When Life Gives You Parkinson’s…

April is Parkinson’s awareness month. I used my media connections and talents (such as they are) to share my story of being diagnosed with Parkinson’s in my 40’s, with a son, a wife and a career. I wrote a blog piece, created a podcast, appeared on multiple radio and TV shows (here, here, here and here), and then used Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram to amplify the message.

 

Here is what I look like on @GlobalBC telling the world for the first time that I have Parkinson’s disease. Read my story, see this interview, and listen to the podcast https://t.co/Si0gowjwrC #UniteforParkinson #ParkinsonsAwarenessDay #PDANDME pic.twitter.com/3nJfZ9RQLu

— Larry Gifford (@Giffordtweet) April 11, 2018

The power of radio and podcast is real. The connections we can create are powerful. The shift in perspective, awareness and behavior we can cause is an awesome responsibility.

I was interviewed seven times over a few days by seven different interviewers and I was rarely asked the same question. The tone of each interview was unique to the show – News program, Talk show or Rock morning show. Some were serious and emotional while others were more light-hearted or informational. What I take away from being on the other side of the mic is this…

1. It is scary to share a personal story, expose your vulnerabilities and voluntarily step into the media spotlight even when you’ve been in media for 25 years. I have new found respect for the guests we approach each day and ask to bring their personal, intimate, emotional stories to our airwaves.
2. Interviewees know if you’re winging it and are unprepared. If someone has agreed to come on your show honor that with appropriate preparation. Interviews are easier and more interesting for everyone if you, the interviewer, has done some prep, mapped out a plan for your questions, are engaged in the conversation, listen to answers and follow your curiosity. If you’re just filling a segment, the interviewee can tell, no matter how good you are ad-libbing an interview.
3. Listeners are listening. They listen closely. They hear everything.  Listeners want to be informed, entertained, challenged, engaged, and respected. Respect the listener. Make your show matter everyday.
4. Sharing stories makes connections. Strangers, friends and colleagues now have another dot to connect with me. For some I’ve inspired to share their owns stories for others they’re just relieved they’re not alone. Never underestimate the impact an authentic story can make.

 
Please take the time to learn more about Parkinson’s Disease in your community and help share the stories of the people impacted in your community.

7 Podcasts Helping to Make Great Radio

I love radio. I love making it, making it better, making it relevant and accessible, making it meaningful and making it informative. I love listening to radio and being entertained, amazed, challenged and surprised. I also love talking about it. That’s why I’ve relaunched a new season of the Radio Stuff Podcast. (You should listen, subscribe, share and rate it on iTunes.)

In making episode 134 of Radio Stuff sponsored by Promo Suite, I realized my podcast has been influenced by many others. Some are about radio and making great audio, some are storytelling focused and others are interviews about the business.

Here are seven podcasts I’m listening to for insight, information, context and entertainment. All of these are available on iTunes in addition to other platforms.

Bob Schieffer’s “About the News” – The CBS news veteran talks to journalists, bureau chiefs, editors, and executives about the news. It’s a behind the scenes chat with names you know and with people who lead the news industry.

James Cridland Radio Futurologist – Londoner turned Aussie, James brings his written words  to life with 3 to 5 minute podcast shots. Great international perspective on our industry.  

HowSound – This is a master’s class in audio storytelling. It’s a bi-weekly podcast produced for PRX and Transom and dives into technique, storytelling formulas and structure with lots of examples.

Radio Today – the great Trevor Dann consistently delivers this weekly listen about radio in the U.K. And Europe. He talks to the news makers and icons. Plus, David Lloyd Radio Moments.  

Sound Off Podcast – Canadian and radio pro Matt Cundill shows off production value and a great sense of curiosity in this weekly podcast about radio. I’m featured in the next episode.

Barrett Sports Media Podcast – this is a newly launched podcast by veteran sports radio programmer turned consultant Jason Barrett. He’s talking to talent and management about how they do what they do and addressing the big headlines in radio each week.

Under the Influence – this is a marketing podcast that’s also a radio show on CBC. It’s a great listen, well researched and highly produced. A good example of how to take seamingly disparate stories and connect them through a show theme.

What podcasts are you listening to for inspiration, instruction or example?

Would Your Listeners Vote For You?

I’ve been thinking about how running a Presidential campaign is similar to being a radio personality. We are judged each day by listeners who vote for us by listening and against us by switching to the competition. We are running a never ending campaign for more listeners, more time, more engagement, more loyalty, more recall, and more ear space. 

In radio and Presidential politics you only have about two years to make an impact once you secure the position and you may be moving on to something else after four years. 

So what can we learn from dumpster fire of a Presidential election?

Actually, watching Donald Trump and Hillary Clinton provides great reminders to radio talent. Here are four that jump out at me.

Be Prepared. We all want to believe we have the talent and experience to “wing it.” We don’t. When the red light comes on you need to know what you want to say, what the intention or goal is for the break, and how you’re ideally going to execute it. It doesn’t need to be scripted, but preparing for each break will make your show smarter, sharper, funnier, and more listenable. Winging it leads to incoherent rambling, unnecessary diversions, and what I call “break degeneration.” That’s when a segment gets so far off track and meandering that even the hosts aren’t sure when or how to end it.

Embrace Showmanship. We are in show biz. We’re performers. Even candidates are performers on the “political stage.” This doesn’t mean you play someone you’re not. To cut through the clutter you need to be an enhanced version of you. The smarter, funnier, more clever and personable cousin of the person you are when you wake up in the morning. Yes, we’ve all been screaming about ‘authenticity’ for a few years. True authenticity can be inspiring, but more often it’s subdued and boring. Go ahead and be authentic to yourself, in your intentions and with your actions, just execute it with some gusto.

Be Empathetic. Do the show for your audience instead of for personal fame, local celebrity or a pay check. If you can emotionally connect with your listeners and demonstrate you “feel them” whether it’s through conversation, stories, life events, or personal vulnerability you will win them over. Empathy is the missing ingredient for both Presidential candidates. They’re not running for the highest office in the land for us, they’re doing it for themselves and the power that comes with it. It’s why so many people are voting against one of the candidates instead of for them. 

Avoid Personal Attacks. Trump is a one man insult machine (that’s a compliment.) It’s a skill he’s honed over many years. Hurtling insults and personal attacks is psychological warfare for him. He believes it gives him the upper hand, intimidates others and gives him power. I believe that he believes it makes him more likeable. It might to some. Even if it does, and I’d argue it doesn’t, you dear reader are not God’s gift to “insult assault” like Trump. For mere mortals, personal attacks generally bounce off the intended target and the negativity is reflected back onto you. It can make you look childish, unprepared, less intelligent, reactionary, unstable, immature and like a bully. It is perfectly acceptable and expected to characterize and criticize behaviour and actions, but avoid attacking and insulting people. 
These are just some of the radio lessons collected on the campaign trail. What have you learned? Use the comments below to share your takeaways. 

Radio Might Just Be Rocket Science

Over the course of the last few months, I’ve had the honor and responsibility to help launch new News-Talk radio shows on air in Vancouver and Winnipeg. Not that I’d know, but it seems a bit like launching a space shuttle. A huge team, lots of planning, excitement, adrenaline, nerves, back timing, countdowns, someone  is pushing a bunch of buttons, and there are always small adjustments along the way. (A gross over-generalization to be sure, but go with it.)

Below is a list of some of the adjustments that crept up through these experiences that are good reminders to all radio talent

• Improvisation rules apply. Don’t kill the premise of a discussion by dismissing it off hand. Add to it. Expand on it. Think “Yes, and…”
• When co-hosting it is okay to disagree, but it isn’t about “winning at all costs.” Respect each other, establish clear boundaries, and agree on the goal of each segment before diving in.
• Avoid personal attacks. This applies to co-workers and news makers. Characterize behavior and actions, not people.
• News is not a break from the show. News is what’s next on your show.
• Know the clock, respect the clock, and abide by the clock. They’re designed for maximum ratings impact and for clear separation of commercial competitors, repeat commercials and to minimize listener fatigue.
• Write and plan your teases into break. Avoid words and phrases like “after these commercials”, “we’ll be back”, “time to take a break”, “when we return.” Instead keep forward momentum with something like “coming up next…”
• Speaking of momentum, find ways to build momentum for each segment, each show and each day on the station. Build on stories, find the arc, explore new angles, and offer different perspectives.
• Be about something. Don’t just fill time.
• Avoid signing off at the end of your show as if there is nothing else worth listening to on the station.
• Root your on-air personality in authenticity, but remember it is show biz, so it should be an enhanced, more dynamic version of you.

If you are lucky enough to have a radio show you have an amazing opportunity. Your voice will travel through air, into ears and across the Milky Way faster than a space shuttle. It is an awesome responsibility to entertain and inform the public. The impact you make is up to you. You’ve been given the keys to high performance machine, what are you going to do with it?

Tuning In To Your Audience

I am not a regular church goer. Last Sunday though, in the wake of shootings and protests and chaos in Minnesota, Baton Rouge, Dallas and elsewhere, my family decided maybe we needed a community, some perspective, or maybe we wanted someone, somewhere to tell us everything is going to be okay. Whatever the reason, we researched and found a church that held “social justice” as one of its pillars.

Perfect.

We were present, ready, and waiting.

And we waited.

Not a word was spoken about the senseless shootings, the racial divide, Black Lives Matter or anything. In truth, more was said about it during the MLB All Star Game’s Canadian National Anthem.

This church had a program, a plan, a scheduled service carefully mapped out likely weeks in advance. But they missed an opportunity to connect with the congregation in a moment. It reminded me of a news-talk radio station that fails to “play the hit” when a big story breaks, because guests have been booked and topics have been researched.

When big events happen, the most recent in Nice, France, people seek community, support, context and a sense of security. They seek it out on their radio and if they don’t immediately find what they need, they scan the dial.

Radio plays an important role in informing and connecting our communities, whether it is bad weather in the region or terror around the world. When big stories break, it is our responsibility to report facts, seek the truth, provide context, help when we can, and grieve, rally, and organize when needed. We can be a beacon of hope, a stage for disagreement, and a voice of calm in the face of the inexplicable.

When we fail to recognize that we don’t just lose listeners and revenue, we lose an important connection and leadership role in the community — one I believe we shouldn’t so quick to surrender. Who knows who or what may fill the void.

Missed Opportunities

In the past week I have offered part-time work to interns. They both declined the offer choosing instead to pursue opportunities that are more aligned with their career goals. I wondered aloud on twitter if this is the new reality for radio and it seemed to strike a nerve.

 

@Giffordtweet they’ve interned. Know everything. Those jobs are so beneath them. How dare you insult them like that.

— Tim Fisher (@TimFisherOnAir) May 17, 2016

@Giffordtweet The entitled generation. Everyone thinks they are above certain positions when they should really be thankful they are wanted.

— Scott Troudt (@VeryScott) May 16, 2016

Some people view that as “a foot in the door”.. https://t.co/y4HlTRCRrB

— Andrew Dawson (@DawsonNewsNet) May 16, 2016

@Giffordtweet “I’ll do it…”,says every out of work presenter.#radio

— OnAir Coach (@onaircoach) May 16, 2016

@Giffordtweet might be their reality but they will wake up to REALITY soon. It’s a ladder, keep stepping up

— John Kincade (@JohnKincade) May 16, 2016

Perhaps they haven’t heard of “gaining valuable experience?”  https://t.co/uuD9KCxijF

— Simi Sara (@simisara980) May 16, 2016

Some offered to take the jobs on their behalf including a couple peers from their school and one woman who has no broadcast training at all.

I am not pointing fingers at all millennials suggesting this is a generation of slackers. I know that’s not the case, because many of the millennials I’ve had the pleasure to work with are dogged, creative, hard-working and very talented. I am suggesting some inexperienced broadcasters are undervaluing actual experience. Perhaps it’s a false confidence created by the internet where anyone can become a broadcaster through their personal computer. Why work odd hours or off-air “button pushing” jobs to climb the ladder when I can create “radio” in my dorm room?

I am suggesting some broadcast students aren’t considering the power of relationships and networking. Every job I’ve been offered started with an introduction from a friend or colleague. I have never been hired by someone who I wasn’t within three degrees of separation. I have blanketed North American with resumes though my career and not one resume I sent to a total stranger lead to anything more than a “thank you for applying.”

New broadcasters may also be dismissing the value of gaining experience on a live broadcast where there are standards, expectations, and big dollars on the line. Talking into a microphone and recording a podcast is one thing, having the responsibility to deliver news or traffic information or be responsible for airing thousands of dollars’ worth of commercials is another.

I appreciate candor, bold decisions and determination. The interns that rejected my overture for part time work have that. I wish them well. I will only offer this. As a broadcast student I reluctantly interned in the news department of a radio station. I had no interest in news. It wasn’t what I wanted to do. I wanted to be a host. But, I was good at news, discovered I loved it, and it lead to my first real radio job and a career I am proud of. You never know where opportunities, connections and experience will take you.

Oh, Canada!

I am moving to Canada. (This is me and the view from my new office.) —>

Let’s get the two most popular questions out of the way first.

No, I’m not hightailing north of the border in anticipation of a Trump presidency.

Yes, you can crash on my couch when YOU want to escape Trump’s empire.

Why Canada?

I have been consulting Corus Radio in Vancouver since January 2014. I’ve had the pleasure of coaching and strategizing alongside some brilliant radio leaders. I have worked closely with and been inspired by dedicated, committed and talented radio staffs. And have I rediscovered the excitement that radio can deliver when a company commits to success, invests in its future and wants to make a difference in people’s lives.

Last August, I was asked to serve as interim Program Director of News-Talk 980 CKNW and AM 730 All Traffic, All the Time. So, for 9-months I have been commuting between my family in California and my work in Canada. Three weeks a month or so in Vancouver with a weekend home and then one full week with the family each month. It wasn’t ideal. It wasn’t always easy. It took patience, sacrifice, and an exceeding amount of trust from all involved.

Now the “interim” has been removed from my title and my family is moving to British Columbia. I will continue to write blogs and create Radio Stuff Podcasts as time permits.

Radio is Radio, Right?

Sort of.

Radio is different in Canada than the U.S. though not so insanely so. Here are some of the nuances.

Language | Bottom line you will hear more adult language on radio in Canada. From bullshit to asshole and the treasure trove of curses in between. Not fuck. But most anything else. In the U.S. that sort of language is prohibited by the FCC from 6am to 10pm and most companies avoid it all together.

Governing Body | The governing body over radio in the U.S. is the FCC (Federal Communications Commission). Listeners can complain about stations to the FCC, but unless there is a deluge of complaints about a certain broadcast the complaint falls on deaf ears. In Canada, the governing body is the CRTC (Canadian Radio-Television Telecommunications Commission) and the broadcasters created a coalition called the CSBC (Canadian Standards Broadcast Council) which fields each listener complaint. The complaints are formally delivered the radio station and stations have a finite period of time to respond to each complaint. If the listener remains unsatisfied by the response, the CRTC can make a ruling on the matter.

PPM | People meters in large markets is the standard in both the U.S. and Canada. Three distinct differences though. 1) Nielsen (in the U.S.) is a private, for-profit company that monopolizes broadcast ratings data. Numeris (in Canada) is a not-for-profit, member-owned tripartite industry organization. If you want ratings, you become a member.  If you are a member, you’re part owner. 2) In the U.S., radio stations are battling for quarter-hours. If a listener tunes in for five minutes in a quarter-hour it counts as 15 minutes of listening. In Canada, it’s minute-by-minute. Five minutes of listening is worth five minutes. 3) We also recently began receiving overnight ratings in Canada. So day-to-day you get a snap shot of listening patterns in the market. It was terrifying at first, but really quite useful. Knowledge is power.

Media Companies | In a very broad stroke, based on my observations and experience, media companies in the U.S. are grossly over-leveraged, cost-cutting from the front lines of content creation, investing in upper-management and are more fiscally focused than audience focused. Contrarily, in Canada, I see more fiscally responsible companies seeking strategic acquisitions, cost-cutting and efficiencies at senior management levels, investment in talent and technology and a stronger focus on the consumer experience. Extreme generalizations, I know, but it is my experience.

Listeners | Listeners to radio in Canada are different. The connection to the stations seems stronger and more personal, which means they feel like owners of the stations they listen to. That leads to lots of calls and emails for minor errors and great outrages each demanding returned phone calls, retractions, apologies, and retribution. It also leads to more passionate, dedicated listeners. I know listeners in the U.S. call stations too, but in my experience, for every call I received from a listener as a PD in the states, I get 10 in Canada.

Those are the main differences that come to mind today, I’ll add more over time.

Now off to get a Tim Horton’s coffee and a maple donut.

Navigating Change

Change is scary and uncomfortable for most people.

It just is.

Humans like to know they are safe and secure. We want to know we have enough money for food and someplace hospitable to rest our head at night. So, when pink slips start flying like they did at KGO last week in San Francisco or organizations are merged and realigned like Corus Entertainment last week in Canada, fear takes hold. It’s instinctual.

But resisting change is actually more lethal for entertainment and information industries like radio (see: music industry, Blockbuster Video, newspapers). There is hope and opportunity in change. You just have to be willing to see it and seize it.

Yes, what happened in San Francisco to KGO is tragic. It was a juggernaut of a radio station that has slowly and systematically been starved of resources and been a victim of benign neglect. The dedicated staffers who were sent packing after years of pouring their heart into a product deserve better. They tried to find a small part of a corporate beast they could love and quickly realized the beast was indscriminate. But now they are free. Unschackled. No longer beholden to a dream of yesterday’s KGO. There is life after KGO right Gil Gross??

Right Claudia Lamb?  (Article: KGO and the Death of Radio)

In Canada, a completely different scenario. Not one of downsizing and cost-cutting but of investing and growing. Eerily, employees feel similar. Corus just completed a $2.6B acquisition of Shaw Media and new corporate structures were unveiled. The questions came fast and furious; Why? Where’s this worked before? What’s it mean for me? How can this possibly work? When are they going to fire me? Don’t they know we’ve never done it this way before?

Fear. It’s contagious.

Keep in mind, change isn’t inherently good or bad. It’s just different. When companies change it often creates opportunities. New managers, new faces, new processes and procedures and fresh eyes on old problems. It doesn’t have to be scary. It should be exciting. Anytime you get to work for a leader who has bold vision and a sense of purpose and direction embrace it, champion it, and rejoice. The opposite is stagnation. The opposite is KGO.

It reminds me of a phrase I quickly learned while working at ESPN; “evolve or face extinction.” In the past week, we’ve seen this played out in both directions in dramatic fashion.

 

Inspiration and Desperation

I listened to 10 hours of streaming, on-demand radio and podcasts. Non-stop. I didn’t seek out fringe offerings. I was doing due diligence to hear what some consider to be the best news and talk offerings the U.S. has to offer.

I was duly impressed with the juggernaut that is WTOP – “Washington’s TOP News.” Always a ratings and revenue winner. The powers that be, and I assume Jim Farley is to credit, have found the delicate balance between authoritative and approachable, credible in content and casual or accessible in delivery. They make it seem natural and easy. It’s not. All radio news folk should listen to the morning drive team as inspiration.

That’s the good news.

What I encountered for most of my 10 hours of sensory assault was racist, xenophobic, sexist, homophobic, thoughtless garbage. Some of America’s iconic radio stations and shows are stuck in the past. They are unaware, unstructured, unprepared, and undermining radio’s credibility and relevance. It makes me wonder who is minding the store. Who is coaching talent, air-checking, providing vision and evolving the product to exceed the expectations of the listeners? From offensive Asian accents and decades old stereotypes to provoking coworkers to assault each other with racist and sexist insults. It really is the worst that radio has to offer.

And apparently iHeartMedia and Cumulus don’t care, because… why? The shows/talent are generating too much revenue, they don’t scrutinize content only numbers, or they really don’t care what people think. It is a shame that radio has to suffer for these fools. There are too many pros doing remarkable radio that the industry should be defined by lazy, uninspired, reactionary, out of touch offerings like I experienced.

We must expect more from our peers.

Man Meets Morning Host

Man Meets a Radio Morning Host
True story. Names changed.

Man: Aren’t you Jim in the Morning?

Jim: That’s me!

Man: I listened to you once. You’re funny.

Jim: (confused) Once?

Man: Yeah, maybe twice.

Jim: (curious) If you listened and I was funny why don’t you listen more often?

Al Mac’s Diner-Restaurant, 135 President Avenue, Fall River, MA. Al Mac’s closed for business on July 23, 2012. On the National Register of Historic Places.

Man: Oh, Bill & Jill down the dial do the news quiz every morning at 7:40a. And I listen to that. If I get to the Main Street Bridge before they start the quiz I know I have time to stop at the diner and grab a cup of coffee before work. If it starts before I reach the bridge I know I need to go straight to the office.

Jim: Well, that makes sense.

It sure does. Benchmark segments are brand extensions of your show. They help listeners navigate their day as much as it provides predictable, dependable anchors for your show.