Let's stop
whining about the smaller talent pool and how voice-
tracking has ruined our "farm" system.
To find talent, we sometimes have to look in
different places and at people other than the "usual
suspects." For example:
* Is there someone not on the air at your station or
cluster that just happens to have an incredible
personality? As Dorothy Gale once said, sometimes you
don't have to look further than your own back yard.
* If you're looking for the funny character on your
morning show, seek out a local comedian. Try him or her
out on the air, and see if something develops.
* True story. When having lunch with a GM and PD
client, our waitress had an incredible voice and
sparkling personality. After desert, we all looked at
each other and said, "We need to find a place for this
person on our radio station!"
* Is there someone who frequently calls your morning
show or your station that has a great personality?
Invite him or her in for a meeting to see if this person
could become a cast member of your morning show.
The bottom line is that with the shrinking talent
pool, we have to look out of the box and work harder at
finding and developing talent.
Call me naive, but I still believe the best talent
will break through! We just have to find it.
Joel Raab is a nationally known radio consultant
specializing in the Country format. He programmed
leading Country stations in New York, Pittsburgh and
Cleveland. Today he consults stations owned by most of
the major broadcast groups. He can be reached at
215-750-6868 and at joelraab@aol.com.
Joel Raab Associates
Country Radio Programming Consulting
760 N. Woodbourne Road
Suite D
Langhorne, PA 19047-1370
Voice: 215-750-6868
Fax: 215-750-6875
e-mail: joelraab@aol.com
