You Can’t Make an Elephant into a Giraffe
Let’s face it, somethings in life are what they are. Giraffe’s have long necks and elephants have big ears, big feet and trunks. Just as pickup trucks were designed for a different purpose than speed boats. So, why do we think that radio can somehow defy the natural order and become something that it was never designed to be?
Work on Your Strengths, Not Your Weaknesses
One of the lessons I learned in classes at Clear Channel University* was how people often focus on their weaknesses and try to improve them. However, studies have shown that when we focus on our strengths, we grow faster than when we try to improve our weaknesses. Added benefits to focusing on our strengths are that we become happier, less stressed and more confident.
The cure for constantly falling short of your goals is to work on improving where you’re already strong, rather than on areas where you are weak.
Why Doesn’t Radio Focus on Its Strengths?
Entercom changed its name to Audacy, saying:
“We have transformed into a fundamentally different and dramatically enhanced organization and so it is time to embrace a new name and brand identity which better reflects who we have become and our vision for the future. Audacy captures our dynamic creativity, outstanding content and innovative spirit as we aspire to build the country’s best audio content and entertainment platform.”
-David Field, CEO
Audacy is the fourth largest radio company in America (based on the number of radio stations owned) and just like the top three radio operators ahead of them, none use the word “radio” in their name.
It was in 2010, that National Public Radio announced that it would be using “NPR” as its brand name, even though its legal name remains the same. NPR celebrated its 50th birthday in 2020, the same year that American commercial radio turned 100.
What is it about the name “radio” that has radio station owners and operators distancing themselves from this word?
Finding Your Strengths
If you want to grow your strengths, first you need to identify them. This week...
To learn what makes radio more powerful than podcasts or streaming audio (which have their own individual strengths) click HERE to read the rest of this article.