Constantly Challenge Yourself To Be A Great Radio Leader

Nick Martin is the General Manager for Big River Broadcasting in Florence-Muscle Shoals, AL, a company he’s been working at for 25 years. He’s also a consistent resident on Radio Ink’s Best Managers in Radio list. Here’s why…

Nick Martin got his unofficial start into radio while playing little league baseball and getting a chance to do some play-by-play. Professionally, he entered the industry 35 years ago in 1983. Thirty-four of those years have been in Management and he’s been with Big River Broadcasting for the last 25 years. This year Martin’s stations swept the state broadcaster’s “Best In Broadcasting” awards in several categories, including Sports Broadcasters, On Air Personality, and Radio Station of The Year in the state.

Radio Ink: Why do you believe you’ve been able to achieve the success you have as a manager in radio?
Nick: Number one, I thank the good Lord each day for having the opportunities that I have been blessed with. I feel like I was very prepared when I got into this business in 1983. I had a great education from the University of Tennessee at Martin and learned from one of the greatest communications professors that I think anyone could work with, Dr. Gary Steinke. Gary had practical experience in radio management in Lansing, Michigan, prior to teaching and he was able to bring that to the classroom. This was priceless to learn from someone that had been where I was going. And I think education continues to play a role in the success I’ve had in this business. I have always tried to attend as many conferences and workshops as time would allow: CRS, RAB, NAB, ABA, sales, legal, programming, etc. You can’t rest on your past successes, you’ve got to continue to push yourself and stay on top of everything around you. Embracing change and thinking outside the box and ahead of the curve have always been part of me. When I’m traveling I always listen to local radio from the smallest of markets to the largest and see how they do it. My mind is constantly turning to compare our product to theirs. Continually challenging and comparing myself has led me to be prepared for most anything that pops up in daily operations. Overall, I think I have a great understanding of what it takes to be successful in this business, from ratings to revenue. I have surrounded myself with very good people and I let them do their jobs. I give the guidance they need on where I think we should go and then get out of the way and let them do it. More importantly I have the confidence and trust from Big River’s ownership, the Phillips Family, to do my job. When I first met Sam Phillips years ago, he wanted someone that would challenge his creative vision for this business — the same vision he had when he discovered Elvis and became “The Father of Rock an Roll” at Sun Records. Sam was very passionate about this business and Big River Broadcasting. I told him that he wasn’t hiring a “yes man,” that he was hiring a manager; someone that he could count on and put trust in to get the job done. And to this day his sons Jerry and Knox let me and our entire team manage their business. That’s what makes me successful and Big River the success that it is — they let us do our jobs.

Radio Ink: Who mentored you, and how did they help you succeed?
Nick: There are a number of people in my career who took me under their wing and helped guide me along the way. They taught me different aspects of the business and how to succeed. Their influence still holds true in my career today.

First would be Dr. Gary Steinke and all of the professors in the Communications Department at the University of Tennessee at Martin from whom I had the opportunity to learn from and work with. Their staff of industry professionals turned professors, provides a great opportunity for students to learn first-hand from those who have been in the field. Combine that with facilities which give students practical work experience and you have a formula for success. Knowing that I was truly prepared to enter this industry gave me an advantage when I graduated and started my career. I’m very proud to serve on the Communications Industry Advisory Board for UTM to help shape the curriculum. This department continues great work today, preparing students to enter the workforce. Their college radio station has been recognized twice in the last few years as Best College Radio Station in the country.

Next would be the late Rusty Walker, one of the best, most respected and successful programmer’s this industry has known. He was the definition of an industry leader! When I landed my first GM job, it happened to be in Rusty’s hometown. He was one of the first people through the door to introduce himself and offer a helping hand. We weren’t one of his clients, he just wanted to help. We often talked about stations he worked with in all market sizes, where he would share perspective and strategy on how they were able to succeed. Even though it was the absolute smallest of market sizes for me at the time, I was able to learn and apply some of the same principles that the largest markets were utilizing. Later in my career, we had the chance to become one of his clients and work together, and we still work with that company today.

Another would be the late Frank Woods. Our paths crossed when I was working in Nashville early in my career. He played a critical role in launching several major companies, including Shop at Home Network, CMT, Media One, and Sun Group. We would often sit and discuss all facets of the business, from transactions, deal making, personnel, sales, and programming. On multiple occasions, I had the opportunity to accompany him on station visits to observe and consult. This experience proved invaluable to a young broadcaster looking for an opportunity to grow. While we never officially worked together, he was instrumental in my career path and growth. He helped put together a deal that gave me my first taste of sweat equity, and later played a key role in my joining the Sam Phillips Music Organization.

Finally, the legendary Sam Phillips, a man who changed the world. Prior to Sam’s passing in 2003, we had 10 years of spirited conversations about this business, along with his passion and vision for it. He was as much a pioneering spirit and visionary in the radio business as he was in the music industry. He wanted those qualities instilled in each member of the team — always encouraging us to think way outside the box, exercise creative freedom, and to simply be true to yourself. Never conforming, but leading. I’ve been with Big River Broadcasting 25 years, and I can honestly say that his influence still plays a major role in how we operate each day.

Radio Ink: What do you expect from the people you manage?
Nick: I expect quite a bit from each team member, because every person plays an integral part in the overall health and success of the company. Responsibilities vary by department and position, but at the end of the day expectations are the same at all levels. Each person is expected to be prepared to do their job by learning and mastering the necessary skills and tools needed. They are also expected and encouraged to continue self-education on new technology and issues within our industry to allow for future advancement and professional growth. But the single most important thing I expect is accountability. I hold myself accountable daily, and expect nothing less from each team member. We all have a job to do and are professionals when we walk through the doors each day. I expect everyone to do their job and perform at the highest level.

Radio Ink: When/how do you know you have a great employee who has the potential to become a manager?
Nick: Not everyone is cut out to be a manager, nor does everyone want to be. When you see an employee taking initiative outside of ordinary responsibilities, thinking outside the box, looking for additional opportunities, then you’ve got someone who is on the road to being a potentially good manager. Respect from co-workers is something else you look for. People start to take notice when they see another team member’s performance go to another level. They will immediately begin to view them with different perspective. That’s a perfect opportunity to give them more responsibilities and bring them into management.

Radio Ink: What is the number one challenge you face every day as a manager, and how are you overcoming it?
Nick: The biggest challenge we face each day is getting everyone to focus on the fact that we are now a multi-platform business and industry. Each position now carries additional responsibilities and opportunities with clients and listeners to help the company grow ratings and revenue. Most of our folks are seasoned professionals with years of experience in radio. Now that technology has allowed us the opportunity to extend our brands in many different directions, it’s challenging in all departments — sales, traffic, programming, and engineering — to maximize the potential. How do we overcome the challenge? We constantly reinforce all of the opportunities that we now have to interact with listeners and avenues for clients to reach new customers. Time management is certainly a key to everyone’s success. It’s no longer just selling radio, or opening a microphone and entertaining the audience. You’re still that, but now you are so much more in this on-demand world of consumption. We continually try to educate and get everyone to focus on ALL of our products and services.

Radio Ink: Tell us what your biggest/most proud moment at the station or cluster was over the past 12 months.
Nick: The best moment of the past 12 months would have to be one our stations being named 2018 Radio Station of the Year in Alabama at the annual Alabama Broadcaster Association Abby Awards celebration in March. WXFL received the award for the second time, previously winning it in 2011. Awards are also given in multiple categories for programming, promotion, digital, personalities, etc. Each station was recognized with awards — eight total, including the big one! Seeing all of the stations and departments recognized and rewarded for outstanding performance was awesome. Having department heads, ownership, and other team members there was a great evening. It was a very big night for the Big River team.

Radio Ink: What does it take to be a strong and successful manager in radio today?
Nick: To me, the most successful GMs in the business are the ones that come out of small markets and up through the ranks. If you’ve been a GM in a small market, you’ve likely done it all. Doing an airshift when someone calls in sick, sales, billing, traffic, copywriting, production, play-by-play, remotes, limited transmitter work (unless you are an engineer as well…and I’ve known several that are). You name it, we’ve done it, and that makes for a well-rounded manager that has a true understanding of what this business is, how it runs, and what it takes to succeed at it. I’m certainly not taking anything away from large-market guys. They operate on a different level and do a great job at it. But the most successful guys know the entire business from the ground up: how to generate ratings, revenue, make payroll, and get the bills paid — not just looking at the bottom line of a p/l statement. Add to that digital opportunities that now exist and you have to be able to see the road ahead and not just one lane of it. Successful GMs today should know where the business came from and where it is going.

Radio Ink: What would you like to see the radio industry be better at?
Nick: I would like to see the radio industry do a better job of reaching out, promoting, and educating students and other professionals on the benefits of joining the workforce in this great industry. Now, more than ever, being a broadcaster means so much more. With the multi-platform world we live and work in, this industry has enormous opportunities for a long career path and growth. Radio stations now look for more than just sales and on-air skills, there are needs in video production, audio production, sales, marketing, graphic design, writing, engineering, IT — heck flying a drone might even get you hired! I serve on the Communications Industry Advisory Board at the University of Tennessee at Martin and consider it a privilege to work with the departments heads on shaping the curriculum for those students pursuing a career in communications. I also serve on the Alabama Broadcasters Association Board of Directors where we focus on this through outreach and job fairs with various universities. Also, establishing the ABA Engineering Academy has proven to be a groundbreaking move for the industry. I would strongly encourage industry leaders to get involved. This is a great time to be a broadcaster. We need to spread the word!

Reach out to Nick and congratulate him on being one of radio’s best at [email protected]