“Radio: How Does That Make You Feel” Addresses Industry Change And Our Perspective
Sean Ross, author of the influential “Ross On Radio” column has announced his 2017 public-speaking theme: “Radio: How Does That Make You Feel?” The new presentation addresses how broadcasters have reacted, internally and externally, to the changes in the industry, and looks at how we feel about the business and ourselves.
The new presentation is a follow-up to the well-received “Radio in An Audio World.” Debuted in 2014, “Radio in An Audio World” asked how broadcasters should respond to big-name competitors like Apple and Google and a loss of their monopoly on audio content. “Radio In An Audio World” looked at broadcasters’ strengths, challenges, and opportunities in extending their broadcast offerings and organizing those additional choices for listeners.
“Radio: How Does That Make You Feel?” extends those themes to how we deal with listeners, those outside the business, and ourselves. As broadcasters, we know that radio is not going away anytime soon. But radio is not moving forward without our best, most creative efforts. How do we defend radio from outsiders without ignoring the challenges that face any business? How are we supposed to feel about radio, and ourselves in it?
This presentation will touch on some themes familiar to Ross On Radio readers and audiences—what radio does right and what we have to offer—but it’s also about keeping your equilibrium in and perspective on the business, to remain creative and do your best work. “Radio: How Does That Make You Feel” will additionally look at the messaging and positioning of our radio stations, as well as the issue of radio “telling its story” to the outside world—a frequently discussed topic of recent years.
“Radio: How Does That Make You Feel?” is targeted to broadcasters from C-Suite to the individual station level. It speaks to managers and sales people, who have to both protect and project a positive view of our business. It speaks to the programmers trying to create amidst consolidation. It will strike a chord with any audience interested in the future of radio and how radio is perceived.
Sean Ross is a veteran broadcast observer, journalist, researcher, and consultant. In the past 20 years, his “Ross On Radio” column has become a highly influential read on radio programming trends and history. As VP of Music and Programming at Edison Research, he has a unique view of the format and audio landscape. That perspective has been shared with the industry as a frequent panelist, presenter, and moderator.
Between 2014 and 2016, “Radio In An Audio World” was presented in various forms to audiences from Whistler, B.C., to Melbourne, Australia. Inspired by events at NAB/RAB Radio Show 2013, it was adapted into a panel for Radio Show 2014. It also reached audiences at Christian Radio Broadcasters’ Momentum 2014, Commercial Radio Australia, College Broadcasters, Inc., the North American Broadcasters Association, the Future of Radio seminar, and a number of state and provincial broadcaster association conventions in the U.S. and Canada as well as broadcast group meetings. The presentation was always significantly customization for each audience.
Sean’s other panelist, presenter, and moderator duties have included Country Radio Seminar, Canadian Music Week, the RAIN Summit, the NAB/RAB Radio Show (for each of the past three years), Canadian Music Week, the Conclave, the New Music Seminar, the Newhouse School Audio Summit, the Tejano Music Association, the Americana Music Association, and the New Jersey, Michigan, Ontario, and Vermont Assns. of Broadcasters. Last year, he spoke to the British Columbia Assn. of Broadcasters for the fourth time in six years.
Throughout his writing and speaking, Sean Ross is known for a clear-eyed but positive view of the business that he loves. The Ross On Radio column, “Radio In An Audio World,” and the new “Radio: How Does That Make You Feel” are all intended to help broadcasters tackle forthrightly the challenges of any business over time. He would love to customize “Radio: How Does That Make You Feel” for your broadcasters association or radio group meeting. Reach him at rossonradio@comcast.net or at 973-763-1306.
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