Welcome Wagon

It's sort of a clichÈ in movies when the protagonist has to overcome a lack of encouragement from family and friends to triumph. Practically every biopic follows that pattern: told that they can't do something, they go ahead and ultimately do it to great success.

We saw a movie last weekend that followed that pattern -- "Blinded by the Light" -- and while the movie was entertaining enough, it left me thinking about my experience (the main character's ambition is to be a writer, fighting discouragement from family while being encouraged by a teacher and a friend and Bruce Springsteen lyrics), the radio industry (because it is my lot in life to think about the radio industry for a living), the value of encouragement, and the laudable things the industry has started to do, and whether that's enough.

I have been both the beneficiary of positive feedback and the target of... well, okay, let's be blunt here. I was told many times by important people in the industry, from consultants to General Managers, that I should never, ever try anything creative. I was instructed to follow orders and remain firmly behind the scenes. I was told not to talk to the press, not to go on the air, not to exhibit anything that anyone outside the station would ever see or hear. Just make sure the trains run on time, kid.

I'm ashamed to say that I listened to them. I didn't know that they did not have my best interests at heart. I thought, well, they're veterans of the business, they know better. They didn't, but I allowed them to define what I could do.

And then there were others, later, who did the opposite. Joel Denver encouraged me to write whatever I wanted, express myself with this column, get out there and use my creativity and sense of humor and opinions. Several consultants asked why I'm not on the air anywhere. The podcast has gotten nothing but positive reaction. There are too many people who have given me great feedback and support to list here. I'm grateful to them all.

Which leads me to the industry, and the oft-discussed need to bring new blood into the business. The outreach radio is doing to help newcomers get their start and climb the ladder is laudable. I'm impressed with the things I've seen at conventions -- I know, it's out of character, but stick with me -- like the speed mentoring programs, and the "scholarships" bringing student broadcasters in to network with the pros. Dan Vallie's collegiate Talent Institutes are hugely important. Our own Worldwide Radio Summit has the Ria's Rising Stars scholarship program. Mentoring and Inspiring Women in Radio is a great program. The IBS conferences -- I'll be returning to the one in Long Beach coming up soon -- are valuable. These are all giant steps in the right direction.

They're not enough. We need more.

We need more outreach, not just to the already-converted who are already on the path and therefore inclined to apply to the programs. We need to open our arms to anyone who wants to do radio, and not tell them, as I was told even as I was already in the business, that their ideas aren't right, their voices aren't "radio enough," they're "not in the lifestyle." Instead of just assimilating newcomers into the Borg, we need to find out what they're bringing to the business and encourage them to develop that.

So, in addition to what the industry's already doing, herewith, some modest proposals:

Let's help save college radio. Too many schools have given up and sold off their FMs, but even if that's inevitable, whatever help broadcasters can give schools to maintain their streams, whether financial (underwriting the streams, contributing equipment) or with mentoring. Host the streams on broadcasters' websites and on the big aggregator apps. Do that for high schools, too -- check out Viking Radio in Rockland County, New York for an example of what can be done with the help of professional radio people. Simply, let's give young people for whom radio isn't even on the radar a taste of how much fun it can be to get on the air live, which is, after all, the one thing that radio has over the Spotifys of the world.

Instead of fighting pirate radio and leaving it at that, let's consider WHY a lot of pirates exist: They're representing communities that feel that they're not being served by other media. Nobody thinks they're going to get rich with a hundred-watt illegal station, even if they sell advertising. I'm not suggesting letting the pirates interfere with licensed stations, but if communities are underserved, perhaps creating streams and podcasts and apps for the pirates to do what they do is a better solution than playing whack-a-mole with them.

As for podcasting, if radio really wants to develop content, offer studio space and production assistance for people in the community to record shows. Rent spare studio space out. Let people get a taste of what working in radio is like while you get a taste of what undiscovered talent might be out there. Help them break through the clutter of hundreds of thousands of podcasts, and maybe offer sales help if they get some traction. And while you're at it, take some of those HD2 and HD3 channels and open them to the community. Call it access radio. Play podcasts, let people do live shows, air local events and sports. It's the oldest trick in the book: People will be more likely to listen to those currently lonely channels if they're actually ON the stations, or their friends are. "Hey, I'm on the radio tonight" is a powerful marketing tool.

And above all, be encouraging to anyone who's starting out or moving up the ladder. If someone is doing something good, say so. If they need work, offer guidance. Please, whatever you do, don't be like the people who told me to shut up and stay out of the way. This is hardly the time to turn away people who WANT to be part of this business.

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Have a great Labor Day weekend. To those who may be affected by the storm, please, stay safe, and to the folks whose stations are providing all the critical information and news to those affected, thank you.

Perry Michael Simon
Vice President/Editor, News-Talk-Sports and Podcast
AllAccess.com
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