Innholdsfortegnelse for September 16, 2019 i Radio Ink Magazine

Last month, I was prompted by a series of current events to pen a blog for our daily newsletter about the art, or perhaps the lost art, of communication. It was a reflection stemming from several tragic occurrences that reminded me of the strength found in human connection — the one that begins at birth, follows us through life, and can be felt in the squeeze of a hand during the final moments of those we love. These are the times that become seared in memory and help light and even sometimes influence or turn the path we take in life. And it is an instinct that never ends. It follows us through good times and bad. It is an innate part of our nature to seek out our fellow…

With the explosion of smartphones, and the skyrocketing increase in users accessing their various media through their phones, radio has some catching up to do if it wants to compete for listeners’ ears —and eyeballs. Here’s what you need to know. Q: How important is having the right mobile app? A: Very. If your app doesn’t have the tools to properly deliver a digital ad experience to your listeners and the ability to track results, you won’t even get out of the starting gate. Digital advertisers want to know you are reaching the consumers they want to engage, and you also need to deliver a quality mobile experience with the ability to track usage and provide detailed results for their campaigns. Q: Do we need a standalone app, or can…

“You realize that you don’t have all the time in the world. Time is a valuable commodity,” says Eric Rhoads as he looks back on the 50 years he has been part of the radio industry. Rhoads believes you have to use that time to constantly reinvent yourself, to be happy, to achieve goals and help others do the same. Those are things he has always tried to do. The CEO of Streamline Publishing Inc., the parent company of Radio Ink along with other publications and multimedia brands, has a legacy-call-letter resume to rival many of the veterans in the business. Those yesteryears have given Rhoads opportunities to shape his views of an industry facing changes and challenges today. Radio Ink: What was the spark that got you interested in…

DAVID DANZIG Cox Media Group Atlanta David Danzig started in radio in 1996. He had been selling print ads for a small monthly publication, and while out on a sales call, he met a radio seller from legendary Alternative station 99X. “We ended up doing a joint presentation to a business owner for a program that would promote his club during the Olympics,” Danzig says. “I saw how his business absolutely needed the radio schedule to get results. My little print ad might help with some reach, but unquestionably radio was the real driver for the business. “And it wasn’t just ads this other rep was offering — she had on air contests, live DJ reads, and station appearances. It was a living, three-dimensional thing! All I had was a…

SAL ABATEMARCO Cox Media Group Long Island Traveling along a sales path has always been Sal Abatemarco’s ambition. “No other position ever challenged me and gave me the thrill of competing against goals while helping clients build their business at the same time.” He says, “I entered management, originally as a general sales manager, because I have a big picture/team mentality, and I have always been a natural leader. I find myself mentoring and guiding new sellers and paying back the favor my friend did by bringing me into radio.” He believes radio needs to do more to promote and advertise its strengths to get more of the overall advertising revenue pool. “We do a great job bragging internally. While there are more choices than ever for the advertiser, radio…

Eighteen years ago, Jim Collins published Good to Great, and it sold 4 million copies. I blame that book for promoting the Hedgehog Myth, the misbegotten belief that category dominance is attained through focusing on “one big thing.” We will ignore, for the moment, that 9 of the 11 “great” companies profiled by Collins have underperformed the S&P 500 ever since. Two of them went completely out of business. In about 650 B.C. the Greek poet Archilochus wrote, “The fox knows many things, but the hedgehog knows one big thing.” In 1953, the philosopher Isaiah Berlin expanded on Archilochus in his often-quoted essay “The Hedgehog and the Fox.” In 2017, University of Pennsylvania psychologist Philip Tetlock completed a 20-year study that contrasted the abilities of the one-big-thing “hedgehog” experts against…

How do you create a productive week, month, and year? You start by focusing on one day at a time. The equalizer is that each of us has the same 1,440 minutes each day. How productive we are will depend on how we spend those minutes. We have the opportunity to create small wins, all of which create momentum that can turn into big days. How will you take advantage of your day? The good news is that it comes down to three things you have total control over! Your talent determines what you can do. Your motivation determines how much you are willing to do. Your attitude determines how well you do it. Here are five thought starters to help you create winning days: 1. Create a winning routine.…

AMANDA JEZO Bliss Communications South Central Wisconsin Amanda Jezo didn’t choose radio as a career, it chose her. “In December 2006, college graduation was only a few weeks away, and like most graduates, I was looking for a job,” she says. “Any job. I applied everywhere. Then I stumbled upon a job posting for an account executive at WCLO & WJVL radio. Believe it or not, as a college graduate, I had no idea that media sales was a career! I always envisioned success would be if I landed a job at an advertising agency. After three interviews, WCLO & WJVL’s sales manager (at the time), Mel Cushing, saw something in me and decided to give me a shot.” Jezo says it’s pretty simple to be a great account rep.…

MEGAN CALDWELL Cox Media Group-Digital Tampa Six years ago Megan Caldwell started her radio career creating content, but the desire to see that content in action led her to sales. “Creating something is one thing, following through on how it impacted a business or brand’s success is another,” she says. “In my first year on the content side, working with account executives on client projects, I found myself wondering what had happened with the content after it left my desk. How did it impact their business? What were our next steps? “In those moments, I realized that rather than deciding between a content or sales path, I could merge both into a role that included creating and consulting our partners and advertisers on an effective marketing strategy. I immediately made…

What are your hobbies? Still trying to find one! Who is/was your role model, and why? My father. He taught us that with hard work, all things are possible. What are you reading right now? Financials, ratings, and children’s books with my kids! What is your favorite movie? The Shawshank Redemption. The classic line: “Get busy living or get busy dying.” What is your favorite TV show? I Love Lucy. Diversity, creativity, inclusion, and humor at its very best! Twitter and Instagram handle? @ottompadron Who are the three most interesting people you know (outside your family), and why? 1. Alex Meruelo. His business stamina and will to win are legendary. He’s a boss, friend, and a mentor. 2. Gloria Estefan. As a fellow Cuban immigrant, her music and American journey…

“So what’s it like?” That is, most certainly, the most common question I get after spending 30-plus years in the radio business, most of that on the sales and station leadership side, and working today at O Brien et al Advertising. After seven months on the “dark side,” I feel like I’m starting to get a pretty good working knowledge of the agency world. I’ll always be a broadcaster, but it’s my hope that what I’m learning can provide radio with a unique perspective on what works for agencies and media relationships — and how to make them hum. Brandi Jackson has been with O Brien for over 20 years as media director. She’s smart, inquisitive, and passionate, and most importantly, always returns phone calls and e-mails. She’s the one…

Along time ago, before multiple platforms and digital technology, there were two guys who shared a passion for radio. One excelled in the sales arena, encouraging and inspiring industry professionals to strive for excellence and professionalism in marketing, selling, and managing radio stations across the country every day of every year. His name was Wayne Cornils. The other started his radio career even before high school graduation as an on air personality, moving up to programmer and eventually owning his own stations. But he wanted to impact the industry beyond one market and with a bigger microphone. So he bought a trade publication, and set on a course to not only cover radio news, but promote, encourage, sometimes goad, but always be a cheerleader for radio. His name is Eric…

BILL EVANS Bark Out Loud Dogs Media Eastern Long Island Bill Evans started in radio in 1973, when he was 13, in the small Southern town of Meridian, Mississippi. But he knew he wanted to be in radio even before that. “When I was 7 years old, I knew I wanted to be in radio. My grandfather was a minister and had a devotional that he did on Sundays on the local radio station, WCOC. I went with him on Sundays to the station, and I knew right away that I wanted to be a DJ, even though my parents and grandparents wanted me to join the ministry. I wanted to play records and talk on the radio, and I have, in one form or another, as a DJ, salesman,…