breaking into a new market and being successful can be very difficult but when you have the right mindset and a strong work ethic it’s definitely possible and Bob is proof of that.

I exchanged a few texts and emails with him to pick his brain on his background in the radio business and some of his professional viewpoints on critical elements of doing sports talk radio and I’m happy to share the details of our conversation with you.

stelton2Q: What was it that intrigued you enough to want to explore a career in sports talk radio? 

A: I grew up playing sports. Although I was a musician, most of my idols were sports figures so I listened to a lot of sports talk and frankly, I felt I knew as much and could do it at least as well as those I was listening to.

Q: Who was the first person to hire you and what was the best/worst part of the job? 

A: Tom Lee the PD for KJR in Seattle hired me to run the board for The Tacoma Rainiers games. The best part of the job was actually being paid to be in a place where everything was about sports. Sports were now paying my bills…sort of. Worst part…I was making $6 an hr and AAA baseball on the radio wasn’t the most electric thing in the world.

mitchlevyQ: Reflecting through the years, who are some of the broadcasters/personalities who you’ve enjoyed listening to and would list as an influence? 

A: Mitch Levy here in Seattle was a tremendous influence. One of the best interviewers in radio. Howard Stern for his interviewing skills and creativity. He’s not for everybody but I have absolute respect for his fearlessness…he’s brilliant! PBP guys, VinScully is the greatest ever! Jim Lampley is fantastic as well.

Q: If there’s one thing that’s surprised you about the sports radio business that you had no idea about prior to getting into it, what would it be? 

A: It seems silly but I always thought that I couldn’t possibly EVER get tired of going to games or speaking with athletes. After a few years of covering struggling teams/players, you realize how draining it can be to talk about those things on a daily basis. Trying to find new angles on a losing team or struggling players can feel like a death march if it’s something that lasts a while. And going into those locker rooms to talk to those players about “what is wrong with this team“, is no picnic.

stelton5Q: Where do you believe you’ve grown the most as a talk show host? 

A: With more experience I’ve just become more comfortable with who I am and my strengths and weaknesses. When you first start, you tend to mimic, on some level, those who influence you. After a while you find your own voice and it becomes obvious what works for you.

Q: What is one thing that you don’t feel you do well as a broadcaster that you need to improve on? 

A: I can be a little rigid in my opinions. At times I have a hard time seeing the logic to an opposite opinion. When you put a bunch of time and effort into creating your position on something, it’s not always easy to embrace an opposite point of view. Although, great debates are certainly born out of that, at times.

stelton8Q: Having done local and national talk radio, how do you prepare differently for both? What do you enjoy most/least about both?

A: Local radio, you feel like you have an attachment to the team your covering and their fan bases. You have an identity and a connection with them both. The scope of what you talk about, such as the teams and topics, are much more narrow in local radio. Mariner fans don’t want to hear me talking about the Mets or Dodgers. But national radio gives you a much bigger plate of material to work with. The headlines are the headlines no matter which city is involved in the story. So, whatever story you’re talking about that day, there is an interested audience there for you. As a national host, you have material all year around but you really miss being attached to a specific fan base and the passion that goes with speaking to one specific market about THEIR teams.

Q: How important is utilizing audio in your show each day? What are some ways you incorporate it into your daily presentation? 

A: If you don’t use it, what’s the reason behind it? Audio is a great launching point for me. It sets up a conversation and listener reaction. It sets up a tease to the next segment (Coming up next, you won’t believe what Richard Sherman had to say about the 49ers, you’ll hear it next!) It supports or counters your opinions. Creating more conversation with your co-host and audience.

bobgrozQ: When it comes to the Producer/Host relationship, what is it that you want & need from your producer in order to be the best you can be? 

A: I need a producer that cares about the show as much as I do. I want them to take pride in the success of the show. I want them to take ownership of it. I want them to be thinking about how to improve and grow the show as much as I do. I love a producer who will challenge my opinions or ideas. It forces you to really dig deeper into the subjects and creatively it’s great to have two minds going on an idea and bouncing different scenarios off of each other. It’s a lot like writing a song, you piece together everybody’s contributions and see what you have. Sometimes it’s great! Sometimes it stinks! But, that process is crucial to keeping a show fresh.

Q: What is the most difficult part about being a personality and dealing with audience feedback that isn’t always positive? 

A: Sometimes if the negative feedback gets personal, it can be a little challenging. Or if it’s clear that somebody is responding to what they THINK you said and, not what you actually said. Outside of that, I love listeners who want to challenge my opinion. Again, it’s just another form of material to work with.

bobstelton3Q: How often do you meet with your Program Director, Producer or other staff members to critique the show and your performance? 

A: I meet with my PD every couple of weeks. I love constructive criticism! As soon as I feel like I know everything or, everything I do is perfect, I’m dead. That’s when you stop improving or trying to improve. I don’t always agree with every critique but more often than not, a fresh set of ears will hear things you don’t because you’re too close to it. It can be very hard to be objective about your own show.

Q: When you reflect on some of the things you’ve accomplished in your career so far, what tops the list? 

A: To be employed in this business as long as I have feels like an accomplishment. Anybody in the business knows how tough it is to have any level of sustained security. Having success on a national level for 7 years was big for me. Then succeeding in a local market that I had never even been to much less really followed, is something that I’m very proud of.

stelton3Q: What would you say was the most difficult moment of your career? 

A: I’ve been out of work one time since 1997. The network I was with for 7 years, downsized in a very big way. And, I was not renewed when my final contract was up. I was out of work for 8 of the longest months of my life. That had me a little unnerved. But, it also made me really appreciate the places I’ve been since.

Q: For someone out there reading this who’s thinking of entering the industry and striving to be an on-air talent, what advice can you pass along to help them on their journey? 

A: LEARN EVERYTHING! Don’t ever think you’re above doing any job. Just because you want to be a host doesn’t mean that’s where you start. Run the board, cut sound, produce, go into the locker-rooms, etc… do it all so that once you do become a host, you have an appreciation and understanding of what it takes to make the whole thing tick!

You can hear Bob Stelton on the “Bob & Groz” show weekdays from 12p-3p PST on 710 ESPN in Seattle. For more information on the show you can click here to visit their show page. You can also follow Bob on Twitter @BobStelton.

Anti-Social Vs. Socially Consumed: Which One Are You?

Jason Barrett
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Anti-Social Vs. Socially Consumed: Which One Are You?

It’s safe to say that there’s been a social media explosion over the past 10 years and chances are you’ve caught the bug. Each day we wake up and check our Facebook timelines and Twitter feeds before we even look at a website, listen to a radio station, watch a TV channel or god forbid open a newspaper (I actually know some people who still do it). This is a way of life for us and our listeners and given how many platforms launch and succeed each year, it doesn’t appear to be slowing down anytime soon.

If you scan the country today, you’ll find tons of sports radio personalities who are passionately engaged in these forums and take the responsibility of connecting very seriously. To list a few examples, Damon Bruce & John Middlekauff at 95.7 The Game-SF, Chad Doing at 750 The Game-Portland, Shan Shariff at 104.3 The Fan-Dallas and Chad Dukes & Grant Paulssen at 106.7 The Fan-Washington DC are just some of the on-air hosts who do a great job in this space.

johnkincadeI’ll also catch guys like John Kincade at 680 The Fan-Atlanta, Bob Fescoe at 610 Sports-KC and Freddie Coleman at ESPN Radio use their Twitter feeds to drive radio teases and content tune-ins on their shows and I think that’s very smart. It certainly makes you wonder what they’re talking about and creates an urgency to want to click the station’s app button on your phone and hear what’s going on.

While there’s no denying the importance social media plays in our daily lives, there is some debate in the sports talk radio universe of how heavily invested we should be in it. While that may seem crazy to some of you, there’s some good reasoning offered on the other side to make for a great discussion.

Case in point, Mike Francesa of WFAN in New York has talked openly for the past few years about his lack of interest in it. Mike admits that he doesn’t have a Twitter or Facebook account and has no plans to adjust. He also doesn’t think athletes should be using the forum. There are plenty of other established major market personalities who share similar views.

Now some of you will dismiss that and say “he’s behind the times” or “he doesn’t get it” and maybe there’s some validity to that point of view but there’s equal value to the point he raises about giving things away for free in too many places and not making your radio show a unique one of a kind destination.

twitterLet’s face it, in the ratings world today it’s likely that a user with a PPM meter has a Facebook account. Maybe even a Twitter account. One could say that being active in both of these locations gives you a better chance to form a loyal bond with the individual which then makes them want to consume your show more.

The other side of that equation is that because the individual with a meter already knows what you think and has seen you interacting with everyone about it online, there’s no specific need now to tune into your radio show. It may seem far fetched but can you be so sure that isn’t accurate?

I myself have a Twitter, Facebook, Instagram and LinkedIn account and I believe there is great value in being accessible, connecting with people and staying involved in what the latest trends are but I do know that each medium has the ability to infect you like a virus and keep you so busy that you lose focus and decrease your own productivity.

Once you start letting the feedback consume you and ultimately influence you, you’re likely to hate it. That’s where social media can be really dangerous. I have watched hosts change segments based on a few tweets and I’ve seen them also spend hours going back and forth with 2-3 people who have no interest in having a good healthy discussion and are only interested in getting under their skin.

stltodayI can recall in 2006 moving to St. Louis to program 590 The Fan, KFNS and before Twitter/Facebook became the powerful outlets for feedback that they are today, message boards were the popular thing. I was new to town and unfamiliar with them so I figured I’d better get up to speed since every host, producer and employee seemed consumed by one of my former colleagues Bernie Miklasz’s “Bernie’s Press Box” in the St. Louis Post-Dispatch.

Well before I knew it I found myself reading the board daily, hearing my staff talk about stuff from it and letting it influence their opinions. At one point I started to even question my own beliefs because I was working for a place which had made some bad decisions and the reaction to what I was involved in was strong and I felt I needed to be aware.

I finally woke up one day and thought to myself “what the hell am I doing“? While I couldn’t fix every single issue with the company, I knew I had to detach myself from that outlet because it was now causing me to not do what I was good at which was trust my gut.

Today, I use Twitter and I do engage at times with listeners and I’ve even been known to conduct special chat sessions or use the social media world for surveys and soliciting focus group participants. What I make sure not to do these days though is let it impact the way I think about my brand, my staff and any decision I make.

Jason on the mic in TorontoFor talent, that challenge is much harder. When you’re on a microphone communicating your position on every single sports topic, it’s going to lead to reaction. I’m a PD so I don’t have to endure the wrath of a half of a market when I speak my opinion about a sports topic but as a personality it comes with the territory. While I think it’s great to know that your words do connect with people, I think it’s equally wise to remember that a strong well informed opinion on a subject that has value to local people should create a response every single time! If you’re not creating a reaction then you’re likely just background noise.

The real key for on-air personalities is trying to strike a balance between being active and accessible yet not giving away the farm for free. People love to see you online during a game talking about it with them and you want to be able to provide some color on the game but saving the good stuff needs to factor into your thinking if you want to keep people interested and adjusting schedules to catch your show.

I do believe that the future of media personalities requires you to be much more than a radio host. In the future (and present) companies are going to expect you to be able to do a radio show, video commentary, write a blog, engage on social media, sell products, appear in the community and get out to games and build relationships with teams and fans.

moneyballSome will bitch and moan “that’s a lot of work” or “it wasn’t like that back in the day” and much like with everything else in life, change happens. If I recall correctly, in the movie “Moneyball” Brad Pitt said it best “Adapt or Die“.

Ask someone in local television today who shoots their own video and does their own stand ups. Sure some will say “this is ridiculous” and “it wasn’t like this before” but the media industry will move on just fine without those who adapt and the list of people interested in this line of work will only increase.

The next part I want to touch on is the value or lack thereof of following people back and blocking them. Unless someone starts firing personal attacks or provides little benefit to me to engage with them, I usually refrain from blocking people. Once again though, I’m a PD and not an on-air personality. Some of the things that get sent to personalities today would make you sick to your stomach. I’ve seen it occur in multiple markets where things that were sent in were so over the line and being done so frequently that there could be grounds for an arrest for harassment.

twitterblockedNone the less, as a personality you’re in a no-win situation. Your opinions drive reactions and people will always have different viewpoints on everything you say and you’re in the public spotlight so the second you begin engaging in a confrontational way, it consumes your mind day/night and in most cases it just fuels the fire of people who’s sole purpose is to get under your skin. And if you react and take it too far? It could cost you your job.

If you follow Keith Olbermann on Twitter you’ll see that he doesn’t hide from the negativity and at times he even welcomes it. While I don’t see a lot of benefit for KO in getting into twitter battles with viewers, I will say that I find his jabs very entertaining. In some ways I’m glad he does it because too many personalities get verbally abused and are then expected to not stand up for themselves.

The only areas of concern for me are “what is really being gained from it” and “is it worth it if a line gets crossed and some corporate executive or key client gets offended“? Let’s face it, we’re in a very sensitive world today and people presume you guilty a lot faster than they consider you innocent. That said, Olbermann’s responses are hysterical.

. I’ve had jobs for 35 years, little one. You have a twitter account. And not much of that.

While KO has his approach, Jay Mohr has a very different approach. I read an interview with him (click here) where he discussed his views on social media and what blew me away was when he talked about his strategy on positive and negative reactions.

jaymohrHis exact quote was “The golden rule of Twitter is you cannot ever respond to somebody saying something negative to you. It took me a good three years to learn that, and, even still, I’ll start to type something and be a sentence or two in before I realize, What am I doing? Why am I answering this person? I’ve blocked about 3,000 people. I’ve made Twitter this ivory tower of Babel where people only say nice things about me.”

Here’s Jay, a popular public figure doing a daily show and expected to be accessible and yet he’s shutting down future communications with more than 3,000 people. Is that really wrong though? For his own peace of mind I bet he’s much happier opening his twitter account each day and not dealing with a ton of negativity. That probably puts him in a better frame of mind to be creative and do a great show and if he’s blocking people who don’t enjoy what he does anyway, are they really the fans who you want to focus your energy on anyway?

You can also make the case that by only promoting the positive, it creates the illusion that everyone likes Jay and his show and that can often create a domino effect where others feel like they need to start getting familiar with what’s happening on the show so they don’t feel left out. That’s one of the simple rules of marketing, say something enough times and people will start repeating it.

If you take it one step further, look at brands in general. Some feel strongly about following back listeners and some don’t. Some will post station only content benefits and some will respond to listeners messages. As a good brand example, I personally think the airline industry does a great job of responding to their customers. They’re very timely and often witty and I’m sure they see great value in it.

Get hurt. Try to fly back home and mechanical issues. Awesome.

 

Our apologies for the delay, Josh. We’ll do what we can to keep our plane off the . What’s your flight number?

One big challenge we have today in our business with social media is trying to keep up with the thousands of responses per day while putting the responsibility on staff members who are also trying to balance doing 2-3 other jobs. Yes the interaction is very important and we don’t want to be dismissive of our audience but if the on-air product suffers from it, is it worth it? At that point you’re choosing between sipping two different poisons. Either way you’re in trouble.

I’ll close with this. If you’re not on Twitter today, you’re missing out on knowing about breaking news. Whether you love the service or not, if you’re not aware of what’s going on there you’re missing key information that matters to your audience. Every single reporter across the country is breaking news on Twitter before they do it on their ow company’s platforms and while that boggles my mind and one could question why, this is how the news cycle works in today’s environment and you need to be where the action is.

francesaI do think one key takeaway from Mike Francesa’s views on social media is valid – are you giving away your best material for free and leaving nothing unique and special for your show? If your best stuff is left on Twitter or you’re recycling the same exact lines from the night before, you may want to alter your approach. For more on his views on the subject, watch his keynote address on the sports talk radio industry by clicking here.

That said I believe there’s great personal and promotional value for personalities and it’s a smarter long-term strategy for your career to be accessble and active in social locations where fans are. It’s certainly not for everybody but I see more upside being there than downside for not but that’s just my point of view.

I’ll leave you to consider this. Mike Francesa has no connection in any social space and yet he’s been (and still is) one of the highest rated performers in the #1 media market in the country. Maybe he’s missing out on what’s important to people today and he’s not thinking about what’s going to matter tomorrow but given his track record of success, he might not be as crazy as you might think. I’ll let you be the judge!

How do you feel about the importance of social media and how active personalities and sports radio professionals should be? Leave a comment below to continue the conversation!

The “Dive Right In” Approach

Jason Barrett
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There’s an old familiar saying that I’m sure you’ve heard at least once in your lifetime – “you can’t teach an old dog new tricks“. As hokey as it may be, some in our business believe that to be true when it comes to trying to change the views of some of sports talk radio ‘s most familiar voices. Whether it’s a difficult task or not though is irrelevant because change has already begun and listeners are now in control more than they’ve ever been before.

In today’s radio world of PPM measurement, we’ve learned that listeners with meters tune-in often but not for long periods of time. This means they’re looking for a reason to connect with the on-air personalities and the content provided. When it isn’t there, they’ll seek out other options and they’ll waste no time doing so.

insanityQuite honestly, this is something we’re all guilty of. Our patience is thin, distractions are popping up everywhere and if we’re not engaged immediately then someone else has an opportunity to steal us away. Yet while this becomes a huge challenge for radio broadcasters, I can’t begin to tell you how many shows and hosts I’ve observed over the past few years who think they can keep doing the same thing they’ve always done and have no problem delivering better results.

What I want to focus on today is what I call the “Dive Right In” approach. In simple terms, this means get right into your content at the start of the segment and don’t waste time.

Sounds simple right? But as you’ll see later on in this piece, not everyone does it and I guarantee you that if you listen to some of the most notable shows and hosts in your market today, you’ll find that they’re guilty of wasting time too.

US swimmer Michael Phelps competes durinTo paint a picture for you, think of a professional swimmer. When they walk into the pool area they waste no time diving head first into the water. They don’t stand over the side and dip their toes in to see what the water feels like and whether or not they want to swim in it. They just dive in and start swimming.

Now relate that to the start of a segment on sports talk radio. How many times do you put a show on and hear the personality waste 3-4 minutes of time starting off a segment by talking about what they did during the commercial break, how lovely the weather is outside, what they plan to eat for dinner and what they plan to watch on TV later tonight?

It happens all the time and yet PPM is showing us that we often have listeners at the front of segments coming to us to to consume our programming yet leaving quickly because of our inability to get into the subject matter quickly. It’s a fast paced world and people expect you to deliver content with a purpose and in quick fashion. If you don’t, you’re going to have a tougher time keeping them around.

Building-Momentum-LogoI’ve heard some hosts say “sometimes you have to build up momentum, set the scene, relax and then get into things” and that sounds good to the person saying it but for the person consuming the content who wants something good right now and only has a limited amount of time to spend with you, they’re going to tune someone else in who can deliver if you can’t. They’re in control, not us.

Put yourself in the shoes of your audience for a second. You just sat thru a 4-minute commercial break which likely had 6-10 different commercials run. You also consumed one station promo which was likely :30 seconds, sat through a sports update which was 1-2 minutes long and then endured a station liner leading into the segment followed by a music bed.

That is roughly 6-8 minutes of time before the host even opened their mouth to speak and now you’re expecting the listener to wait another 3-4 minutes before you finally offer a great opinion or piece of insight they can’t get anywhere else?

impatiencePeople are telling us they like our format, our style, our content selection and the presentation of our shows when they give us 2 minutes of time at the start of a segment. What they’re not giving us though is ratings credit that we rightfully deserve but that’s on us because we’re wasting valuable time.

We need 5 minutes for their listening to count but we stand no chance of gaining that time if we throw away the start of our segments. To expect a listener to wait 11 minutes before you finally strike gold is foolish. By the time you stumble on to something special, they’ll have changed the channel and missed it.

Rather than just type if out I thought it would be helpful to show some examples so I pulled some audio from a few national shows.

Keep in mind, these personalities and their shows overall are very good. What we’re focusing on here is the urgency of diving into content, not the show in general. Everyone has different approaches and this just highlights some who implement the “Dive Right In” approach and some who don’t.

stevegormanExample #1 is from the “Steve Gorman Sports” show on Fox Sports Radio. Click on this link and listen to the start of the 2nd hour.

Steve Gorman Sports Podcast Page

When you listen to the audio you’ll find that it takes nearly 1:30 before the show dives into a subject (Byron Scott hired as Head Coach of the Los Angeles Lakers) and once they do, Steve gives his opinion on the hiring, provides some good insight on the story and offers some personal details regarding his growing up a fan of the Lakers during the Showtime era. It’s a popular national topic and they do a solid job with it but waiting 1:30 to attack it is too long. That can often be the difference in a listener being there to consume it or already being on to another station.

Let’s take a listen to another example. This one is of Jorge Sedano filling in on “The Herd“.

 

JorgeSedanoIn this example, Sedano wastes no time identifying the subject and gets quickly into his position on it. Instantly as a listener you know it’s a popular subject (Ray Rice suspension) and after sitting thru a long break, you’re given a pay off because Jorge doesn’t make you wait to know where he stands on the story. Overall I thought Jorge executed the approach very well and put himself in good position to gain credit from his audience. Equally as important, it was rewarding for the listener who either stuck around or came back to consume the content.

So now that we’ve covered Fox Sports and ESPN Radio, let’s take a listen to CBS Sports. Here’s an example from the Jim Rome Show.

 

jimromeIn this example, the music runs :27 seconds before Jim says his first word. Then while he hooks you with a good line “I see this guy working“, the subject focus becomes an email from a listener, followed by another email and then a call and it takes over 3 minutes until we get a strong take from Jim on the Ray Rice material.

Getting the audience involved is a good thing and Jim does it as well as anyone but I don’t believe the audience should drive the content, I believe the host should. When Jim delivers opinions they’re usually interesting and entertaining so I’d just prefer to reverse the structure and have Jim  set the tone by coming out of the gate red hot with his thoughts and then use the reaction to fuel it further. It puts him more in control of the content direction and if you’ve ever listened to Jim, you know that when he gets going it can be some outstanding radio.

I’ll close up with this last piece of audio and it’s from Colin Cowherd on ESPN Radio. I find this piece fascinating for two reasons. First, he gets right into the material without wasting time. Secondly, the points he raises have a strong connection to the items I’ve raised in this article. Take a listen.

 

colincowherdColin brings up great points about technology changing everything and people having different expectations today than they did in the past. This is an A.D.D world we’re in and people expect you to grab their attention fast or they’re following Jay-Z’s words and moving “on to the next one“.

As a host, producer and/or programmer, you should feel encouraged because the passion and interest in your brand of content is strong from the audience. What isn’t as easy though is getting an audience to stick around. If you want to deliver ratings and continue to earn raises and hopefully ratings bonuses, you can’t afford to waste time when people are giving it to you.

If there’s one thing to take away from this article, it’s that it’s not always about whether or not your content is good or your opinions are well thought out. That’s part of the process but getting into things quickly is equally, if not more important. People are impatient and the amount of distractions around them are only going to increase in the future. Help yourself by being prepared, focused and ready to dive right in when your segments start. After all, those who just dip their toes in the water never get to experience the pleasures of swimming in the pool.

Personality Profile: Chad Doing

Jason Barrett
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When you think of the largest cities in America, Portland doesn’t typically enter the conversation. But if you work in the sports radio industry, you can’t help but recognize and appreciate the role it’s played in the development of some of the best talent our business has to offer.

ColinCowherdThe most famous example that I’m sure you’ve heard of is Colin Cowherd but many other tremendous talents have also called Portland home while en route to having success in other larger markets.

For example, John Lund at 95.7 The Game, Gavin Dawson at 105.3 The Fan, Ian Furness at KJR, Scott Masteller (PD) at ESPN Radio, Allan Davis (PD) at WGR and Dennis Glasgow (PD) at 99.9 The Fan are just a few who have spent time honing their craft in “rip city”.

Fast forward to today and the city is still called home by some very talented sports radio folks including John Canzano, Jeff Austin, Isaac Ropp & Jason Sucanek and while the city itself may have a small town feel, the passion for sports remains huge.

All you had to do this past year was turn on your television and watch one Trail Blazers or Ducks game and you could instantly see and feel the energy and excitement. Here’s a video clip which will give you a good idea of how loud Portland Trail Blazers fans can be and why visiting teams call the Rose Garden one of the loudest arenas in the entire NBA.

Well for this weeks personality profile I thought I’d shed some light on someone who has spent the past 20+ years calling Portland home and truly understands the pulse of the Portland sports scene. That individual is Chad Doing.

When you listen to Chad host a talk show, you can’t help but like him. He comes across as a genuine guy who truly loves sports but more importantly, you can sense that he loves to connect with his audience. At times you may even think he’s too generous or appreciative but that type of charm is what makes people root for him.

chaddoing6Chad is a high energy guy who sounds like he has the best job in the world and if you follow him on Twitter, you’ll see him constantly interacting and re-tweeting his fans. That type of relationship building means a lot to him and based on the responses I’ve seen, his audience appreciates that he’s accessible to them outside of his on-air program.

During the times I’ve caught his show I’ve also noticed that he’s not afraid to wear his heart on his sleeve, have some fun by having a laugh or two at his own expense (or his partners) and he’s willing to put his real life experiences on the air. As a matter of fact he closes his show with the line “Be a Blessing” which has special meaning to him as a result of some of the things he’s gone thru and overcome on a personal level. What I respect about that is that it makes him authentic with his audience. That’s a trait most listeners appreciate.

I recently had a chance to chat with Chad about the sports radio format, the twists and turns he’s gone through during his career and what he looks to accomplish when presenting his show to the audience and I found him to be very humble and a guy who really loves the process of creating sports talk radio.

Q: Growing up, who were some of the sports radio personalities you listened to?

bobkempA: I was first introduced to Sports Radio in 1994 here in Portland. I listened to local guys, Greg Robinson, Mike Parker, the current voice of the OSU Beavers, and Former Blazer, Kermit Washington. But my favorite to start was Bob Kemp. He was a national host for One on One sports. I was captivated by his information, intelligence, and dry-sense of humor. I still stream his show, he is a current host on the FAN 1060 in Phoenix.

Q: What was it about Jim Rome’s show that made you want to participate in his show?

A: When I first heard his show years ago, I loved his energy! He encouraged listener participation and challenged callers to add something to the program. I really enjoyed the creativity that many of the callers brought from around the nation, and wanted to take part. Looking back now, I really had no idea what I was doing. I just wanted to have fun and hopefully give someone something to smile about.

Q: After calling in and gaining some local notoriety from it, how did that help you get your foot in the door to doing sports radio?

A: The exposure gave me a name people remembered locally which helped, and the participation on his show gave me a platform to show my creative side. I guess some of those moments during my calls were memorable.  I didn’t think much about it at the time, but people still ask me about the calls and mention details that they remember.

Q: Since venturing into this industry, who have been some of the bigger influences to help you develop as a talent? How have they helped your career?

lundchadA: The biggest influence on my career without a doubt is one of your current hosts, John Lund. I worked with him in Portland at the Game for over a year. John was always gracious with his time. He had no ego, and was always willing to assist me with anything. I am still young in the business, but John has been around the country as a host and a programmer. John encouraged me to be myself, he taught he how to better prep for a show, and I admired how he always conducted himself with professionalism while having a lot of fun doing his job. I owe a lot to him.

John Phillips, who was part of a group that got sports radio started in Portland back in the early 90’s gave me my first shot in radio at KVAN in Vancouver, Washington covering high school sports. John was like a father to me. The best advice he gave me was just to have fun and be myself. He was a great host, but also did a great job of selling local sports to the community.

Q: What has been the most rewarding/difficult moment of your broadcasting career?

A: There have been many rewarding moments, but the one that stands out was my week-long trip to cover the National Championship game in Glendale, Arizona when Oregon played Auburn. John Lund and I spent a week together in a hotel room working and covering the game and all things surrounding it. We had a small team that worked side by side for hours to provide content on-air, on-line, and in person at different events with people from Oregon. For the Duck fans who weren’t in Arizona, they were able to live vicariously through all of the content we provided them and that brought great satisfaction. I remember being exhausted at the end of the week, but the satisfaction of a job well done was intoxicating. I realized on that trip that you are only as good as the people around you, and we had some great people working on that trip.

The biggest challenge came when our station moved from the FM dial back to the AM dial. This change was not received well by the listeners. With time and a grassroots effort, we were able to spread the word of where people could find us, but anytime you make a major change like that it’s going to be difficult.

chaddoing4Q: When it comes to creating the content layout of your show, who’s involved in the process? How much time is spent on it before you hit the airwaves?

A: We have a small staff, so usually the content layout comes from me and the assistance of my producer. The time involved always seems to be the biggest challenge. My show is four-hours, so I don’t like to spend less than six-hours preparing for the program. That varies day to day based on how my interviews I am going to tape before the show and how many are going to be live. Depending on the topic, I will involve as many people in my building as I can. I love the creativity that comes from different minds in the business.

Q: How much time do you spend on the air discussing local stories vs. national stories in Portland? What’s the reasoning behind your approach?

A: The Alpha Group in Portland has always been committed to live and local radio, so the majority of time on the show is spent focusing on local topics. The Trailblazers are number one in this market and always will be. After the Blazers, the NFL is crucial especially with the emergence of the Seattle Seahawks. The North West is big on College Football with both the Oregon Ducks and Oregon State Beavers. Portland is an interesting town. People who are from this area really love all things local. They love their food, they love their resources, and they love the teams that belong to them. This really works well when it comes to live and local talk. Of course there are those days when a national story will trump any local story, but those days are few in Portland.

chaddoingQ: What determines for you whether or not something is an A+ topic or a quick mention inside of the show?

A: The wow-factor. If there is a topic we believe will provide that “wow moment” for the listener, we definitely want to run with it. The biggest struggle I find day to day is learning how to determine what story is that A+ story. Sometimes it’s obvious and jumps out at me and some days it does not.

Q: You’ve utilized Lance Zierlein out of Houston as a character on your show, how did that start? What type of response have those segments created?

A: I will never forget it. Back in 2010, I got a call from Travis Rodgers and he told me that he knew a guy who was the most talented person he had ever met in radio. Travis said the guy was going to leave me a voicemail, and that if I wanted him on the show, to call him and let him know. Well, that voicemail was from SEC Guy, one of Lance’s many Characters. SEC Guy was an instant hit in Portland. Aside from the rivalry that was building between the SEC and the PAC 10 at the time, Portland and the deep south are on opposite ends of the spectrum. That provided for great comedy!

After SEC Guy, Lance introduced me to Bernie the Wolf, Tony the Hatchet Man, Jerry Sloan on a Mobile, and Phillip Rivers on a Mobile. His characters are so real, and his whit is unmatched. He has a magic where people have to listen because they don’t know what is going to happen, and they can’t wait to hear what he is going to say next. The best part about my interaction with Lance and his characters, none of it is scripted. He never knows what I’m going to ask, and his responses are always spontaneous. I think Lance and I click because we understand one another. I was born in Tulsa, and lived a number of years in Oklahoma. I understand that region very well, so I feel like I can relate and understand where he is coming from. Lance is the most talented person I have ever come across in the business!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Fxef8MJuzew

Q: As an on-air talent, do you enjoy interviewing big name guests on your show or do you prefer to stay away from them? Why?

A: I enjoy interviewing big-named guests, but I have learned that there are a lot of people with a great story who can make compelling radio.

Q: You’ve worked in a team show environment and now as a solo host, which do you prefer and why? What makes each situation different from a preparation standpoint?

chaddoing7A: I enjoy a solo-show because I can follow my vision, but the challenge I face day to day is creating content for four-hours. I am just one-mind, and on those days when my mind isn’t popping with creativity, I wish I had other guys to bounce ideas off of. I really enjoy having a team for developing topics, coming up with the right questions, and all the different views and opinions that each individual brings to the table. I find the biggest challenge in hosting a team show comes from developing that feel for your guys. Knowing when to get the right person involved, knowing when to move on from a topic, or when to stay. That feel for the show and your team is something that just takes time to develop. I would say that when you have a team to share in your successes with, it always seems to be more rewarding than something you accomplish alone.

Q: You’re extremely active on Twitter, often re-tweeting responses from your fans – why do you believe that approach is important?

A: I think talk radio is very personal from the standpoint that people invite you into their home, car, or business on a daily basis, so if they take time to reach out to me I want to make sure I take the time to respond. I want the listeners to know that I appreciate their support, and that without them, I would be nothing. Twitter and other forms of social media is a great avenue for me to connect with people and create relationships with them.  In my mind, Talk Radio is really just a matter of creating relationships. I really do enjoy the opportunity to meet people who support my show and the station.

chadelwayQ: How often do you review the pros and cons of your show and who’s involved in that feedback process?

A: I have done some work with a consultant we have with our radio group, but I wish I had more time with him. He has been very helpful. When one on one focus isn’t available, I have a few guys with years of experience I spend time with discussing the show and listening to their feedback. I have always taken the approach that there are a lot of brilliant people in the business I can learn from, so I am always willing to listen. I crave feedback and coaching and always desire more.

Q: If I asked a Portland Sports Radio listener to describe you using 3 key words, what would they say?

A: Genuine, Passionate, Energetic

Q: Going forward, what goals do you hope to accomplish as a sports radio personality?

A: My goal is to take one day at a time, be coachable, and have fun each and everyday doing what I love. My biggest desire is to the best personality I can be with the talents I have been blessed with.

Chad Doing can be heard weekday afternoons from 3p-7p on 750 The Game in Portland. You can also follow him on Twitter @ChadInPortland

The Pros and Cons of Booking Guests

Jason Barrett
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The Pros and Cons of Booking Guests

Booking guests is an exhausting process which can often challenge and frustrate sports radio producers. Some people love the thrill of the chase and some do not but most agree that when a high profile name appears on a talk show and provides good content, it can make a huge difference. It has also shown to pay dividends for radio stations when it comes to delivering ratings.

During my career I’ve been fortunate to be strong in this department and what I’ve learned is that persistence pays off and thinking big and planning ahead are critical to your success. While at ESPN Radio, I’d sometimes book 48 guests over the span of three six-hour shows and it was intense. Booking 48 guests didn’t mean we had a good show, it just simply meant we booked a lot of people.

wilsongottliebNow for that particular show (GameNight), the format was built around capturing quick post-game conversations and interviews with people all over the country on the biggest sports stories of the day and that’s a lot different than a weekday talk show where the focus is on topic building, connecting with listeners and conducting conversations with people who fit the stories we care most about.

The reason I was able to handle the workload of guest booking on GameNight had a lot to do with my mindset. I spent my first  years in this business working in a smaller market where I had to scratch and claw for every guest I got and I learned fast that if you want big things to happen you better be prepared to out-work and out-think people. Nobody cares about the challenges you have in front of you, only the results you deliver.

Jason On The MicBack then I hosted my own daily talk show about an hour north of NYC and I knew that I would be measured against every station in NYC so if I didn’t have big things in place then I stood no chance. I’d drive to Yankees, Mets, Giants, Jets, Nets, Knicks and Rangers games and personally talk to people before and after games to build relationships. I’d also call team hotels, team PR people, agents, family members, memorabilia dealers, other media members throughout the country and anyone else who I thought could help me with landing people on my talk show.

When you’re in the producers chair, your host is looking to you each day to help them with enhancing the content experience for the audience. Telling a host that they should talk about the local baseball game from the night before is the equivalent of telling them that you know the sun is yellow. It means nothing and is going to be filed away in the filing cabinet of useless bullshit.

danpatrickcharliesheenHowever, I’ve yet to see a host walk in and hear that a well recognized athlete/coach/media personality has been booked for the show and they’re not excited. From local personalities to a high profile talent such as Dan Patrick, they all get excited when they walk in and know you’ve lined something up they perceive to be strong and it makes them feel even more confident in you as a producer.

Instantly their wheels start spinning with what questions they should ask, what subjects will generate the biggest reaction out of the audience and what possible material from the conversation will lead to further promotion for the show after it’s over.

If you’re really good at looking ahead, you can come up with tons of possible guest ideas to advance a story and help your show. Case in point, 8 years ago when I first worked in St. Louis I created The Guests Bible. This was a 16-page document with a list of current St. Louis athletes, former St. Louis athletes and analysts from all sports in different cities throughout the country.

I’d tell my producers to use the information in a timely fashion but to always be looking at it and thinking of when it could come into play and benefit them. If anyone on the list was booked and not good on-air I’d encourage them to alert one another so we don’t make the mistake of booking them again.

ithinkicanI believe so much of what gets accomplished with booking guests starts and ends with your attitude and ability to strategically game plan for success. Anyone can have a ton of numbers but they only matter if you know your contact list and if you’ve got the ability to think fast and use them when they matter.

Being persistent and recognizing the benefit a great guest can provide your show also plays a vital role. Too many people are beaten before they start because they view the responsibility as annoying or frustrating and they hate to have to chase people but whether you enjoy it or not, it gets your hosts and your audience excited and it’s up to you to come thru.

preachingRather than listen to me preach about it though, I’ve reached out to three people I know in the industry to pick their brains on how they view guests and their importance in talk shows and what they’ve done to help land them on their respective program.

What I think is interesting is that all three of these guys have worked in different markets and they each have a different approach and philosophy on why guests do/don’t matter. I hope you’ll find their responses as helpful and informative as I did.

Today’s featured experts are as follows:

  • Ben Boyd – Executive Producer – KMOX in St. Louis
  • Jonathan Libbey – Producer – 95.7 The Game in San Francisco
  • Bernard Bokenyi – Former PD/Producer – 750 The Game/1080 The Fan in Portland; WKNR in Cleveland; Sporting News Radio

prod-libvernonHow much do you love booking guests for your shows? Why or why not?

Libbey: When it works out, I love it! Especially when you land a big fish and you know how much time and effort went into it. The frustration comes when you hit a dry spell, or nothing seems to being going your way. But those periods ebb and flow and you can learn how to mitigate the tougher times as much as possible.

Boyd: Booking guests can be very rewarding but also very distressing. There is nothing better than landing a huge guest, but it is a what have you done for me lately business. You can’t sit back and enjoy your work for long because you have to book your next show. 

Bokenyi: For me personally there is WAY too much of an emphasis put on booking “BIG NAME” guests on shows. There was no enjoyment for me efforting the big names as very rarely did you have results on them. Too often guests are viewed as a necessity to make great radio and that is not the case. You have to put way too much time into it and even when you book some athletes, the interview is awful as they don’t care to be spending the time. I would rather spend time developing unique content and focus on guests that will be good on air, no matter what walk of life they come from.

prod-boydmayweatherHow many calls, e-mails and texts do you send out on a daily/weekly basis in order to land great guests for your shows?

Boyd: I prefer to email and text people whenever possible instead of calling so they can read my pitch about coming on instead of just saying no or hanging up before hearing why they should join us. Whether I call or email though really depends on how far in advance I reach out to them. It’s hard to quantify how many times I reach out to people per day/week because it’s really a non-stop process because there is always another show coming up the next day/week.

Libbey: Depending how many guests I need for the upcoming week and how much I am able to look further down the road, I know I’ll roughly need to get out at least 7-8 requests per 1 guest spot I need to fill. More if I am aiming for guests I have no contact info on / haven’t had on before.

Bokenyi: I would send out well over 100 messages a week between emails, phone calls and other methods. You have to find multiple ways to connect to people. Twitter had yet to take off when I was booking guests but now that is another method of reaching out to people. You can’t just leave it at a phone call or two for a specific guest. Do they have a family member you can track down? Can you connect with that family member? Does the athlete have a charitable organization or foundation? There are so many ways you can make connections.

prod-bernardcalineodWhen pursuing A-List guests for your show, what are some of the avenues you explore to try and book someone?

Bokenyi: For current players/coaches, the first route will always be PR or the SID. As noted above, finding foundations is a great way to get an interview. You can go the agent route but from my experience, the results there are scarce. If you can’t get anywhere with PR, I would look at personal web pages, foundations, charities and social media. Something as simples as “Kobe Bryant Charity” as a Google search can get you plenty of options to look at. Find out what they’ve been involved with. For retired players/coaches, things are much easier. You can follow a lot of the same methods. Another route to look at is books. A-List guests will do media tours for books and that can be a great route to pursue. Get on mailing lists, the more the merrier. Any sports agency, publishing house, PR firm and beyond.

Libbey: Look for outlets who have interviewed the guest I want, and see if they can offer me insight into how they got them. i.e. is there another producer out there who has already done the leg work who I can get in contact with to help me? Look at the guest’s personal twitter, facebook, website, business, foundation, or charity for contact info or for something they might want to promote. Look for business / endorsement  partnerships the guest has that they could be persuaded to come on to promote. Any other reasons they may be interested in publicity? (upcoming events, charities, autograph signings, products)

Boyd: Publicists, Team PR people, Agents, previous coaches, media in the local market

prod-libreddickWhat are the biggest benefits of landing top flight guests on your show? 

Libbey: It energizes everyone associated with the show. It can drive excitement and energy for an entire day or even more, among producer, hosts, audience, execs, and others. It can deliver more of an impact than almost anything else the show can do. It can drive tune-ins, but also create buzz that makes people want to tune in. It also builds a lasting sense of importance, relevance, and cache for the show.

Boyd: One of the biggest benefits is the reputation your show can get — listeners who want to hear big guests will tune into your show. It also helps your relationship with your host because of how much pride your host has in his/her show. You are helping them to put out the best product they can, and they know you are working hard and want to be the best. Big time guests can boost the reputation of your station and yourself, and obviously can increase your ratings if you are able to publicize the appearance.

Bokenyi: I always wanted to challenge talent to be engaging and have fun and landing a quality interview can do that very effectively. In this day and age of digital media, the on-air interview is just the first step. That audio now lives forever through podcasting and social media. Get legs out of the interview. Make sure that it’s available for download as soon as possible. First of all you can encode audio to have PPM available for a window of time which can help with ratings. Second, you want people to know what they missed and to keep seeking it out. If somebody is not able to listen to your show live but can through podcast, what’s the difference? Yes you want to promote content, but keep in mind people have jobs, lives, commitments and your schedule does not always fit in to their lives. Allow them to fit your content into their lives and you will find success. 

prod-boydriceOnce a guest is booked, what else do you do as a Producer to take advantage of the opportunity?

Boyd: I like to promote guests on Facebook, Twitter, online message boards, etc. It is great if you can get a pro team to tweet out the appearance by their player, and it is always nice when a guest retweets your tweet to their followers.

Libbey: Publicize it as much as possible via on-air mentions, twitter, facebook, text alerts, etc. Try to generate as much buzz going into it as possible. Make sure hosts and producer are on the same page with what we want the spot to sound like and what we want it to deliver. Publicize and re-purpose any relevant clips from the interview on twitter, facebook, on-air, or via distribution to other pertinent persons / outlets.

Bokenyi: The bottom line with guest booking is to know your hosts. Some are good at handling the young athlete that doesn’t really want to talk. Others have different strengths. To me, any interview you book must add something of depth to the show. There are plenty of A-list guests that won’t add depth if the interview itself is not engaging. The only time you should ever send out a press release on an interview is when it is regarding a hot topic that is current and will truly get people to say “WOW”. Test it out around the office. Grab a sales rep, intern, production person, traffic or promotions staffer. See if they give the reaction to something you want ESPN to get. You have to pick and choose however because you don’t want to overdo it. 

prod-bernardhulkHow often do you work in advance on guest booking? What’s your strategy when it comes to booking ahead?

Bokenyi: You have to always look at the upcoming opponents and games. For athletes and coaches, that is the only way to go, especially in season. You always however want to have a stable of interviews you are working on that are not necessarily time sensitive so you can have things to supplement what you are doing on a daily/weekly basis. During football season, you have to work at least a month ahead for your planning purposes. Depending on the guest, you may have to work even farther out. For example, if you want Richard Sherman during the 49ers/Seahawks week, you sure as heck better have been working on it for six months to make it happen during the week of the game.

Libbey: The day-to-day grind of short-term guest booking takes up the majority of the time, but I always want to have at least some long-term ideas / requests in the works. Always have some targets that are “evergreen” because they are relevant no matter what time of year. And also look ahead to upcoming games / series and target guests that are very difficult to get but would deliver a huge impact. When free(er) time presents itself, working ahead usually pays off, though it may take a long time for benefits to materialize.

Boyd: I always try to book ahead. I think most guests like when they are booked in advance instead of feeling like last minute additions. I always see what events are coming up on the calendar and try to reach out to people a few days to a week in advance. 

prod-libharrisonWhat is the biggest misconception of having a big rolodex or e-mail distribution list?

Libbey: That having a phone number or contact info for a guest means you can easily book that guest. The farther up the guest ladder you go, the less people want to be contacted directly. It’s a great feeling to get the direct number for a big fish, but it doesn’t necessarily mean they will ever let you book them directly. You will still probably have to go through proper channels to get them to agree to come on. )But in a push-comes-to-shove or breaking news situation, it can come in extremely handy.)

Boyd: People think if you have everyone’s number, you will have no problem getting great guests, but it doesn’t matter what numbers you have if you can’t get people to respond. The biggest benefit to having a big rolodex is for breaking news. Big name guests are typically easier to get on when there is breaking news or when there is a big event like Hall of Fame inductions. 

Bokenyi: The term rolodex is a joke. In 2001, I worked at Sporting News Radio when we had Barry Bonds on. He originally called on his agent’s cell phone but the connection dropped. We had caller ID and I grabbed the first phone number. When the call cut off he called back from a different number, his personal cell phone. So as a good producer I grabbed that number. I now had Barry Bonds’ cell phone as a part of my “rolodex”. I gave the number to all of the guest booking crew so I could boost my ego and get a few “that a boys” from everyone. A few months later, a fellow producer tried to call Bobby Bonds and of course made the mistake of calling Barry. Needless to say he was a little unpleasant. The phone was on speaker and I heard the exact result of having Barry Bonds’ cell phone in your rolodex. Bonds managed to get about ten F-Bombs in during 20 seconds or so. Needless to say that phone number was changed within minutes. Point of the story – having a rolodex is silly antiquated thinking from years gone by. What you NEED is the ability to get the guest booked. Many current players, not even A-listers will tell PR that they got called directly so if you’re going to call someone directly, you better be sure it won’t jeopardize relationships that your station has.  

prod-boydjamesWhat advice do you want to pass along on guest booking to fellow producers who struggle at it or to someone who’s breaking into the industry and looking to learn it?

Boyd: There are many different avenues of tracking someone down. I see too many interns/producers give up too easily when trying to find someone. Keep reaching out to other people who can help you connect. You can find out so much information online about friends/family members/high school or college coaches, and those people are usually willing to help set something up.

Libbey: Persistence is huge, don’t let yourself get discouraged, working ahead is your best friend, and creativity is massively beneficial. Creativity with guest ideas and also in terms of abstract / unconventional ways to contact people. Save the contact info of every person you ever have on or who helps you in any way. Don’t get lazy, always stay in the mindset of challenging yourself to keep expanding your rolodex and getting on people you’ve never had before. Build contacts with other producers and always be open to trading info with them, and in that way you can essentially double / triple your rolodex.

Bokenyi: Learn patience quickly! While you are working hard on big name guests, you have to find other content on a daily basis that will enhance your show. Being a producer is SO MUCH more than booking guests. That is just one part of the equation. You will have days when you land two great interviews in a day because it just works that way sometimes. You then may go weeks before your next A-list interview. To me, booking guests should be about 10% or so of what makes a good show. Now I know there will be plenty that disagree with me on that, but I speak from experience. As a young producer, find out more about your talent than the audience knows and find ways to get that out of them on the air. Push their buttons and be confident. Always do it with a smile and you will succeed.

The Key Takeaways:

  • Be persistent and be patient
  • Be active with a ton of requests and follow up
  • Know your contact list and use it in a timely fashion
  • Podcast and promote the interview even after it’s over
  • Know your hosts and what type of guests fit them best
  • Whether it’s annoying or frustrating, recognize its value to helping your show
  • Explore various avenues to book guests; there are tons of ways to book people
  • Don’t book people who just fill up segments, make the segment opportunities count

You can correspond with our three featured experts by reaching out to them on Twitter. Make sure to add @BenjaminHBoyd @BernardBokenyi and @Jlib21.

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