Hidden Talent: The Industry Needs You!

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(by Randy Lane) Ten years ago, someone could call and ask me to help them find talent for their show. Immediately, I could think of several people or shows to recommend. This is not the case any longer.

I was encouraged by the number of young, new faces who attended Morning Show Boot Camp. It’s good to know that radio is still attracting young people to the industry. However, more than ever, these promising new talents need coaching and development to help them become sought-after stars.

The lack of training and guidance given to air personalities was highlighted by the Jacob’s Media talent survey presented at the MSBC last week in Chicago. The results were predictable; forty percent never get air-checked, and the ones that do get performance reviews once or twice a year. The survey underscores the fact that air talents who are not getting feedback on their performances feel less passion and optimism for their craft and for the radio industry.

Bert Weiss, of The Bert Show, finally had to go outside radio to replace a cohost because the talent pool has gotten so shallow. There are plenty of people out there with talent who are not being developed. Can you name any profession that doesn’t require ongoing professional development?

If you are not getting feedback on your show, try these alternatives:
Get feedback from a programmer or consultant outside your market.
Exchange feedback with another air talent on your station’
Listener Panels at your station are a good place to get feedback

 

2 COMMENTS

  1. Right-On Ronald! Too often “Bean Counters” try to reduce expenses by cutting the very things that made radio such a wanted medium by the listeners & those who strove to be in such a great “service” industry!

  2. Randy might also agree that fewer people have put radio on their list of media with which they would like to participate for the following reason:
    Radio is no longer a true “performance” medium.
    The majority of day parts have been relegated to voice tracked and/or “robo-jocked” shifts.
    There was a time when role models were all over the dial. These included the major market Super Jocks who got beamed into our home towns as well as the local “stars” plying the trade in our small and medium local markets. They had their role models, as well.
    This generated an extremely competitive environment where skills had to be acquired and dues had to be paid.
    Today, the talent base is required to a.) have a pulse and, b.) show up – semi regularly.

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