As president of Stonecom Radio, President/GM Larry Stone oversees a group of four radio stations serving the Upper Cumberland region of Tennessee. Before that, he spent 17 years as an Executive Producer and game-day host of “Titans Radio,” the NFL’s Tennessee Titans Radio Network.
The broadcaster came to Tennessee in 1997 to build the new radio station group from the ground up. Now, he’s frustrated and has something to say about the state of the industry.
In short, Stone laments, “We are a crisis point in radio.’
And, his ire is fueled by recent flubs and frustration with syndication partners and networks his stations are aligned with.
Is it hyperbole, he asks? Perhaps. Stretching the truth? Maybe, he also admits.
In an “open letter to radio,” sent Friday to RBR+TVBR, Stone says, “As a local broadcaster who wants to provide the best programming options to my audience, I call on the syndicators and network executives across radio to do one thing in 2021: GET YOUR ACT TOGETHER.”
Why? Here is Stone’s letter, edited for spelling and grammar only:
By Larry Stone
I don’t want to hear about COVID.
I don’t want to hear about you being short-staffed.
If you CANNOT produce quality for local stations across the nation, stop producing the programming. THIS WEEK.
If you cannot ensure that basic broadcast standards of accuracy, timeliness and quality as well as strong affiliate communication exist, drop the programs.
If you cannot provide engaging content that causes people to listen to my radio stations, reduce your options.
Everyone in broadcasting is in a battle to engage the audience: Radio. TV. Cable. Local. Networks. Our job is to give them something unique and special — Companionship. Enjoyment. Every ear is important in radio, every shift … every day.
Why do I schedule network programming? Because I want to provide something I cannot do on my own. It could be a weekend music show hosted by a engaging personality who shares the microphone with a star of the genre. It might be a well-known personality who has a history in the genre and can share the stories of his work and interest the listeners. We recently added Steve Gorman to our rock station and he delivers this nightly. It might be a weekday talk show with the ability to deliver amazing guests such as Paul Finebaum.
But, I am starting to ask myself whether it’s worth it. On the final Saturday of January, my rock station ran two hours with a national host talking about the last show of 2020. Worse? It’s two weeks from the biggest weekend of the year for the sport he covers. I would have thought the show would have been packed full of excitement about that.
The network producer did not apologize; they said they air some “best of” shows during the off-season.
So that’s OK … but to listen to the first 30 seconds of the show and hear the announcer say, “It is the final weekend of 2020.” Couldn’t anyone edit that???
On the very same day, I received an email from one of the biggest syndicators. They are working on a problem with one of their shows where the end of EVERY network commercial break is cut off at the end across the three-hour show.
This has been happening for more than a year. They are still working on it.
There are other issues. Take, for instance, the insurrection at the U.S. Capitol. We couldn’t carry wall-to-wall coverage because the major news network we affiliated with put the coverage on the wrong channel. Yes, the handbook says it’s here. But for this major event, we put it here.
Then, there is a syndicated Sunday show that changed satellite providers last month without communicating the change.
It’s the second time it happened.
I’ll add that this weekly program plays 48 seconds of a network commercial before cutting it off mid-stream because someone is not accounting for a delay, we assume.
“We’ll check into that,” we were told. We haven’t heard back, eight weeks later.
This particular show is also two to four minutes late putting audio on the satellite once per month.
Is network control not checking these things? Is a producer not checking with network control?
Then, there was Thursday night (2/11).
Tone issues for a basketball game.
It happens. I’ve been there. There should have been six tones in the pre-game. They sent four. The first one came 19 seconds into the broadcast.
How did my communication go with a company representative?
“Sir, I think you have a wrong cue sheet.”
“It has worked for every other game this season.”
“What is the date on that cue sheet?”
Insulting.
I could continue but you probably are saying, “You are some perfectionist that needs to lighten up.” You are likely correct. But I believe we are at a critical point for the future of radio.
However, I am also a believer that as an industry we have to work very, very hard in today’s world to keep every listener, every hour, every minute. I don’t want to do anything to run someone off.
“Those idiots are running a show that says it’s the last weekend of the year.”
“I would expect my news and information leader to be telling me what’s happening in Washington.”
“Why can’t you guys get this show on the air??”
Comments from an over-sensitive programmer? No, these are actual listener comments.
For all the hand-wringing about outside forces leading to the demise of radio, I submit that we are at least equal in the race to do it to ourselves. We as an industry need to realize the part we play in our future.
Everyone in this industry plays a part in keeping it vibrant and healthy. COVID has been here over a year and yes, it’s tough, and yes, it’s a challenge. But it’s simply an excuse at this point. It’s been a year. The bigger issue is lack of quality control, lack of focus by those involved, and worst of all, in a lot of cases, a lack of caring.
THAT will lead to the demise of radio as quickly as any technology.
Networks, syndicators, and the producers there: clean it up.
And remember, we are your customers. Practice some basic customer service.
Larry Stone
President And General Manager
1 Stonecom Way
Cookeville, TN 38506
(931) 528-6064
[email protected]
The views expressed in this column do not represent those of the Radio + Television Business Report, its editors or management or the associated publications of Streamline Publishing.
