During a terrible time in radio where it seems that everything we read about is stations laying off even more employees, here's a story that reverses that trend.
In Ann Arbor, Michigan, morning host Martin Bandyke was fired by Cumulus' Ann Arbor's 107.1 earlier this month. Stated reason? Budget cuts, of course. But the story didn't end there because Bandyke was rehired by the station late last week.
Well, there were loads of angry listener emails (many of which were organized by a local designer, Colleen Crawley, who loves his show). And I'm sure the phones were ringing off the hook. But that's rarely enough to cause a stay of execution.
The real reason why Cumulus reversed its decision was an outcry from advertisers. Bandyke successfully cultivated bona fide loyalty from a number of local clients, including Nicola's Books and the Bank of Ann Arbor. Nicola Rooney threatened to pull her advertising, while Bank of Ann Arbor President, Tim Marshall, picked up the phone and personally called Lew Dickey. Interestingly, Marshall cited Bandyke's community contributions as his rationale for going to bat for the morning guy.
Money talks, especially in the most depressed metro area in the U.S., and so Bandyke is back on the radio at Ann Arbor's 107.1. In the process, this bizarre incident says a lot about the value of air personalities – and radio – in 2009.
It's not about your voice or how long you've been around or even your time spent listening. Creating connections to advertisers and the community provides incredible leverage for air personalities. With the types of contacts and relationships he's generated, Bandyke should have steady work in the area for years to come. But he's sadly an exception to the rule.
How many other jocks can make that claim? For several years now, we have been showing a presentation called "DJs" to airstaffs all over the country. Its main theme is urging radio personalities to take control of their personal brands, and make themselves indispensable to their stations.
How? By immersing themselves in their towns, making sales calls and engendering advertiser relationships, and learning how to pull off great public appearances. I don't care how good your ratings are – if you're not working with sales, and representing the station in the community, you're vulnerable in the next round of cuts. It's about being an ambassador – not being an announcer.
As Colleen Crawley pointed out in the Detroit Free Press about Bandyke, "I listen to him every day without fail. He is not just the voice. He makes you feel connected to Ann Arbor and Washtenaw County. He is the station's best asset and I'm extremely happy about his return."
Bandyke's story is a great object lesson to broadcast owners, managers, and air personalities about value and how it is derived – especially now. Slacker is not creating community good will. iTunes isn't generating more revenue among local advertisers. Facebook connects people, but doeesn't raise any money for your local area hospital. Radio's assets are its people, and this Martin Bandyke story should cause owners, managers, programmers, salespeople, and jocks to stop and think about radio's true value and benefit.
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 Jacobs, I love your blog!
Martin Bandyke is a true radio personality and not just a jock or an on air staff member. Unfortunately, this is a lost art due to the switch in the mentality of upper management in the radio industry. The emphasis is put on commercials and on air staff are looked at as people to fill the time in between commercials with talk and some music.
As you stated, the real reason Cumulus reversed its decision to lay off Martin Bandyke was the out cry from the advertisers. Yes, money does talk.
The most important thing to remember are these advertisers are first and foremost LISTENERS. The loads of emails from angry LISTENERS should have had the same impact as the emails from advertisers.
I totally agree with you about Martin Bandykes approach.
Broadcasting schools and upper management need to encourage young and up coming radio personalities to “brand themselves” to make themselves indispensable to the station and the market like Martin Bandyke does. It’s a great benefit to the station. Most popular radio personalities do that such as Michael Baisden, Lucy Ann Lance, John Mason and the late great J.P. McCarthy.
I hope this is a wake-up call to 107.1, Cumulus and the entire radio industry through-out the country.
Changes have to be made in radio.
The radio industry might want to consider adapting to the listeners instead of making the listeners adapt to radio.
Remember the 1978 film “FM”?
DJ Osiris
RADIOFREEDETROIT.COM
Earlier this month I was also cut by Cumulus. I was sad about losing my job, my show, but much like your blog post and Mr. Osiris, I was MORE sad about “losing radio”. I grew up loving radio and have been mourning that loss for quite some time. My job loss was just another step along that path. No shock here.
I’m glad that Mr. Bandykes had loyal advertisers, and that he got his job back, but I have to wonder if he WANTS it back? I thought about this after reading what you wrote and I don’t know if I would take ‘them’ back. Going back to make money for a company that just axed me is a tough pill to swallow.
Thanks for your posting. Maybe someday radio will be what it once was. Until them I’m…
Moving on, looking forward.
So Cumulus was blackmailed (in a positive way) in caving in. GREAT. But the more idiot broadcast groups pull this crap, the more people with taste in music will migrate to Sirius/XM as locate, vital content disappears. And the more worthless their licenses will become.