Episode 21: The Bridge

I was reminded a few weeks back that podcasting has always been the underground of broadcasting. Meaning those doing it in the early days and somewhat today were and are anti-radio. They wanted no part in the big corporate decision making because most of them were ousted from the center of their dream career.
I don’t know about others but from day one of my terrestrial radio decades I was always told that hard work dedication and loyalty don’t guarantee the gold watch at 50 years. In fact those three ingredients can lead to the infamous pink slip. A program director once told me how he wasn’t comfortable with hiring people that came with such morals. It got in the way of everyday radio changes.
I understand the underground aspect of podcasting versus radio. I also understand why iHeart Radio announced this week that some of their 850 terrestrial radio stations will serve as a platform for some of iHearts 250,000 podcasts.
It’s a brilliant marriage. For the first time it actually feels like podcasters are being treated like Broadcasters. But what podcast episodes get the nod? What were the qualifications? For those in the podcast underground this is exactly why there’s been a solid line between the two shapes of communication. The decisions are being made by the very people that ripped 6,000 plus brilliant radio people away from their on air jobs and replaced them with Ryan Seacrest and Bobby Bones.
Wow! That sounded pretty mean didn’t it? Especially since I’m a huge fan of Bobby’s podcast. The point is… Here is this lovely little piece of broadcast soil that’s been surviving on its own for two decades and someone’s knocking on the door with a brilliant opportunity to reach out to newer listeners by way of terrestrial radio’s enormous impact. I get it. But let’s do it without the voices already heard on that stage.
There are some brilliant performers in the world of podcasting. Mind blowing fresh ideas with the guts to break down old fashioned programming. I’d love to hear Marc Maron on a Sunday night iHeart Broadcast but would hate to be the editor that’s getting minimum wage to silence the F bombs.
The golden ring is dangling in the breeze. The opportunity to jump onto the airwaves of the world’s largest broadcast company but how will the shows be forced to change? It’s an honest question. I love talking with every podcaster that’s available to share their journey. It’s pretty cool to not only swap ideas but to hear the hunger in their soul to bring their vocal art to life.
Book authors that had to train themselves to use their god given voice. Being heard to most authors is showing up on a page in a book, magazine or newspaper. Now they get the chance to make sounds from their mouth? Terrestrial radio people know that when big business is involved in the broadcast it comes with formats that shout, “Do it our way of you don’t get to play.”
Look…I’m the same way with my 15 different podcasts. Each has its own personality and purpose. The broadcast platform is surviving on its own and doesn’t need a knuckle head to drop in a few episodes and screw it up. I met a terrestrial radio programmer one time that would’ve taken that thought and calmly replied, “This is why I can’t hire you. You’re stuck in your way. You’ve got to learn how to expand. If it means me redesigning your layout. So it goes.”
Will Ferrell’s character Ron Burgundy is getting a spot. The first episode of season two teams him up with presidential candidate Karmala Harris.
Seriously this is a brilliant move for iHeart Media. Content sent out over a 14 second song intro no longer makes connections with long term listeners. The average length of Ron Burgundy is 35 to 50 minutes. I listen to the entire show. Before podcasting terrestrial radio barely got seven minutes of my time before I jumped to another station.
I can’t believe I’m saying this but I hope this move from iHeart inspires other major outlets to begin utilizing podcasting. It would be a great way for small town owners to make time spent listening bucks. With the internet connecting itty bitty cities to the globe all things shooting from your server can be a money maker. Hell I remember when Larry King was only heard on the Mutual Radio Network during a time when every radio station was ABC NBC or CBS.
I’m gonna get kicked out of the podcasters club for not being anti-radio enough. Actually I see it as nothing more than another platform to push push push. But will the episodes have to follow a strict format? The organic behavior associated with podcasting is what makes it sweet to listen to. Which is what earned me an email last week from a podcaster that made it a point to remind me that putting the shows out there is another way for the companies to make money and the podcaster to make less.
There are so many ways to look at the possibility. Radio making money off other people’s talent is no different than 1950’s Boss Jock Radio. The partnership between iHeart and podcasters finally gives podcasters well deserved recognition. The number of business owners that still don’t know about podcasting won’t spend a dime until the seasoned leaders in making money for radio help gas up this new age engine.
I can’t help but wonder though how the surface of terrestrial radio is going to change when it comes to future hirings. Tomorrow’s talent is gonna have to know how to podcast. Your digital numbers will either catch the attention of the major corporations or invite leaders to look elsewhere. Just keep in mind. If your podcast opens the door for you to get employment the features you write and produce probably won’t belong to you. Once you quit or have been terminated the big guys have every right to keep everything that fell from your creative journey.
So what’s the moral of the story? Radio and podcasting aren’t just looking at each other from afar. Physically airing them on Sunday night’s means the relationship has moved to first base. There’s some touching going on. No need to call the parental figures. It’s safe play for now. Keep in mind radio has been around for 99 years. In order to survive the industry has learned how to beg borrow and steal. Protect your art while enjoying the respect iHeart Radio is sharing.