Is this Radio’s problem?

There is a belief that the best art lives up to two principles. First it has an element of the creator embedded in it, there is something that comes from within the artist captured in the final piece. What they create is shaped through how they see and experience the world. Secondly, the creator transmits those feelings to others so that they can be infected by them. Simply, the art is personal to the creator and the very expression of that art communicates something about who the artist is.

You don’t have to look further than the music to see this is true. Take Adele for example and you will find her songs like “Someone Like You” and “Rolling In The Deep” live up to the principles of art. The songs are about being haunted by bad break ups and longing for something that she does not yet have. Adele has put her heart into her music and when you listen to her music you feel it.

Is this Radio’s problem? Do we have less and less of the creator in the product?

The truly best radio stations used to always have a piece of their programmer in them. Something that made them distinctive. Sure, they played in the same format as others and inspiration came from rivals, but they were unmistakable in their uniqueness. The person responsible for the day to day creation of the brand experience added a little of themselves to the product. They allowed their personality to soak into their brand.

As you traveled from market to market and find radio stations that sounded different. It was a journey of wonderment. You’d be inspired by the way different stations imagined (or reimagined) the format. The songs they played, the talent they hired, the promotions they created, the imaging they wrote, all created a distinctive personality. A personality that was influenced and guided by the programmer. A slightly eccentric programmer created a slightly eccentric - off center - radio station. A mild mannered, reserved programmer created a radio station that was welcoming and comfortable.

Today, the art of creating a radio station isn’t as prevalent as it needs to be. As competition increases and people are turning to other platforms to create their art we need to rise to the challenge and become artists once again. We need more creators injecting themselves into their products not just emulating other stations or simply doing as corporate says without questioning how to make the input their own. We need creators who ask themselves what makes me unique that I can bring to this station? Is there part of me in the brand?

Sure, today with more efficiencies, best practices, and more corporate oversight, you may not be able to change the brand to completely fit your personality but you should be able to find something genuinely interesting in the brand personality or mission that resonates with you. Something that is reflective of who you are that you can accentuate. To make your station a work of art you need to have touched it, changed it, transformed it or even harness it... even just a little. Implementing someone else’s plan without making it personal to you is (arguably) fine, but don’t be fooled, it’s not art.

Our business is a mix of science and art and I’m not advocating for less science, rather I’m asking for more art. If there is nothing of you in the brand, is there really a point working on it? You’re not creating art you’re recreating someone else’s art - or worse creating a knock off or counterfeit. When our mission is to excite, engage and inspire audiences can you truly make a difference if you aren’t an artist?