Tracy Johnson: Radio Has Urgent Need For Personalities

Tracy Johnson

How can radio stop the bleeding? Longtime radio talent coach Tracy Johnson believes the answer is to develop personalities. But instead of investing in talent, companies are slashing staffs, keeping only what they perceive as the best or most cost-efficient talent. Then they dilute their impact by spreading them across multiple stations.

In an Open Letter To Radio blog posting,  Johnson quotes legendary broadcaster Dick Chapin as saying:

You can’t cut your way to success. At some point, you take out the very thing listeners come for. Then what’s left?

Unfortunately, Johnson writes radio’s solution has been to cut. And we’re slicing into the bone.

Johnson notes Rush Limbaugh is credited with saving AM radio. 30 years ago, AM was in danger of becoming irrelevant. Then conservative talk radio happened. And Rush was the tip of the spear that revitalized these stations that had lost the music franchise to technology (FM Radio).

Decades later, talk stations are migrating to FM, leaving AM with a problem that may not be solvable.

Today, FM music stations are at risk. Just as listeners abandoned AM, audiences are exiting FM.

But Johnson beliwever there is hope. Pew research reports radio personalities are a primary driver of listener satisfaction. Their studies found that 67% (that’s two out of three) respondents say air talent is important to them.  And 64% of all respondents say they would follow a favorite personality wherever they go!

Talent is the answer. Yet it is the most neglected and misunderstood asset for our business.

➤Read Johnson's Entire Posting: Click Here