RADIO: Old School, New School, Next School

By Michael Harrison
Publisher, TALKERS

To say that I am excited about the forthcoming Intercollegiate Broadcasting System (IBS) conference coming up in New York City on Friday March 7 and Saturday March 8 is an understatement.  I am proud that TALKERS has taken on the role of “presenting sponsor” of the entire event and that this year’s iteration of the annual “TALKERS” conference will be taking a unique and groundbreaking turn toward the future of radio-oriented broadcasting within the context of the industry’s leading youth-oriented gathering.

On Saturday March 8, TALKERS will be presenting an exciting and hopefully productive set of consecutive sessions collectively titled “GENERATIONS 2025.”  The theme: “Old School, New School, Next School: Learning from Each Other.” It will be happening on Saturday March 8 between 12:30 pm and 4:30 pm and feature more than 19 luminous industry speakers who will be there to both inform and learn from the hundreds of leading college broadcasters from across America who will be in attendance.

If professional radio is truly concerned about an aging audience and a deteriorating “farm system” from which to recruit new talent, it’s time to connect with the largest concentration of young broadcasters and listeners found on the planet in America’s dynamic campus radio station and communications department scene.

Here are just three (of many) pointers I hope to share with the young radio broadcasters (and I know I will learn a lot – as I always do – just being in their presence):

• Radio will no longer be defined by the platform or “band” upon which it is delivered.  We all know that. But for it to survive as anything other than a public utility (i.e. a soulless audio delivery system), it must maintain the magic and esthetic that has carried “radio” across more than a century of glorious history. It must bring the essence of its specialnessto its necessary co-existence with extended video, graphic and digital cousin platforms.  Be proud to be radio.

• Professionals in the radio (especially talent) business and increasingly related “other” media would be wise to think entrepreneurially. At this point, most do not; they maintain an “employee” mentality – and that is an economic and soul-busting liability as we rapidly morph into the NEXT school. You no longer have to “break in” to the business by getting past a gatekeeper for the honor of creating product on a real platform.  You can make your own real platform as well as the business structure to support those efforts. Learn business.  Start a production company.

• Learn how to use Big Tech platforms such as YouTube (their algorisms are a blessing and a curse) but beware of the suppressive techniques employed by their owners to mysteriously control how the game is scored.  Stay on top of that.  The 21st century will require an updated approach to bolstering the increasingly quaint First Amendment.

Please read the stories directly below for up-to-date information about this important two-day event coming up in March.

Michael Harrison is the publisher of TALKERS.  His email is michael@talkers.com.