Radio's Most Innovative

Ask people what they know about Sacramento and they will tell you it’s the capital of California. Sports fans might mention the lowly Sacramento Kings, while radio geeks might bring up that Rush Limbaugh got his start in the market. Outside of the immediate area, few realize just how much food is grown in the […]

Last week, we profiled the youngest honoree in our “Radio’s Most Innovative” initiative – radio host and digital star, Zach Sang. We received great responses from many in the radio business who see Zach as a shining example of how young people can use their native media skills and knowledge to make radio a more […]

Innovation by its very nature is about bucking the current trend, zigging when others are sagging, or turning left when most want to turn right. Zach Sang, host of the nationally syndicated night show Zach Sang & The Gang (Westwood One), is doing that in more ways than one. First, he’s just 22 years-old. At […]

Time flies…when you innovating. Or in this case, writing about innovation. We started “Radio’s Most Innovative” exactly one year ago on the premise that there’s a lot more invention and creativity in broadcast radio than many think. From innovations of the past – like Dr. Demento – to new creations today – like WRIF’s Dave & […]

One of the best parts of working in the radio industry is the truly unique people you meet. While there must be interesting CPAs and dentists, the number of real characters per capita at radio stations has to statistically be significantly higher than most other businesses. And then there’s Art Vuolo, or as many of […]

On this blog, the topic of radio stations getting out of their friendly confines and taking shows and personalities out to the community has been a frequent one. At Radiodays in Dublin back in 2014, I was especially impressed by the elaborate remote vehicles stations had designed, created, and engineered to accomplish just that.  Sadly […]

Last summer, after 10 years in commercial radio, Nikki Marra accepted the job of Professional Program Director at KCWU-FM, Central Washington University’s student station. The school was looking to revamp the program and possibly expand their Audio and Radio curriculum. Marra already had a Master’s Degree in Broadcasting and had been teaching courses in Audio […]

This may come as a shock to some people but not every talk show on the radio is about politics. In a world of syndicated talk radio shows, there is one host that stands apart: Dave Ramsey. And in fact, his model may be the most successful of all. Consider this: The Dave Ramsey Show […]

Paul Lamere is one of those oddities in the media and music business. He is truly a left and right brain kind of guy. He has expertise at writing code, but also has a strong appreciation and love for music. That interesting combination of skills has allowed Paul to see the changing world of media and […]

Perhaps there are three sure things in life – death, taxes, and traffic. That last dependable annoyance has been a financial boon to radio for decades. But all that may be changing. At last year’s DASH Conference, Edison Research President Larry Rosin delivered a presentation called “Changing Route: The Future of Traffic Reporting” where he […]

It’s amazing what you can do with a little free time. Just before the Memorial Day Weekend, we issued a challenge to readers of this blog.  While the spirit of the holiday is to honor those who currently serve and have served our country in the past, we know that many of you enjoyed some much-needed down […]

It’s amazing what you can do with a little free time. Just before the Memorial Day Weekend, we issued a challenge to readers of this blog.  While the spirit of the holiday is to honor those who currently serve and have served our country in the past, we know that many of you enjoyed some much-needed down […]

It’s not always possible to determine the true origin of a radio format. Many start with multiple stations trying variations on a theme until the ether coalesces into something tangible. Others, like Sports Talk, (which we wrote about in a previous edition of Radio’s Most Innovative) have a crystal clear starting point. Alternative – the […]

Long, long ago in a radio industry far, far away, many broadcasters would make the semi-annual trip to Nashville, Tennessee, to produce their television creative with Film House. Curt Hahn, founder and CEO, and Senior VP Wayne Campbell are the forces behind radio’s most successful marketing company of all time. Over the years, Film House […]

Finding ways to truly serve local communities is one of the basic tenets of being a broadcaster. Many stations across the country do wonderful work helping raise funds for charitable organizations, helping individuals caught in difficult circumstances, and providing valuable information in times of crisis. But very few stations take that mission to heart like WLEN in […]

One of the notable things to come out of the results from our Techsurveys is how much emotion plays a role in broadcast radio listening. While consumers enjoy hearing their favorite songs, personalities, and information, mood plays a role why they continue to come back to AM/FM radio stations. In our research, it is often […]