Saskatchewan has the coolest Premier!!

A story of kindness.....

"Kindness is the language the blind can see and the deaf can hear." - Mark Twain 

Some fishing stories are a little hard to believe, but this guy has pictures to prove his story...

I've heard of salmon jumping into boats, but never anything quite like this...

Tom Satre told the Sitka Gazette that he was out with a charter group on his 62-foot fishing vessel
when four juvenile black-tailed deer swam directly toward his boat.

"Once the deer reached the boat, the four began to circle the boat, looking directly at us.  We could tell right away that the young bucks were distressed. I opened up my back gate and we helped the typically skittish and absolutely wild animals onto the boat.  In all my years fishing, I've never seen anything quite like it!

Once onboard, they collapsed with exhaustion, shivering." 
“This is a picture I took of the rescued bucks on the back of my boat, the Alaska Quest.  We headed for Taku Harbour. Once we reached the dock, the first buck that we had been pulled from the water hopped onto the dock, looked back as if to say 'thank you' and disappeared into the forest.

After a bit of prodding and assistance, two more followed, but the smallest deer needed a little more help.

This is me carrying the little guy.

My daughter, Anna, and son, Tim, helped the last buck to its feet.  We didn't know how long they had been in the icy waters or if there had been others who did not survive.

My daughter later told me that the experience was something that she would never forget, and I suspect the deer felt the same way as well!"

I told you!  Awesome... huh?

 

Seperated at Birth

Jon Cornish of the Stampeders and actor Shamar Moore from "Criminal Minds".  I think Kevin Glenn looks a little like Don Chedal too.

Very smart!!

I saw this on Social Media tonight.....

We can fit 5,566 chicken wings in the back of all-new 2013 Ford Escape’s trunk. Find out what else fits. Watch it here - http://bit.ly/RtUAbz

They didn't waste time telling me how many square feet the thing has, or how much luggage it can carry.  Anyone can tell me that and it wouldn't make me click through the link.  They filled it with Chicken Wings.  Now that's interesting.  And memorable.  And effective.

Chuck Norris at the Symphony

I've never been a real big "gamer", but as the father of a 10 year old boy there are some things you just have to get into.  Such was the case last night.  Jake and I went to Regina for the show "Video Games Live".  It's a stage show featuring a symphony orchestra, a choir of about 75 voices, and the songs of all the big video games of the last 25 years.  Add to that, the conductor the night was a guy named Christopher Tin, the first composer ever to win a Grammy Award for music that was featured in a video game.

So it was a great night.  And a few laughs too.  Click here for one of the many funny videos they played on the big screen.

Every year at Halloween I think of what happened to me a few years ago.

A trick-or-treater came to my door dressed as "Rocky" in boxing gloves and satin shorts. Soon after I gave him some goodies, he returned for more. "Aren't you the same 'Rocky' who left my doorstep several minutes ago?" I asked. "Yes," he replied, "but now I'm the sequel. I'll be back 4 more times tonight too."



Happy Halloween!!

Well then.....

Jay Leno does a bit on his show called "Headlines".  Expect to see this there.

Let the Spin Begin.

Round #3 of the Presidential Debates tonight.  Let the spin begin.

This is a few years old and some of you I'm sure have seen it.  Still fun!!  Click here for a laugh.

Saw this on a message board today and boy did it take me back.  Enjoy!!  Click here and enjoy with a snappy black tux and a pipe.

This is NOT going to be boring.....

If you're anything like me this time of year is special.  Crisp fall air...the changing colors of the trees...football on Sundays....and once every four years, a US Presidential Election to marvel at.  This years is particularly interesting. 

To me it feels like a leather helmet gridiron battle of the left vs. the right.  Style vs. substance.  Posturing vs. rhetoric.  But watch out; what might get lost among the political horse collars and crack back blocks is the truth.

Whatever side you fall on, the James Cameron like dreams of Obama's great society,  or the grit and pragmatism of Romney's top down plan, you have to admit all the partisan smoke and mirrors make it hard to tell the magic from the slight of hand.  With so much spin, and so little common ground, it's hard to fathom either side ever getting anything done, regardless of who wins.

I worry this whole thing is too much about winning, and not enough about getting the right stuff done.

And I worry the media will play far too large a role in influencing who wins.  Evidence tonight's second presidential debate.  The moderator is Candy Crowley from CNN.  Here are the thoughts of Maurice Eisenstein the Associate Professor of Political Science at Purdue University.

Candy Crowley is NOT going to do it fairly. She has consistently been supportive of any Democrat and especially Barak Obama. Since she has NEVER done an act of reporting, moderating, or speaking that is not biased against a Republican and in this case Romney, one can be sure that this debate will be stacked against Romney. We can only guess how badly; but, there is no question it will be.

 

If this is true, then Candy Crowley is the political equivalent of a Danish soccer referee.  And we know what that will likely mean.

 

Let's hope for more balance. 

The guy on the left is pitching for the Giants in the MLB post season.  I knew I'd seen him somewhere.

...and if you need proof....

Play ball!!

Now this is a goal celebration.  Click here.

To me there is no debate.  No question.  This is our defining moment as a hockey nation.  Raise a toast to 40 years ago today.

Many of you are familiar with Roy Williams "The Wizard of Ads".  Ever wonder why he's the wizard.....

Will Rogers, Paul Harvey and Me

It's unlikely you've ever heard of Will Rogers unless you grew up, as I did, in Oklahoma. Will was a famous storyteller, comedic actor, columnist and radio personality in the 1920s and 30s. He and Paul Harvey are Oklahoma's two great claims to fame.

Near the pinnacle of his career, Will was asked to speak to a business club. "Sure," he told his host, "when do you need me?"

"Next Tuesday," was the man's response.

"How long to you want me to talk?" asked Rogers.

"About five minutes," replied his host.

"Five minutes!" exclaimed Rogers, "It would take me at least two weeks to prepare a five-minute speech!"

Surprised, the man said, "If a five-minute speech takes two weeks, how long would it take you to prepare to speak for an hour?"

Rogers said, "Hell, I'm ready to speak for an hour right now."

Long ads push softly. Short ads hit hard.
Will Rogers knew it. Paul Harvey knew it. And now you know it, too.

The radio ads of Paul Harvey were the stuff of legend. They always produced big results. Right now you might be thinking to yourself, "Well of course they worked! Everyone always listened whenever Paul Harvey had the mic."

But why did they listen? That's the silver question.

Paul Harvey and Will Rogers never learned the language of "Ad-Speak." They never forgot they were storytellers. And they always talked like people.

During the depths of the Depression on October 18, 1931, Will Rogers stepped up to a radio mic and spoke to all of America: "Now don't get scared and start turning off your radios. I'm not advertising or trying to sell you anything. If the mouthwash you’re using is not the right kind and it tastes sort of like sheep dip, why, you'll just have to go right on using it. I can't advise any other kind at all."

How many people do you suppose kept listening after an opening line like that?

Rogers then went on to remind his audience of things they had long known or suspected. He reminded them of truths they already knew: "...So here we are in a country with more wheat and more corn and more money in the bank, more cotton, more everything in the world—there’s not a product that you can name that we haven't got more of it than any other country ever had on the face of the earth—and yet we’ve got people starving. We'll hold the distinction of being the only nation in the history of the world that ever went to the poor house in an automobile. The potter's fields are lined with granaries full of grain. Now if there ain't something cockeyed in an arrangement like that then this microphone here in front of me is—well, it's a cuspidor, that's all."

Will Rogers was a true broadcaster. Paul Harvey was perhaps the greatest there will ever be. I've written three New York Times bestsellers and a possible fourth one was published on October 2nd, but the glistening moment of my career was when Paul Harvey said my name on the radio. Paul Harvey knew I was alive! He said, "Roy Williams is marketing man. His clients want to buy whatever advertising sells the most product. He encourages them to buy radio. In the current issue of Radio Ink, Williams notes..." Paul then went on to quote something I had written for that magazine.

Okay, I'm done bragging now.

If Paul Harvey were still with us, he would shout "Amen!" to what I am about to say: Most radio ads have too many words. Say the same thing in half as many words and it will hit twice as hard.

When you weed a garden, what do you pull out? What do you leave? Editing an ad is like that. Pull out and throw away the clutter. Leave the tasty bits to glow in the sun.

In last month's Wizard of Ads LIVE webcast, I spent a few minutes editing an ad that Rod Schwartz of Grace Broadcast Sales had sent in for my review and comment. He knew it needed something, but he wasn't sure what. He wrote, "The client is the Washington Idaho Symphony, about to embark on its 41st concert season. Our immediate goal is to try to sell season tickets to new subscribers. We would like -- actually, we need -- to double or triple attendance over what it's been in recent years (200-300 attendees)." Rod attached an MP3 of the ad with symphony music playing in the background:

If you’re tired of stress and anxiety robbing you of the enjoyment of life, it’s time to fight back with classical music. Exposure to classical music improves your ability to concentrate and think clearly. It makes you less likely to experience depression. Older adults who listen to classical music have fewer injuries and enjoy better health. Children benefit, too, with enhanced cognitive function and a greater ability to articulate their emotions. So if you want to feel better, think better and live better, just add classical music to your diet. There’s no better way to enjoy it than with a friend at a live concert performance. So right now when you buy one season ticket to the Washington Idaho Symphony’s 41st concert season, you’ll receive a companion season ticket absolutely free. I’m symphony conductor Jeremy Briggs-Roberts promising you an unforgettable season of great classical music beginning Saturday, September 22nd, so buy your season ticket today and get another season ticket free. Order online now at Washington Idaho Symphony dot org. That’s Washington Idaho Symphony dot org.

Pull the weeds. Leave the tasty bits to glow in the sun. And lose the symphony music playing in the background. We're trying to attract a new audience, remember? Here's the edited, accelerated ad I gave back to Rod Schwartz:

You’re tired. Stress and anxiety are robbing you of the enjoyment of life. Fight back. Classical music. Get a dose of classical music and you’ll think more clearly. You’ll quit being depressed. You’ll have fewer accidents. If your kids listen with you, it will raise their I.Q. I promise I’m not making this stuff up. It’s been scientifically proven. Every bit of it. I’m the conductor, Jeremy Briggs-Roberts. Buy a season ticket and I’ll give you another one free. Trust me, we’re going to rock your world this year. The only thing you need to decide is who else’s world needs to be rocked. Classical music makes you smart, healthy and happy. Who do you want to give that to? The season starts Saturday, September 22nd. Get your free companion ticket online right now at Washington... Idaho... Symphony... dot org... Bless the beasts and the children.

That's how Will Rogers and Paul Harvey would say it in 2012. And who would know better than me? I was raised in Oklahoma and Paul Harvey once said my name.

Roy H. Williams

A Habit.

I suspect many of you have read this.  I haven't, but based on this preview I'm thinking it's a must read.  Click here for more.

Read this in Mark Ramsey's radio blog.  Talk to the audience about the audience.  Connect. 

Beau Phillips, former Executive VP of Programming and Marketing at Dial Global.
argues that your radio brand needs to be loved, not simply liked – on Facebook or anywhere else. That requires a new awareness for relevance.  This is not optional!
Further, says Beau, Radio needs to make deeper emotional connections. “No more hollow slogans!”
The more the world is full of choices and the more convenient and ubiquitous those choices become, the more power rests the hands of consumers, and the more they use that power to choose the products and services that spark their passions.  Period.  Be loved (by somebody, not by everybody) or risk being ignored.

Smoke em' if you got em'....

Celebrity endorsements aren't new.  Even Jed and Granny were part of the fun. 

From Mike O'Malley.  This is good advice....

We all have a "to do" list.  What we need is a "not to do list".

We spend a lot of time teaching leaders what to do. We don’t spend
enough time teaching leaders what to stop. Half of all leaders don’t need to
learn what to do. They need to learn what to stop.  

Stopping behavior may be as crucial as everything we do combined yet
stopping rarely gets celebrated in the same way as the things we accomplish.

Stopping gives us time for other things.  It empowers us.  It shows us what doesn't need to get done at all.

What do we over-manage?   What do we need to trust others to do?   What do we hold on to out of pride and fear of letting go?

If you have some computer play time this long weekend give a listen to some of these.  Pretty cool. 

Make my day!!

I've always been interested in politics, and as I grow older, I am become even more curious about the goings on of people who seek power, and the means they will use to get it, keep it, or hold it away from others.  Evidence the left wing reaction to last nights happenings at the Republican National Convention. 

Last night I watched Clint Eastwood deliver what I thought was a clever, biting, and entertaining speech.  Full of wit, good comedic timing, and purpose.  It was like a political smack down from your Grampa.  If your Grampa happens to be Dirty Harry.

This morning the liberal media have attacked the speech with everything but the White House lawn furniture.  
In 25 or 30 years the left will march out 80 year old versions Stephan Colbert, Bill Maher and Jon Stewart.  They will give a similar speech and it will be hailed as brilliant. 

The fun is just starting.

Stationality

I love the word "stationality".  It's one of my favorite compound words, and it's often used by a real smart radio guy named Daniel Anstandig.  He writes...

Radio’s “durable competitive advantage” is “stationality.” Stationality is the nature of the relationship between listeners and your radio station. The relationship a listener has with your radio station’s brand ultimately determines your success. 

Stationality is not about what your radio station does. It’s about what your radio station means in the mind of the listener.  Your station’s pattern of behavior (type of music you play, spots heard on your airwaves, personalities and imaging between your songs, promotions/contesting you run, etc.) are all merely lifeless events. 

It’s the meaning or emotional interpretation that listeners give each of these events that bring them to life. A personality coming out of your speakers is just a series of words playing through an electronic machine until the listener feels something. Then, your personality exists in their mind. 

Remaining relevant means shifting the playing field from positioning our radio stations with descriptions of what we do (most music, better variety, brighter mix) to descriptions of what our product means (feel good, relax, family, connection, comfort, sing-along, etc.)

Social Media and Broadcasters

A fun look at social media.  How we use it set against how real people use it.  Thanks to Andy and Doug of GWR for the heads up on this.

My friend Ted Farr posted this in his blog.  Oh so true!!  These are the top 3 reasons staff meetings stink.

1. No set time limit for the meeting.

Average managers rarely announce an ending time. Staff members arrive later and later, thinking to themselves, “This meeting is going to go on for 90 minutes.  Why torture myself by waiting for it to get underway?”
Weekly staff meetings also don’t have to last 60 minutes.  If they do, you either have too many people in the room or one person with enough hot air to make up for everyone else.
Set a limit. Try 30 minutes. If you need more that, it could be a sign you’re relying too heavily on staff meetings to get information.  Maybe you need to remove your middle-aged spread from the bottom of the chair more often during the week and conduct more management by wandering around.

2. No agenda.

When there’s no agenda, there’s no control.  When there’s no control, there’s no buy-in.  Eventually, when there’s no buy-in, there ceases to be a company.
Kinda like the butterfly effect, no?
A fixed agenda, sent out 24 hours before the meeting, symbolizes your commitment to getting the important stuff done without wasting the staff’s productivity time.  It gives the introverts in your department time to mull over what will be covered so that they can contribute to their highest level.  And it keeps things on schedule (see #1).

3. Appropriating staff meeting time for brainstorming.

You can usually pinpoint the introverts in a staff meeting by the way they slink down in their chairs when someone says, “Let’s do some brainstorming to come up with a great idea for this next campaign/brand/magazine ad.”  The only thing worse is the phrase “quick brainstorming.”  Brainstorm OUTSIDE of staff meetings.

This is interesting....and speaks to what you do.....

Jacobs Media has released data from its "Techsurvey8" which was gathered online from January 31st  to February 15th. Over 170 stations in the U.S. and Canada took part for a total of 57,358 radio listener survey participants.  According to Jacobs Media President Fred Jacobs, “The data from Techsurvey8 strongly suggest that focusing on connecting emotionally and meaningfully with listeners is radio’s best avenue toward remaining relevant and vibrant in the face of new digital competition.”  Why AM/FM Radio still matters: While “favorite songs” and local personalities are the highest ranking elements, there are four emotional triggers that listeners value: Having a radio on while they work, helping them get in a better mood, providing a feeling of companionship, offering an escape from the pressures of everyday life.

What you do next.....

This is an interesting thought. It's about consistency and delivering the goods every time you make contact with the audience. It also makes me think that what you were going to do NEXT five minutes ago is what you are doing NOW.

Posted by Thomas Giger

Surprise: what your radio station is airing now, is almost irrelevant in the context of audience perception and listener behavior. It’s about what people expect to happen next.

Success is determined by many factors. One of the most important is obviously a solid programming structure. Formats are the foundation to build your radio station on. They also show your audience what to expect from you. Keep your promise every time that people tune in, and they’ll grow into more loyal fans with every listening experience.

Who should voice......

A guy named Adam McGale (producer) wrote this. Keep this advice in mind when clients want to voice thier own stuff.....

Owners voicing their own ads can either be really good, or really bad. There isn’t really an in between. I’m not against it. I just think that it’s usually misused. It can be a really powerful tool in the right situations. But, usually, there’s only one kind of client who uses them.

The big ego client wants to voice his own commercials because he wants people to recognize him. He wants people to stop him and say “hey, you’re the guy on them ads right?”

That’s actually ok. As long as the client knows that he’s spending his money to receive that result. The ads may not drive sales, but people will recognize him. The commercial has achieved its goal. The client needs to know that going in.

I saw a very bad example of this the other day driving home. It was for a car dealership (surprise!) It saw a giant, expensive billboard. 50% of the space was the owners face, and the text said “John Smith is proud to invite you to buy a car.” It didn’t even mention the dealerships name. You had to find a small logo in the corner.

That commercial was an ego trip. “John Smith” wanted to see his face and name in lights. He wanted his friends and family to see how successful he is. It didn’t help the commercial to have him there. In fact, it was a detriment.

So, when should a business owner voice their own commercials?

It depends. Every person is different. My first move is to qualify the client. Can they handle an entire script? Should they read just one line? Will having them voice the commercial make it more effective?

If you’re going to read your own commercials, you need to have a level of charisma. You aren’t helping your business if you sound like a dead fish. That’s when someone needs to be brave enough to shut the idea down and look elsewhere. The owner absolutely needs to sound genuine, interesting, or fun for the message to be redeeming. More importantly, they need to sound real.

Being real is everything these days. People can smell out fake messages. Legal speak or jargon is a dead giveaway and the delivery of a script is very important. Whether it’s a paid voice over talent or the greenest owner, the person reading the script needs to sound like a normal human being. That can be tough at the beginning for anybody. It’s nerve racking reading a radio commercial for the first time. You have to speak into a microphone. There’s a guy watching you from the other room. You can hear your own voice in your headphones. You have your own pre-conceived notions of how a radio commercials should sound. It isn’t a normal situation. So, sounding normal is difficult. Plus, most people will “read” a script; instead of “speak” the script. Listeners can pick this out instantly. It’s hard to listen to, so they usually don’t. This is where you need a really good producer to direct them.

So, what kind of company will benefit from having the business owner voice their own commercials?

Any business really; I’d urge any charismatic owner who really knows their business to tackle a script (in full or in part.) But, there are businesses that get more bang for their buck. This tends to be in industries where “trust” is an issue. Businesses like, dental clinics, mortgage brokers, funeral services etc… These businesses need strong personal skills. They require their clients to trust the business before they’ll spend their money. That’s when it may be best to voice with the owner of the business. Extend the helping hand through the radio to establish a personal relationship before they ever meet their clients.

Never choose to do anything in your advertisements unless you have a good reason for it. That goes for everything! That’s why you need to know what the benefit of voicing your own ads is. There needs to be strategy behind it. If you’re intriguing and capable, your ads will be great. If you’re the opposite… well, you know the rest.

Tease.

This is a good read. Check it out here.

Facebook "likes"

From Mark Ramsey media, commenting on the amount of Facebook "likes" different formats attract. It's one of the best explanations of why "like's" are important.

But what is perhaps most interesting of all is the standout performance of Christian and Religious stations. They certainly are attracting a disproportionate number of “likes” to their Facebook pages.

So there are two questions I’d like you to consider:

First, does any of this matter?

If you believe that a “like” vote relates to the kind of consumer passion which can sustain a radio brand no matter what kind of competitor comes along, then I say the answer is “yes.” The issue isn’t whether or not a “like” is “monetized.” The issue is whether or not it exists at all. Every radio brand should strive for the kind of emotional affiliation reflected in the simple act of clicking “like.” I’m not naively assuming that Facebook “likes” are the same as real-life fans, but I’d bet money on a positive correlation.

Second, if Christian and Religious stations can convert a greater fraction of their consumers to “likes” without the vast cumes of Country or Contemporary Hits, then why can’t you?

Could it be that the benefits of Christian and Religious stations are bigger than the music or teaching propositions alone? Could it be that granting a “like” to a Christian station means more than simply voting a thumbs-up on the music?

Every radio brand lives in three dimensions, or at least it should. And, to paraphrase Gary Vaynerchuk, the more “human” and “great” the brand is, the more it is likely to attract “likes” like bees to honey.

Finally, it’s good to remember that the game isn’t just about the “likes” but what your fans are supposed to be saying to each other about your brand via social media – what the “likes” are for.

Playoffs!????

I'm an Islander fan, so I get this.

Clever

A smart Face Book post from a smart young radio guy. His caption was "what are the chances".

Tuned into Country

Some interesting stuff from the Country Radio Seminar in Nashville. It shows very clearly that local matters. A lot.

(Nashville, Tenn. – Feb. 22, 2012) Country Radio Seminar’s 2012 research study was delivered in front of a packed house at CRS 2012 on Wednesday, Feb. 22, providing a broader look into the attitudes and trends of Country radio fans beyond the core P1 listener. This year’s study compiled data from a national survey of more than 1,000 Country fans ages 18-54. According to Edison Research, which conducted the study and presented the findings at CRS, 65 percent of Country fans qualified as “non-P1” listeners. Edison Research also performed and included in-depth video interviews with fans as part of its presentation. Among the study’s key findings were: - Local, live DJs are instrumental in the difference between radio and other music outlets like Pandora or Spotify. - Both P1s and non-P1s are generally equally as enthusiastic about DJs and half of both groups say that DJs are a prime reason that AM/FM radio is better than internet radio. - Non-P1s are more than twice as likely to have begun listening to Country music “in the last few years.”

- One in six non-P1s say that Country music from the 1960s and 70s is their favorite. - Ninety percent of non-P1s feel that Country music makes a positive contribution to America. Four in five say that Country lyrics often express how they feel. - Non P1s are more likely to go to church on a weekly basis than P1 listeners. - Eighty-six percent of non-P1s perceive that Country music is becoming more popular. - Non-P1s are much more likely to be aware of Pandora, iHeart or Spotify and much less likely to listen frequently to the radio. “Country music remains a very healthy format and is actually becoming more popular, but one of the main points that I think this year’s survey drives home is that Country radio could do a better job at understanding and identifying its non-P1 listeners,” says Edison Research Co-founder and President Larry Rosin. “While it is understandable that P1 listeners should be a priority, the importance of the other 65 percent or so of your total audience cannot be underestimated. Our data also suggest that live, local DJs are one of the big advantages that radio has over internet and satellite outlets, and should be acknowledged as such.” The full CRS 2012 Country Radio research study is now available online at: www.EdisonResearch.com.

Billy Smith would have looked great in this.......

Unfortunately the force has not been with the Islanders for many years.

There's an app for that....

Read this when I opened my email this morning. Wow!!