Personality Radio Tip: Have a conversation without Gimmicks

"Do What You Do For Love Only"

I decided I was not going to do anything for money anymore, especially in the sense of chasing money. I said I was going to do everything I do for love from this day forward. What do I mean? I was not born to chase money. None of us were. I was born to love. "Well, how are you going to eat, BJ?" Of course, all of us need money to live, and you can't survive without it. I’m stating that I need to earn my money in the name of love. I don't want to chase the bag. I despise that term, as if that is all there is. Again, no, I'm not talking about working for free. I'm talking about the work that you do. Do it for love only. I want the bag on my own terms. I'm not going to chase it; it will come looking to embrace me when I do things for love. This realization came over me the other day. It just made so much sense that I wanted to share this with you. I thought about all the things I wanted to feel, and it had nothing to do with trying to acquire material possessions. I love fine cars, homes, and luxury items just as much as anybody. I am not saying these things don't have a place in my life. This working-for-love notion makes me not ashamed of how I want to acquire everything I want on my terms. To broadcast in the name of love means more to me than anything. When I speak to my audience, love goes before me. I am an electrical transmitter sending a signal out into the universe. I'm searching for a place in the hearts of all those who listen to me. It comes in all forms of conversation: fun, laughter, serious dialogue; it does not matter, it's all the same. This thought just made me say, "Brother BJ, just go all in, in the name of love." Why would I be ashamed in this short life to live boldly in the name of love? What if we could be truthful every time we opened our mouths to speak? What if we allowed ourselves to feel what we know is real for us? What if everything we did in life was in the name of love? Do you think the universe would betray you? Hell no. It would embrace you. This message is not for the chase-the-bag people. This is for the people who want to be themselves all the time, who want to be free in all facets of their lives. We all should spend the rest of our lives doing what we do for love, because love is the greatest force in the universe. Love is undefeated. Leave a comment and let me know if you have thoughts about doing things only for love.

You Must Get up! Your Journey is Not Over!

In the radio industry, you must have grit, courage, resolve, bravery, fortitude, stamina, and audacity. A batch of radio pros were recently let go from Beasley Media in Charlotte after being in that market for years. Recovering from disappointment is the key to continuing your career in broadcasting or whatever industry you are in. Remember, these people did not start your career, and they do not have the power to end it. If you have recently been let go from an opportunity, I encourage you to look up YouTube videos on resilience. Take this time to reacquaint yourself with yourself. When you lose an opportunity, it’s always a great starting point for self-discovery and what you really want for your life. With the internet, the opportunities are limitless, and you should never again allow yourself to be held captive by a paycheck. Getting let go from a job that you have been performing well at can kind of mess you up if you don’t understand the brutality of the entertainment business, which has no empathy. Sometimes you’re up, sometimes you’re down. It’s all about how you recover from disappointment. How you manage it, how you learn to manage it is important for your life. I’ve talked to many personalities over the years who have suffered a setback, and I’ve used my experience to help them go to the next level in their thinking about what they want to do and continuing their journey. Reach out to me. I would love to help you navigate your next career moves

. Trust me. It is a very exciting time. This setback may be the setup to answer your longed-for prayers.

In 2004, I was Liberated to be myself on the Radio!

What is comedy In Radio? It's Simple.. You can do it anytime you want!

Are You Betraying Yourself when you Speak?

Listen to latest Podcast on, Do Black Radio Audiences want to hear Coonin and Buffooning on the Radio

Why have we as Black radio personalities been programmed to think that the more negative you are, the more people will flock to your show? Go listen to our latest Podcast Do Black Radio Audiences want to hear Coonin and Buffooning on the airwaves>

Do Black Radio Audiences Only Want Cooning and Buffooning on the Airwaves?

Do Black radio audiences expect you to talk about entertainment news, do a prank phone call, and see how vulgar or insulting you can be? Do they like explicit sexual conversations while they are riding with their children in the car? Do Black radio audiences only want cooning and buffooning on the airwaves? Why have we as Black radio personalities been programmed to think that the more negative you are, the more people will flock to your show? Over the years, listeners have been programmed as to what a morning show should sound like. You had to be goofy and kooky and see who could say the most outrageous things on the air. Who could push the envelope? Some programmers made you come up with these stupid benchmarks that you had to do every hour. Remember the "Don't Say Ahh" game, the "Battle of the Sexes," "Which One of Us is Lying?" or some goofy game to win concert tickets. I mean, every show in America was doing the same thing. In the '90s, a bunch of show prep services popped up, and everybody would just talk about what was sent to them. People tried to do their best version of the morning zoo, then the shock jock era. Then everybody had to have a comedian on their show. I did all that too, until I woke up. I definitely credit going to do mornings at KRNB in Dallas as my rebirth in personality radio. I really learned how to be myself. Sam Weaver and Ken Dowe helped me to give up gimmick radio and learn how to have a conversation and be myself. I remember when I got to Dallas and they wanted us to get on the air to practice overnight. It was the most liberating feeling I had had in years, just talking and having a conversation, just saying what you felt without fear. I learned how to get personal and revealing in those 2 years of being there. At that time, Tom Joyner was on mornings at KSOC (Radio One at that time), and I was on KRNB. Both stations had inferior signals in the market. When I arrived in 2004, it took us a year to beat Tom Joyner 25-54 in the ratings. I attribute it to our candor-driven content. Boy, we revealed a lot of personal stories on that show, and we were becoming popular. Listeners knew my wife's name and recalled things we shared about ourselves. We had no benchmarks, just content we developed. It was a talk show that played music, but we used the first exit rule in all our breaks. Listeners used to say, you guys don't talk long enough. The first exit rule is knowing when to end the break and get off the talk highway.( LOL) From that experience, I have never wanted to be a cookie-cutter, contrived radio host. I just wanted to be me on the air always. Ken Dowe told me, "I want you to just go on the air, say what you wanna say, and be a man." Even though my ending there was negative, it put me on the road to do personality radio. My next gig was in Chicago with Elroy Smith at V103. Elroy's mantra was, "Have you touched your listeners emotionally?" I use that as a guidepost today as I am developing my talking points. I have to give the people who I really am on the inside to touch who they are on the inside. When I speak, and I'm listening to myself, I am careful not to betray myself. What I mean by that is, am I really saying what I feel or what I think you want me to say? So, on the air, I say, "To thine own self be true." For clarification, I do not talk about sexual content on my show. I do not use profanity on the air. I do not say mean things about people unless I am describing something. I don't use sexually explicit innuendos on my show. I don't do pranks. I just offer myself. I broadcast knowing and accepting that I may not be the show that floats your boat. But I do know that there are people who want to hear what I have to say, and I am fine with both those realities.

"The Key To Connecting With Women On The Radio"

Here are some of my thoughts on the new study that just came out about "What Women Want On Radio and What To Do About It." If you have a woman in your life, it's a good chance you know her likes and dislikes. Your mother, your wife, your daughter, your aunt, your grandmother. Imagine all of them sitting in front of you while you are doing your broadcast. Imagine all the women you know from your church, your job, the lady at Starbucks that always makes sure your coffee is extra hot. Why do women respond to you the way they do? When women favor you, that is the ultimate acceptance. Just take a moment in silence and think about all the women you know and your personal relationship with them. Write down why you think they like you. Since I don't know what it is like to be a woman, I should study the women around me. Remember your life and the daily activities that surrounded how women took care of you when you were young. Imagine all the things she has to deal with on a daily basis and she still manages to have time to listen to your show. What do you do to make your mother laugh, your daughter, or your wife. Do that on the air. Be your natural self around women. 1. Women like people who are honest. 2. Women like people to do what they say they are gonna do. 3. Women watch how you treat other people. 4. Women are sensitive, but they do not like to be lied to. 5. Women are caring and nurturing. 6. Women like to feel special and be secure in knowing that they are the apple of your eye. 7. Women like to feel safe. Do they feel safe with you as their companion listening to your show? If you can make them feel that from your show, you have a fan for life. Ask the women who interact with your show what they like about it today and do your own research. Read the complete article in the link: [New Study Reveals What Women Want On Radio and Suggests What To Do About It](https://www.insideaudiomarketing.com/post/new-study-reveals-what-woman-want-on-radio-and-suggests-what-to-do-about-it) Read more of our articles on personality radio at [www.blackradiotalent.com](www.blackradiotalent.com)

New Study Reveals 'What Women Want' On Radio

Here's our brief summary.... During weekday mornings, AM/FM radio is the preferred choice for 44% of women, particularly between 5-8 am. Women value morning radio for its companionship, local news, humor, inspiring conversations, and interesting stories. Those aged 35 and above are more inclined towards entertainment/pop culture and news/current events. There's a growing interest in topics like family, health, relationships, and friendships, with a desire to incorporate more comedy into programming. Women are drawn to radio for companionship, fun, ease of use, mood enhancement, and the fact that it's free. -The findings are from radio programming consultant Alan Burns & Associates in conjunction with the Cumulus Media/Westwood One Audio Active Group and MARU/Matchbox Read complete article in the link: https://www.insideaudiomarketing.com/post/new-study-reveals-what-woman-want-on-radio-and-suggests-what-to-do-about-it

How to Keep The Listeners You Earn

In a crowded media space, think about what a privilege it is for people to be attracted to your content and come back day in and day out because they like listening to you. They've given you permission to have some precious time out of their lives that they can't get back. It's your job to make sure the time they spend with you is well worth it. Give your listeners your best. It will come back to you. Your mindset must change on how you honor the people who listen to you. Never let them down. Super serve them by being attentive to them and return correspondence in a timely manner. Acknowledge them every chance you get, treat them like family. When other human beings gravitate towards you and surrender their ears to your content, never take them for granted. They are actually saying that you are one of the people that matters in my life. Keep them with you by being consistently compelling every day.

Command Your Listeners Attention Over Their Smartphones:

You want to have the type of show that is engaging. Work hard to create the type of content that your listeners will ignore a phone call to hear your complete talk set. Your show is so important to them that if their best friend called and they looked at the phone, they would pause and say, “I'll just call them back.” You've won the battle of split attention. How can you ensure that you are insulating yourself from splitting attention with your listeners' smartphones? Remember that the smartphone is a powerful device that people pick up at least 72 times a day, according to a statistic that I saw. So here are some pointers: - Make sure your content is well-developed before you bring it on the air. Am I speaking in generalities or am I giving them something they have never heard before, to make them engage with me? - The future of your on-air success depends on the differentiation of how you deliver content. Everybody is talking about the same thing today, but it's important that you give more thought to how you are putting together your talk break. Here are some questions you need to ask yourself: - Why is this important enough for me to present to my audience? - What can I add from my own personal experience with this topic? - Do I have very strong opinions about the subject? - Is it something I would talk to a friend about? - Where am I going with this? Can I make it relatable to my audience? - Do I have any impactful points of view regarding this topic? - Is this too difficult for me to translate? Then don't do it! You have to make your listeners feel like they are missing out on being entertained, informed and inspired if they don't keep their attention tuned into your show from moment to moment. Aim to be consequential in the lives of your listeners.

"Copy-Paste is Not Show Prep: Rewrite, Rethink & Make On Air Content Truly Yours"

I am hearing too many radio personalities ripping and reading copy on the air, fumbling and bumbling, trying to read entertainment news without editing it and just plain rewriting it in your own words. We have to stop presenting other people's words as our own. It really makes you sound like an amateur and not connected at all to your content, using umms and ahs as your brain is trying to process someone else's writing style. Stop doing that today! A part of show preparation is writing. Write and rewrite your content. The stories you find that are interesting to bring on your show, rewrite it, edit it, and make it yours. Make attention to detail a daily part of your on-air execution plan. Why rewriting your content is important: 1. We are aiming for clarity. 2. Eliminate filler words. 3. Get to the point quicker to add your personal thoughts and give more depth to the story. 4. Eliminate the long setup using unnecessary jargon. 5. Proofread to make sure you are saying this in your voice. Take pride in being different. Organize your own thoughts and not somebody else's thoughts. Show prep writing takes more time, but it will differentiate you! Make it your business today to listen to different shows, and you will be able to tell who took the time out today to organize their own thoughts, and who is just ripping and reading and rambling content on the air that somebody else wrote. Let me know what you think!

"How to Come Up with 20 or More Original Pieces of Content for Your Show Every Day"

A day in the life of a radio host should be spent scouring for content to talk about. Develop a list of go-to websites for content: News aggregation sites are good. Online newspapers and magazines. Local and national sites from all over the country. There are hidden gems in the most unlikely places. Write and rewrite stories to make it fit your personality. Never read what someone else has written if necessary. Write it over in your own voice. Talk about things you are really interested in talking about. Don't be afraid of sharing what you have been carrying around in your head.Don't be generic!Be specific! Life Observation: Did anyone say anything interesting to me in the last 24 hours I can bring on air with my audience? What are your original thoughts? Forming an opinion about your content: I want to know what you think. Be specific and then tell your audience why you feel so strongly about it. Determine what your strongest content to start off the show will be. How you will recycle your content during the show. What questions will you formulate for audience engagement? Tell personal stories that relate to your content. Determine am I really interested in talking about this at this time? Can I develop it more to re-present later? Am I doing it just because everyone else is? If a major event happens in America, you must address it, but give your unique perspective. This requires thought with you and a blank white sheet of paper.Force yourself to rewrite all your content! Is this content I'm prepping for something I would talk about with a friend? What one or two points out of this story do I really want to focus on? How fast can I get to the meat of what I want to say? Trim the fat. Get to the point. No long setups please! As the leader of the show, are my team members also putting a lot of thought into the show? You must dedicate hours out of your day to really do some good preparation for the show. If you are able to come up with 20 or more content pieces, only use the one's that really resonate with you. Don't force what does not really turn you on. Remember, Getting to the station an hour before you go on the air is Not Show Prep! Show prep is a disciple that separates mediocre DJ's from compelling host.

How to Stop Sleepwalking Through Your Radio Career

Here are some questions I want you to answer today about your career: What would you do, if you were fearless in your chosen path in your radio career and you knew it could not fail? Examine what are the skills, talents, abilities that you possess that you have acquired over decades of working in this industry. If you knew you couldn't fail doing it in the digital space, would you pursue it? You need to pursue that thing immediately, whatever it is. What are the three things that are stopping you from doing that? Grab a sheet of paper and find a quiet space and write these things down to move forward in your career and stop sleepwalking. Now, what do I mean sleepwalking? I'm talking about expecting things to happen as they always have happened in the industry. You're looking for somebody to recognize how good you are, give you a call and say hey man what are you doing these days? Would you like to come work with us at Empire Broadcasting? I can start you at 75k with bonuses, is that ok?. This is not the 70s, '80s, 90s, or even the early 2000s where people were looking for you. In today's world, you have to create what you want to see happen in your radio career in the digital space. Stop waiting for the magic phone call. Call yourself and say, hey I got an opportunity for you! I think podcasting is still uncharted waters. Creating YouTube content, creating on-demand content on the different social media channels over a long period of time consistently will win you the audience that you're looking for. See, what we want is for someone to hire us to talk to their audience so we can feel good about ourselves. Ask yourself, has anybody called lately? Let’s get busy creating this content for the digital space. To all my Veterans out there, just take what you have done for the last 30 to 40 years on terrestrial and transfer it to the digital. You are already ahead of the curve, just do it.