Why Michael Martin Is One Of Radio’s Best Programmers

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    CBS Radio’s Michael Martin started out as an intern at KIIS-FM in Los Angeles in 1987. In nine short years he was programming KYLD in San Francisco. Radio executives knew how to spot programming talent when they saw it.

    In addition to being a great programmer, Martin is a wicked fierce competitor who knows how to find and keep outstanding talent. He’s a music expert who has the skill to find the hits before anyone else. Most importantly, in today’s radio world, Martin understands how to create programming that is listener and sales friendly.

    Martin is now the SVP of Programming and Music Initiatives at CBS Radio and he programs KLLC and KMVQ in San Francisco (market #4). And by the way, Michael Martin is one of Radio Ink‘s Best Program Directors for 2016 (release date: 5/9). Here’s an extended interview with Michael Martin on how to be a great programmer.

    What do you want your stations to mean to the community?
    We are stations made up of people. People who live where our listeners live. We have a sense of pride for where we live. We share the same concerns, fears, successes, and celebrations. We live in the moment and reflect what is happening locally and worldwide. When tragedy hits, we not only report, but we rally together with all affected. We open our airwaves and platforms to let people talk. All any of us want is to be heard and understood, especially in a time of need, debate, or celebration. We strive to be consistently present for all things happening in the lives of the Bay Area residents. It’s like in any relationship – it’s not what you say, it’s what you do.

    What is your biggest station accomplishment over the past year?
    Adaptability. We’ve had great ratings, sold-out concerts, out-billed bigger clusters in the market in Miller Kaplan, but the biggest accomplishment is our ability to be nimble and adapt to a constantly changing environment. Some just can’t do that, and our team has embraced and excelled.

    Describe the traits of a successful PD in 2016 and moving forward.
    First of all, understand you’re not just programming radio. You are a content creator. Create great content and distribute that content every way the audience consumes content. We used to do radio. Then digital became an extension of radio. Now, we create content and distribute it on multiple platforms at the same time.

    Paint the picture to the team of where you want to go. Hire the right people and let them do the job for which they were hired. Encourage them to take risks, try new things, speak up, and ask questions. Make the team be a part of the process so everyone can own it.

    LISTEN. That 19-year-old phone screener knows a hell of a lot more than you do about social media and what’s happening in the clubs and on the streets. Be a sponge and stay curious.

    Track the audience in real time. Live in the minute like the audience is. You have to be nimble. Change at the drop of a dime. React to the world and life of the listener when something socially or musically happens. Understand Friday is different than Monday. Sunny is different than rainy, and reflect that in what you do. Don’t change music rotations “every Tuesday” when research comes in. Research is live and coming at you in real time, so adjust accordingly and constantly.

    martin twoYes, you have to understand the mechanics of any given ratings system at the time and know how to work it to your benefit. “PPM mechanics” is just the chip to get you to the table to play. You have to know them. They have to be innate, but what wins a game isn’t the mechanics. A basketball player, hockey player, guitar player have practiced shots, chords, scales, 10,000 times and mastered them, but when they hit the court or the stage, the swagger kicks in and that’s what wins the game. That’s what gets the crowd going. Have swagger. Have confidence. Have fun. Take that shot and do it with flair.

    Be different. Don’t be a suit. Don’t be a sheep. Be quirky. Understand your best people will also be quirky. I always say, “Every Brady Bunch has a Jan.” You have to know how to motivate everyone, realizing everyone is different. A successful PD understands the unique quality of each player and how to put them in the right position and give them the right tools to succeed. Be high maintenance all day; just keep delivering me #1.

    Have you won any industry awards?
    Like anyone who’s done this long enough, I’ve racked up a few awards, but to this day, the one I love the most is an award created just for me at the Jammy Awards – the “Hates to Lose at Anything” award. It means so much to me because they obviously know me well. Whether it’s ratings, concerts, music discovery, or ping pong, I’m not in it to lose. To this day, that award makes me smile.

    Send Michael an e-mail to let him know how much we appreciate the work he does making great content 

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