Nurturing The Dreamer

In its current incarnation, the radio industry is able to generate sufficient revenue to remain quite healthy on a day-to-day basis. And let's face it, most of us have our heads buried in 90-day revenue forecast projections.

Existing technology, programming, management and sales practices continue to prove tried and true - albeit tempered with a good deal of recent corporate consolidation. With all of the trimming down to "lean and mean" of late, it seems that a few of today's top execs are being hired for being so good at firing. But once we look past the next 90 days, we are left to ponder... where will the next generation come from?

I was prompted to think about this topic in response to a number of recent inquiries I've had about college broadcast faculties, college radio stations and how young people can get started in the radio industry. At the same time, an old friend from college, Michael John Sabia, was making news with his recent reorganization of Bell Canada Enterprises. It got me to thinking about our roles as mentors, what we originally set out to accomplish and the way in which we measure success. We definitely need someone experienced to put our affairs in order, but where do we go from there?

From a technological perspective in this digital era, we are running on fumes. AM and FM, while close to our hearts, have been around a long time... seemingly eons in this disposable, instant-update world. If we want to dip into the pockets of a new generation equipped with Blackberry, Palm Pilots and cell phones serving up theme songs and video games, we better begin with some startling innovation.

It's eye- (and ear) opening to realize that the only area of the music industry showing growth last year was the licensing of song rights for those cell phone ring tones. I will resist the temptation to quote Bob Dylan as that in itself would be anachronistic. Let's just say there is a tremendous opportunity for the broadcasters and marketers of tomorrow to step in and start showing us up. And if we're smart, we'll help them do it.

There are a couple of issues here. First of all, programming. I presume that many of us are tired of hearing about how boring radio has become. My response is that, contrary to what some young people believe, there is no corporate backroom conspiracy to foist bland programming on a public craving cutting edge content. In fact, broadcasters, as business people, want to give listeners whatever it takes to win their loyalty. Station management would probably be willing to transmit white noise if it generated audience numbers.

The job of the next generation is to better understand listeners' preferences through better research. Something far beyond auditorium testing and call out research. We must somehow tap into the psyche of a listener and begin to understand what sorts of things might get them excited, things they couldn't possibly have foreseen. Then comes the most important part... the magic. Something that doesn't generally emanate from the jaded naysayer steeped in experience. It comes from the one who still believes anything is possible and is willing to work to make it happen. The dreamer.

Such an opportunity exists for students and people starting out in the industry. We've ridden the current train as far as it can go. Let's turn the wheel over to those who can make the train fly. Make no mistake; those with experience have invaluable advice to contribute. The son is nothing without the father. But never forget, the reverse is also true.

All of the above also apply to technical innovations. I sit in awe of DAB (digital audio broadcasting), the web, streaming and 24 bit audio just as I did with that marvellous crackling transistor radio of my youth. The medium has a lot of magic left to transmit. I saw it in the eyes of my eight year old son when I gave him a bedside radio for late night listening.

I don't know what technological marvels the future will unveil, but I do know that I want to be there cheering when it happens. It is only when we lose sight of endless possibilities that the future begins to look bleak.

In the end, the radio medium will survive and prosper, not because we met our 90-day revenue projections, but because of the next generation.