2936 G Harrison Ave.
Panama City, FL 32405
Email: [email protected] or [email protected]
850-276-2883
Walt �The Fox� Feltman
(Programming and Music Philosophy)
As radio markets become more and more saturated and radio formats more fragmented, �Radio� is not in need of redefinition, but REVITALIZATION! It must enthusiastically return to the basis of its initial success: MASS APPEAL! The radio stations I have had the opportunity to work for have been Mass appeal radio stations, as well as BIG RATING WINNERS in their respective formats.
PROGRAMMING
Radio is a business with two different sets of customers. One set is the station listeners who DON NOT pay to listen, yet demand parity with their lives, and unknowingly become a sellable product to the station�s second set of customers: THE ADVERTISERS, who pay for the opportunity of selling goods and services to the listeners, and in turn EXPECT tangible results. It is the overall responsibility of programming to DEVELOP & MAINTAIN a superior on-air product, which in turn is used to generate station $$$$$$.
RATINGS
Ratings are PROOF of superior on-air product. To achieve sellable ratings, a radio station must maintain a consistent and credible image that REFLECTS the composition of its current and potential audience, while making a memorable impression on potential ratings participants.
The following is in my opinion; the MAIN ELEMENTS needed to achieve MARKET DOMINANCE:
MUSIC
Music must be kept FOCUSED and SERVE your core!!!!! To the listener, MUSIC IS YOUR PRODUCT! The musical taste of the target audience must be researched and super-served. A Winning station is musically correct well over 90% of the time. One Mistake many stations make is to try to EDUCATE their audience rather than SERVE them. It all goes back to the saying� �Give the people what they want�
THE HITS!!!!!!
The music a station plays should evoke a passion, emotion, and activity. Songs that move and motivate listeners to request that song, to sing it, to cry to it, to buy it, to download it and in some cases to Dance to it. I have learned that the listeners sometimes are not as fast as programmers are, so sometimes �GUT does count for the success of a song in your market. And sometimes the programmers are not as fast as the listeners are. That�s where music research and call-out come in to play. The overall sound, style, lyrical content and appeal play a very big role in determining the compatibility of a song.
RESEARCH
Research can give your station the COMPETITIVE EDGE over your competition. Researching your audience is the very means of survival, whether being done through daily ratings (cume and target), music call out, media base, requests, retail, sales, networking with similar stations or stations in the markets that are similar, going to the local clubs and bars and looking at trade magazines, but never programming from the trade or from inside of the office. All the research printouts in the world would not be helpful without the knowledge of how to balance the wealth of information, without natural programming instinct.
LOCALIZATION
Be it New York, Dallas or Atlantic City, The radio station should touch on the PULSE, catching the VIBE of the COMMUNITY. Much of the research you can do on the streets is priceless. For some stations, you can learn a lot from your local music retail store and from your local nightclubs and bars. I realize that a club audience is a very small portion of your cume make up, but it is a good indicator. If you see a song reacting with people rushing to the dance floor, and it happens over and over, there is something there. Going into local restaurants asking the waitresses what station they listen to and why, going in a convenient store, or getting gas, at the movie theater, or in the clubs. Research never stops. Keeping a watchful EYE on the NEEDS of the community and servicing the people is what being LOCAL is all about, Out for the local Memorial Day Picnic in the park, 4th of July, The blood drives, raising toys for children, having the station vehicle on the streets, Etc.
IMAGING
�PERCEPTION IS REALITY�. How the station is perceived on-air as well as off the air IS what the people see, feel and hear. A positive station image must be the underlying theme.
ENTERTAIMENT
Creating memorable events, on-air contest and promotion, as well as listener participation adds entertainment value and improves the listener�s ability to DIFFERENTIATE your station from the market stations. From music elements, to on-air talents, the entertainment value of a radio station gives it the FLAVOR and ultimately it�s PERSONALITY.
PROMOTIONS and CONTESTING
There have been many stations with big promotional budgets that have learned the hard way that BIG giveaways don�t necessarily translate to BIG RATINGS. Contests should be EASY to understand, FUN to play, and ENTERTAINING to listen to. Most of all they should be targeted towards achieving better overall product awareness.
VISIBILITY
Be it through event sponsorship, outside advertising, in the clubs, on the beach, at the grand opening, or surprise stunts, a radio station must be VISIBLE in the market in the market. Be everywhere and anywhere events are happening. Advertising, as in contesting or events, must be FOCUSED toward reinforcement of product awareness. REMIND people who do listen, of your strengths, INVITING potential listeners to enjoy the benefits to trying your product.
NEWS
Even though the focus of the radio station is one of MUSIC INTENSIVE, a commitment to news is something that is important! Not in depth, but HEADLINE NEWS. Airing these reports in morning drive as well as traffic reports (if applicable) is a vital part of every morning show. A watchful eye on breaking stories and LOCAL stories need to be kept by the news.
TALENT
None of the above can be accomplished without talented broadcasters who UNDERSTAND the stations GOALS, and placing a high value on achieving them. The talents should sound very real, fun to listen to, very relatable and should have a passion for what they do. New talent is out there should be give the chance they deserve. Recruiting and developing new blood keeps the station fresh with personality.
RECOGNITION
A recognition system is one of the most important aspects in developing talent, sales executives and interns. Pointing out the GOOD is a much better way of MOTIVATING than concentrating on mistakes and failures. Weekly air check sessions are a must, as well as weekly or bi-weekly staff meetings to stay on the same page and to ACKNOWLEDGE the good things that have been done.
CONSULTANT INTERACTION
I�ve been very fortunate to work with some of the industry�s TOP consultants, Jerry Clifton, Bob West, Randy Kabrich as well as Pat Paxton and Steve Davis from Zapoleon. They have proven instrumental in my up bringing. In programming, the information from station to station, the conference calls, promotional ideas, research/testing, etc., is something I�ve always welcomed and have found to be a very valuable tool and another opinion to add in programming the station. Consultants can and should be an effective part in your programming.
MANAGEMENT SKILLS
I have always tried to be as involved in management capacity as much as possible. I have been Production Director, Research Director, Music Director, Program Director and now Director of Programming and Operations. I have spent my career listening and learning from some of whom I believe to be the best PROGRAMMERS and MANAGEMENT people in our industry, absorbing the knowledge surrounding me, and will continue to listen and learn� Programmers like: Glen Kalina, Jefferson Ward, Bob Burke, Dave Hoffel, Fred Dean, Michelle Stevens, Neil Sullivan, Pat Paxton, Jerry Clifton, Tom Barsanti, and Gary Fisher.
OVERALL
Mine is one of TOTAL TEAM philosophy. GOAL ORIENTED, LEADING players, trained and qualified to achieve the goal of the station. It�s about having FUN, ENERGY, having a PASSION, and ultimately RATINGS and REVENUE. Mine Philosophy in a phrase: �A COMMITMENT TO EXCELLENCE�.