Yesterday in a blog post called “’The Marlboro Man’ Guy,” we talked about how radio’s great program directors of the past did more than just shuffle songs and make out the weekend schedule. They shaped their stations, made them special, and in the case of the truly great ones, built megawatt brands – some of which are still very much alive and thriving today.
In TV, they now call these all-knowing brand caretakers “showrunners.” Many believe that TV’s renaissance is due largely to time-shifting and platforms like Netflix. While those tools allow viewers to binge watch, catch up, and consume episodes whenever and wherever they want, I would submit to you that the success of shows like House of Cards, Breaking Bad, and Sons of Anarchy has more to do with their “showrunners” – the ballsy, visionary, and sometimes caustic people responsible for every last detail of these series.
In those cases, Beau Willimon, Vince Gilligan, and Kurt Sutter, the “showrunners” who are in control of those aforementioned series are a big reason why millions came back week after week, season after season.
They are the “Style Czars,” and while every television series requires hundreds and hundreds of talented professionals in order to make a concept tangible on big and small screens, it is the one “decider” who can make or break a show.
“Showrunners” will tell you they don’t have expertise in every facet that contributes to the creation of a show. But they have a sense of the tone, style, and nuance of the concept they are bringing to life. They know what fits, what’s iffy, and what simply doesn’t ring true. And in many cases, there’s a large, vocal, and social audience keeping them honest every step of the way.
Radio programmers have relinquished their “showrunner” role over the years – or it’s been wrested from them. Some of the control freaks we talked about yesterday – PDs like Scott Shannon, Steve Young, and John Sebastian – intuitively knew the look, sound, and feel of what they wanted on and off the air. And everyone in the station knew and respected their vision. At times, they may have rubbed some people the wrong way, but they always had an intrinsic sense about their stations, their audiences, and their communities.
Back when I worked for ABC Radio in the late ’70s, there was a power struggle that grew out of the internal station structure that placed programmers on the same line of the organizational chart as promotion directors. The PD argument went like this: “If I’m going to be responsible for the ratings, I should have the final say about whatever TV, outdoor, or marketing materials the station produces and runs.”
Today’s equivalent is the – at times – uncomfortable relationship between PDs and digital directors, each of whom can be on a parallel path where they’re creating very different content for the same audience. While everyone in the mix has the best of intentions, in many stations, these two entities – or departments – can be pulling in different directions. Or simply not talking to one another.
It’s almost as if the powers that be are saying to the PD:
“Your responsibility is what comes out of the speakers.”
And to the Director of Digital:
“Your responsibility is what appears on those screens.”
As if we’re talking about two completely different entities. Because in almost every case, the content being created by a programmer and an airstaff is often the foundation for what is being repurposed or reimagined by the digital staff. So why should the look and feel of stations often be so wildly different when you move from the air to the website to an app?
And to an audience that is expecting a consistent experience whether they’re listening to the station on a clock radio, streaming it on a tablet, or downloading a podcast on a mobile phone, it should all be a unified reflection of their favorite station.
Some may not even call it radio anymore as, for example, as WTOP has done. But to consumers, the master brand is what generates loyalty, consistent usage, a sense of place, and emotion. When multiple managers are all shaping that brand from very different angles – and at times, without each other’s knowledge – there’s the possibility for “brand identity theft.” Except it’s an inside job.
We continue to observe how many PDs have little if anything to say about their digital assets. Whether it’s the website, the app, or even social media, for many programmers, it’s simply out of their hands. Inside many companies, these new media outlets now belong to the digital department.
Now you can make the argument that some programmers simply have not acquired the necessary skills to be knowledgeable in the digital arena. In some cases, they may not even believe that digital is all that valuable to their brands.
And in those instances, the digital department is doing their stations, clusters, and companies a service by providing the expertise that is lacking in many traditional operations.
But the flip side is that digital personnel may have little or no broadcast media experience. They may not understand the station’s format, the market, or the audience. They may know little about the ratings and how they’re earned. And they may not even be big fans of radio.
It’s crazy because in the last five years, we’ve gone from digital being an afterthought in many stations and companies to a situation where the digital team often wields more power and yank than the programmers who still are living and dying with the ratings every month and every quarter.
These things tend to go in cycles. And in many companies, these digital professionals are often tasked with making tough calls on websites, apps, podcasts, and digital advertising as they machete their way through a tough wilderness where systems are lacking or are even non-existent. Credit where credit is due. Without the expertise of digital staffers, many broadcast companies would be even further behind.
But perhaps the optimal arrangement is corporate recognizing that not every cluster or station is the same. Programmers and their new media world view vary greatly. Adjusting the role and scope of the digital department in these cases make sense. But in others, a programmer who excels at music scheduling architecture but doesn’t know Instagram from Twitter should take a back seat to the digital staffers down the hall who simply know the space better.
A more collaborative relationship between these two spheres just makes sense. It is essential that programming and digital have a sense of shared values about the brand and its goals – both in programming and revenue generation. And there will always be those authority struggles because that’s the nature of strong-willed, talented managers.
But during this time of great disruption and the rules being written on the fly, it’s never been more important for radio’s “showrunners” to build a solid connection with their digital counterparts. And in the process, receive the support and backing of corporate officers who need to facilitate innovation and cooperation in order to achieve aggressive goals and keep their companies viable.
Great content knows no boundaries. To the consumers, it’s simply what they want, when they want it.
Programming and digital need to get on the same page…or screen.
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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1. Best show wins.
2. Digital means delivery, not content.
3. Spread sheets are not award winning scripts.
4. Inexperienced and ordinary is not major league.
“And, that’s the truth!” – Lily Tomlin, Laugh In.
Thanks for those observations, Clark, and for reading our blog.
I think you hit the nail on the head when you say there needs to be a more collaborative experience between those that create the content and the departments that promote it. The genius of the show runner in the visual realm is that although they defend the integrity of the content they also delegate and trust their team members to execute in their areas of expertise. Very few individuals can create content, maintain a successful social media presence and promote what they produce by themselves. Programming several stations in several markets and designing “one size fits all” websites doesn’t make the job any easier. On occasion part of my current job requires me to pitch guests to hosts and over the past several years it has become more and more difficult to find any information about them on station websites. Hosts are one of, if not the most important, aspects of a station and often times it is near impossible to find out who they are on a station site. Rather than hiding the personalities on a station site the companies should have their digital people go station by station and develop their presence, then give the hosts and their producers the tools to develop their online identities.
As always Fred thanks for creating the conversation and for shining a light on some ways the industry can move forward.
Strong comments here, Sean. And thanks for those insightful thoughts about station websites. You’re pretty good with a hammer yourself.