Radio personalities are artists. Calling what a radio personality does on-the-air, “content,” would be like calling a fine wine fills a glass maker’s goblet, liquid content. Yet, today’s radio station operators seem to see no problem with having a computer hard drive filled with songs, programmed by an algorithm, playout over their airwaves.
And that, in my opinion, is the problem with today’s radio industry.
The Role of the Air Personality
What a great air personality provides a radio station is companionship. A person that the listener can identify with and form a bond; like an extended member of the family.
I talk to Siri and Alexa all the time. They are like digital slaves, carrying out my commands for various information, functions or entertainment, but I wouldn’t ever say I have bonded with them, any more than I have with a light switch or a TV remote control.
A Decade Plus of Digital
I was an early adopter of all things digital. I watched it infiltrate my radio stations, first in the area of traffic and the creation of the daily program logs. Then in the business office and preparing annual budgets, finally taking over in the programming and engineering areas.
I think we can all agree on what it is, what it does well and where it is not working.
I remember reading that Mick Fleetwood said that a digital drummer can keep a perfectly steady beat, without any errors, but that when it comes to making music, imperfect, changing tempos and unexpected riffs is what delights the listener to Fleetwood Mac.
My Most Popular Blog
Over the decade I’ve been writing this blog, the most popular article I ever wrote was called “We Never Called It Content.” You can read that article here: https://dicktaylorblog.com/2015/09/06/we-never-called-it-content/
It started off naming some of the great air personalities that influenced me and created the desire to pursue a radio career. Spoiler Alert: all of them have passed on, to radio heaven.
The Circle of Life (when it comes to radio) means new people enter the radio business, others retire and/or pass on. What’s changed is that positions in broadcasting that made up the farm team, the minor league of broadcasting if you will, are gone. They’ve been replaced by computers, syndication, and artificial intelligence.
Radio is an art form.
When you remove the artists, there’s not much left.
Johnny Carson
In my youth the “King of Late Night TV” was Johnny Carson on NBC’s “The Tonight Show.” He hosted the show for three decades. The other TV networks tried to steal his crown without success, but ABC would create “Nightline with Ted Koppel” and move in a totally different direction than The Tonight Show. Koppel would host this late night news program for 25-years; until his retirement.
What Koppel and Carson had in common was the ability to attract and hold the attention of an audience. At that late hour, they both provided companionship to the TV viewer.
Look at any popular broadcast program and you will find it’s a combination of elements that all flows through the on-air talent. Whether it’s radio or television, the personality behind the microphone makes all the difference between winning and losing.
Radio Jobs
For people of my age, radio was never just a job, it was a mission inspired by people who were passionate about all the medium could be.
DickTaylorBlog 
Pingback: Companionship versus Content – Radio News
Once again, Dick, you hit the nail on the head. It’s very clear why radio listenership is fading–VT, AI, etc. are removing any personality that existed. Personality and relating to the audience is what radio was and today should be all about. It isn’t.
My first PD told me that we are only talking to 1, 2 or maybe 3 people at a time, not a mass audience of thousands. We don’t have to shout–just chat with them like we’re sitting at the kitchen table telling them what to expect for weather, what’s going on around town and play a tune or tune they might enjoy.
A recent Facebook group discussion was about apparel worn while on the air and there are two distinct separate opinions. One is that the DJs should look professional, that is, wear a tie and coat every minute they are on the air, even at 1 AM. They say it makes them ‘sound’ better. Others say it really doesn’t matter what they wear, it’s the personality that counts. I’m of that opinion. If you are chatting with a person at their kitchen table at 7 AM, maybe even sipping your coffee with them, you don’t need a 3 piece suit to communicate with them.
Thanks for another great blog, Dick. Good stuff.
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Thank You for the kind words, Rick.
I started in radio wearing a tie while broadcasting. Today, I could be in my pajamas…LOL.
I agree, it’s not what you’re wearing, but the way you talk to the listener, relate to them, bond with them…that makes all the difference.
Thanks for stopping by the blog today and adding your thoughts.
-DT
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This is a great article Dick. My launch broadcast year was ’67, when AM was king and the industry had real talent. Channeling your thoughts, both you and I believe in full service local radio. In ’67 there was a tremendous volume of real talent, but limited technology. Today in ’26, weve got tremendous technology, but very limited talent. Having come through the ranks of local radio news, programming, management and ownership, some stations, but not many have glommed onto full service local radio news, sports, traffic and weather, plus great music. Most suits in the biz work for corporates who drive the industry only by money. Many of these “leaders” have no idea of what it takes to make great radio, relegating local news to websites, and with only one focus.. the end of month numbers. Full service local radio takes work, understanding that in light of the death of newspapers, there are tremendous opportunities to bring radio back to the people, with information, local weather and great talent. Automation has relegated local talent to a 20 second “that was.. that is” voice track, meaningless dribble.
Great to see you believe in full service radio. It is the only thing that will rejuvinate our beloved industry. Radio now more than ever.. Lets roll Dick…
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Hi Rick, we definitely ARE both on the same page when it comes to the mission of great local radio.
Thank you for stopping by the blog and sharing your perspective as a local owner/operator.
-DT
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Dick,
Good article! You nailed it. The powers that be have made radio sterile, predictable and boring. It was always about companionship. Content? No. It was reaching out and touching someone over the airwaves. And it was never more apparent than when your air shift took place overnight or on a major holiday. In those times the request line rang, but it wasn’t just about requesting a song. It was a person calling who was reaching out for companionship. Often they were alone and just wanted to talk to another person. Anyone who worked on the air has many stories about those conversations with lonely listeners. They knew that jock they were listening to was a real, live person who they could reach out to by simply dialing their phone. No chance for that today with voice tracking, syndication and AI. And thats a shame.
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Thank You, Mike.
Yes, an air shift was a night spent on the phones talking with listeners. Truly, more time was spent talking on the phone than over the radio.
Thank you for sharing that thought.
-DT
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Radio today is basically the “dead air” we used to have nightmares about. It’s boring and uneventful with no showmanship, whatsoever. Remember the saying “Don’t you touch that dial.” Well, believe me, I no longer do and haven’t in years.
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Don, you just gave a whole new definition to the phrase “Don’t Touch That Dial.”
And that’s very sad, but true.
-DT
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Excellent summation of the state of the art, Dick, at least for me. I walked into the local radio station on a 6th grade tour and knew – simply knew to my core – that radio was what I was going to do. Two years later I had my third phone and was doing it. A year after that I had my first and a year after that, had taken over the engineering and mornings for a 10kW AM / FM in the next state over … 50 years later, though I’ve been retired for 27 years now, radio – the way we did it live, local, for more fun than money, it’s still in me.
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Radio got into all of us who pursued this career, Bill.
We did it for the fun of doing it, and we were committed to providing the public with the entertainment they desired, the news they needed to know and the information that just might save their life in times of an emergency.
It was never about the money.
Getting paid to live our passion was a bonus.
-DT
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