Week of March 16, 2009

As a manager, I am really concerned about the trend towards general managers handling multiple markets. The notion of someone right there in the market 24/7 taking responsibility for the programming, developing relationships with the community, seeing advertisers at functions, and becoming part of the fabric of the town has been a hallmark of radio's success as a local medium. Multi-market management flies in the face of "local" and shortchanges even the managers' home market. Staffs, advertisers and listeners need leadership there every day, not just a few days a week. Radio stations are living, breathing, passionately local voices within the coverage area. It is not a part time job. The result can only be a degradation of quality, community, and the bottom line. Have a great weekend!

Perhaps there is a way for managers to attend regional mini-conventions with panelists drawn from the area within a day's drive of the location? Of it might be helpful for the organizations to offer online Web-Ex type meetings for those unable to jump a plane for three days. The bottom line for managers attending annual meetings is training, networking, and a chance to sample new products and services. Most of us remember our "first" convention and the awe in meeting people "like us" all together in one place. Radio managers need a gathering place in order to grow, learn and develop. Alternative solutions can offer this guidance in order to develop new managers. "We don't pay for conventions" will only shortchange the development of the next generation of radio leaders.

I wonder if there is a new way to attend conventions. The NAB, RAB and various format conventions scheduled for this spring will be underperforming in attendance and sponsors. The remaining people actually allowed to go will consist of managers attending on their own dime, and a shrinking list of vendors who still have budget to attend. Many companies can no longer afford to send managers away for three-plus days when there is so much to do back home. Many managers are now acting as mini-regional executives, overseeing more than one market. (More on that later this week.) Are there potential solutions to the "convention issue"? Sure, but tomorrow may be the day, right here at allaccess.com.

As convention season gets underway, you can expect a lot fewer attendees to appear, whether it is sales or programming meetings. There is simply no budget to send staff out of town for three days. With the advancement of technology such as "Web Ex" and "Go to meeting.com" is there an online convention in our future?

As a manager of eight stations that stream, the dropping of the B-101 Internet stream (WBEB/Philadelphia) is interesting for a lot of reasons. Although I have always admired Jerry Lee for his insight and technical prowess as an individual owner against the big boys, the turning off of a stream and offering listeners a $54 radio in place misses the point. Streaming is the equivalent of a zillion-watt radio signal heard round the world. In the Philly PPM, "The B" is one of the few stations that scores on a regular basis. Perhaps there is another way to offer a product that is more cost-effective, (such as an Internet only version of B-101) alternative. Depriving the listeners of a radio station product on a platform that is growing (38% in 2008) strikes me as a bit draconian. The listeners will find an alternative. It won't be buying a radio.