Be Different From The Lazy Radio Personalities In America

Radio shows in America are like burger chains: hamburgers with a variation in taste, but still just hamburgers. So, create a show that people can't experience anywhere else except by tuning into your show. Throw all those prank phone calls and "question of the day" bits in the garbage pail. These have been on the radio since the '70s. Have captivating conversations on your show that make your audience want to hear more of what you have to say. What can we hear from you that is new? What unique contribution will you bring to the world today in the way you speak about the top news story everyone in America is discussing? How much thought have you put into what you are going to say on a subject? Are you going to try to sound smart by repeating the words of other people, or do you have an original idea? I hear people reading straight off the prep service as is, making general comments about the story, with nothing personal to contribute to the conversation. Of course, the ending is the classic line, "Well, we'll see how this all plays out." Ugh! I tell the shows I work with that they must take their time in show development and write it out. Write, write, write! Create your show on paper. Drill down into the topics. How many angles can you come up with? How many points can be made? What personal stories do you have to share? Let's come up with an audience participation angle if warranted. Prepare for your shows like the editors for World News Tonight on ABC. Keep what is good and edit out what is bad so it does not hit the airwaves. What can we recycle from yesterday's show and remix for today's show? Write, write, write. Be different from the lazy DJs in America!

"Editing and Rehearsing: Secrets to Radio Excellence"

Anybody, no matter their level of expertise, who thinks they have reached the top of their development in their craft is fooling themselves. There is always more to learn, more to do, and many more levels to attain to become a master. I believe in practice, practice, practice. How you practice is how you play. How you prepare is how you show up on your show everyday. Many radio personalities don't even consider practicing and rehearsing what they're going to say on air. Consider this article, "Has Radio Missed Its Cues from Television?". No television show goes on the air unprepared. There is plenty of editing and deleting. Why not adopt these practices in your on-air performance? You will see that your show will turn out great every day, when you edit out what you don't need. Raise the expectation level of your listeners. Give them quality conversation by presenting the best of your ideas, vetted and edited by you before they go on air. The More prepared you are, the more creative you will be.

Break Free from the Newsroom: Create Unique Content with your own Thoughtfulness

Improve the time you spend preparing for your show. Are you thoughtful about what you're going to discuss with your radio listeners or podcast fans tomorrow? Preparing for your show is not about waiting for some editor in a newsroom to decide what is newsworthy and then regurgitating it back to your audience. Stop that. That's not a show prep. First off, I'm a human being. I don't need anyone to tell me how to think or feel about what's happening in the world. What can I bring to the world that you own as an experience and not just what somebody else said? How do you take the top news stories that some editor deemed noteworthy and present them in a unique way? Who made this person the authority on what is important? Really think about that. Why would you let someone else's thoughts guide the direction of your show? Thoughtfulness!! This is what I'm talking about. It's not about what somebody else thinks; it's totally about what I think. I get to decide. It's my show, and I'm taking full ownership of its content every day. Here's the question you may want to ask: "Well B.J. So you are saying you want me to ignore the top news story everybody is talking about?" Of course not. I'm saying that I get to decide how I'm going to talk about this news story. What angle do I want to come from? Let me sit down and be truly thoughtful about how I feel, instead of blurting out cliche statements that you think make you sound smart. I may feel totally opposite of the popular opinion. To be remarkable in this game of radio, you have to make remarks worth remarking about. This only comes from drilling down on presenting your unique, well-thought-out ideas and presenting them to your audience. See how many angles you can come up with by being alone in a room and using your brainpower, not somebody else's. For every topic see if you can come up with 10 to 12 angles or more. Have fun being yourself on the radio!

The Urgency of Living: A Reminder of Our Remaining Decades on Earth

There is a lot that needs to be said before we leave this earth. The sense of urgency is upon us as time seems to be moving faster. The rotation of the earth is accelerating, and so is the pace of our lives. We carry on as if we are going to live forever, but we all share one undeniable truth: we are all going to die. We don't often think about ourselves lying in a casket, but one day, people will walk by and view our bodies just like we have been doing since the pandemic. Our time here is brief, and there are many profound questions to contemplate while we live. Here are a few. 1. What Do I Really Want to Do with My Life? How many more summers do you have on this earth? It's not that many. The realization that our time is limited should inspire us to pursue our true passions. What dreams have you put on hold? What aspirations are you neglecting? Now is the time to seize those opportunities and live a life that fulfills you. 2. What Have I Been Telling Myself Internally? What has the voice inside my head been programming me to do? Often, we are our own harshest critics, repeating negative mantras that hold us back. It's time to challenge these internal narratives. What would happen if you replaced self-doubt with self-belief? 3. Am I Ashamed to Fail in Front of Others? What am I ashamed of if I attempt to do something that would make me happy and it fails? Failure is a part of the journey to success. Would you rather live a life of safe mediocrity or take bold steps toward your happiness, even if it means stumbling along the way? 4. Where Do I Want to Be Right Now? Is there a place, a city, a state, or a town that resonates with my soul? Why am I not living there? The environment we live in has a profound impact on our well-being. If there’s a place that calls to you, what’s stopping you from being there? 5. Why Do I Care So Much About My Family's Judgement? Why do I care so much about the way my family will judge me if I don't think like them? Family expectations can be a significant source of pressure. But your life is yours to live, and finding the courage to follow your path is essential for your happiness. 6. Am I Willing to Pay the Price for Freedom? Am I really willing to pay the price to completely control every aspect of my day, every day? True freedom comes with sacrifices. Are you ready to make those sacrifices to live a life on your own terms? 7. Can I Live Off Less to Have More? Am I willing to do that, and do I care how I am judged for my personal decision? Minimalism can lead to a more fulfilling life. It’s about prioritizing what truly matters and letting go of societal expectations. 8. Am I Willing to Be Alone with Myself? Solitude can be intimidating, but it is also a space for profound personal growth. Are you willing to spend time alone to better understand yourself and your desires? 9. Is What I Am Doing Right Now Beneficial for My Future? Is what I am doing right now going to put me where I want to be 30 days from now or 1 year from now? If it is not, then why am I doing it? Every action you take should align with your long-term goals. Evaluate your current activities and see if they match up with your ambition. Our time here is limited. Today give yourself permission to share what you know with others. Don't bury the knowledge.

An Everlasting Radio Romance: How Radio Shaped My Life and Career

My Career has been like a long love song. Peaks and valleys and blissful moments of conquest. Have you ever put a song on repeat that meant something to you that you could never get tired of hearing it ever. I just can't shake the melody. It reminds me of myself, and what I love everytime i hear it. "I'm strung out over you my dear radio career. You have taken me places I thought I would never live and experience. You have made my dreams come true, and you have shown me what a nightmare looks like. You have made me happy and you have made me so sad. But I long to be in your arms always. As long as I live I am yours. No matter the ups and downs, no matter the price I have to pay to be with you, there is no way I could live without you. I know you didn't mean to hurt me when you did, and I forgave you with my whole heart. I've been so in love with you since I was a teenager. We grew up together and now we have grown old together. I'm holding your hand so tight and you are still holding mine tightly too. We are in love till death do us part.I remember you staring at me while I was eating breakfast in the morning as a child growing up in Goldsboro NC. You were a green AM radio sitting on the dryer greeting me every morning with those 70's soft rock classics and that familiar voice giving the lunch menus with laughter. All I know is the only thing I had on my mind when I got back home from school was for us to be locked up in the room practicing this new thing. I was falling in love with something I could not explain. I just wanted to be alone with you for hours everyday understanding what I was becoming without intention. I'm writing this because I was just listening to the vibration of a song I had not heard in a while, and it reminded me of my love for this thing called radio. A love supreme is what this is. This love affair began in 1980, and here we are 44 years later reminding me never to deny what you truly love. As I look at the change of the two worlds, terrestrial and digital, I am setting my rocket ship to land on the digital planet and letting that same love guide me. Dame Dash recently said Do what you do for love only. Let's recreate our passion for what we love on the digital side. 1. Audio. 2. Video. 3.Images. 4.Written

Americans believe the current era (2020s) is the worst for radio Programming, So how can Black Radio DJs Regain That Old School Magic

As a new YouGov survey reveals, many listeners feel today's radio is lacking the personality and edge that made urban radio so captivating in decades past. With streaming and endless choices, there are ways for us to reinvigorate Black radio. Get Your Personality Up One of the biggest knocks is that radio today sounds too cookie-cutter and lacks those big, vibrant personalities that hooked listeners back in the day. We need DJ's that don't just introduce records - we want your humor, insight and unique perspective. Don't be afraid to let your true self shine through. Share compelling stories from your life. Diversify That Playlist The survey slams radio spinning the same 20 tracks on repeat all day. Introducing fans to dope new artists and sounds is how you build respect and loyalty. Let's make radio exciting again by keeping things fresh and unpredictable. Connect With The Community What separated Black radio icons was their profound connection to the community they served. Get out to your city's hot spots, attend cultural events, broadcast live remotes - find creative ways to showcase your town's vibrant scenes and sounds. Making listeners feel like they're part of something unique breeds deep loyalty. With streaming's rise, radio must continue to grow by tapping into the fearless spirit that made urban radio ahead of the curve. Today's DJs can breathe new life into the airwaves. The blueprint is there - now it's on us to reinvent that magic for a new generation."

Sharing A Note to One of My Million Dollar DJ Friends from 2013

One of my millionaire DJ friends asked me back in 2013 after the loss of his job, what should I be doing to get back on track after being in a major market for over a decade. I know what I told him 11 years ago is still available today. 1. You’ve been a beloved DJ in your city for over a decade. Everyone knows and loves you there. I told another Millionaire DJ friend this: If people knew they could listen to you online every day, they’d be thrilled. The people who let you go didn’t start your career, and they won’t decide how it ends. That’s up to you! 2. Reconnect with a salesperson from the station you were close to. Team up with two or three people and approach advertisers who couldn’t afford the station but would spend money with you. Market their businesses on your blog or podcast. 3. Identify the top social media influencer in your city and bring them on board for your new project. They can help spread the word that you’re back on air at www.yourownwebsite.com Let everyone know, you are back in play!" 4. Make appearances in your city as if you were still working there. You have built a lot of equity in that community. 5. Announce your new online show through a TV interview. 6. Have someone interview you about your career and current projects, then promote it online. 7. Produce a spot-on cable TV. It’s affordable and effective. 8. Hire young, tech-savvy individuals to help you promote your show online. Create flyers, assemble a street team, and inform local politicians about your new venture. Interview them as well. 9. Stop feeling down because no one is calling you for a job. It’s not because you’re not good; it’s because the industry has changed. Create your own brand of radio. You know how to do this! 10. Dedicate a year to developing this project. You’ll see it’s worth it, and you’ll feel energized again! 11. Become a marketing powerhouse for local businesses. Help them attract customers, and they’ll love you. Your big personality will draw people to in-store appearances. Champion the small business community in your city. 12. Learn to do production yourself, but don’t hesitate to seek help. 13. Embrace a new mindset. This is about life with a microphone, not traditional radio. Be genuine, not fake. 14. Don’t be lazy. Work at this every day. This is your project; respect it. 15. Remember, everything valuable comes with challenges. After difficulty comes ease, and you’ll find happiness. I’ve always admired your talent, and you’re one of the greatest I’ve ever known. Believe in yourself because I believe in you! I hope these ideas inspire you, me, and others to take control of our careers. Who will join us in pioneering urban radio’s New Media space? Are you waiting for someone to start an internet company and hire you? Subscribe now to get blackradiotalent.com in your inbox.