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I mentioned in a recent column that it was ten years ago
this month that I sold our consulting company,
Burkhart/Abrams (and more) to McVay Media. Mike McVay is a
very smart guy who sees the future clearly. He is focused on
the future!! He has written a terrific article/ piece “Can
We Survive” which is on his site
www.McVayMedia.com.
Please read it NOW, and then come back to my column. I’ll
wait.
(A five minute pause).
Ahhhh, you are back. Good. In his article Mike wrote about
the new strength of television viewing/listening in the
morning. Mike is correct…again. Morning television programs
are now designed so that you can listen to them without
having to look at your TV set. Mike talked about the Today
Show stars…Matt and Katie as a morning team…with Al Roker
and Ann Currie as an important part of it. Yep, they are a
TEAM!!! As a radio person take the “Matt test”. Don’t look
at the screen…turn away from the TV….and listen to a great
voice with piercing/reflective comments. This guy would be a
killer on radio…too bad we don’t have him. The Today Show is
produced with all the gimmicks we radio guys have worked
with since the radio revolution in the 50’s. Their teasers
and guests are bang, bang, bang great!!!
But this TV competition ACTUALLY begins at 5 AM eastern, not
7 AM when the Today show signs on. In the market where I
live (Miami area) at 5 AM I watch….NO, NO…make that I LISTEN
to NBC Channel 6. They have their own TEAM. Pam and Bob do
the news. Lonnie does the weather, and Karen the traffic.
Plus, Joe Rose (a former Dolphin’s player and a Miami media
favorite) does a one minute ENTERTAINING sports report each
hour. These local television-casters come off as a real
family…they will do one liners about their kids, or the
weekend their families have spent together, or who got what
for a birthday present yesterday. Their presentation is not
hurried, but instead cool, calm with a lilt. The news hour
is full of three line stories of interest to the community
as well as what we know as hard news. Karen, the traffic
person, has a soft voice and approach which explodes from
the radio/TV set. Lonnie is the character of the four as he
talks weather. These people obviously like each other, and
love their jobs!!!!! The audio production is excellent. Big
news room feel. And, as Pam says “take us with you to
work…we are on FM at 87.7”. Well, you get the idea!!!! This
is a terrific TV/RADIO news package. They are also tied in
with the largest Ft. Lauderdale newspaper. Oh, they fall
short in some areas that we radio people know all about, and
that is promotion of the local morning show. I just don’t
see enough outside advertising for this local team, or see
enough promotion on Channel 6 the rest of the day. But, I
assure you they will figure it out. They are not close to
the Today people with teasers and prominent guests….but
their local program is certainly good enough to take away
audience from the news/talk stations in the area. If they
haven’t yet…they will. I know all of the above because I WAS
THERE listening to this team this morning on 87.7.
So, reflecting back to the McVay “Can We Survive” column
where he states that he is “crafting” morning music stations
to include the elements of News/Talk. MIKE, YOU ARE FLYING A
777!!! Great move.
My ten year non-compete expires this month. Programming
radio morning shows is one of the consulting assignments I
may do next. Radio doesn’t have as much money as TV to
produce a competitive morning show….but we do have the
experience/smarts of competing against radio stations down
the street over many decades…and applying those smarts to
stop TV in their tracks. We can stop this TV movement with
brain power and experience!!! But, it must happen NOW!!!!!
e-mail Kent
kent@kentburkhart.com
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