I got a little (not much, but a little) better shot at the goats with the cell phone camera, so...
SEQUEL TIME!
I still need one o' them Flip deals.
May 2009 Archives
I was running by the temporary electric fence they put up near the Point Vicente Interpretive Center and there was a new sign explaining the sudden appearance of the fence. The explanation...
GOATS!
They use goats to chew up brush in inaccessible canyons around here. They're keeping the goats in a field on the cliffs by the Pacific. So I whipped out the phone and took this video:
Unfortunately, you can't see the goats, just the sign and an indistinct blob off in the distance. I really need one of those HD camcorders. Maybe I'll get closer tomorrow.
After the last post, it's probably best to lighten the mood. Courtesy of UniWatch, here's one of the single most embarrassing videos ever. Ladies and gentlemen, the 1986 Los Angeles Dodgers and their rendition of "Baseball Boogie!":
I'd like to chalk it up to "this seemed okay at the time," but something like this was never okay. Not even the "Super Bowl Shuffle" was okay.
My father has been gone for five years. Today is the anniversary of the day he died, and it's still not real. I expect him to call every night to talk about the NBA playoffs. The last day I saw him, the day before I left Florida and he passed away, we sat in his room at the hospice and, despite the intense pain he was in, he and I watched basketball on TV and he told the nurse about the time I took him to see the Lakers at Staples Center and the Lakers overcame a 42 point third quarter deficit to beat Dallas. That makes each anniversary difficult; I watch the games on TV and I reach for the phone to call him, but he's not there. "Did you see that?!?" means a lot less when there's no "you" to see it.
Five years. I keep waiting for it to hurt less, but it's still hard.
This week's All Access newsletter is a preview of next weeks' nightmare:
There's another talk radio convention next week, and where there's a talk radio convention, there's a panel called something like "Is FM Talk Coming?" or "The Future of FM Talk" or "Hoo, Boy, How About That FM Talk?" Yeah, there's another one this time. I think this makes 18 years' worth of FM Talk panels, none of which, despite my background, have ever included me. Not that there's anything left to say about FM Talk that hasn't been said.
But I'll say some stuff about it here. Here's my own FM Talk panel. It'll save you the trip.
"It's already here. It's been here in some cases since the 1970's. Some will succeed, some will fail. Thanks for coming! Drive home safely!"
No, there's more. But we can skip the usual stuff. You know by now that there's no such format as "FM Talk," because it encompasses various versions of talk that all just happen to be on an FM frequency. There are a lot of flavors. The common thread is that they don't play music, for the most part. And you know about the success stories and the flops, and the recent converts, and we can throw in the success of some stations in the PPM markets. So let's skip all of that.
Some of the discussion on FM Talk has been about how stations moving to FM see a boost in younger demos -- it's a shot of adrenaline for 25-54 numbers. That's been borne out in several instances, but I think there's another element that needs to be watched. Sure, you can slap the same old Guys in Ties dry political talk some AM stations do on an FM frequency and see better 25-54 performance, but there are generations coming up who can't really identify with the Guys in Ties. They're looking for talk that's relevant to them -- it may be the same message, but they're used to "The Daily Show," not "Meet the Press." Throwing your AM lineup onto an FM frequency with the same programming, the same imaging, the same old attitude is not the best long-term play, but that's what I hear some stations doing. And as the upper end of the 25-54 range ages into 35-64 and older, you're looking at the same demo problem that AM stations have. The band isn't a panacea. Do programming targeted at Grandpa, and you'll reach, um, Grandpa, and advertisers -- there ARE still advertisers, right? -- will go elsewhere. There are stations and syndicated programs aiming younger; that's a good sign.
There's also a lesson we can learn by some of the failures. FM Talk is like any other category: If you don't hire the right talent, or you don't market the thing properly, or the imaging is all wrong, or the programming sucks, it's not going to work. That doesn't mean that FM Talk is dead, as some people proclaimed not too long ago, before the spectre of performance royalties made FM talk stations seem like a better idea. But it was a mistake to think, for example, that young male listeners would flock to any show that did its show prep by pulling lists out of Maxim magazine and larding on "wacky" imaging (look at us! (slide whistle) We're irreverent!). Listeners are smarter than some folks in this industry give them credit for. Stations that remember that will do just fine.
And then there are the stations slapping a bunch of randomly selected syndicated shows onto an FM signal. Let me stress here that syndication is not inherently evil. I'm not one of those people who assumes that national is always bad and local is always good. There are some excellent syndicated shows. You CAN succeed with syndication. But like any other format, it takes someone with an ear for what works to pick the right syndication, add local elements, assemble the right imaging, and make the station consistent around the clock. But a station that wouldn't break a 1 share on AM isn't going to be much better off on FM.
Ah, whatever. By the time some people figure it out, everybody will be listening to everything over the Internet anyway. By the time certain station owners figure it out, everything will be delivered directly to a chip implanted in your brain.
Any questions? Okay, now, let's move on to the panel where everybody talks at the same time and... well, maybe not. I won't subject you to that just because I have to sit through it.
Anyway, even though I'll be on the road for part of the next week, you'll still find all the show prep you need for your show -- on AM, FM, the Internet, cell phones, or shouting at people from a sidewalk table at Starbucks -- at All Access News-Talk-Sports and the celebrated Talk Topics column, where this week's load of material includes items about stuff like the apt location where the winning Powerball ticket was sold, the upcoming Bazooka Joe movie, house-hunting by helicopter, your sunscreen deficit, what your kids are up to, how much time you spend in the bathroom, Archie's impending nuptials, Hitler underwear, Susan Boyle's potty mouth, lethal spider bites, cheap air fares and lunches, why the guy peed in an elevator, why some folks hate donkey basketball, and the Giant Blob Under Nevada. This week, you'll also find "10 Questions With..." Steve Godfrey, medium and host of the syndicated "The Other Side," and there's the rest of All Access with the radio and music industries' most complete, fastest news coverage, all those columns, lotsa charts, job listings, ratings, the Industry Directory, and so much more for so little cost (it's free). Come on over.
And if you're in New York next week for the talk thing, come on by and say hi. Assuming, that is, that I haven't slipped out the back door to head down to the Shake Shack or Katz's Deli.
Too late. Didn't even get to watch the Lakers-Nuggets, or the Phillies loss. Plus, I'm aggravated by a problem with the pool motor and the home warranty, so... we'll talk tomorrow with "The Letter." I'm in a bad mood, which is usually good for the column, so we have that.
Again, no time tonight, so I will just post a link to this article about the five best regional drive-thrus that Jerry Lentz posted on Facebook, and I will note that it is wrong. Sonic's okay, In-N-Out is a yes, but Del Taco? Better than Carl's Jr. or El Pollo Loco or anyone else but Sonic? Er, no. And it needs qualifiers: Some (coughWhite Castlecough) are great for stoners, bad for anyone else. And some aren't drive-thru everywhere (Chick-Fil-A -- great -- is only in mall food courts around here). But it's a good bonus talk radio topic, so there it is.
Day off? What day off? While you were in the park or barbecuing or doing whatever people do on holidays, I was writing. So I don't want to do any more tonight. Just exhausted.
At least it's a short week. Maybe I'll catch my breath and -- perhaps this is too much to ask -- be inspired. Or not. We'll see.
I bought some books at the Borders in El Segundo. The clerk took my payment and handed me my books.
Without a bag.
Um, thanks, I said, but can I have a bag?
He looked at me quizzically, then with some measure of annoyance. "A bag?" Yes. "Well... I think I have a small enough bag at the other end." He slumped off to get the bag and held it open for me to put the books in.
Wait. When did it become a crime to ask for a bag for purchases? When it became unacceptable to not be "green," it appears.
Silly me. I thought that it was not a good idea to walk around a shopping center with a stack of books slipping around under my arm.
I understand the desire for people not to waste precious resources. We tote reusable bags to the grocery, we recycle, we have CFBs in several light fixtures (despite them throwing off a lot less light than we need). We do care. But if I'm going to buy books at a retail store, I expect a bag. And if they care so much, they should switch from plastic to paper bags, or offer discounts for bringing your own bags, just like Ralphs or Vons.
Until then, clerks, do not hit me with attitude. Just put my stuff in a bag.
Today's accomplishments: None. It's a holiday weekend. Can't expect a miracle. Got a haircut, went to Target, ate a hot dog, watched Brad Lidge blow the save and the game at Yankee Stadium while simultaneously watching "Doubt," watched the Lakers beat the Nuggets -- can't Denver inbounds the ball? -- while watching "Frost/Nixon," and... that's it. I'd call that a good start to the holiday.
I'm going to go back to it now.
Pat O'Brien as a news anchor in 1980?
Oprah as host of "People Are Talking" on WJZ-Baltimore?
Yeah, it's the end of the week and I'm slammed. So YouTube it is. Apologies.
This week's All Access newsletter is about something to which I alluded earlier in the week. This goes into more detail:
So, you may have heard that we had a little earthquake here in the Los Angeles area on Sunday. I was working at the computer when I noticed the tell tale signs of the typical geological event in Southern California: house shaking, low rumble, cat frantically scrambling to hide under the bed. My first instinct in earthquakes is to do what they tell you to do, which is to get in the doorway. Honestly, we do it because we're told to do it. We have no idea whether it works, or whether it's just a cruel hoax being perpetrated on those of us stupid or crazy enough to live in a place like this. For all we know, one good shake could send the top of the door frame directly onto our foreheads. Or we could be left standing there unharmed with the rest of the house turned to rubble, like in a cartoon.
Anyway, that's the first thing I did. The second thing is to yell the obvious, because my wife was on the other end of the house. "It's an earthquake," I declared, adding, after a few seconds, "and it's a big one." And, to punctuate the point, I solemnly appended my analysis: "Whoa." Fran, displaying her acute powers of perception, responded, "Yeah." So we had come to an agreement on that.
The third thing I did, once everything stopped shaking, was purely an instinctual move: I turned on the radio. We hadn't lost power, but I still went to the radio, because my experience tells me that in the first few moments after a quake, I can rely on radio to get information faster and with more detail than television. Plus, if the power is out, it works. So I dutifully turned the radio on, tuned to a station we always go to in emergencies, and we were immediately greeted with....
...a discussion on politics in Pakistan. I waited for a couple of minutes, but the host, who happened to be sitting in another city, kept talking about Pakistan. Nobody broke in. Just ... Pakistan.
So I started scanning the dial. A sports station was talking about the earthquake, although the level of discussion pretty much matched what we had already said. ("Hey, was that an earthquake? I think that was an earthquake!"). Another talk station was starting to get its coverage going, but I decided to check the all-news stations; surely, they would be in full emergency mode. But the first one I hit was in an infomercial. Its sister station, also all-news, was providing solid coverage right out of the box, but the first one didn't break from the infomercial. Between the Middle Eastern political discussion and the infomercial, I had a difficult time picking my jaw off the ground.
Now, before we proceed, I want to make clear that I don't blame the people at the local stations for this. You have to play the hand you've been dealt, and if the corporate overlords don't give you a budget to have adequate staffing around the clock, or if they order you to run paid programming, it's not like you have a choice. Plus, despite what it felt like here, not far enough away from the epicenter, and despite the scary sounding "5.0," it didn't turn out to be a "big one." After the initial shock, there wasn't a lot to report: a broken window in Long Beach, some spillage at a grocery store in Redondo, two million Twitter posts saying "EARTHQUAKE!!!!" No harm, no foul. Right?
Wrong, of course. Here's the thing: The stations that let me down when I came to them for information are stations that I've relied upon in the past for emergencies. I always felt that I could put those stations on and get accurate and reliable information right away. Now, for me and for anybody else who came to them on Sunday night, that's no longer the case, and it's no excuse to say, well, another station did cover it, or that there was eventually a mention in the top of the hour newscast. Next time, if the power's out and I have to rely on radio, I know where I'm not going to go.
Again, I think this is what happens when corporate policy puts cost savings above public service. This happened in the number two market in America. I can only imagine what will happen if a more serious emergency hits a market where the news is being produced hundreds of miles away. If the board op on duty isn't paying attention, there will be no coverage when the public needs it the most. The radio industry spent a lot of time over the last few years trying to counter the Minot legend; apparently, the message didn't get to everyone in the radio industry. Yeah, I know, times are tough and the company has to pay that debt service. Fine. But emergency news coverage is a critical element of the product you make and sell. And, unlike newspapers, the demand for that information from radio will continue to be there as long as people remember that radio may be the only access they have to the news when there's no electricity. If that seems like a heavy financial burden, so be it. But it's essential to what we are. And it is not "more efficient" to put your station at risk of not being ready when something critical affects your listening audience.
I still love radio. I rely on radio. I want radio to continue to do what it's always done in good times and bad, emergency or not: be there when people need it. And I hate being let down.
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One thing that won't let you down (see what I did there? Segue!) is All Access, and, especially, Talk Topics, where you'll find stuff to talk about when the entire region isn't violently shaking. This week at Talk Topics, you'll find a mother who may be reconsidering her refusal to share her French fries with her son, the worst drivers in America, a kid with snails on his face, the "most mannerly city in America" (shockingly, Philadelphia did not make that cut), how the New York Mets cause SWINE FLU!!!, a Holy Cheeto, another reason not to use a tanning salon, a candy store war, school bus driver memories (with a cameo from Kindly Mr. Bates), why dog owners oppose D.C.'s plastic bag tax, a ton of stories about the Great Recession, and much more, including "10 Questions With..." KTSA/San Antonio's Jack Riccardi and the rest of All Access with the Net News that delivers industry news first, fast, and most accurate, columns, charts, job listings, and resources like the Industry Directory. It's all free and you should go there right now, so I'll wrap it up by reminding those of you in the U.S. to take a moment this weekend to honor the brave men and women who have given their lives in service to the nation. Turns out that Memorial Day isn't all barbecues, baseball, beaches, and 10% off at the mall.
I do have a lot to say, but not now and not here, because it's late and I'm experiencing some problems with this computer (and really don't feel like hauling out the MacBook Pro at the moment). Let's just say that I won't be doing any Microsoft commercials soon. "Congratulations, it's a PC," my ass.
No, I didn't watch "American Idol" and don't care. I just turned on the Cavaliers-Magic game with 25 seconds left. And that means... I'll see you tomorrow with "The Letter."
Today's California Quake Experience was a 4.1, an aftershock. We were working at our desks when it hit this afternoon; the house shook a few times from side to side.
But this time, the radio was on it. It helps that it hit when there were real newspeople in the building and local shows on the air. It did leave me feeling phantom tremors, though. I'm okay if the guy in charge of earthquakes decides to let up a little. Really, it's okay.
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We voted at lunchtime and there were few people at the polling place. The ballot measures all went down, it appears, except for the one about legislators' salaries, which is fine. It's pretty incredible that the Governor and the legislative leadership thought they could slip these fraudulent measures past taxpayers with the usual scare tactics and "it's for the SCHOOLS" bologna. Nobody was buying that. At least, few of the folks who bothered to vote.
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My only reaction to the Lakers victory tonight: How can a team just not be able to inbound the ball in a close game? The Ariza steal was inexcusable, yet you see bad inbounds plays all the time. My dad always complained about NBA teams' late-game inability to run even a simple inbounds play, the kind high school teams practice. They keep getting burned, and they keep doing it. The Nuggets blew a golden opportunity, but they're not the banged-up Rockets, so they can still make this a series.
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Enough for now.
One of these days, I will have time to devote to this site. Right now, it's time for some commercials:
If these bring back memories, you're probably my age.
We had an earthquake tonight, a reasonably strong one, 5.0 by early reports. We're okay, although the whole house shook violently for about 10 seconds. I was working at the computer, Fran was on the other end of the house, and there was a jolt followed by shaking; I jumped up, headed to the doorway, and yelled "earthquake... a big one... a REALLY big one." 5.0 wasn't THE big one, but it was big enough, and close enough -- the epicenter was in the area between Inglewood and Lennox, not too far from here.
So I turned on the radio. KNX was in quake mode. KABC was in quake mode. 710 ESPN was even talking about it. KFI, usually the best for quake coverage, was airing John freakin' Batchelor talking about Pakistan. He later mentioned in passing that there was a quake mentioned on the wire, then resuled his incredibly tedious discussion of Pakistan. Worse, KFWB is in infomercials, no break for the quake. It's inexcusable for talk and news stations NOT to break for quake coverage. I'm glad some stations went to coverage, but for two of the biggest to plow ahead as if nothing happened is just not right.
Come on, radio. You're better than that.
Jim Walsh posted this clip on Facebook, and it's one of my favorites from "Kind of Blue," so enjoy Miles and Coltrane in '59:
The annoyance factor was sky high today. From the idiot clerk at the Target in San Pedro who, rather than opening a register and taking the next person in line -- me -- instead just opened the register and prompted a stampede, to the elderly woman who drifted across three lanes to the right without signaling and then stopped and perused her cell phone screen in the middle of traffic, to the guy swerving from lane to lane at high speed cutting people off on Crenshaw Boulevard to speed past traffic until he arrived at the same long red light everyone else ended up at with him, it was a festival of aggravation.
I don't need that on Saturday. I don't need the problems with our pool, which how involve the pool guy, the home warranty company, two contractors, and one incredibly noisy ancient motor that needs to be replaced before it drives the entire neighborhood crazy. I don't need the cat waking me up at 5:30 to be petted. I just want a nice, relaxing Saturday with little work and plenty of sleep and no aggravation. Is that too much to ask?
Maybe I should cut out the part where I have to come up with something to put here. That's more aggravation right there.
This week's All Access newsletter... it'll do:
The other day, I was listening to a podcast about media and... okay, I know what you're thinking. Yawn. Buncha self-appointed experts yammering about how old media is dead. Yeah, well, that's always part of it, and so is the part where they prescribe what the "old media" should do but don't suggest how anyone will make money with it (with apologies to "South Park," Phase One: Give your product away! Phase Two: ? Phase Three: Profit!). I know, I know. But I listen to a lot of that stuff anyway, because I need to keep up with everything media-related and because I must have a masochistic streak.
So I'm listening and the talk turns to community. Community is one of those words that keeps coming up in conversations about where all media is headed, and it's the general consensus, of course, that the future is all about community: it's what makes people come back to websites again and again, it's the basis of "crowdsourcing" (there's another word that keeps coming up), it's what will have value however media get monetized when we get around to filling in that Phase Two gap. You want community, everyone agrees. Newspapers want to create communities. Every website claims to be working on some social networking thing in order to create communities. But it's hard, or maybe impossible, to consciously create a community; they just happen, driven by the members of the community themselves. People gather where they want to gather.
And it just so happens that you have already acquired what other media desperately want. You have a community. Your core listeners, the P1s, the fans, that's community. You have people actually picking up the phone and calling you. You have an army of people at your disposal.
Okay, what are you going to do with it?
Like the "experts," we don't know what having a rabid, committed fan base will be worth in the new media world. Even so, we already know how important it is in the old media world: A large following means ratings and revenue. But with more tools than ever to marshal those listeners and make them feel part of your station and your show, too many stations don't bother.
But there's no excuse not to get your listeners involved, not just with phone calls but where they are now, which is online. It's not enough to slap a Facebook fan page up and get a Twitter account. You need to give them a reason to go there, to gather and comment and talk amongst themselves. That doesn't just mean posting show topics, or news about your appearances. It's about getting personal, letting the listeners feel like they know you. Actually, it's a lot like what you should be doing on the air, only more so, and in a new space. Remember when Rush Limbaugh inspired "Rush Rooms" at lunch spots across the country? Now you can have your very own equivalent, only without fans having to leave their homes or offices. Set it up, tell them about it, and then get out of the way, except for actively participating just like everyone else. You can also put up message boards and chats at your show page as well, and, of course, Twitter is another way to reach people. They're all marketing tools, and they're all pretty much free, so there's no reason NOT to do it. And once you have that community going, you get a bunch of people who will follow you anywhere, whether you want them to show up at rallies or just listen to the show... or follow you to your next station.
It's obvious, you say? Okay, then, why isn't everybody doing it? Moreover, why are talk radio station websites mostly devoid of ANYTHING remotely close to enabling listeners to form a community around the station and the shows? Why is radio on the web primarily a one-way medium, just like broadcast radio is? Yes, station owners are pretty dim when it comes to this stuff, but you don't have to be. It doesn't take a lot of money, just time and effort to put your show on the social networking sites and maybe stream video of the show (the web is a visual medium, and even if it's just a static shot of you at the mic, you gotta give people something visual). Will all this stave off extinction? I can't predict what will happen to the transmitters and antennas and FCC licenses, but if you're a creative talent, there's no reason not to expand your presence online. Can't hurt.
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Thank you, by the way, for all the support Fran and I received for the Revlon Run/Walk last weekend to raise funds for women's cancer research. Great event, great day. The donation page is still up at http://tinyurl.com/perrydonate09 in case you want to throw a few more bucks to the cause.
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Because I'm once again running late, I'll keep the plug for Talk Topics at All Access News-Talk-Sports short this week. Anybody disappointed? Didn't think you would be. So, go to Talk Topics whenever you need ideas for your show; items this week include stories on how New Yorkers don't know New York, the widespread intense excitement over the new penny, why the fish you order at a restaurant may not be the fish you get, the World's Happiest Places, FOOD FIGHT!!!, a good time to wear underwear, what to do if your car dealer closes, why eating cereal while driving is a bad idea (unless, that is, you follow my expert instructions), why you're a klutz... er, "accident prone," the joys of eating bugs, a giant portrait of Alfred E. Neuman made out of old discarded AOL installation CDs, magazines passing the hat, how Miley Cyrus' lawyers are earning their hourly rate, and plenty of "real news" about the economy and "enhanced interrogation" and the return of the Montauk Monster, all lovingly prepared with just a hint of cilantro. What? Oh, and you get "10 Questions With..." none other than Montel Williams, who recently launched his radio show, and the rest of All Access with the radio and music industries' best/fastest news coverage, ratings, job listings, columns, charts, the Industry Directory, and lots more, for the recession-busting price of free. (See? Someone's figured out Phase 2!)
Again, thanks for the support at the cancer walk. Knowing that I was not only supporting Fran but representing a lot of folks in the radio business made me very proud. It was even almost enough to make up for the moment before the walk when I was typing something on my cell phone and they put me up on the huge video screen intently staring at my phone while surrounded by hundreds of people doing Jazzercise. The things I do for charity....
"The Letter" is a little delayed, so here's a hard-to-read video of a road work sign on which "ROAD WORK AHEAD" is spelled "ROAD WORK AHAD." Trust me, that's what it says:
Yeah, I need to get me one o' them Flip HD camcorders. Cell phone video=FAIL.
Again, nothing. Worked too late. Tomorrow, if I'm lucky, it's "The Letter." Lots to do, so we'll see.
I had to transcribe something today. Normally, I get interviews in text form via e-mail, or I've conducted the interview live and taking notes. In this case, I got an audio file. I was supposed to receive a transcript, but that didn't happen, and deadline was approaching, so I had to improvise.
I could have just started a few days ago, listening to the audio and typing what I heard, but that wouldn't be my style. My style is to try to find a technological end run around the problem, even if it eventually takes longer that way because of the hours wasted in a vain attempt to get something to work. So instead of just doing it the semi-old-fashioned way, I decided to try a different approach.
Now, I have speech recognition software. In Windows, I use the one that's built into the operating system. It's not great, but it's not horrible, either. On the Mac, I use MacSpeech Dictate, which is pretty good. the drawback with both of them in this situation is that they require training. You have to read several paragraphs' worth of material so that the programs can distinguish the words in your voice. That means that if you have a piece of audio with somebody else's voice in it, the software will have a very hard time translating what its hearing unless it's been trained in that voice. That not being the case in this situation, things did not look promising.
But you never know until you try. The secondary problem, however, was how to run the audio into the speech recognition software. The software doesn't translate what you play through the sound card. It only knows what it hears through a microphone. Solution: Using a headset microphone attached to my MacBook Pro, I bent the microphone so that it would pick up what was coming through the earpiece. This brilliant idea resulted in... garbage. It registered the sounds, but couldn't figure out what the interview subject was saying. I thought that maybe there were enough benchmark similarities in everybody's speaking voice that the software would get, say, 60% of the words right. I don't think it even got 10% right. I wish I had saved the result, but I deleted it in frustration. It made baby talk seem coherent.
Deadline was fast approaching, and I still didn't have a word transcribed. By this point, I could've had the whole thing done if I had just done it the traditional way. Now, I was sweating. But then I hit upon a halfway decent alternative, and that's how I got it done. Here's what I did:
1. Rip the audio file from CD onto the hard drive as an MP3.
2. Open the audio file in Windows Media Player.
3. Set the playback speed to the slowest intelligible pace.
4. Open Wordpad, turn on mic.
5. Play back file through headset and repeat what interview subject said.
And that worked, more or less, because the software knows my voice. It was mind-numbing, listening to an interview and repeating every single word, stopping every two sentences to fix errors, but it worked. I actually got the whole thing done in time to post before deadline.
So, what did I learn? I learned that just doing the work, even if I have to do it in a slow, tedious, old-fashioned way, is probably the best way to do it. You just get it done. But if I had done it the right way, I wouldn't have discovered this alternate way of doing things, and you just know that the next time I have to transcribe something, I'll be fiddling with microphones and slowing down audio files. It may not be the best way to do it, but it's mine.
Just watch and learn and memorize the Greatest Song Ever:
My mother passed away almost 15 years ago, so Mother's Day isn't the same for me as it is for most people. As I've written about my father, I sometimes wonder about what I would have gotten Mom on special days like this. Of course, I come up with a blank, although I suspect she would have said the same thing today that she said every year: "Oh, you don't have to get me anything... no, really, don't get me anything."
We always ignored her plea, of course. And she knew we would. Moms know that about their children.
Anyway, I could tell you about how much I miss Mom, but I write that every year. I could also say that those of you whose mothers are still around should try to make every day Mother's Day; I wish I could do that myself. But, in a way, I do. I think about her all the time. And I miss her every day.
If this works, you'll see a little movie about walking through the famed tunnel at the L.A. Coliseum today, at the Revlon Run/Walk 2009. And if you're interested in making a little late but appreciated donation, click that link to the right over there. Thanks! Okay, let's see if this works:
Oh, yeah, here's this week's All Access newsletter, plus, because my headache made me forget last night, I want to mention that yesterday would have been Mom's birthday. Happy birthday, Mom. I miss you still:
A lot has been written, including right here, about the demise of local radio programming across the country. Most of the time, when somebody pontificates about the lack of localism, the assumption is made that local is always preferable to nationally syndicated programming. Stands to reason, doesn't it? Isn't local better?
Not always. That's where I depart from some of the criticism that I read from other radio "experts." You see and hear people decrying "repeater radio" all the time, and in some cases, they're right. I'm not crazy about the way voice tracking has been implemented on many music stations, for example. And diminishing local news commitments are, I believe, really hurting radio; if a local radio station isn't going to have a solid local news team digging for stories and on the scene for emergencies and breaking news, it's abdicating its responsibility as a local station to be, you know, LOCAL.
But when it comes to talk and personality radio, whether it's on talk stations or morning shows on music stations, I think the complaints aren't quite as valid. First, by yearning for a return to the days when most radio was locally produced, we're forgetting that some of the national and regional talent available in syndication is there for a reason: they're good. Not all are that good, but there ARE several shows that deserve wider distribution than a single market, and there's nothing wrong with listeners everywhere having the option of listening to them. And why should radio be any different from television, where everyone gets to see "American Idol" and nobody's demanding that it get replaced by local versions ("Des Moines Idol"), or cable, on which everyone gets to see HBO and HGTV and the Flaxseed Channel or whatever else is on those high-number digital tiers nobody watches? Talent is talent, good is good.
And that leads me to my ultimate point here: If you're a local host and you're looking at fewer and fewer opportunities for local hosts, you have to step up your game. You have to be better than anything else a station could put on the air instead of you, and you have to make yourself an economically better bet than for the station to take something off the satellite.
How do you do that? Just look at the most successful local hosts. Here's what they do:
1. Seize every local issue and own it. Is the Mayor proposing something stupid? Is the legislature poised to raise taxes again? Don't just talk about it for an hour. Seize it. Protest it. Hold rallies, launch campaigns, get in the papers and on TV news. Chances are, not only will no other radio station be doing that, no other media outlet will be paying attention, either, until you make it an issue, an issue with your name and face and call letters all over it.
2. Relate everything to the local listener. For every topic, ask yourself: Does this really matter to the local people? Why should they care? Why should local people, in particular, care more than anyone else? If you can't answer those questions, maybe you need another topic.
3. If it's something the national shows will or can talk about, don't. The goal is to be the ONLY host on the dial talking about a particular on-target topic, and that's easiest if it's a compelling local issue. If it's a typical national talk radio topic, ask yourself why someone would choose to hear YOU talking about it rather than, say, Rush or Hannity. If you don't have a ready answer for that ("because I'm good!" is not an adequate response), talk about something else.
Yet I hear local shows across the country that sound like they could be anywhere. That's not necessarily a good thing. If you're competing with shows that ARE "anywhere," you need to offer an alternative. If that's not a good enough reason, consider this: the only way for a local host to survive right now is to make himself or herself totally economically indispensable, more costly for the station to let go than to leave alone. You get there by establishing yourself as THE show where people will hear what's REALLY going on in town. In other words, make yourself indispensable for listeners, and that, ideally, will lead to your being indispensable to the folks who sign your paychecks.
I suppose what I'm saying is this: GREAT local radio should be the goal. Local for local's sake is pointless. And you need to be able to make a case to the GM and EVP and equity partners that you are a wiser investment of their dwindling resources than dumping you and dropping into the lineup something they got for barter. Okay, so it's not as glib as making a blanket indictment of "cookie-cutter radio," but it's reality.
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And now, for the last time this year (applause): my wife Fran and I are raising money for breast cancer (and other women's cancer) research and treatment at the Revlon Run/Walk in Los Angeles Saturday (5/9), and there's still time to donate. We're grateful for your support, especially in this economy, and it's a great cause. Go to http://tinyurl.com/perrydonate09 and donate; your help will be greatly appreciated. Thank you!
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One place to find stuff to talk about, whether you're local or national or podcasting or using a Mr. Microphone, is, of course, All Access News-Talk-Sports' very own Talk Topics column, where the show prep keeps piling up with items about stuff like the botched chicken giveaway, pet "psychics," the intersection of germophobia and SWINE FLU!!!, the reopening of the Statue of Liberty's crown, unemployment, celebrity arrests, how Facebook is bad -- no, good -- for your kids' grades, bank stress tests, economizing, the World's Oldest Dog, the late-arriving SWINE FLU!!! vaccine, divine salami, Paris Hilton's finances, a giant Pabst Blue Ribbon bottle, the possible demise of NHL hockey in Phoenix, how a bird smuggler gave himself away, the race car fueled by chocolate, bedbugs, death by beer pong, and much more. Also available: "10 Questions With" NextMedia WSGW and WSGW-FM/Saginaw OM/PD/morning host Dave Maurer and the rest of All Access with the usual great news coverage, columns, and resources, all for free, and, unlike what happened with the KFC coupons, we've got plenty on hand for everyone.
Once again, Fran and I thank all of the folks who donated for the cancer charity walk this year. Our pride in representing radio at the walk will more than counterbalance the fact that, as we cross the finish line at the 50 yard line of the L.A. Coliseum, we will be serenaded by Michael Bolton. I think we're up for that challenge, but it won't be easy.
The column is delayed by headache. I believe that this is the least productive week on this site in six years.
Although there WAS the Che truck. That was cool.
Anyway, I'm going to go try to get rid of the headache. I'm sure you're riveted by that.
Another rough day involving computer trouble, reporting difficulties, and general irritation.
That means more YouTube. I've been particularly fascinated by some of the stuff posted by the Alexandra Palace Television Society, rare BBC footage, like....
Michael Aspel, now better known as the filmmaker of "7 Up," "14 Up," "21 Up," etc., was a news anchor at the BBC in 1962. This is a documentary about how they made TV news back then. Check the way film got across the Atlantic, and the guy talking on two phones at once. A lot of the switching stuff would fit on a laptop today:
A color TV test film from June 1960. It seems like another lifetime, but this film aired a week before I was born. Say... it WAS another lifetime:
What was TV like in 1937? Someone pointed a camera at a TV set during the coronation of King George VI. The film was used in a 1953 special, and a copy of that is what's here:
And this is an official film chronicling how the BBC covered that very coronation:
And the coolest one, silent film footage aken of a TV screen in New York of BBC television flickering across the Atlantic in 1938:
I love this stuff. I don't care if I'm the only one.
Back to no time available, so here's some YouTubery, like some commercials and bumpers from the summer of 1979 on WCAU-TV Philadelphia. I remember well when TV looked like this (only, for me, in black and white, on a tiny Sony in my dorm room) (I do not remember the Dr. David Reed show on WCAU 1210, as advertised here, but I do remember the "to the rescue" slogan, and there's Orien Reed with a 'fro and Al Meltzer with a ridiculous sports jacket):
Even greater, a reel of TV commercials for radio stations from 1979-84, with Ross Brittan and Brian Wilson on WABC, WGY Albany, WCOZ Boston, KDWB Minneapolis (with the old Crowell Collier signature jingle tune updated for the 70's), WKBW Buffalo, WMAL Washington, WDBO Orlando (check the couple jogging while the guy carries a boombox on his shoulder!), and Hot Hits WCAU-FM Philly when it was the hot one in town:
And how about this one sent to me by Spencer Howson of 612 ABC in Brisbane with highlights of this morning's "Today Show" from Nine Network in Australia? Co-host Karl Stefanovic was a little, er, happy the morning after an all-nighter at the Logies (the equivalent of the Emmys). Not exactly smooth:
If you grew up in the northeast at a certain time, you'll know the product before the vocals kick in:
And Sid Doherty and the best pronunciation of "Philadelphia" ever, a classic:
Encountered on my street, a workman's ancient pickup:
Look closer at that rust stain:
Che Guevara! My luck, it isn't Jesus or the Virgin Mary.
Absolutely nothing to say tonight. That normally doesn't stop me. It will tonight.
Nice day. Busy. Ate too much. That's about it. Now, it's late. No time. No post. One of these days, I'll have more time for this. This is not "one of these days."
It's the usual end-of-the-week I-don't-have-time-or-energy post! What joy!
Today involved:
1. EARTHQUAKE!!! In Sensurround! 4.4, epicenter in the hills south of Westlake Village and northwest of Malibu. We felt it; the house rumbled for a few seconds, and that was it. Exciting.
2. Danny Gans passed away. Too soon to reminisce about how schlocky and unentertaining... yeah, too soon. Condolences to his family and friends.
3. Chan Ho Park... ugh. I told you he was a bad idea.
4. I told you I don't have time.
