Episode 21: The Bridge
I was reminded a few weeks back that podcasting has always
been the underground of broadcasting.
Meaning those doing it in the early days and somewhat today were and are
anti-radio. They wanted no part in the
big corporate decision making because most of them were ousted from the center
of their dream career.
I don’t know about others but from day one of my terrestrial
radio decades I was always told that hard work dedication and loyalty don’t
guarantee the gold watch at 50 years. In
fact those three ingredients can lead to the infamous pink slip. A program director once told me how he wasn’t
comfortable with hiring people that came with such morals. It got in the way of everyday radio changes.
I understand the underground aspect of podcasting versus
radio. I also understand why iHeart Radio
announced this week that some of their 850 terrestrial radio stations will serve
as a platform for some of iHearts 250,000 podcasts.
It’s a brilliant marriage.
For the first time it actually feels like podcasters are being treated
like Broadcasters. But what podcast
episodes get the nod? What were the
qualifications? For those in the podcast
underground this is exactly why there’s been a solid line between the two
shapes of communication. The decisions
are being made by the very people that ripped 6,000 plus brilliant radio people
away from their on air jobs and replaced them with Ryan Seacrest and Bobby
Bones.
Wow! That sounded
pretty mean didn’t it? Especially since
I’m a huge fan of Bobby’s podcast. The
point is… Here is this lovely little piece of broadcast soil that’s been
surviving on its own for two decades and someone’s knocking on the door with a
brilliant opportunity to reach out to newer listeners by way of terrestrial
radio’s enormous impact. I get it. But let’s do it without the voices already
heard on that stage.
There are some brilliant performers in the world of
podcasting. Mind blowing fresh ideas
with the guts to break down old fashioned programming. I’d love to hear Marc Maron on a Sunday night
iHeart Broadcast but would hate to be the editor that’s getting minimum wage to
silence the F bombs.
The golden ring is dangling in the breeze. The opportunity to jump onto the airwaves of
the world’s largest broadcast company but how will the shows be forced to
change? It’s an honest question. I love talking with every podcaster that’s
available to share their journey. It’s
pretty cool to not only swap ideas but to hear the hunger in their soul to
bring their vocal art to life.
Book authors that had to train themselves to use their god
given voice. Being heard to most authors
is showing up on a page in a book, magazine or newspaper. Now they get the chance to make sounds from their
mouth? Terrestrial radio people know
that when big business is involved in the broadcast it comes with formats that
shout, “Do it our way of you don’t get to play.”
Look…I’m the same way with my 15 different podcasts. Each has its own personality and
purpose. The broadcast platform is
surviving on its own and doesn’t need a knuckle head to drop in a few episodes
and screw it up. I met a terrestrial
radio programmer one time that would’ve taken that thought and calmly replied, “This
is why I can’t hire you. You’re stuck in
your way. You’ve got to learn how to
expand. If it means me redesigning your
layout. So it goes.”
Will Ferrell’s character Ron Burgundy is getting a
spot. The first episode of season two
teams him up with presidential candidate Karmala Harris.
Seriously this is a brilliant move for iHeart Media. Content sent out over a 14 second song intro
no longer makes connections with long term listeners. The average length of Ron Burgundy is 35 to
50 minutes. I listen to the entire
show. Before podcasting terrestrial
radio barely got seven minutes of my time before I jumped to another
station.
I can’t believe I’m saying this but I hope this move from
iHeart inspires other major outlets to begin utilizing podcasting. It would be a great way for small town owners
to make time spent listening bucks. With the internet connecting itty bitty cities
to the globe all things shooting from your server can be a money maker. Hell I remember when Larry King was only heard
on the Mutual Radio Network during a time when every radio station was ABC NBC
or CBS.
I’m gonna get kicked out of the podcasters club for not
being anti-radio enough. Actually I see
it as nothing more than another platform to push push push. But will the episodes have to follow a strict
format? The organic behavior associated
with podcasting is what makes it sweet to listen to. Which is what earned me an email last week
from a podcaster that made it a point to remind me that putting the shows out
there is another way for the companies to make money and the podcaster to make
less.
There are so many ways to look at the possibility. Radio making money off other people’s talent
is no different than 1950’s Boss Jock Radio.
The partnership between iHeart and podcasters finally gives podcasters
well deserved recognition. The number of
business owners that still don’t know about podcasting won’t spend a dime until
the seasoned leaders in making money for radio help gas up this new age
engine.
I can’t help but wonder though how the surface of
terrestrial radio is going to change when it comes to future hirings. Tomorrow’s talent is gonna have to know how
to podcast. Your digital numbers will
either catch the attention of the major corporations or invite leaders to look
elsewhere. Just keep in mind. If your podcast opens the door for you to get
employment the features you write and produce probably won’t belong to
you. Once you quit or have been
terminated the big guys have every right to keep everything that fell from your
creative journey.
So what’s the moral of the story? Radio and podcasting aren’t just looking at
each other from afar. Physically airing
them on Sunday night’s means the relationship has moved to first base. There’s some touching going on. No need to call the parental figures. It’s safe play for now. Keep in mind radio has been around for 99
years. In order to survive the industry
has learned how to beg borrow and steal.
Protect your art while enjoying the respect iHeart Radio is
sharing.
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