These are fightin’ words, and they’re from the lips of "The Tech Guy," Leo Laporte. Leo will close out our Summit 13 on Thursday afternoon, and then Tim Davis and I will appear with him at an NAB panel, "60 Digital Ideas in 60 Minutes."
In this week’s R&R, Talk Editor, Mike Stern, interviewed Leo (who is also host of his own Premiere-syndicated show, "Tech Talk"). As you’d expect, Leo knows and loves computers, but he also knows and loves radio. Here’s the quote that caught my eye:
"If you are a show host and you don’t have a blog, you don’t have a video log, you aren’t twittering, you aren’t on Facebook – you aren’t going to have a job in two years."
And he suggests that management use embracing technology as a litmus test to determine whether on-air talent "gets" the digital world enough to be of value as our industry moves forward.
With all the excitement over Nikki Sixx and "The President of Radio" session at Summit 13, I want to make sure that if you’re in Austin for the conventions, you catch Leo in the act late Thursday afternoon. This year, at both conventions, there will be some great speakers who know their digital stuff. But I would also tell you that none gets it from both sides of the street better than Leo and he won’t mince any words. Leo won’t just be talking about tech, and all the cool new gadgets and sites. He’ll be offering up his prescription for how radio needs to re-imagine itself. We’ll be taking copious notes.
See you at the Summit.
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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I would ammend that to;
If you aren’t compelling and unique, all the web junk in the galaxy won’t keep you on whatever radio stations remain.
Talent first, everything else last.