It’s no secret that I’m a huge fan of the work of TV Executive Producer Dick Wolf. If you’ve watched any of the Law and Order, FBI, or Chicago series, you most likely saw his name flash on the screen at the end of every episode.
He began his career in the 80s writing for one of my favorite all-time shows, and a precursor to the above three, Hill Street Blues. (In case you’re not familiar, go here.)
Dick Wolf’s overall responsibility is overseeing content, marketing and distribution – very similar to today’s radio OM and/or PD so there is much to learn from this man.
- BRAND BUILDING – All three franchises have distinct personalities and styles, making it easy to determine the differences (and the similarities). You know what you’re getting each week. Storylines aren’t complicated. For PDs, this is job one for you. Create a station brand message clear enough for listeners to understand and depend on each day. The message meets their expectations.
- STORYTELLING – Each series is known for compelling storylines that can move viewers into the next week. You don’t want to miss any of what’s ahead. Some storylines take several episodes, some just one. Work DAILY with your talent to be focused on content that captures and retains interest, whether it’s funny, fascinating, or thought-provoking. Don’t discourage ongoing themes, either. There are lots of instances where personalities/stations had an ongoing story within the staff that would be shared with listeners every day until the conclusion. One of ours here in Nashville used the house-hunting experience as his story when he first made his move. This was all happening when the “world” was moving to the Music City about 7 to 8 years ago. Created a strong tie-in with the audience.
- CHARACTER DEVELOPMENT – You really know the characters in each series well enough that you feel a special bond. This is so crucial for air talent – that emotional connection with listeners, which takes time and careful work developing the character(s) on each station show. Determine personality roles at the onset or when a new person joins a show and stick to those roles religiously.
- ADAPTING TO TRENDS – Each series has found ways to address current events and various social issues within their weekly storylines, thus reinforcing their solid connection with the viewers. Staying on top of trends, knowing what’s on the listeners’ minds, and being prepared to pivot when something relevant affects the audience becomes a bonus.
- CROSS PROMOTION/SYNERGY – These series now promote, within the previous show that night, a compelling scene as a tease. As a PD, you know the value of cross-promotion and effective teases throughout the day. Think about playing show excerpts that are coming up as teases. Listeners don’t care about live or recorded. They just care about being entertained. It’s better than the usual empty “coming up in minutes”.
- CONSISTENCY – Characters may come and go on each of the series, but the overall theme never changes. They seem to find the right blend of new to meld with the established and keep on moving. You may have some very talented personalities but knowing that they may exit/retire at some point, you really should strive for the station to be the biggest star over any personality. That takes us back to number one, for sure.
- HEART – Each series has a way of tugging at your various emotions. Some nights you are left smiling, and some nights you are left with a lump in your throat. They have a way of triggering what’s in the hearts of their viewers because they know their audience so well. Your on-air talent should have that same empathy for their listeners. Make sure they aren’t afraid to show emotion, whether good or not so good.
I would highly suggest catching at least a couple of episodes from each of these series, if you can. Have a notepad handy. You will learn a lot and probably wind up doing, as comedian Anjelah Johnson says in her comedy routine, “anything Dick Wolf” to make your station better.
