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David Wood Stumbled Into a Long-Lasting Career in Radio

Wood joined Emmis Communications in 2010 and currently serves as Vice President of Programming for Emmis-Indianapolis.

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Everybody has a superpower. You do. I do, and David Wood certainly does. 

“I have a knack for identifying talent,” the veteran program director explained. What he does daily in the radio world is like show business. When he recently put out an ad for on-air radio talent to join a morning show, he put out what he refers to as a ‘casting call.’ 

“I’m good at seeing not just what is, but what could be. In that respect, I guess I’m like a casting director.”

Wood is an Indiana native, and before you ask, in high school, he sucked at basketball. “I was too short and slow to play basketball. It didn’t help that Marion, Indiana was a powerhouse.” 

Wood said when you’re a kid in Indiana, you either want to play professional basketball or broadcast professional basketball. “I went to school to become a high school history teacher,” Wood said. “I kind of stumbled into radio in my hometown and started working at WMRI in Marion, Indiana. WMRI went on the air in 1955 but was soon sold. The station later spawned an FM station, the present-day WXXC.”

Wood joined Emmis Communications in 2010 and currently serves as Vice President of Programming for Emmis-Indianapolis. There aren’t many radio executives who can say they got their big break out of a cheese business. 

“I met the GM of a station when I was assistant manager of a Hickory Farms cheese store,” Wood said. “We got to talking as his daughter was about my age. I had a background in theater, and he asked if I listened to the radio.” He told Wood if he ever thought he’d like to audition for a radio job, to call him sometime. Wood did.

Wood took on everything in his first job in radio; engineered high school basketball, read the news, mowed the lawn. He bounced around a few stations in Indiana, including Marion and Kokomo, Indiana, about 45 minutes from each other.

When he turned 21, he had a life-altering epiphany. “I realized I was making more in radio than a first-year high school history teacher, so I stayed in radio,” Wood said. 

During his career, Wood said he’d run into co-workers who knew for a fact they wanted to be on the radio when they were kids. That just wasn’t the case for Wood. “I was the opposite of that kid. Our family listened to a lot of radio together, and remember thinking I could never do that. It was too cool, too magical.” 

After a while, he had another epiphany. “I was adequate on the air, perhaps slightly above average,” Wood said. “I’d seen a couple of PDs get fired, and I thought I could do better than those guys. So, he dropped the microphone and went into radio management. 

He said he learned a lot of management lessons from a captain of the USS. Enterprise–Picard, not Kirk. 

“Kirk always acted emotionally, kind of reckless, on his own,” Wood said. “Picard would ask opinions of those around him, seek advice.”

Wood said one of the lessons he learned from a mentor was not to treat every person the same way. “It’s unfair,” Wood said. “People respond to training and criticism in different ways. I could be very blunt with one of my on-air people, and they’re good with that. I tell them to put their big-boy pants on. Others, I have to treat them with kid gloves.”

Like many of us who didn’t play high school basketball, we aren’t immune to the lessons and charms of the film Hoosiers. “I watch it at least once a year,” Wood said. “It’s absolutely accurate, not an overdramatization.” He explained how the film was based on the ‘Milan Miracle’ in 1954. 

Wood described how football is to Texas and what basketball is to Indiana. “I think football is becoming more important here,” Wood said. “That’s a direct result of the Colts and Peyton Manning.”

When I asked Wood what constitutes a great radio executive, he didn’t hesitate to answer. 

“Being a student of anthropology,” Wood said. “You have to be curious about people. You have to figure out what’s important, how to work with people.”

He’s not only from Indiana; he’s a fan of the place. “It’s a big small town,” Wood said. “We have a Midwestern aura, but there are enough amenities to keep you entertained. Great steakhouses, Broadway tours, the Indy 500, the NFL.”

When he’s not working, Wood says he likes to read. “I don’t watch a lot of television,” he said. “For one thing, we’ve got television sets on all day at the station, tuned to sports or news. I like to read articles, listen to audiobooks.”

What is he reading now? “Fascism: A Warning” by the late secretary of state, Madeleine Albright. “I also read a lot of presidential biographies. The most recent on Ulysses S. Grant.”

So, what’s the future of radio look like, say in 2032?

“I think we’re going to have more spoken word formats,” Wood said. “I also think we’re going to see a lot more female-leaning content.” Wood believes things will get tougher and tougher for music programing as people have so many different options right now.

“We’re in a push-medium in a pull-world,” Wood explained. “The younger people are really technically savvy, and there are things they don’t want to put up with, music they don’t want to hear. The older they are, the more accustomed they are to being presented with music we think they want to hear.”

Even with all the changes, Wood thinks classic rock is safe. “My 29-year-old son likes a lot of stuff from that era,” he said. “He grew up listening to my music, and he loves it.”

I asked Wood if he was ever impressed by meeting someone in this celebrity-driven business.

“Not exactly,” Wood said. “I saw the late actor Jerry Orbach in a restaurant in New York,” Wood said. “We were sitting across from each other, and I knew the last thing he wanted was for me to come over and bother him. So, we exchanged a couple of nods, and Orbach smiled. That was it.”

It’s kind of a shame Jerry Orbach never got to hear if Wood preferred him in Dirty Dancing or Law and Order. I’m guessing the latter.

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BNM Writers

News is the Only Thing Missing From Election Coverage

Coverage of the election is, as we’ve discussed, still very horse-race-centric, and there’s been, of course, coverage of the various Trump court cases, but where is the coverage of exactly what the candidates plan to do if elected?

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The first thought I had when I heard NBC had hired Ronna McDaniel as a commentator for $300,000 a year was to wonder how many actual journalists they could have hired for that money. Then, I recalled that NBC had laid off dozens of news staffers just a few months ago. Then, I remembered that I had just recently written a column decrying news organizations throwing pretty much anybody on the air as a “pundit” and this….

This was worse. It’s one thing to grab some rando who happened to be a minor functionary for the Executive Branch. It’s another to hire someone whose job was to promote election denialism and pretend that her opinion is something valuable for viewers. And, yes, it’s just as ridiculous when news organizations hire former presidential press secretaries (that’s you, Jen Psaki and Sean Spicer), their very jobs were to spin everything in their bosses’ favor and now you’re going to pay them big salaries for, um, what? Because they “have a name” or you’re afraid someone else will snap them up? Why them?

The McDaniel deal lasted five days, one completely unilluminating interview, and one unexpected Chuck Todd spine-growing outburst, so it’ll all blow over soon enough. The problem is, though, the part about having fired several news staffers, and what it means in an election year on both the national and local levels. If you have the money to hire an alleged pundit – any alleged pundit – you have the money to hire reporters, and I don’t mean anchors or opinion show hosts.

Coverage of the election is, as we’ve discussed, still very horse-race-centric, and there’s been, of course, coverage of the various Trump court cases, but where is the coverage of exactly what the candidates plan to do if elected? Who’s probing Project 2025 and why isn’t it front-page, first-segment news? Who’s pressing the Biden administration on Gaza? Is anyone reporting on the candidates’ record on climate change?

Beyond prescription drug prices, is anyone digging into the broken healthcare system and demanding answers from the candidates about what they’ll do to fix it (and not letting Trump get away with “I’ll have a better plan, a beautiful plan” without a single specific detail, like they did in 2016)? Why didn’t anyone focus on, for example, the GOP candidate for governor of North Carolina and his incendiary past comments well before the primary?

Pundits are not going to do the legwork on the issues; they’ll just talk about swing states while John King and Steve Kornacki point at their touchscreen maps. We need reporting on the things that matter (and can affect that horse race, even if most people have made up their minds). It shouldn’t just be Pro Publica and scattered independent journalists doing the dirty work.

Honestly, I don’t want to hear the complaints about the quality of the candidates or how this is a rerun or any of that. (We’ll leave that to The New York Times.) We are a horribly underinformed electorate and we got the horse race we deserve. It might just be idealists like me who think that, just maybe, the news media can play a role in educating the public and bursting the bubbles and echo chambers. This country has survived and prospered for a few centuries with the press shining a light on injustice and corruption.

Now, when we need that most, they’re more concerned with what they think will bring them ratings and money (although someone will have to explain to me who thought having Ronna McDaniel as a paid commentator would draw a single viewer to NBC).

Here’s a thought: Don’t lay off reporters, especially in an election year.  Assign them to dig deep on issues that matter to the voters.

Let the pundits talk about that.

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8 Ways to Take Your Commercials From Drab to Fab

Our main source of income is derived from commercials. There are a lot of bad commercials.

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Another reason to read this column, I often add an Easter egg. We are in the advertising business. Our main source of income is derived from commercials. There are a lot of bad commercials. Frequently, clients write these ads. You can excuse it if the spots suck. But when the commercials are written by Account Executives or the production department at the station, it is kind of unforgivable.

I am going to share the most meaningless phrases in commercials.

Locally Owned and Operated

Customers do not care. If customers cared about a business being locally owned and operated, Walmart would not exist. People want service, selection, and value. They do not want to get soaked. When you purchase something, are you willing to pay 20% for a local company? If you say yes, you are wrong. People want a deal.

The Phone Number

Doing 70 down the 405, John slammed on the brakes to write down the phone number for an amazing HVAC Company. That is not how it works people. HVAC companies rarely have or should have regular customers.

Normally, your AC is out. You call the HVAC Company that you are familiar with. Radio advertising allows people to have “TOMA”: Top of Mind Awareness. There are stats that show when a company is advertising on your radio station, their website shows an increase in traffic. When you needed a service for your home, you hit Google and choose the company that you’ve heard of. It’s that simple. I actually heard a commercial asking listeners to add a businesses phone number to their contact list. That is a moronic use of advertising real estate.

Street Addresses

“Tequilaberry’s Prime Rib is located at 106 East Governors Drive in Peoria.” 

The people listening cannot process that detail. You could say “Tequilaberry’s Prime Rib is on Governors Drive just off 10th in Peoria.” That is almost digestible. That creates a picture of where it is.

Trust me, people interested in prime rib will Google you and load the address in their navigation system. Spend that precious spot time selling the experience of the restaurant.

Always Using the Company Owner/Founder in Commercials

Sometimes, it is amazing when business owners are their spokesperson. They have passion and are natural salespeople. Some business owners are terrible at speaking about their product.

When you have a business owner who is a natural promoter, they can drag listeners into their business. I once worked with a family who owned a couple of hardware stores. They spoke about the benefits of visiting their stores. It was heartfelt and real. They promised that their employees can help solve any problem in your home. If you went to that store and had a simple or complex problem, the employees helped you out.

I once worked with a man who owned a really nice flooring company.  For whatever reason, he thought that he was funny. He had spots written by him, his wife, or a kid. The ads were dreadful. They were not funny at all. Account Executives need to talk these clients out of doing commercials like this. Nothing says wacky hijinks like flooring.

Overuse of Numbers

“We have grapes at 99 cents a pound, Chuck steak at $1.99, two-for-one zucchini.”

Trust me, no one driving in city traffic can keep track of that. “The 2025 Chevy Chevette is back with 45-mpg efficiency and amazing 18-inch tires. Prices start at $19,999…  The New Chevy Silverado starts at $32,999.”

It gets really confusing fast.

WWW.

Yes, I hear commercials saying check us on the internet at “W-W-W dot business name here dot com.”

WWW is assumed and not needed anymore unless you are running a Commadore-64 with the latest floppy disc technology.

Yellow Pages Ad

“Check out our new ad in the Yellow Pages!”

OMG, no one reads those damn things anymore. Most people born after 1960 just toss those suckers in the trash. There was a time when the Yellow Pages were the largest revenue generator in advertising. Yes, a book of ads. Like Facebook, without your buddy’s political, vacation, or food posts. It was just ads. Zero content.

I had stuffed salmon tonight that I engineered myself. I would make Sydney Sweeney quite the trophy husband. Set us up. Hey, I am single. It was not that long ago that you would hear a radio ad that promoted a coupon in the Sunday paper.

Well, that copy should be deader than a doornail.

Amateur Theater

A husband and wife discussing their lawn and how she heard about Telly’s Lawn Service from her friend Stacy. 

Those commercials are obviously contrived and not interesting at all. 

______________________________________________________________________________________________________

Open every commercial must have an attention-grabbing opener. “Totally Jammed…  The floor covered with the guest towels. Fearing the horrific consequences of another flush…  I did the right thing. I called ABC Plumbing. Quick service, a great price, and peace of mind.”

The next time that the plunger is failing to get the desired results, the listener of that commercial will identify with the very realist scenario.

We are in the advertising business. Use radio as it was meant.

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The Lost Art of Using Sound as a Springboard

Use sound it wherever you can. All you need is a loyal, capable and willing board operator, to go along with a conscientious host.

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Jon Stewart was the first guy to do it — take a politician’s words from the news of the day or week. Search his or her entire past and find a sound byte saying the exact opposite.

It became an art form – and a great way to keep people accountable.

Most radio operations don’t have the resources necessary to consistently do something like that, but truth be told, that kind of journalism isn’t really the point of this week’s column.

It’s an example of the simple power of sound. We need to use it more within our shows. Use sound it wherever you can. All you need is a loyal, capable, and willing board operator, to go along with a conscientious host.

Speaking from experience, not doing it is lazy.

Doing it takes minimal effort and helps conversations tremendously – especially when it’s in real-time. I know. I’ve been there – missing opportunity after opportunity because I didn’t think of it, ask for help or just do it myself.

Put simply, good sound is a better springboard to a question than just a question.

Just the other day, I realized how well it works and how little I’ve been doing it.

Here’s what happened.

We have one particularly heated congressional race in our state. The Republican candidate is running for a second time after narrowly losing in 2022 in an election where Connecticut’s gubernatorial candidate from the same party got smoked, and the Republican presidential candidate lost the state as well.

This time around, there’s a struggling Democratic President with real doubts about the economy and the country’s standing in the world.

Put simply, the Democratic congressional incumbent has a massive task ahead to get re-elected.

On my show, I try to be consistently independent and be a place for both parties to appear with the expectation that the conversations will be fair and honest.

The Republican candidate came on the show earlier this month, and we went through a number of issues. Connecticut is a relatively strong Democratic stronghold, where the party controls the legislature, the Governor’s Mansion, and the entire congressional delegation.

Having said that, the largest voting block is unaffiliated, so appealing to independents is crucial for either side to win. I asked the Republican candidate twice about whether he will support Donald Trump, and both times, he equivocated. I asked the follow-up, we were on the record, so I moved on.

The following week, his opponent, the Democratic incumbent, was scheduled to appear on the show. Before her arrival, I realized the Trump Q&A should probably be replayed for her. Duh.

My producer found it, clipped it, and had it at the ready. I felt that I should have realized it sooner and not put some added strain on my partner’s morning routine. He was fine, but it definitely added unnecessary work within the show.

Lesson learned.

The sound byte worked well. I played it. She responded. We moved the story forward, and it was compelling – as you might imagine, the topic of Trump vs. Biden is pretty compelling these days.

By no means did it create a “wow” moment. That would be a little much. But it did make the show better, using the opponent’s own voice as opposed to my paraphrasing something. That lends credibility, not only to the topic but also to the show. He gave this important answer on our show, and she gave her response … on our show.

My final thought on this is that we (I) need to look for more places to utilize sound as a springboard to conversations, as opposed to simply raising the topic and discussing it. Maybe you’re already good at it and do it all the time, but this past week, I realized I need to push myself to do it more.

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