The Story of David Stewart at WMFC

Everybody in the industry, and many others besides, are well aware of how little the voice of a DJ actually has to do with their physical appearance. The oft-cited instance of the “the DJ with the 98 lb. voice and a 250 lb frame,” is one that everyone in radio has run across at some point in their careers. This is more true than in the case of David Stewart, DJ and owner of WMFC (FM 99.3, AM 1360). I would like to end my postings for 2008 with his story; it’s an inspirational one.

You see, David is blessed with a rich baritone and, from reports, an equally rich and expansive personality. So what’s the surprise element here?

Via Roy Hoffman of The Associated Press:

Fifty-one years ago, Stewart, the third child of Bill and Carolyn Stewart — a physically normal couple with two normal-sized children already — was born with achondroplasia dwarfism, a genetic mutation affecting 1 in 26,000 to 1 in 40,000 births, according to the medical resource center of Little People of America’s Web site, lpaonline.org.

Now here is a little known fact about me. Until I was 13, I was in leg braces. Much of the time, I was either on crutches or confined to a wheelchair. The reason I bring this up is because that gave me some understanding of what it is like to grow up “different.” I found myself gravitating towards radio and writing, in lieu of many other social interactions. Thus, it does not surprise me that David Stewart found meaning and fulfillment working in his father’s radio station, a station he now owns. It also does not surprise me one whit that he got off to an early start:

His father let him host a Saturday afternoon kids’ radio show at age 10. Stewart was hooked on the joy of music and how his voice could touch people.

“It has sustained me in the lonely times,” he says of going into the studio to do a shift behind the microphone. There, stature was about how you sounded, what you did, not physical size.

Now he is married to an amazing woman, who is both a silver and a bronze medalist in the ParaOlympics. His adopted daughter is a college student now, and reportedly fond of dancing. They are an amazing family, and it is an amazing story.  Let’s end the year on an inspirational note, shall we? Go read Mr. Hoffman’s story about David Stewart, and be reminded that in both radio and in life the only real limits are the ones that are self-imposed.

See you in the New Year! Don’t drink and drive!

Photo courtesy of fodt, used under its Creative Commons license

Life Mirrors Broadcast

They say that truth is stranger than fiction. Then again, “they” say a lot of things, usually of questionable accuracy. However, truth is known for fostering odd coincidences and ironies. Today I’d like to look at one NPR reporter who entered that twilight zone when she became the climax of her own story: Ketzel Levine.

Economic uncertainty is the big bugaboo right now, the story on everybody’s minds be they concerned investor or someone trying to keep food on the table. Ms. Levine, like many other journalists, decided to follow that story. Her series “American Moxie: How We Get By” explores that theme by looking at a variety of Americans as they are forced to retool and reboot their lives during the current recession.

Via Stephanie Clifford of The New York Times:

Ms. Levine and her editor didn’t want a series of unconnected stories. “We came up with the idea that each person should be connected with the next somehow, and that was the best part for me,” she said. “I’d go on a story and have absolutely no idea what the next story would be — I’d have to find it while I was there.”

But there was an unexpected ending. Midway through her reporting, Ms. Levine found out that she had been laid off as part of a 64-employee cut at NPR.

A born storyteller, as examination of her career will confirm, Levine did note one thing. Despite being based on ill news for her personally, it still makes fora an amazing ending to the serialized tales she was telling.

Photo courtesy of The Brass Potato, used under its Creative Commons license

Drinking, Driving and Broadcasting

Content is key. That’s a truism no matter what the medium in question might be. If there is not interesting content, no one will interface with it, whether online or over the airwaves.

With the holiday season upon us, there are a number of common topics that one continually runs across. One of those is the imbibing of alcohol. Holiday parties, New Year’s Eve toasts, Twelfth Night parties and more contribute to the festive omnipresence of booze. Home Town Radio found a terrifically interesting way to highlight that subject with an emphasis on safety.

Via Bethany Monk at the Amador Ledger Dispatch:

If you feel buzzed, you’re drunk, said Ron Olivero after he took a sip of his eighth shot of brandy Friday morning at the HomeTown Radio station.

Olivero, special events manager at the Jackson Rancheria Casino, Hotel and Conference Center, was one of HomeTown Radio’s volunteers Dec. 19 during its early morning research project at the station in Jackson. To give listeners personal accounts of the potential dangers of drinking and driving, the radio station, along with the California Highway Patrol’s Amador Division, held a three-hour alcohol consumption/blood alcohol content study. The event was broadcast live from 6 to 9 a.m. on the station on the SCA band of KLMG-FM, Volcano Vision Channel 12 and streaming online at www.htradio.net.

In order to illustrate the hazards of drunk driving, the station had a group of guests including Mr. Olivero as well as  Jack Mitchell, publisher of the Ledger Dispatch, HomeTown Radio owner and GM Jim Guidi,  Brandi Ehlers, the station’s news director,  and producer/on air personality Lucy Hackett get tipsy on the air. Well, maybe more than tipsy. Eight shots of brandy?  As they had their drinks, which were spaced out over regular intervals, local law enforcement was on hand to administer the breathalyzer tests.

Most participants were amazed to see how quickly their blood alcohol levels reached the “legally impaired” threshold. Go check out the original article cited above for their detailed reactions.

This is a fantastically creative way to get this point across. I can easily see listeners tuning in who otherwise would not, just to hear these folks getting schnockered on the air. Not only a public service, this needs to be applauded for its creative and unique approach.

Photo courtesy of Craig Anderson used under its Creative Commons license

Weather Radio Bill Expires on Senate Floor

A bill that passed in the House of Representatives earlier this year has been killed on the Senate floor. The bill in question was one that proposed making weather radios a mandatory component of all new mobile homes, and unsurprisingly it has been vibrantly opposed by the Manufactured Housing Institute on the grounds that it singles out one type of housing for its effects.

It’s a bill I’ve had my eye on for awhile since I have a well known and geographically based interest in weather radios. Being a New Orleanian, I am very big on the idea of emergency radio services. I have had to rely on them during many hurricanes, including Katrina. Factor in the detail that my wife is from Indiana, a state known for tornadoes, and my interest becomes self-explanatory.

According to the National Weather Service, tornadoes alone have killed 125 so far in 2008, a number not surpassed in a decade. Of those, 55 of them lived in mobile homes.

Via Doug Abrahms of the Pal-Item in Indiana:

Rep. Brad Ellsworth, D-Ind., sponsored a House bill requiring weather radios in mobile homes after witnessing damage from a tornado with wind speeds of more than 136 mph that killed 25 people in 2005 in his home state. The House passed his bill last year by unanimous consent.

Sen. Evan Bayh, D-Ind., introduced the Senate version of the bill in March, saying it would save lives. But the measure never got a hearing in the Senate banking committee, where Bayh is a member.

I must confess that I am not certain what I think of this. On the one hand, putting weather alert services into mobile homes as a standard has an almost certainty of reducing loss of life during extreme weather. For some people it may well be the only way that they would receive any warning at all. On the other hand, I am usually one who dislikes dictates of this nature. I guess I will have time to consider it since Ellsworth plans on reintroducing the legislation in the new year.

Photo courtesy of tlindenbaum, used under its Creative Commons license

Happy Holidays!

Here’s wishing the best of all possible holidays to all our fellows in radio, on the Internet, and everywhere else. As I take the day off for Christmas, I think about all the different winter holidays that we celebrate at this time. Be it Christmas, Chaunukah, Ramadan, Human Light, Kwanzaa, Solstice, Yule or some other mid-winter feast of which I am unaware, I wish a happy one to you!

Now quit reading blogs and go celebrate! I advise large quantities of food and drink!

Photo courtesy of an iconoclast, used under its Creative Commons license

Broadcasting To The Stars!

Christmas Eve is a day when many people think about the legend of a star in the sky. As a nod to that, I would like to talk about the stars today, about reaching out to them. Thanks to the efforts of our own NASA and other groups, we live in an age when men fly above the earth’s atmosphere in a space station of our own design. Granted, Earth’s orbit is hardly the stars, but then again we only made it to the Moon about 40 years ago.

So how is this about radio? Listen, my children, and I shall tell you!

The Ann Arbor Hands-On Museum will be conducting an Amateur Radio live connection to speak with the International Space Station and astronaut E. Michael Fincke. The mastermind behind this is Ig Justyna, a member of a locally based amateur radio group. He applied to  Amateur Radio on the International Space Station (ARISS) on behalf of the Museum. Mr. Justyna will be joined by Amateur Radio operator Tim Nevius in providing both the primary and back up radio systems for the radio connection.

From the press release:

The actual two Amateur Radio operators contacting the International Space Station will be Olivia Nevius and Candida Justyna. According to Ig Justyna, “The female operators underline the importance of women in Science, Technology and Amateur Radio Communications.” Both Olivia and Candida will have a panel of 13 kids who will be asking questions to astronaut E. Michael Fincke, Colonel in the US Air Force and Commander of Expedition 18. Astronaut Fincke is a multiple Veteran of space travel and on his first mission to the Space Station spent 187 days, 21 hours and 17 minutes on board. He also logged 15 hours, 45 minutes and 22 seconds of space walking time.

As someone who grew up watching Apollo missions, I absolutely love this! Space, radio, education — all my favorite things rolled up in one! That’s what I call a holiday gift!

Those in the Ann Arbor area who wish to attend should be advised that admission is $8 for everyone except children under 2, who get in free. The shindig begins at 10am on December 27 at the Anne Arbor Hands on Museum, 220 East Ann Street.  If you go, check out their new Amateur Radio exhibit!

Happy Holidays, all!

Photo courtesy of Army.mil, used under its Creative Commons license

Thriving Due To Opposition: Talk Radio

There is one element in particular of the broadcast industry that is quite looking forward to President-Elect Obama taking office on the twentieth of next month: Talk Radio Producers and Announcers. Following eight years with their team in charge, these announcers are now changing their stance from defense to offense. And in a medium where emotions run high and audio spectacle is common, being the “underdogs” will, most predict, be advantageous from a ratings standpoint.

As noted in Brian Stelter’s article in  The New York Times:

Hours after Mr. Obama’s election, the country’s most popular radio host, Rush Limbaugh, was talking about the “rebirth of principled opposition.”

Sean Hannity, the second highest-rated host, quickly cast his afternoon show as the home of “conservatism in exile.”

As you may recall, I recently noted that Talk Radio has now surpassed Country Radio to become the most popular format in the nation. As polarized as American politics have become since 9-11, this is hardly shocking. Additionally, almost every day sees some event that makes political history, presenting an ongoing goldmine of material for pundits.

With 2,064 News Talk stations in the US, there is a lot of airtime that needs filling, and following a standing trend, this is handled more and more by syndication of the big names. Mr. Stetler’s article provides a great analysis of the current state of things in which he notes the icons of the format  are being signed up for the next round:

Five of the most popular syndicated names in news-talk radio — Mr. Limbaugh, Mr. Hannity, Glenn Beck, Michael Savage and Laura Ingraham — signed new contracts in the last 12 months, all but guaranteeing that they will be rallying listeners for the duration of Mr. Obama’s four-year term. Mr. Limbaugh’s landmark contract, announced in July, promised a total of $400 million through 2016.

Check out the full piece. It’s about two pages long and packs a walloping amount of info into the space. Having much more room that we do here, he is able to provide a fascinating look into the workings and logic of Talk Radio and the opportunities looming before it. Good stuff!

Photo courtesy of AMagill, used under its Creative Commons license

Pandora and Sprint: The Team Up

Something fun just came through the pipe. It seems Pandora and Sprint have forged an alliance. Sprint customers have a lot to be excited about with this new arrangement; they’ll be able to access Pandora for free on more than 20 models of mobile phones on the Sprint network. Current subscribers to the paid service ($2.99/month) will discover that fee no longer appears on their monthly bill.

All Sprint customers will be able to access the Pandora application as long as they have a data plan and a compatible handset. The Samsung Instinct (pictured above) comes to mind handily.

Sprint has always had a good relationship with Pandora. As a matter of fact, they were the first carrier to launch a mobile version back in the mists of time (May of 2007).

Via the press release on MarketWatch:

“This is a very significant move for Sprint and for the mobile industry more broadly,” said Tim Westergren, Founder of Pandora. “Internet radio is rapidly expanding off the desktop and we’re thrilled that we can now offer Pandora for free to Sprint’s customers”.

Photo courtesy of Rachel Kramer Bussel, used under its Creative Commons license

BigResearch Says Radio Should Top Ad Spending For Detroit Big Three

Jean Halliday over at AdAge has a great little article up right now, one that ties in nicely to the evening news. Her opening line says it all:

Detroit’s Big Three automakers need to rethink where they spend their ad dollars and allocate more to consumer-centric media, such as radio, with better return on investment, according to recommendations based on research released this week.

BigResearch combined the results of a survey they did last June (17,231 ppl surveyed) with newly developed software from Prosper Technologies to develop their analysis. According to the Prosper model, the automotive giants are advised to allocate the largest amount of their ad budget to radio. At the moment, radio spending by the Detroit Three falls below 5% of their respective budgets, with Chrysler at the bottom allocating only 1.9% in 2007. The Prosper model advises 21.5%

Gary Drenik, managing director of BigResearch, posed the question to AdAge, ” “If radio reaches 90% of the people in a week, why does it only get seven percent of ad dollars” from the Motor City?”

Like Ms. Halliday, I find one aspect of this to be quite interesting; the Prosper model presented by BigResearch only advises an increase on one or two percent in spending for online ads. Since BigResearch is an authorized marketing representative of Prosper Technologies, it is useful to note that Prosper was  acquired early this year by a company called Mzinga. Mzinga specializes in online efforts and social media.

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Nielsen: News on the Pilot Study for Radio Metrics

I’ll bet the first thing that springs to mind when I mention that name Nielsen is TV ratings. (Just wait for it, you’ll see how Kentucky fits in, I promise.) I would also be willing to bet that the majority of readers are unaware of the fact that Nielsen has been measuring radio audiences all over the planet for better than 60 years, just not here in the United States.

That’s all about to change. Those of you keeping an eye on the industry news last November might recall the announcement that the iconic ratings company was taking the plunge into the American radio market. A market, I might add, that Arbitron has held undisputed dominance of for decades.

We are now one step closer to the program going live; Nielsen’s pilot study and trial went on earlier this month. Between December 4 – 10, Lexington, KY, ran the trial in preparation for the March – April 2009 survey. Public release of the findings is expected sometime in February.

Address-based sampling will be the methodology used. Like their TV ratings system, participants will keep a diary of their listening habits from which the survey results will be drawn.

Paul Heine of Mediaweek (a publication that has Nielsen as its parent company) gives us some perspective:

[...] Nielsen plans to employ larger sample sizes than Arbitron offers in comparably sized markets, which Nielsen Media Research managing director for North America Lorraine Hadfield says will reduce ratings “bounce,” a primary concern voiced by Cumulus and Clear Channel, who have inked deals for the service. For example, Nielsen ratings for Columbia, Mo., with a market population of 127,500, will be based on a sample size of 1,200 diaries, while Macon, Ga., (population: 280,700) will get 2,200 diaries.

It will be very interesting when the results of the March – April sweep are finished.

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