
I’m going to guess that, at some point in your lifetime, you have watched (or have been forced to watch) the long-standing TV game show Wheel of Fortune. This past year, the franchise underwent a monumental change losing its 42-year host, Pat Sajak, to retirement and replacing him with multimedia star Ryan Seacrest.
The entire process from Sajak’s announcement to Seacrest’s debut is an A-plus lesson in media personality transitions. I have to say that even using the word “seamless” feels like an understatement.
A quick history – Sajak made it known that he was retiring from the show back in June of ’23 and a week later, Seacrest was announced as his replacement. Sajak’s last show did not come until June 7 of the past year and Seacrest did not take over until September 9th. Between June 8 and September 8, a series of repeat shows aired. SO much to learn here!
1. On-air Succession Planning
- Have a clear plan for any major talent transition, whether it be retirement, career change, OR the “unexpected” departure. Wheel, undoubtedly, had the Sajak info well before his announcement so they could quietly shop for the next host.
- Once a selection is made, make it a point to identify them to the audience and integrate them gradually into the on-air mix using that time to promote the new show heavily. Once the information was out, the show ran lots of promos featuring Seacrest leading up to his debut.
2. Maintain and Leverage Your Strong Brand
- Wheel has been a strong brand for years with an extremely loyal following. Even though Pat Sajak was very much a part of the show, he wasn’t THE show. This was very evident by the retention of famous co-host, Vanna White. How often is an entire show blown up after one of the main characters leaves, especially when it’s a heritage radio station?
- In addition, nothing about the basic show has really changed since Seacrest joined Wheel of Fortune. Same wheel, same amount of guests. What has changed is Seacrest’s style vs. Sajak’s, of course. He’s less a jokester and more a conversationalist. As the show has grown, you can see that evolution happening.
3. Communicate the Change Clearly and Effectively
- Very often, there will be a host leaving a show on a Friday and then a new one pops up the following Monday complete with promos, marketing, etc. Why not slow that process down by, first, being transparent about the reason for the transition, before anyone even shows up on air? This will help ease any concerns, build trust, and cut down on station “migrations.”
- As mentioned earlier, create a space in time during the transition, to promote the new host and highlight them on other shows. Press releases, on-air promos, social media, and other marketing tools can be at your disposal. Plan on taking some time to make this person known. Create anticipation.
4. The Importance of a Strong Personality
- Wheel of Fortune could have opted for another legacy game show host but opted for one of the most well-known personalities out there in Ryan Seacrest. He has proven his worth through all the transitions of American Idol plus his very successful run with Kelly Ripa on daytime TV. Don’t settle. Find that person who you know can connect, entertain, inform, and engage the listeners daily.
- Make sure there is chemistry with the existing personnel. No doubt that the producers of Wheel had to see how Ryan and Vanna interacted in various situations. Had that not been a good fit, we would have seen someone else in Sajak’s spot. Once again, it’s another area of comfort for your listeners and creates a lot less show turnover.
A phrase I have repeated often: think 5 years down the line, not 90 days. When it comes to replacing a key daypart/personality, make it worth the change.