Marketron

Radio on Main Street Podcast Featuring Tony Gray, President and CEO of Gray Communications

In this edition, Erica Farber, President and CEO of the RAB speaks with Tony Gray, President and CEO of Gray Communications.   Tony is one of the longest tenured urban radio programming consultants and provides stations with personal consultation, research evaluations and market analysis as well as talent recruitment.

His single piece of advice to the industry is to never compromise the product.

Radio on Main Street Podcast Featuring Tom Webster, Senior VP for Edison Research

Smart speakers are quickly becoming commonplace in the homes. In fact, a recently released study by Edison Research done in partnership with NPR stated 18% of all Americans 18+ own a smart speaker. These audio playback devices feature voice activated digital tasks and can operate as home automation hubs. Serving as a central information source for users, these devices are most importantly providing easy access to listen to one’s favorite radio station.

Erica Farber is the President & CEO of the RAB and in this edition she speaks with Tom Webster, Senior VP for Edison Research. They discuss some interesting findings from the study covering such topics as ownership and usage data, media behavior interests and activities, and purchasing and advertising attitudes of smart speaker owners.

Radio on Main Street Podcast Featuring Dan Vallie, President of the National Radio Talent System.

A common concern expressed by broadcasters in all size markets is the need to attract the next generation of broadcasters. An idea that first began at Appalachian State University in Boone, North Carolina was an incubator created for well-rounded and well-educated college talent with a passion, determination and an interest to begin a career in Radio.

In this edition, Erica Farber, President and CEO of the RAB speaks with Dan Vallie, President of the National Radio Talent System and founder of Vallie, Richards, Donovan Consulting.

With a strong background in radio programming, Dan is the man behind the only program of its kind created to answer the long-discussed issue of a radio talent farm for the industry. Now presented in over eight colleges and universities across the country, these 10-day intensive summer programs bring in broadcast professionals representing all aspects of the radio industry to act as guest professional facility to teach all the sessions to the students accepted in the program. And the best part is 70% of the students that have gone through the program have received their first job in radio or related fields.

Radio on Main Street Podcast Featuring Don Anthony, Owner of Talentmasters and Producer/Host of the Annual Morning Show and Talk Show Boot Camps

One of radio’s greatest assets is its on-air talent. Radio talent have a personal connection unlike any other. 56% of listeners state that personalities are the reason they tune in to listen to radio. And to an advertiser that is so important because listeners are not only tuning in to hear a specific personality, but they are listening to that specific talent.

In this edition, Erica Farber, President and CEO of the RAB speaks with one of the greatest champions for radio’s on-air talent, Don Anthony. Don is the Owner and Founder of Talentmasters. He is the publisher of Jockline Daily and is also producer and host of the annual Morning Show Boot Camp and the Talk Show Boot Camp.

Radio on Main Street Podcast Featuring Sherman Kizart, Managing Director, Kizart Media Partners.

The 2010 census states almost 38% of the U.S. population is comprised of minority and ethnic groups and that figure is estimated to grow in 2020 when the new census is taken. These individuals represent an important and ever-increasing audience for radio.

In this edition, Erica Farber, President and CEO of the RAB speaks with Sherman Kizart, Managing Director, Kizart Media Partners.

Over the years Sherman has focused his efforts on the consideration and inclusion of multicultural audiences in an advertiser’s marketing campaign.  Through his hard work and dedication, the Fair Play Charter, relaunched earlier this year by the 4A’s, reemphasized that media agencies and media departments within agencies recommit to fair and equitable treatment of minority media owners and or media targeting minority audiences. Sherman has also been a proponent and spokesperson on the importance of diversity in broadcast ownership representing both women and minority groups.

Radio on Main Street Podcast Featuring Doug McElrath and Jim Baxter with the University of Maryland’s Library of American Broadcasting.

Broadcasting has an extremely rich history. There have been many individuals, events and activities that have not only influenced the business but helped pave the way for the business as we know it today.

In this edition of Radio on Main Street, Erica Farber, President and CEO of the RAB speaks with Doug McElrath, Director of Special Collections and University Archives for the University of Maryland Libraries and Jim Baxter, Research Associate with the University of Maryland’s Library of American Broadcasting. The Library of American Broadcasting Foundation’s collection is located on the university’s main College Park Maryland campus. It has been curated over the years and features many things from radio and television’s early days to specific collections donated by companies and individuals. The foundation is a 501 (c) (3) charitable foundation to which tax-deductible contributions may be made to help support the mission of the foundation.