Lessons From Legends

This past week, the Library of American Broadcasting Foundation named the honorees for the 2025 Giants of Broadcasting & Electronic Arts luncheon and awards ceremony, which honors those who have had a lifetime of excellence in broadcasting.

There is much to be learned from the radio crew among these Giants.

Rick Dees has been on air for more than 50 years. Best Known for his years on KIIS/Los Angeles and his long-running syndicated show, Rick Dees Weekly Top 40. Dees taught many of us by how he performed. You could learn by listening. I was a Program Director in Los Angeles at a competing radio station when Dees first arrived in LA. I listened. I learned.

The general thinking was that, given the size of the population and the expansive geography of Los Angeles, you couldn’t speak to specific small areas or neighborhoods. You had to be mass appeal and broad in your references so that someone in Pasadena could relate to something someone is hearing in Santa Monica. Not so. Dees spoke about communities, mentioned landmarks, and spoke to the masses by speaking one-on-one. Seems like a given now. Not so all those years ago. His insight and brilliance made him what he was to become. Many programmers and on-air performers copied Dees and his legendary co-host, Ellen K. That model of “He/She” interaction influenced the design of many morning shows.

Kelsey Grammer played the role of psychotherapist turned radio talk show host Dr. Frasier Crane on the sitcom Frasier.  I credit his nearly accurate portrayal of a radio talk show host to one of the writers on Frasier. Ken Levine brought broadcast credibility to the role because of his own on-air experience as Top 40 talent “Beaver Cleaver.” He also wrote for M*A*S*H, Cheers, Almost Perfect, The Simpsons, and more. It didn’t hurt that Ken’s father was a longtime radio executive at talk radio KABC/Los Angeles. 

Grammer played the character in a way that I often use as an example when coaching talent. He listened to his callers or guests. All too often, personalities are focused more on their next question than they are on hearing the answer to this question. Some hosts make interviews more about them than about the guest. Interviewing a guest is different than speaking to a caller. You speak to a caller for the listener to hear your take. You interview a guest to hear their take. Kelsey Grammer played it that way on Frasier.

Gary Sandy has been referred to as America’s PD. In the role of Andy Travis on WKRP in Cincinnati, he was cool, collected, reasonable, and much more balanced in times of crisis than most of the Program Directors I’ve worked with in my career. His character put a spotlight on the people behind the scenes. The ones you don’t hear on the air. He is beloved for his role, and I still see framed WKRP posters hanging in stations. 

During the days leading to the launch of the show, because I was a PD in LA, a mutual friend suggested that Sandy visit and observe me at work for a week, to see what a PD does. A little something to help him in his role. After day #1, Gary told me that being a PD was much more boring than he thought it would be. That is accurate. The lesson from this award-winning actor; do the research it takes to know your job. Be prepared. Work hard. It’s something that’s stayed with me through the years.

When it comes to recognizing those behind the scenes, those that made the magic happen by leading those in front of the microphone, no one deserves this recognition more than Dick Ferguson. When I first met him, he was the CEO and President of New City Communications. He went on to serve as COO at Cox Radio. His resume includes having been President at Park City Communications and President of Katz Broadcasting.

Dick was an early believer in the use of research for programming and the development of sales techniques. Many of us learned how to be “masters of war” by watching how he applied the results of the market studies his groups invested in and applied to their approach. The discipline to execute listener-driven strategies showed great results. Like many other businesses, success is emulated. The root of that success seems to have been abandoned by many. Ask the audience what they want, and give it to them.

Steven Portnoy is too young to be a legend. In his early forties, he has time to add to an already growing legacy. His youth belies his experience in searching out and delivering the truth. That is at the core of his talent as a storyteller. His commitment to the preservation of storytelling in broadcasting is most admirable at a time when the delineation between news and opinion is often blurred. Knowing the past is an advantage in knowing the future. Steven’s commitment to the LABF and preservation of its archives is a testament to how broadcasting creates passion among the industry’s constituents.

Lessons Learned from LABF Legends:

• The closer and more relatable you are to a listener and their community, the better connected the listener will be to you. A strong connection with your audience leads to consistent success. It builds listener loyalty. 
• Look for lessons in whatever you see and hear. Even if they come from a sitcom, a familial discussion, something you read, or a story shared by another. It starts with paying attention. Listen.
• Put in the time to prepare. Work done well and in advance builds confidence in one’s ability to succeed. Success begets success is more than an expression. Learn by observing. Conversely, accept your failures and learn from them.
• Don’t work in a vacuum. Ascertain what the audience wants and give it to them. Retailers strive to satisfy their customers. Why do we fail to find out what listeners want and instead “try things” on-air to see what works?  
• Explore and value the past. Too few know from whence we came. Don’t live in the past, but learn from it so you can be better than it. 

The Library of American Broadcasting Foundation 2025 Giants of Broadcasting & Electronic Arts luncheon and awards ceremony will take place on Friday, November 14, at Gotham Hall in New York City. Tickets and more information here: Library of American Broadcasting Foundation.