As time marches on in the radio industry, it has become more apparent to broadcasters big and small, commercial and public, that personality is, in fact, the “secret sauce” that will keep the industry healthy and compelling. As we have learned since the invention of the iPod to the emergence of pure-plays like Pandora and Spotify, anyone can put together a great collection of songs – commercial-free – that can be accessed anywhere, anytime, and on any device.
Personality? That’s a much different thing.
Maybe that’s why Slacker’s newest move to amp up the presence of personalities is no surprise in their effort to set themselves apart from the growing number of music and playlist services. As you can see by the quote on the bottom, Slacker is actively positioning themselves against algorithmically selected music, underscoring the importance of people.
So curation, humor, a local connection, and all the other intangibles that personalities bring to the radio party all play roles in the industry’s survival. We talk a lot about the care and nurturing of talent, as well as the dilemma of finding the next generation of Steve Dahls, Diane Rehms, and Pierre Roberts, especially as so many have either retired, passed away, or wandered off to the uncensored worlds of podcasting and satellite radio.
But there’s a dark side to broadcast radio’s dependence on personality. Howard Stern taught many stations a cruel lesson more than a decade ago when he left CBS Radio and syndication to save Sirius. Most broadcasters had no Plan B, and with few exceptions (congratulations KISW), Stern’s departure signaled disaster for scores of stations across the U.S. When something happens to “The Franchise,” the entire enterprise is in jeopardy.
You can make the case that the lack of a bench was at the heart of the problem. But replacing a bigger than life star like Stern is no easy task. For many radio stations and the companies that own them today, a viable succession plan for many of the personalities on the air is an endeavor worthy of pursuit. It’s an exercise that needs to happen at hundreds (if not thousands) of stations across the country. But instead, many broadcasters simply hope that everything will be OK for as long as possible.
But death, illness, and other events happen. These past two years have marked the passing of Car Talk’s Ray Magliozzi and Kidd Kraddick, as well as the early retirement of legends like Bob Rivers.
Beyond these life changes, however, there’s another side to the “What can possibly go wrong?” question and it’s in the news every day.
What happens when your biggest personality – your true star – your guiding light – the face of your station – runs into some type of legal, ethical, or moral trouble? In other words, a scandal?
Like a Bill Cosby? A Ray Rice? A Jian Ghomeshi ?
You know the first two names very well. And this year, their stories made sordid headlines, and will undoubtedly end up on plenty of infamous end-of-year lists over the next couple weeks.
But Jian Ghomeshi’s story is more important to radio professionals because it goes right to the heart of the problem that many broadcasters may be facing as I write these words. That is, is it possible to identify and ultimately head off a disaster before it happens?
In the CBC’s and Ghomeshi’s case, only his management team can answer that question, and this post isn’t about second guessing or finger pointing.
If you aren’t aware of Ghomeshi, he is a multi-media Canadian personality who has been in bands, produced and managed musicians, written a book, as well as excelled in both television and radio. Up until a sexual scandal broke wide open in October, Ghomeshi was host of Q, a popular CBC Radio One show that was also syndicated on more than 170 public radio stations in the States. He is a bona fide radio superstar. The franchise.
And now it has all come crashing down. Following a newspaper investigation, Ghomeshi has been terminated by the CBC, and arrested by Toronto police on four charges of sexual assault. Like in the Cosby situation, several women (and one man) have come forward with allegations. This is a story that will continue well into 2015, complete with text messages, videos, and other alleged pieces that could go public.
But no matter how this ends up being decided legally, the damage has been done to all concerned, from the CBC to those who claim to be victims to Ghomeshi himself.
And so many radio stations have their version of a star – or superstar – who in many cases are “the franchise.” So how much do managers and owners really know about who they are and what they do when they’re not on the air? How can you better understand the pressures they face, and the weight of celebrity if you aren’t in regular touch with them, in and out of the air studio?
So often, knowing they’ve signed a renewal for another three years is the most important news. For many companies, once the deal is done, it is easy to simply turn them loose, let them get their ratings, and wait for the next contract cycle to roll around.
To truly get to know them, to be interested in their lives and their welfare, and to care for them – above and beyond the business relationship – takes work, commitment, empathy, and time. Ultimately, some of these situations are destined to end badly. There are embedded problems that go back years – or decades – that cannot be solved by simply asking questions or going out to lunch.
But maybe some can be headed off at the pass. In Ghomeshi’s case, his executive producer lodged her initial complaint four years before his situation reached the point of no return. There were other warning signs, too – some that go back even earlier.
Last week, The Toronto Star editorialized about the CBC’s handling of the rumors and murmurs that accompanied Ghomeshi for a long time. Everyone in radio who has ever worked alongside a white hot personality knows just how easy it is to look the other way.
Gone are the days when bubbling under problems like this just disappear or are swept under the rug. The Internet, social media, and a culture that has been transformed to focus on gossip, behind the scenes news, and reality TV shows reminds us that there is very little that can be hidden. Somehow, it all comes out eventually.
Not every one of these star power problems can be addressed or handled. But there are cases where confrontation, proactivity, and treatment solutions can be raised, suggested, or even demanded. While not true in every case, the more talented the personality, the more maintenance is required to truly be an effective manager. Without going Dr. Phil on you, taking the time to truly understand key personalities and their demons is s a topic that bears discussion – at The Radio Show on the one hand and The Talk Show Boot Camp on the other. These are industry dilemmas that just about every management team faces at one time or another if you’re in broadcasting long enough.
Whether it’s the problems and issues of Jian Ghomeshi or someone in your building, sooner or later, there will be payback.
It’s the price of personality.
Thanks to the insightful Tamar Charney at Michigan Radio/Ann Arbor for the gentle kick in the head.
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Someone should write a book on talent management because there’s a lot to it. A consultant once told me that everyone’s gifts and weaknesses balance out – meaning creativity strengths are countered by deficits somewhere else – in direct proportion. In my experience there is a lot of truth to that.
I think understanding personalities and their demons is only half of the job. Being able to manage and help them through their unique personal issues is the other, perhaps even more challenging half. I was lucky enough to work with someone with a real gift for talent management, Bob Neumann. While I could never hope to replicate what and how he did it, I did analyze the process and concluded some things.
First, he really got to know and understand each person. Creative people think and react differently to many life situations than management types do and he understood the talent he worked with and what made them tick. Perhaps most important, he didn’t judge them. No matter how out of bounds some of the things people thought, said, and did were, he somehow managed to remain neutral – for real, not just for show. And when he offered advice – whether about their on air work, work relationships or life issues, it came from a place of constructive caring without judgment. And last but not least, he had a deep reservoir of patience.
I think the takeaway here is that an outsized talent without someone who can manage their unique personalities and challenges can be a recipe for trouble. Learning where the talent landmines are is a big job and earning enough trust that they’ll let you help them avoid those landmines is an even bigger one. It’s lesson the CBC seems to have learned the hard way.
Bob Neumann was always a great people person in that he took the time to get to know his people. He was also approachable, and that contributed to his ability to connect with them. It takes that kind of skill set and a great deal of effort to connect with megawatt talent. Thanks for the comments and perspective, Bob.
I have often discussed this issue with Gomez. Going on 20 years together (!) as morning co-hosts, we have never been in “serious trouble.”
Which may mean (A) we’re not megastars, and (B) maybe we need to increase our reckless promiscuity in order to score bigger ratings. Or, maybe you can be really successful without getting in trouble?
Part of the reason Gomez and I have had such great longevity on our show is the fact that we lead somewhat boring lives off the air. We’re both pretty similar. I still play as many racquet sports as my knee will allow. Gomez runs marathons. Our idea of heavy drinking is maybe three glasses of wine. The actuarial guys LOVE us!
Also we’ve both benefitted from having strong PDs who were experts at getting the most out of us by realizing and highlighting our strengths, and getting us to improve on our weaknesses without being overbearing. Gomez worked with Tom Langmyer, and I’ve worked with Jon Robbins, Greg Ausham, Stan Main, John Larson, and Trip Reeb, among others.
Of course our longtime owner at Galaxy Communications, Ed Levine, began as a star programmer, and hasn’t lost his considerable touch. Or lack thereof. One of his top qualities has been allowing us a great deal of creative freedom.
Just in case this formula starts to cave in, I’m all ears on public indiscretions we can commit, or laws we can break that might increase our notoriety and ratings WITHOUT landing us in jail or severe legal difficulties.
Dave, your point is well-taken. While I acknowledged the possibility in the post that not every talented DJ is a handful, you and Gomez (along with many other talented radio professionals) have proved that you can have impact and success in a market without creating scandal, havoc, and embarrassment. And yes, it helps to be guided by a true pro like Ed who also had an innate sense about what works on the radio. Congrats on your almost two decades of not causing headaches and heartaches for your employer.
There isn’t a true talent that I haven’t joined on the out on the ledge a time or two.
It’s just what you do as a manager.
And to reference the how you started today’s blog:
I went in to hear Slackers curated “deep” classic rock channel the other day only to get “Rocky Mt. Way” by Joe Walsh.
When is someone going to get a deep tracks format done with the care and respect it deserves?
Only a programmer with a little gray can truly relate to the precariousness of high-powered personalities and their care and feeding.
As to your question, it’s a good one. And I’ve experienced the same sense of “meh” with satellite radio’s efforts in the depth department. Thanks, Marty.