In the 6th century, Lao Tsu an older contemporary of Confucius, once said; Teaching without words and work without doing are understood by very few. When actions are performed without unnecessary speech, people say “we did it”!
Case in point, Americans invented the automobile, television and stereo but the Japanese made it better. A Japanese company, Sony invented the walkman but Apple made it better with the IPod. You can actually debate that the personal computer, created in the USA, was made better by the Japanese and enhanced by Apple applying a very old concept to a new business model. Here are the two key principles to that concept which are the foundation of their success, the Golden Rule and Moore’s law.
Just in case, you’ve never heard of these two, the “Golden Rule” is that which is hateful to you, do not do to your fellow. That is the whole Torah; the rest is the explanation; go and learn." (Talmud, Shabbat 31a) (Also see Matthew 7:12 in the KJV bible)
Moore's law describes a long-term trend in the history of computing hardware, in which the number of transistors that can be placed inexpensively on an integrated circuit has doubled approximately every two years.[1] It is often incorrectly quoted as a doubling of transistors every 18 months, as David House, an Intel Executive, gave that period to chip performance increase. The actual period was about 20 months.[2]
The capabilities of many digital electronic devices are strongly linked to Moore's law: processing speed, memory capacity, sensors and even the number and size of pixels in digital cameras.[3] All of these are improving at (roughly) exponential rates as well.[4] This has dramatically increased the usefulness of digital electronics in nearly every segment of the world economy. In other words, every 18 to20 months your hardware needs to be upgraded to meet the ever changing purpose your computing needs and internet marketing landscape.
You are penny wise and pound foolish if you think you can steal your way to the top in this new age of technology, new innovations are moving at a record pace. The internet has leveled the playing field and only those with the “Golden Ideas” now make the rules!
Back to the Apple Business model, it isn’t about the Iphone or Ipad hardware it’s the applications. The genius of Steve Jobs is I will give you the platform and the lion share of the profits, a 60/40 deal, on whatever your concepts or apps generate.
This “new deal” spread like wildfire, every 13 year old geek and their older counterparts went in to mass innovation mode. At last count over 300,000 apps are available for download. So powerful is this free enterprise concept or as I like to call it “reality technology” that Samsung, Nokia and a trio of other phone giants are teaming up to open their own apps store. Pundits believe a day late and a dollar short and you know why? Apple owns the top of the mind awareness in this process. Being first does have its benefits and to be honest, the thought process of big business has always been to steal the idea and bury it or let them take me to court for using it. The virus works both ways, news of a robbery is always told to their neighbor watch group, so that everyone can be on the lookout for thieves.
Since Apple’s business model beat the Japanese at their own game of innovation with American ingenuity. What does all this mean for Radio? How does this concept enhance Radio’s multi-level platform game plan? Well how important to you is getting credit for the company’s success or can you accept “we did it”?
To know all things is not permitted. Time after time in these blogs I’ve stressed “intellectual capital”. After all if three years ago, your consultant did not tell you the importance of marketing your station’s product on the internet and mobile phone outlets, your reliance on this one source( instead of a think tank) is like Samsung and Nokia, you’re in a butt kicking contest with one leg. Look you can be a piece of coal and fuel someone else’s fire or you can take the pressure become a diamond and no one will ever burn you! On that note:
Pop Quiz
1. If I was 15 years old in 1990 what is the Music of my life? What does all this mean for Radio? (see January Blog)
2. Verizon recently added Skype technology as a feature for its high end products. Is this a radio station revenue generator? (see January Blog)
3. What is Intellectual capital? (see February blog)
4. Is there a way to cash in on the All Christmas format without haven’t to play only Christmas music (see July Blog)
5. How can I get network radio to be more effective for my station (see October blog)
6. When did you create an App for your radio station product (see all blogs from august to February and my website www.broadcastevangelist.com) click intro then read now.
7. Have you ever asked your staff about your on-air approach? (see July blog)
8. In this financial crisis where is Radio’s silver lining? (see October blog)
9. What’s the next big thing? Japanese teenage girls are the tea leaves and virtually always a good indicator. (www.broadcastevangelist.com) click Phase 3 then follow with this Wall street feature article http://online.wsj.com/article/SB10001424052702303491304575187841124033272.html?mod=WSJ_hpp_sections_smallbusiness
10. How is your team working? When orders are consistently trustworthy and observed, the relationship of a commander with his troops is satisfactory – Sun Tzu
In closing, again I’ve given away even more intellectual capital in hopes of stirring a greater passion among industry leaders that unless you kick it up notch every 18 to 20 months another world player will. It’s global with an international rate card. However, teaching without words and work without doing are understood by very few. When actions are performed without unnecessary speech, people say “we did it”. Knowing ignorance is strength. Ignoring knowledge is sickness. As my granddad used to always say “A heap see but a few know”!
Thursday, April 29, 2010
Wednesday, February 17, 2010
THE TEACHER DOESN'T TALK DURING THE TEST
I believe it was the great Winston Churchill who said “I always enjoy learning though I don’t always like being taught”! Certainly for the past several years, businesses of all kinds have learned a valuable lesson, the status quo just won’t work anymore! Regardless of how powerful or big your business is or used to be, this subject keeps being repeated either innovate or become obsolete. This is a test!
Arbitron heard the teacher and launched the “Portable People Meters”, more affectionately known as PPM. After fielding numerous complaints from irate advertisers that their audience measurement data no longer created the desired response results.
As I remember, the two day long workshop they conducted at ABC Radio Networks, during the Philadelphia testing phase of the PPM product. Their new measurement findings, now impressed their ad clientele and that in their eyes, they finally began to mirror the true audience response. So much so that Arbitron’s new PPM could actually give you the times when a listener left your station to watch a specific television show which was almost always tied to the cultural background of the respondent. Many irate broadcasters harbor ill-feelings about PPM’s methodology however this is the new audience measurement standard. Since this is how the game will be played, what are you doing to enhance your position in the new marketplace? Remember this is a test of perseverance.
We are working in some very interesting times where to be or not to be is not only the question but the stark reality of this economic black hole. For instance here’s a common dilemma; when sales are down what is usually a retailer’s course of action? Slash radio out of the advertising budget. Your sales team will argue “you need radio to drive customers to the store”, right? Yet when sales are down in radio what is usually management’s course of action? Slash the research and promotions budget; was this subject part of the core curriculum? This is what’s called a knee jerk test, isn’t it!?!
What else should a student expect to be on the mid-term exam? Well the basics in Retail for starters. Principle number one is: Location, location, location! Where are you on the internet, mobile phone devices and texting applications? Clear Channel’s Senior VP for Digital Sales Michael Jackel says their sales product grew 28 % from last year. How audience interactive is your plan? ESPN360.com site is adding features to expand distribution of its TV sports product online? Here’s how it works, ESPN360 is a subscription website offering live video of a wide array of sports. It doesn’t require a separate fee; rather it comes bundled with the internet service from a participating provider such as Verizon Communications Inc. Distributors pay ESPN for it based on their number of subscribers, similar to the way they pay to carry ad supported cable TV networks. Did you notice that even CBS TV Late Night show host David Letterman has added web concerts immediately after his television show, Superstar Mary J. Blige performed tonight online. Could radio use this model for high school sports or podcasts?
Do you have a fan page on Facebook, Twitter account or an iphone app. Forget singing about the woes of PPM, if actor Ashton Kushner can touch a million fans with the click of his social networking mouse on Twitter, how much more can you impact your bottom line with a loyal web based audience as an added non-traditional advantage.
Principle number two the Teacher says “read between the lines”! How well do you know your audience? What products do they use? Radio is no longer just information and entertainment, it’s a lifestyle! Hip hop sells jeans, Ford F-150 trucks are country music and classic hits are inspiring you to buy office supplies and coffee. Even the Beatles along with dozens of other rock bands have already generated a billion dollars last year in sales with interactive video games. This is a lifestyle test, about your clientele.
Certainly the current budgetary constraints can present quite a few challenges but is it possible to marry line items like promotions and research into one cost center? Here’s an idea along those lines for the 18 to 34 demographic radio outlets. Make a trade or barter with one of the online music download sites like iTunes. Use your website to link them to the “barter partner” and giveaway to every listener who would like to have their favorite song downloaded for free (you can set whatever limits to make this work). The cue to download from your website link is triggered with on the air mentions and mass texting/e-mail vehicles at specific times and durations (once per computer or mobile device). Then get the list of the compiled music downloaded by your audience from your “barter partner” to upgrade the rotation playlist. Here’s the key point; the accuracy of testing will improve dramatically when you can survey without the listener knowing that their being tested.
Principle number three: “home is where the heart is”! Traffic is not engineering, programming sometimes doesn’t understand what takes place in sales, promotions has no clue about accounting except when they’re over budget and management may not be very motivational. You can’t be an expert on all things! Who can ask questions without the fear of losing their job? How much intellectual capital do you have in your office or company? The new CBS reality series where the Boss works on the frontline with the employees gave top management valuable insight on how to increase business. Your staff may know things you couldn’t possibly think of to help you become more profitable because they can see what you can’t. If your staff is not that important to you remember this “the cruelest lies are often told in silence”.
The teacher doesn’t talk during the test but the good news is it’s always an open book test!
Arbitron heard the teacher and launched the “Portable People Meters”, more affectionately known as PPM. After fielding numerous complaints from irate advertisers that their audience measurement data no longer created the desired response results.
As I remember, the two day long workshop they conducted at ABC Radio Networks, during the Philadelphia testing phase of the PPM product. Their new measurement findings, now impressed their ad clientele and that in their eyes, they finally began to mirror the true audience response. So much so that Arbitron’s new PPM could actually give you the times when a listener left your station to watch a specific television show which was almost always tied to the cultural background of the respondent. Many irate broadcasters harbor ill-feelings about PPM’s methodology however this is the new audience measurement standard. Since this is how the game will be played, what are you doing to enhance your position in the new marketplace? Remember this is a test of perseverance.
We are working in some very interesting times where to be or not to be is not only the question but the stark reality of this economic black hole. For instance here’s a common dilemma; when sales are down what is usually a retailer’s course of action? Slash radio out of the advertising budget. Your sales team will argue “you need radio to drive customers to the store”, right? Yet when sales are down in radio what is usually management’s course of action? Slash the research and promotions budget; was this subject part of the core curriculum? This is what’s called a knee jerk test, isn’t it!?!
What else should a student expect to be on the mid-term exam? Well the basics in Retail for starters. Principle number one is: Location, location, location! Where are you on the internet, mobile phone devices and texting applications? Clear Channel’s Senior VP for Digital Sales Michael Jackel says their sales product grew 28 % from last year. How audience interactive is your plan? ESPN360.com site is adding features to expand distribution of its TV sports product online? Here’s how it works, ESPN360 is a subscription website offering live video of a wide array of sports. It doesn’t require a separate fee; rather it comes bundled with the internet service from a participating provider such as Verizon Communications Inc. Distributors pay ESPN for it based on their number of subscribers, similar to the way they pay to carry ad supported cable TV networks. Did you notice that even CBS TV Late Night show host David Letterman has added web concerts immediately after his television show, Superstar Mary J. Blige performed tonight online. Could radio use this model for high school sports or podcasts?
Do you have a fan page on Facebook, Twitter account or an iphone app. Forget singing about the woes of PPM, if actor Ashton Kushner can touch a million fans with the click of his social networking mouse on Twitter, how much more can you impact your bottom line with a loyal web based audience as an added non-traditional advantage.
Principle number two the Teacher says “read between the lines”! How well do you know your audience? What products do they use? Radio is no longer just information and entertainment, it’s a lifestyle! Hip hop sells jeans, Ford F-150 trucks are country music and classic hits are inspiring you to buy office supplies and coffee. Even the Beatles along with dozens of other rock bands have already generated a billion dollars last year in sales with interactive video games. This is a lifestyle test, about your clientele.
Certainly the current budgetary constraints can present quite a few challenges but is it possible to marry line items like promotions and research into one cost center? Here’s an idea along those lines for the 18 to 34 demographic radio outlets. Make a trade or barter with one of the online music download sites like iTunes. Use your website to link them to the “barter partner” and giveaway to every listener who would like to have their favorite song downloaded for free (you can set whatever limits to make this work). The cue to download from your website link is triggered with on the air mentions and mass texting/e-mail vehicles at specific times and durations (once per computer or mobile device). Then get the list of the compiled music downloaded by your audience from your “barter partner” to upgrade the rotation playlist. Here’s the key point; the accuracy of testing will improve dramatically when you can survey without the listener knowing that their being tested.
Principle number three: “home is where the heart is”! Traffic is not engineering, programming sometimes doesn’t understand what takes place in sales, promotions has no clue about accounting except when they’re over budget and management may not be very motivational. You can’t be an expert on all things! Who can ask questions without the fear of losing their job? How much intellectual capital do you have in your office or company? The new CBS reality series where the Boss works on the frontline with the employees gave top management valuable insight on how to increase business. Your staff may know things you couldn’t possibly think of to help you become more profitable because they can see what you can’t. If your staff is not that important to you remember this “the cruelest lies are often told in silence”.
The teacher doesn’t talk during the test but the good news is it’s always an open book test!
Wednesday, January 13, 2010
New Year's Resolutions for Radio
“May old acquaintance be forgot” as we enter a new decade and era for the radio medium. Time and technology with the advent of the internet has made every industry re-invent itself. So I decided to look in the crystal ball to predict what is on the horizon for the next decade. After reading this article I suggest you revisit your strategy for the New Year. Ask yourself; is what I’m doing now going to grow my business, my audience and my advertiser base in the next ten years? What makes me better than the competition and who really is my competition now? How do I extend my reach both physically and economically?
These are but a few questions and comments to challenge your thinking on the current broadcast business model. Unless you are willing to think out of the box and implement some new innovations this blog will simply be another one of those entertaining beginning of the year features that will find you resting on your good intentions!
Having said that lets begin:
Prediction number 1 – Radio will have to go global in order to survive. Its reach must attract a sizeable global audience in order to get advertising dollars. Market share according to Arbitron radio listening in every major market has shrunk drastically in the past two decades. So the medium will have to find new audiences in order to demand sufficient international ad rates. Thus where will the new audience come from? Answer: a multi-tiered technological marketing effort which includes online, telecommunication and terrestrial broadcasting models for the world. How is your online presence viewed? What phone texting ideas have you incorporated into your station’s marketing plan and does it include a social network component? This isn’t the only industry that understands there is already a new world order. American Airlines has set up its “one world alliance” in order to survive. The movie industry has begun giving world box office figures since they are not making movies for just the American public anymore. And to really bring home this argument, the most aggressive and so far innovative broadcaster to date doesn’t live here, it is Australian Rupert Murdoch.
Prediction number 2 – AM radio as we know it will die. FM will become the dominant home for news formats. But not in its current 70’s news weather and sports form, the 18 to 34 audience has always been different. Which explains why earlier attempts of news on FM have failed, they didn’t fully understand how the FM audience uses radio. For instance, the most popular stop today for 18 to 34 year olds news currently on the worldwide web is www.tmz.com and the most trusted newscaster is the Daily Show with Jon Stewart. I know what you’re thinking “that ain’t news”. I’m just the broadcast evangelist bringing you the message, what an audience accepts as news you can use is not for me to judge but to deliver! How will the audience in the next 10 years use your medium? The AM radio obituary has been written, unless they can create a reason for audiences to leave the FM radio band. After all baby boomers are the last dual band generation who can relate to AM radio’s purpose.
Prediction number 3 – Everything you need to do business is in the palm of your hand. The personal computer will just be a mere docking station for your iphone, blackberry and palm pilot. Did you notice that Sirus / XM have already introduced a 120 dollar dock that essentially turns iphones into satellite radios. Ford Motor Company will introduce in 2011 a car that will include internet access on the dashboard. In the words my granddad “a heap see but a few know”.
Prediction number 4 – Music and movies will almost only be available online as a download file. DVD’s and CD’s will end up like 8 track tapes and cassettes, collector items. You can thank Netflicks, ITunes and Red Box for leading the innovative charge on this one.
Predicition number 5 – The most popular format on radio for the next 10 years will be the 90’s Hip hop retro. Much like the Rock and Roll era of the 50’s, the music of the 90’s is the only era in which artists actually captured lighting in a bottle. What I mean is regardless of the cultural background the youth of that time all loved the same music. When Elvis, Chuck Berry, Little Richard and Sam Cooke in essence are Michael Jackson, Tupac, Public Enemy and Queen Latifah which is why hip hop is corporate now. It made TV stars out of Ice Tea and LLCool J Dr. Dre is a pitch man for Dr Pepper and P Diddy Combs aka Sean John is a mainstream fashion mogul. The Vatican has just launched a new website which features songs that reflect their philosophy and Tupac was one of the songs selected. Does the Catholic Church know something you don’t Mr. and Mrs. Broadcaster? Here’s the article from cnn.com; Music from late rapper Tupac Shakur has been included as part of the Vatican's official MySpace Music playlist.
The seat of the Catholic Church released a list of 12 songs onto the social networking Web site's streaming music service this week when the site launched in the United Kingdom.
Among selections from Mozart, Muse and Dame Shirley Bassey is the slain rapper's song "Changes," which was released two years after his shooting death on a greatest hits album in 1998.
"The genres are very different from each other, but all these artists share the aim to reach the heart of good minded people," the Vatican wrote on its official MySpace Music page.
As of Thursday night, "Changes" had been played more than 4.6 million times on the Web site.
Predication number 6 – Skype video conferencing products will be as common as your home phone.
Prediction number 7 – OMG, LOL, UG2BK, DEGT and its other texting short hand abbreviations will introduced as words in Webster’s Dictionary. Texting is a real staple for the 18 to 34 and now older demos yet radio have yet to tap into its mindset. Until those who are the so-called visionaries for this medium figure out how to effectively reach this new tech savvy audience. You will miss becoming the real media game changer or in texting terms WOMBAT (waste of money, brains and time).
In closing, there is no greater sorrow than to recall in misery the time when we were happy. Change your thoughts and you can change your world!
"Since thoughts of thee doth banish grief, when from thee I am gone;will not thy presence yield relief, to this sad Heart of mine:Why doth thy presence me defeat, with excellence divine?Especially when I reflect on Auld lang syne".
These are but a few questions and comments to challenge your thinking on the current broadcast business model. Unless you are willing to think out of the box and implement some new innovations this blog will simply be another one of those entertaining beginning of the year features that will find you resting on your good intentions!
Having said that lets begin:
Prediction number 1 – Radio will have to go global in order to survive. Its reach must attract a sizeable global audience in order to get advertising dollars. Market share according to Arbitron radio listening in every major market has shrunk drastically in the past two decades. So the medium will have to find new audiences in order to demand sufficient international ad rates. Thus where will the new audience come from? Answer: a multi-tiered technological marketing effort which includes online, telecommunication and terrestrial broadcasting models for the world. How is your online presence viewed? What phone texting ideas have you incorporated into your station’s marketing plan and does it include a social network component? This isn’t the only industry that understands there is already a new world order. American Airlines has set up its “one world alliance” in order to survive. The movie industry has begun giving world box office figures since they are not making movies for just the American public anymore. And to really bring home this argument, the most aggressive and so far innovative broadcaster to date doesn’t live here, it is Australian Rupert Murdoch.
Prediction number 2 – AM radio as we know it will die. FM will become the dominant home for news formats. But not in its current 70’s news weather and sports form, the 18 to 34 audience has always been different. Which explains why earlier attempts of news on FM have failed, they didn’t fully understand how the FM audience uses radio. For instance, the most popular stop today for 18 to 34 year olds news currently on the worldwide web is www.tmz.com and the most trusted newscaster is the Daily Show with Jon Stewart. I know what you’re thinking “that ain’t news”. I’m just the broadcast evangelist bringing you the message, what an audience accepts as news you can use is not for me to judge but to deliver! How will the audience in the next 10 years use your medium? The AM radio obituary has been written, unless they can create a reason for audiences to leave the FM radio band. After all baby boomers are the last dual band generation who can relate to AM radio’s purpose.
Prediction number 3 – Everything you need to do business is in the palm of your hand. The personal computer will just be a mere docking station for your iphone, blackberry and palm pilot. Did you notice that Sirus / XM have already introduced a 120 dollar dock that essentially turns iphones into satellite radios. Ford Motor Company will introduce in 2011 a car that will include internet access on the dashboard. In the words my granddad “a heap see but a few know”.
Prediction number 4 – Music and movies will almost only be available online as a download file. DVD’s and CD’s will end up like 8 track tapes and cassettes, collector items. You can thank Netflicks, ITunes and Red Box for leading the innovative charge on this one.
Predicition number 5 – The most popular format on radio for the next 10 years will be the 90’s Hip hop retro. Much like the Rock and Roll era of the 50’s, the music of the 90’s is the only era in which artists actually captured lighting in a bottle. What I mean is regardless of the cultural background the youth of that time all loved the same music. When Elvis, Chuck Berry, Little Richard and Sam Cooke in essence are Michael Jackson, Tupac, Public Enemy and Queen Latifah which is why hip hop is corporate now. It made TV stars out of Ice Tea and LLCool J Dr. Dre is a pitch man for Dr Pepper and P Diddy Combs aka Sean John is a mainstream fashion mogul. The Vatican has just launched a new website which features songs that reflect their philosophy and Tupac was one of the songs selected. Does the Catholic Church know something you don’t Mr. and Mrs. Broadcaster? Here’s the article from cnn.com; Music from late rapper Tupac Shakur has been included as part of the Vatican's official MySpace Music playlist.
The seat of the Catholic Church released a list of 12 songs onto the social networking Web site's streaming music service this week when the site launched in the United Kingdom.
Among selections from Mozart, Muse and Dame Shirley Bassey is the slain rapper's song "Changes," which was released two years after his shooting death on a greatest hits album in 1998.
"The genres are very different from each other, but all these artists share the aim to reach the heart of good minded people," the Vatican wrote on its official MySpace Music page.
As of Thursday night, "Changes" had been played more than 4.6 million times on the Web site.
Predication number 6 – Skype video conferencing products will be as common as your home phone.
Prediction number 7 – OMG, LOL, UG2BK, DEGT and its other texting short hand abbreviations will introduced as words in Webster’s Dictionary. Texting is a real staple for the 18 to 34 and now older demos yet radio have yet to tap into its mindset. Until those who are the so-called visionaries for this medium figure out how to effectively reach this new tech savvy audience. You will miss becoming the real media game changer or in texting terms WOMBAT (waste of money, brains and time).
In closing, there is no greater sorrow than to recall in misery the time when we were happy. Change your thoughts and you can change your world!
"Since thoughts of thee doth banish grief, when from thee I am gone;will not thy presence yield relief, to this sad Heart of mine:Why doth thy presence me defeat, with excellence divine?Especially when I reflect on Auld lang syne".
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