During the past couple years, I’ve been honored to speak at a number of industry and private gatherings of broadcasters covering a wide array of topics. From “connected cars” to podcasting to digital disruption, we have gathered a great deal of data on these major silos in the commercial and public radio spectrums.
And inevitably, these conversations and subsequent Q&A sessions lead to discussions about expertise and staffing. Because of the way radio station flow charts haven’t evolved much over time, many broadcast operations lack the talent and specific skill sets in which to compete in an media ecosphere that demands more content being available across more sources.
That’s not to say the people working inside radio operations aren’t professional or competent. Many are engaged in multiple jobs because of the increasing need to generate more content and revenue. The issue revolves around the notion that many stations, clusters, and entire broadcasting companies may not always be looking for the right people with the tool kits necessary to compete over the next several years.
Far be it from me to make judgments on the job titles and positions that make up most radio operations. That’s because specific positions are one thing – it’s the people who hold down those jobs who are deserving of scrutiny and evaluation. Many have had to learn new skills, adding additional duties to their already busy 60 hour weeks.
Instead, let’s look at it another way. If we had the resources to add five new positions to our rosters before the end of the year and we weren’t tethered to traditional job descriptions, what kinds of key roles would we most want to fill to make our companies stronger and more prepared to face the challenges and opportunities that lie ahead?
1. A Video Whiz
We’re talking about someone who can shoot, edit, and produce video for both programming and sales. All the data points to video as the main conduit for consumption and sharing. It’s the content we voraciously consume online, and it’s essential that an audio medium like radio use video as a storytelling tool. I’ve notice in reading newspaper endorsements of political candidates in many different markets that editorial boards are producing videos in addition to their printed Op-Ed piece. As print publishers have learned, video is key to ensuring content consumption. The same is true for radio. A number of our clients now produce video around all their key station events, including the great WMMR in Philly.
2. A Data Geek
There are so many metrics – ratings, digital usage, marketing stats, analytics – that the various departments in the station or cluster simply can’t make strategic sense or use of them all. As advertisers demand ROI on their media investments and sponsorships, it’s an imperative that radio operators provide internal analysis as well as marketing support that demonstrates brand effectiveness. We’re not just talking about parsing the Nielsen numbers, but deeper dives into data from email databases, social media pages, podcasts, and other sources that can enhance both a station’s content strategies as well as its sales stories.
3. A Director of Automotive
We’ve made this case in past blog posts and the need for the radio industry to focus on the auto sector has never been greater. As the car grows as the top listening location on the one hand, and the top sales category on the other, automotive has never been more important to radio. Nurturing relationships with local car dealers and groups, creating content marketing strategies for lead generation and web visits, and developing on-site material and resources for dealer groups are all activities central to achieving radio’s goals in the auto space. This position is also about fostering relationships with local dealers and automotive players in the community, an area where most radio clusters are lacking. And this new hire can also represent the cluster and/or company in the industry, as organizations like the RAB and NAB become more proactive in the automotive sector.
4. An Event Czar
On a macro level, Townsquare is leading the way in the event marketing arena among big radio corporations. But even smaller companies like Ed Levine’s Galaxy Communications are proving the model works for local clusters, too. As more companies look to take control of this vertical by purchasing existing events, the need for experienced management on both the marketing and execution level becomes key to ensuring their success. As the industry expands its revenue horizons beyond selling spots, a strong, informed, and experienced approach to event marketing is essential. Yet, most stations and clusters lack this expertise.
5. A Digital Dot Connector
When we brought Seth Resler on board last year, I had a rudimentary understanding of content marketing – tying together the digital assets of a station to grow the audience, expand content sharing, and provide lead generation to sales. I’ve seen the effectiveness of this model, and learned how it’s an essential part of tying together all the digital elements into a cohesive structure and strategy. While a “digital person” has become more common inside many clusters throughout the radio industry, bringing someone on board with content marketing skills can help a cluster reap the benefits of all the investment and time that’s already been invested in the digital arena.
The media business has changed, and yet, much of radio’s infrastructure resembles the model that’s been in place for decades. To adapt, sustain, and grow, radio companies need to innovate. And it starts with rethinking the people and skill sets in the building, ensuring a proactive approach to executing new initiatives that prove radio’s growing value as entertainment, information, and marketing entities.
So who’s your next hire?
Jacobs Media has consistently walked the walk in the digital space, providing insights and guidance through its well-read national Techsurveys.
In 2008, jacapps was launched - a mobile apps company that has designed and built more than 1,300 apps for both the Apple and Android platforms. In 2013, the DASH Conference was created - a mashup of radio and automotive, designed to foster better understanding of the "connected car" and its impact.
Along with providing the creative and intellectual direction for the company, Fred consults many of Jacobs Media's commercial and public radio clients, in addition to media brands looking to thrive in the rapidly changing tech environment.
Fred was inducted into the Radio Hall of Fame in 2018.
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Fred, Allow me to nominate:
VP Content & Business Development. More than ever the product must sell, reaching more audience and advertisers. A creative sales connector encompasses multiple areas and justifies the position.
Thank you, Clark
Good one, Clark. Thanks for reading our blog.
How about a non profit Christian radio station? I believe some of these will work but sadly automotive dealers run from us because we can’t do “hype”…. Thoughts?
Rick, clearly different priorities for your station. The automotive piece isn’t going to be as important, so maybe you only have 4 people to hire. 🙂 Thanks for reading our blog.