When one of our Summits ends, it’s over for the attendees and speakers. The work is far from done though for yours truly. After packing up a SUV and driving home, the immediate focus turns to posting photos, gathering video of the sessions, sending out final invoices, making sure all ads on our websites and newsletters promoting the conference are updated, adding watermarks to the video footage to support our sponsor, editing clips for social, and then building a web page for folks to be able to go re-watch the show.

It’s a mountain of work and I dive head first into it because I want to make sure that anyone who attends one of our shows has an opportunity to catch a session they may have missed or go back and re-watch a speaker to make sure they have the right information before passing it along to help an individual or entire staff.

When you buy a ticket to one of our shows, I try to provide maximum value. You get an action packed two-day event featuring difference makers in various roles across the industry, access to multiple parties including free drinks, and a FREE on demand ticket to re-watch the show. The ticket price itself is also kept lower than many other events because I’d rather see folks in the room benefitting than worrying about whether or not we crushed our revenue goals. I don’t create these conferences to keep myself busy, boost my ego or get rich. I run them to try and improve the media business. It isn’t easy especially given how reluctant many radio folks are to get out of their buildings and routines to learn something new but someone has to try.

There’s an old Benjamin Franklin quote that I’ve loved and adopted over the years, which says “an investment in knowledge pays the best interest.” That’s what our conferences are about. We discuss opportunities and challenges and have open and candid conversations with smart people, share information, and provide examples that have hit and/or missed because the goal is to make improvements, and you can’t do that without deeper inspection.

With that said, if you weren’t able to make it to Nashville for the 2023 BNM Summit, I invite you to purchase an on demand ticket to watch the show. The cost is $49.99. Just click HERE to sign up. Once you press the Subscribe button down below, it will take you to the next page to enter your information to gain access. Those who attended the Summit have already received instructions on how to watch the show for FREE.

We will return with a 2024 conference in either Chicago, Dallas, New York City or Washington DC. Given that next year is an election year and we’ve got one of these shows under our belts now, I’m sure the next event will be even bigger, and better. If you’d like to vote on where the 2024 BNM Summit should take place, log on to BNMSummit.com. You should see the poll question just below our main section.

Thanks again for supporting the show. Until next time, may your revenue and ratings continue to rise.

I know hosts and programmers who see everything as wonderful even though it isn’t. I know people who see negativity in everything. I look at things differently and think that both perspectives are wrong. Today, I hope that I can help you find reality and become a critic.

You are programming an awesome news/talk station and seeing all the cool things that are accomplished on a daily basis. Celebrate every incredible moment. Or you are a talk show host, and you are recognized at the grocery store or the restaurant. You’re killing it. Big show on a top station. You are invited to speak at events, charity auctions, and are loaded up with endorsements. Why shouldn’t either of these people be strutting around like they are Deion Sanders? 

It is simple why the answer is no: because you are on top today, doesn’t mean you will be on top tomorrow. 

Budgets, new corporate leadership, corporate mandates, and market pressures could change your enthusiasm. Are you living in reality? You need to assess this. 

Should you be reinventing yourself? What is next for your station or your show? Do you know whatever takes place next will be epic? When was the last time that you listened to your station like an actual human? 

Hey Program Directors, take a day to take a long drive listening to your station. Get in the car and drive both morning and afternoon drive times. 

Is your station actually grabbing your attention? How is the imaging? Does it leap out of the speaker? Is it too aggressive or not enough?  Does it sound like a rock or a good sports station? Sometimes, it could be too aggressive. Most news/talk stations appeal to 60% to 70% dudes.

Does your station sound like your market? Every station is a living breathing entity. They are all different. Your community has a certain feel to it. Are you marrying those two variables? 

Ok, talk show hosts: Do you really know your community? Are you speaking to the most likely listener to your station? When is the last time that you airchecked yourself? If your vehicle still has a CD player, burn an hour and go for a drive. If you’re being honest, would you listen to you? Do you have the guts to be honest with yourself? 

Patrick Mahomes and the Kansas City Chiefs crushed the Chicago Bears on Sunday. I have one guarantee for you: Mahomes was watching his tape all day on Monday. He knew when he failed and where he did great. Do you know? Really? 

Find the success. Find the win. You may or may not be doing better than you think. Become a critic. What went right?  Did you aircheck yourself? Did you hit your station’s target? Do you know who you’re supposed to be speaking to? 

If your answer is conservative human, you are wrong. They are much more complex than just a political point of view. They have mortgages to pay. There are kids that need education. They have jobs, spouses, and things that they love to do. These people are not just angry white men just sick of paying taxes. 

Find that gold. What did you do well? Every host hates hearing their own voice. Every host. If you are going to be a better host, you need to listen to yourself and hear the good. 

Here is what I try to do…  Look at the glass half full. What can be done better? Where is the station falling short? Do you know? How can you solve the deficit? Is the news crispy written?  How is the imaging? Are you overthinking it? Go for a drive and find out. 

Listen like a real person. Think like a critic. Are you discussing the things that people actually care about? Are you reflecting your target audience member? How can you make it even better? What improvements need to be made?

The worst lie that you can tell is the one that you say to yourself. Are you looking into the mirror and lying to yourself? Perhaps it is over your relationships, marriage, job security, attractiveness, or popularity. We all have told ourselves lies. I have lied to myself. It is so easy today. You can fill your existence with screens and sounds. 

Take a walk on a hiking trail with no devices. Just you and your thoughts. Get in touch with your real self and become that critic. If you don’t, reality will be evaded.

We all have moments where we need to be real. There is probably a lot of good going on with your station or show. There is also probably a lot of room to improve. Be real. 

Dale Mooney was laid to rest this week. The name may or may not ring a bell. Mooney was a 53-year-old, married father of two who came from Newmarket, New Hampshire. A number of different news platforms described Mooney as, “a lifelong (New England) Patriots fan and a 30-year season ticket holder”. He was in the audience at a game and is now dead.

In fact, it was at a Patriots-Dolphins game in Foxboro, Massachusetts where something happened that led to Dale Mooney’s death.

A fight between fans broke out among the crowd at Gillette Stadium and Mooney was struck in the head.

The local District Attorney said Mooney did not suffer a traumatic injury but instead suffered a medical issue that led to his death. What did kill him has yet to be determined.

We do know this much: Mooney was at the game and got into a fight in the stands before he was struck in the head by a Miami Dolphins fan.

A bunch of people watching a football game. Hell of a news story, right?

I don’t think any of the news outlets have covered it wrong or has necessarily shed improper light on what happened but because of what, where, and when this did happen, I have to say an occurrence like this creates a twisting sensation in my gut.

Sports and politics are two of the most fervent topics likely to stir emotion in the people we call our audiences. Not just the games or the players or even the controversies are enough for us to cover, the fans and the enthusiasts are part of the story.

And like what happened on January 6th, 2021 at the Capitol and what happened on September 17, 2023, at Gillette Stadium, we should ask ourselves what role we in the media play when our audiences cross the line.

Common sense will tell us that journalism did not create these behaviors in those who make use of our product. We provide information and specific details when we are able and that’s where our responsibility ends.

Right?

If you are somebody who continues to call January 6^th a peaceful protest or simply the price of partisan politics or perhaps believes fan violence at sporting events is all part of the drill in being a dedicated team supporter, I am not going to be able to tell you anything that you’re actually going to hear.

We write and talk about these things (sports and politics) until we are blue in the face in this country and countless others. And after what we report on helps stir the emotions, we report on what happens next.

Business creating business.

We are not doing anything wrong yet why does it often feel like we are?

What is our audiences’ justification for a fight at a football game to end the life of a fan or a political gathering that leads to death and destruction or outrage over criminal activity or a death involving police that leads to rioting, looting, and damage to somebody’s neighborhood?

The news media has a horse in this race. I do not think I can articulate exactly what it is but I think we do nevertheless, possibly before these things happen and certainly afterward when they do.

We need to be the mirror put up to the community’s face to say, “Look what happened”.

There’s no need to embellish or editorialize. We need only tell the truth.

Somebody went to a football game, and now he’s dead. Like I said, hell of a news story.