Remarkable Radio Part Three: The Big Moo

This is the final part of our three part series on the book “The Big Moo,” by the group of 33 edited by Seth Godin. The book’s theme is “stop trying to be perfect and start being remarkable.”

If being remarkable is being unafraid to stand out, having a fire in your belly that won’t quit, always telling the truth, always exceeding expectations and realizing that remarkable isn’t up to you, it’s in the eye of the listener … then I have many clients who I believe are remarkable. The things they do that are remarkable are things that make their stations memorable and become a huge part and fabric of success that is stained into the walls of their buildings. We’re going to honor some of them, and embarrass them, by talking of their ability to be remarkable.

Tom Holt, Program Director at WSRS in Worcester, programmed WWLI/Providence when we consulted that radio station. Before that we worked with him at WZID/Manchester, N.H. Tom is a remarkable person. He is remarkable in a calm and natural fashion. He thinks “remarkable” all the time.

Tom collects CD’s and has had artists sign them when they visit his radio station. We are both fans of Carly Simon, not only her music, but also those mystical pouting lips. Every time I would enter Tom’s office I would stand and stare at the CD’s that line his wall to see if there were any new signatures and I always settled on Carly’s. This was so I could stare at the CD cover artwork without looking too obvious. One day when I entered his office to look at the artwork, the Carly Simon was gone. Gasp!

Tom explained to me that a listener called the station looking from a song from that CD which was featured in the movie “Sleepless in Seattle.” The woman couldn’t find the CD; she wanted to play it at her daughter’s wedding, which happened to be the very next day. The woman looked on-line, called record shops and couldn’t find anyone who had the CD who could give it to her when she needed it. Tom not only invited her to come by the radio station, for the song, but also gave her his autographed copy of the Carly Simon CD, with instructions that the woman was to play it at the wedding and then give the CD to the daughter as a gift from Lite 105. That’s remarkable. Do you think that woman will listen to any other station? Doing the remarkable is when you stand for something and without you changing; you change someone’s world.

The people of Standard Radio in Canada, and more specifically their CEO Gary Slaight, are remarkable. The man and his company define edginess. Gary doesn’t do anything halfway. He is not afraid to take calculated risks. He is not afraid to invest in the product. Gary will do whatever it takes to win. I would be betraying confidences if I said how much his properties have increased in revenue since he’s completed his acquisition of several other major companies. But it’s safe to say the results are remarkable.

Brian DePoe the Program Director for CJEZ/Toronto (and head of AC/Country programming for Standard Radio) has built a remarkable radio station in 97.3 EZ Rock, Toronto. They give away life-altering prizes. Things like $1 million split between the winner and a charity of their choosing. Prizes like a new condo, new automobiles and trips around the world. More than that, EZ Rock is a radio station that’s raised great sums of money for charities. The focus is on the listener and not on the station.

Karen Steele, Program Director of Mix 99.9/Toronto is at the sister station to CJEZ. Her most remarkable accomplishment is that she has created a highly produced, culturally rich radio station. If it’s hip and something people are talking about, her Hot AC is on top of it and the promos and imaging will mirror it, whatever IT is. It’s remarkable when someone can create a personality for a radio station that makes it feel almost human.

There is a Program Director in Las Vegas, Nevada who I think is remarkable. The thing that is remarkable about what he does is that he also handles the jobs of Operations Manager and Morning Man. He does this work over a large cluster and programs the #1 station 12+ and 25-54 in this large market. He is the sidekick . . . for the highly rated and extremely popular Melanie, thus the program “Melanie & Tom in The Morning.”

Spinning plates on sticks, juggling balls or trying to hang wallpaper when you only have one arm all typify the skills and talent of Tom Chase. Yet in his operation, it never feels stressful. There is never a feeling that if something doesn’t happen now we will die. There is a sense of immediacy; there is a sense of urgency. There is not a sense of panic and I’ve never seen the “ants scurrying from the ant hill.”

Succeeding in business without being a bad person or tough guy and without keeping your entire staff in a panic 24/7 is remarkable. Traveling the country, I often share airchecks of Melanie & Tom and I’ve never been embarrassed by their consistency in their performances. That’s also remarkable.

The management team of Sarkes & Tarzian Broadcasting is remarkable. They operate radio stations in several markets throughout Indiana; they also own television stations in other markets where they are not reliant on their radio stations’ sisters. The people at Sarkes Tarzian are the closest to Disney of any company I worked with or ever have worked with. They apply the principles of Disney on a daily basis.

When they decide to do a promotion, they are not afraid to look for resources in places other than that specific budget line item. They are not hesitant to scrap an idea that everyone agreed upon for another new and fresh idea, that could be more exciting or lead the station to success more quickly. They are not afraid to reward the success they enjoy. There are some radio stations I visit where I must chastise the staff for being only “good enough” that never happens at a Sarkes Tarzian property.

The list could go on and surely people’s feelings could be hurt because I’ve not included them as remarkable broadcasters. KLTY/Dallas is the highest rated commercial Contemporary Christian radio station in America and one that we consulted for five years. Talk about a mission and a compelling music statement, how can you get any stronger than the Bible? The same can be said for The RTN Network. It is on a mission to be remarkable. We consult them in both Atlanta and Tampa Bay-Sarasota.

Jim & Kim of WKJY/Long Island are a remarkable morning show in a cluttered and crowded radio market. Long Island isn’t only its own market; it’s also part of the New York City Metro. We coached that show for nearly three years. Ed Scarabourgh at KQXT/San Antonio understands what it is to be remarkable. He took a radio station that had been in the doldrums and turned it around and has kept it under the category heading of “remarkable” for many years. Battling and challenging Arbitron changes, a shift in the census and new competitors. He remains the winner.

To those remarkable people I haven’t mentioned, please know that you’re not forgotten. I’m proud to say the majority of the broadcasters we work with are remarkable today, even if they weren’t the day we arrived in their building. “The Big Moo” ends with, “you don’t need a life of quiet desperation, not now, not ever.” Permission is highly overrated. You don’t need a lot of fancy moves. Duke Ellington only had four. You don’t need to forgive yourself for the things you’ve screwed up. It’s history. But you do need some tools if your going to perfect your craft.

1. Passion to hurdle everything.
2. Trust.
3. Tiny threads of passion always lead to bigger threads.
4. Pay attention. Watch out for the threads, as they become tapestries.
5. Guts!

What’s missing?” “An attitude that suggests prototyping, playing and paling around. You do need to have FUN.” You need to arm yourself against perfection when you choose this attitude. Perfectionists don’t like anyone to have fun. HAVE FUN!!!

The realization of learning is a paradox. It’s something you need. It’s a life affirming and often painful journey. It’s painful because you care, but without realization and pain, you’d be dead. Do something remarkable.

In the spirit of this book, e-mail me, Mike, at mcvaymedia@aol.com tell me what you’ve done that is remarkable. Catch someone else doing something remarkable.