Scoring Your Station

Parallels between creating a radio brand and developing a movie are striking. Even the roles that behind-the-scenes players occupy are similar.

The Owner (Executive Producer) funds the operation. The General Manager (Producer) hires the Program Director (Director) as the Program Director populates his brand (the movie) with talent (actors).

In a perfect world, the vision for the product comes directly from the mind and leadership of the Program Director. Every element, from the music matrix to compelling imaging to promotions to content delivery, supports that vision.

What comes through the speakers is The Score.

The minutiae inside the sonic design, the atmospherics of the product spring from the mind of Program Director.

The ART of "scoring" the product is a lost -- uh -- art! Great stations are built on an intuitive music scheme (beyond research), focused, unique, compelling talent and larger-than-life reflective packaging.

I recommend to programmers of all formats to take a day away from the radio station every quarter and listen intently to their 'movie.'

Best done sequestered in a hotel room (like you're making a market visit), this isolation will allow you to SEE your song-to-song decisions, HEAR the "score" in your packaging and truly DIRECT the air talent.

It won't ever be perfect -- but (like movies) with a touch of risk, it will be different, YOUR "different."

Today, is your MOVIE what lies inside your mind?