We All Live In Michigan

At least when it comes to the need for local radio, as seen in this study commissioned by the Michigan Association of Broadcasters:

If the battle for listeners’ loyalties comes down to “high-tech” versus “high-touch,” a major Michigan research project conducted by the Communication Research Institute (CRI) shows listeners strongly prefer the ability of local radio stations to keep them in touch with their communities.

The research results stand in stark contrast to recent media hype surrounding the emergence of competing audio services including satellite radio and personal audio players.

Click HERE for the entire news release.

The Medicine of Music

The Songs of Love Foundation creates free personalized songs for critically-ill children.

Call 800 960-SONG to find out more about a song for one of your listeners or get behind their efforts.

KLOS To Set World Record Blood Drive

This is a great example of how something once small has taken on a life of its own over the years. The very first KLOS Blood Drive was just a single-site, single-day event but has grown to a seventeen-site, three-day event and has collected more than 70,000 units of life saving blood since its inception.

95.5 KLOS-FM in Los Angeles is gearing up for their 24th Annual KLOS Blood Drive in partnership with the American Red Cross and the Blood Bank of San Bernardino and Riverside Counties and is on track to set a world record for most blood donated at a multi-site blood drive! More than 5,000 units have been pledged so far and the expectation is to surpass 6,000!

Joel Whitburn Strikes (Country 1944-2005) Again

FYI: this invaluable resource is being updated this fall: Top Country Songs 1944-2005

And, while you are doing P-O's for approval, tell your GM that I said that Jeff Green's amazing compendium is also vitally-important to any creative producer.

It classifies 25000 popular songs by nearly 1400 themes; includes discographies - GREEN BOOK OF SONGS BY SUBJECT

My advice: ya gotta HAVE them both!

Is Your Boss A Psychopath?

If so, Fast Company has some important reading for you:

Is Your Boss a Psychopath?
Odds are you've run across one of these characters in your career. They're glib, charming, manipulative, deceitful, ruthless -- and very, very destructive.

Quiz: Is Your Boss a Psychopath?
The standard clinical test for psychopathy, Robert Hare's PCL-R, evaluates 20 personality traits.

Radio vet Kent Burkhart remembers a few...

A Very Good Idea - ICE (In Case of Emergency)

Thanks to Standard Radio of London Market Manager Braden Doerr for this simple yet important suggestion. See below then pass it on.

As long as everyone knows what ICE (In Case of Emergency) stands for, this is not a bad idea. It was thought up by an ambulance man/paramedic whofound that at the scenes of accidents there were always mobile phones onthe victims, but the emergency personnel didn't know which numbers to calland he thought that it would be a good idea if there was a nationally recognized name to file "next of kin" under.

Following the disaster in London, East Anglian Ambulance Services have launched a national "In Case of Emergency (ICE)" campaign with the support of Falklands war hero, Simon Weston. The idea is that you store the word " ICE " in your mobile phone address book, and against it enter the number of the person you would want to be contacted "In Case of Emergency."

In an emergency situation, ambulance and/or hospital staff would then be able to quickly find out who your next of kin are and beable to contact them. It's so simple that everyone can do it. Please do. And also email this to everybody in your address book. It won't take too many "forwards" before everybody will know about this. It really could save your life, or put aloved one's mind at rest. You can put more than one contact name in yourcellphone's address book. Just use ICE1, ICE2, ICE3 etc.

Explaining Hip Hop's Appeal To Kids

Marie Tyler of the Midland Reporter Telegram on teen music culture as #5 in a six part series on radio in west Texas: (be sure your pop up blocker is on before clicking on it!)

* Don Cook, of "La Mera Mera" believes kids, whether they listen to Spanish or English music are alike, "They have their hip-hop," and beyond that "it has more to do with their mom and dad, the kind of music they like and the groups they like."

* "The format for today's generation is hip-hop," said Gloria Apolinario, the vice president and market manager from Clear Channel Radio.

Tim McGraw To "Ya Gotta Believe"

The Inaugural Tug McGraw Foundation event - - Ya Gotta Believe Gala - - November 14, 2005, will feature Tim McGraw and a host of celebrities as the Ya Gotta Believe spirit lives on in New York City.

Toby Keith To Salute Chris LeDoux In Cheyenne

The Denver Post reports that Keith has sold out his July 29 and 30 concerts at Cheyenne Frontier Days, which opens today and runs through July 31.

Keith promises a special surprise for one of his concerts: "It is being put together right now," he said. "I can promise them a really, really special treat on one of those nights. Some of the people will probably figure it out. But that's all I'm going to say, because I want it to be a great, great surprise."

One thing jumps to mind: a salute to the late country star and Frontier Days' favorite son, Chris LeDoux, who died in March. Keith was a long-time pal of the rodeo cowboy turned singer-songwriter.

Other Cheyenne Frontier Days headliners this year are Ted Nugent, today; Tim McGraw, Saturday and Sunday; Sara Evans, Wednesday; and Big & Rich, Thursday.

Fair, Balanced and Boring

Jim Walsh is a self-described libertarian Bismarck, ND, talk show host whose blog is laden with buzz and opinions.

His take on Sean Hannity's recent New Jersey FREEDOM CONCERT is worth thinking about before planning coverage of your next station scheduled event: does it pass the WHO CARES test?

LeAnn Rimes headed the bill for Hannity's event at Six Flags Great Adventure in Jackson, NJ.

Inspiring Teachers

In my book, every air personality should be identified with at the very least one 'good cause.'

Sure, it's great PR .. and sends a message that you care about your community and are working for good. But, as with any kind of volunteer work, the paybacks actually come from the opportunity to meet and be inspired personally by the kind of folks who give their time and money to make our world a better place.

If you need any more inspiration than those words, take a look at the work of Dyan Hershman and Emma McDonald at Texas-based "Inspiring Teachers Publishing."

Sure, it's a business .. and a book they are trying to sell, but, click around their website and see if - like me - it doesn't give you some good ideas of needs you could fill locally!

Contact: Lucy Casimir, Marketing Coordinator

A Sign Of Our Times

I received an email today from Dave Robbins, GM of what many folks would call 'two stations' in Chicago.

But, under his email signature, a different story entirely:

Dave Robbins
Vice President, General Manager
Infinity Radio Chicago
WJMK 104.3 HD1 JACK-FM
WJMK 104.3 HD2 Greatest Hits of the 60's and 70's
WJMK ONLINE www.wjmk.com
WUSN 99.5 HD1 America's Country Station
WUSN 99.5 HD2 Chicago's Future Country
180 N. Stetson
Chicago, IL 60601

What do you bet that the folks who USED to program those two stations are now creating the content for four or five of them? Talk about a great time to be in the content business. Opportunity is all around us these days!

Sales Tools And Tips From Taz

FYI - a great idea newsletter to subcribe to.

The WIXY-1260 Fan Site

I was one of those fans. This is a radio station that exists 'bigger than life' in memory. As WIXY and 10-12 year Chicago jock and music promotion exec Terry Stevens says: "...it makes you wonder, mmmmmmm, maybe this might work on radio today.."

Is your station so 'great' in the minds of your listeners today that they will flock to a fan site for it in three or four decades? Why not?

ARB Survey Reminders - Better Than String On Your Finger

Research Director reminder: Phase 2 of the Summer 2005 Arbitron survey begins on Thursday, 7/28/2005.

A tip from Charlie Sislen: Now is the time to review the effectiveness of your Phase 1 marketing. Make adjustments based on marketplace conditions, competitor actions or listener response.

Sign up for their email reminder service. tailored to your market at TRD's website.

Earl Scruggs At Wyoming Beartrap Festival 7/23/05

Bob Davis, PD at Clear Channel's KTWO, Casper, had a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to "hang out with a legend" over the weekend:

"..Got the chance to talk with Earl Scruggs for about an hour and a half all by myself. (My wife) and I drove him and the band (8 people) from the airport to the top of the mountain (in two Chevy Blazers) and had supper with them then drove them back to the airport after the show. We picked them up at the airport at 1:45 and got home about midnight.

"Scruggs is 81 years old. Earl's grandson graduated from ETSU Medical school. The drummer lives in Johnson City. He just bought a house across the street from the Girl Scout camp. He is originally from Elizabethton. The fiddle player is Stuart Duncan, one of the best fiddle players today. The gray haired guitar player is Albert Lee, one of the most famous guitar players in the world, he is from England and plays for all the big rock groups (look them up on Google.com). CLICK to see Tullydavis's Album: Beartrap 2005w Earl Scruggs

"We had more fun than anybody at the festival, It rained in the middle of Earl's show and everybody got all wet but it was fun."

It's Colgate Country Showdown Time Again

PD/morning guy (they don't call him "Radio Rich" for nothing!) Rich Bowers at WIBW-FM, Topeka, could give you more info if you are interested in doing this promotion next year.

Pew: (At Least Half Of..) Listeners Are Luddites

Thanks to KMPS MD/afternoon guy Tony Thomas for emailing a link to this reminder that it's always wise to test the waters before moving too fast to new tech terms and technologies.

PS, FYI = here's a "Luddite" look-up.

A collection of Bud Light Commericals

.. in the event you need a quick lesson in Gen X attitude and advertising.

How Hot IS It In Denver? Not TOO Hot To Get Married (And Wet)

Jon Wild from KYGO, Denver wrote yesterday: "It's so hot here we're breaking 100 yr. old records. Made Nat'l News this week when I married 6 couples on the water slide at Six Flags. I do it every year."