It was exactly one year ago that I faced a life decision. One option was to accept a promotion, while continuing to lead the programming of the iHeartMedia cluster of stations in San Francisco, which I was honored to do for over 15 years. Another option was to make the difficult decision to step away from my role and resume consulting, which I had done for many years before joining what was then the Clear Channel stations in San Francisco. Trust me, that was not an easy decision either way.
When I joined the cluster in 2009, it was the second ranked cluster with just one station in the Top 10 A25-54. Several brands were broken, but I knew a heritage brand like KMEL could be returned to its prior glory. Brand by brand, we were able navigate market conditions and opportunities, assisted by phenomenal partners like Coleman Insights and Critical Mass Media. Within a year, we improved performance so that four of the five FMs were then Top 10 and we claimed the crown as the #1 cluster in the market. It took a few more years to get all five FMs in the Top 10, but was finally the case in 2022. With the exception of a few holiday books, we remained the #1 cluster throughout my tenure at the helm of programming. I’m thankful for the full support of programming leadership at iHeart, most notably Tom Poleman and Brad Hardin, both of whom allowed me to make necessary decisions and backed me up, even at times when it may not have been easy to do so.
So, after over 15 years of success, why step away to resume consulting? In short, it was largely a gut call. It just felt right. I am proud of the successes I spearheaded in San Francisco, but had the satisfaction of delivering on the promise I brought with me more than a decade before. I had assembled a team of what I consider to be some of the most talented programmers in the business, along with an amazing group of personalities who connect deeply with Bay Area consumers every day. It was a job well done, but just that…done. I’ve always been a realist and know it’s not possible to have every station tied for #1. I’m also not satisfied with the status quo, so it was time to turn my focus to new challenges and assist others in establishing and growing brands and, ultimately, growing revenue.
After starting in the industry while in high school at the age of 15, I craved knowledge from programmers who had many years or decades of experience. I was a sponge, soaking up everything I could learn from those who knew far more than I did at such a young age. I was fortunate to begin working for a company that believed in research and was able to work and learn from The Research Group, which was the best in the industry at that time. When I earned my first Program Director role at KBOS in Fresno at just 20 years old, I fully embraced having my first consultant, the great Dave Van Stone, who had helmed programming at Nationwide Communications. I was lucky to learn from some of the giants in the industry as my career unfolded, working alongside the likes of Steve Rivers, Guy Zapoleon, Jacobs Media, and Steve Smith. After more than three decades of programming success, I’m excited to share my knowledge with programmers and managers to help them grow and reach their full potential, just as so many did for me.
I’m as bullish on radio as I’ve ever been. The audio landscape is more splintered than ever, but radio, personalities, and local information & connection are more important than ever. Social Media is a crucial brand extension for stations and personalities, but the radio station master brand is the heart and soul of the communities they serve. I’ve been on countless sales calls in recent years to help overcome a client’s perception that radio is dying (or even dead). In every case, when I ask if they ever use ride sharing services (Uber/Lyft), they answered yes. However, they almost universally are shocked or in disbelief when I tell them that more than 80% of the time they get into a ride share, the radio is tuned to a broadcast station. I tell them not to take my word for it, but pay attention next time they hail their ride. Even in a high tech city like San Francisco, broadcast radio is still the king by a long shot. And those services require newer cars, so they all have Bluetooth and satellite radio capabilities, but they typically choose radio. Why? Because it’s easy, it’s curated better than most other audio sources, and it has local connection.
It’s been said for decades that content is king, which is more true today than ever. With all the choices people have, your content HAS to be not just good, but great. I’ve helped create new formats, turned around lagging brands, coached premiere talent to new heights, crafted and implemented countless research studies, created and executed hundreds of marketing campaigns, led cluster strategies, and curated hundreds of promotions and live events. How can I help you succeed? I’m happy to discuss your challenges and provide a plan for success.