Note: I knew George before he began his ill-fated stint at KTRS. He's a good guy, multi-talented, eminently knowledgeable in many fields, and a friend of friends. We've stayed in touch...
02 June 2007
Hello, Mike,
Lots of business to cover:
First, I won't be at the KTRS Kastoffs Reunion next weekend, because
I've
cast off from St. Louis -- I've moved back to Kansas City. When I took
the
KTRS gig, my accountant, bless his heart, did his homework and was
concerned about the high turnover rate at the Big 550. He made me
promise
I wouldn't sell my house in Lenexa, KS, for at least a year. It's a
prime
piece of real estate and has gone UP rather than down in value. He's
smart
and I'm lucky. My wife and I have always really liked the area, and
business-wise (she's a meeting planner), the flights in and out of
Kansas
City International to major cities are so much cheaper and better (more
non-stops) than those out of Lambert, there's simply no comparison.
So what happened after Feb 9 to me? My first reaction was one of relief
rather than anger. I was not happy with the way the morning show was
going
following Al Brady Law's departure. I pretty much expected another
change,
and wasn't surprised when I got the call.
Four days later, Feb. 13 , my mother died at Baptist Hospital. How's
THAT
for a double whammy in the space of a week? I'm an only child, and so
was
consumed with having to handle arrangements for her burial in Lenexa,
as
well as the inevitable grief that accompanies the end of life for
one's
parent.
A couple of weeks later, I spent some time talking with Steve Moore, PD
at
KMOX, who had some highly complimentary things to say, but we both knew
that nothing would happen, since I had a 90-day non-compete clause in
my
contract.
Some time before I was shown the door at KTRS, I had been thinking
about a
new type of radio talk show, one that simply hasn't been done yet
(yes,
there ARE a few that haven't crystallized yet). I decided to run it
past a
few of radio's truly Big Dogs at the Radio and Records Talk Radio
Seminar
in L.A. in early March. Each one of the folks I talked to responded
with
surprise and enthusiasm.
And one, who will remain nameless for now, asked me to call him the
following week. He agreed with me that the concept had possibilities
for
syndication and for the following six weeks, he helped me to further
develop the idea, primarily via the Internet. As of June 1, my plans
are
to fine-tune my idea throughout the rest of the year with some test
drives possibly being done on the Internet and/or local
radio --- using the
Frank O. Pinion business model of buying the time myself to air
AFTER
I've lined up three to six months' worth of paid advertisers.
To my surprise, a number of people, from my wife to radio friends and
colleagues, have suggested that I revive RadioGeorge in some way.
That's
the 100% Internet radio station I launched only 6 weeks before KTRS
dangled the big carrot in front of me. You'll recall that RadioGeorge
had
local news, weather, and even traffic reports, in a talk format
concentrating on local talk when the 2 main KC talkers were streaming
Dr. Laura and ... nothing.
Based on changes in the market, I don't think reviving RadioGeorge in
the
same format is a smart idea. But I do think that I'll try some
well-publicized special broadcasts on a time-to-time basis,
using
Google AdWords and a mailing list to create an audience within the
niche
that would want to listen to a specialized show. (This is basically
Internet Marketing applied to radio on the Net.) I fully believe that
radio everywhere is missing the boat by trying to appeal to demograhics
that no longer reflect reality. I think adults 30 -- 60 is more
realistic
than the smaller groups ad agencies and station account execs try to
sell. (And my model for this approach does not only not rely on ad agencies
or
account execs to sell advertising, it doesn't use them at all!)
I'm also contacting local talk talk stations and ones across the
country to do fill-in via ISDN from time to time.
Would I return to a regular radio job, daily shift? Maybe.
Depends on
two things:
(1) no more morning shifts. Prime time as it may be for
some
traditional-thinking PDs, after 20+ years of getting up at 2:30 each
morning, I've had enough of that nonsense.
(2) a very
specifically-worded
contract that meets MY requirements as well as the station's. No more
taking a job simply because it puts you into a much bigger market.
There
are some pretty good agents out there for radio talent, and if a
station
says "We don't deal with agents," then I'm not dealing with
them.
There
are too many other fun things in life other than radio to be a slave to
something that once was ass-kicking fun, but has lost a lot (not
necessarily all, mind you) of the FUN that radio used to be in all
formats.
My horseracing-oriented websites have, after ten years, finally started
to
throw off some streams of income to free up my thinking, and I'm
almost
finished on my first TWO e-books on racing, which will be sold on
Amazon.com and via an affiliate network within a month or so.
The St. Louis experience was not what I expected, but it has changed my
outlook and thinking on radio, life, and what I really want.
Last, but certainly not least, a great big thanks to YOU, Mike, for
treating one of my good friends, National Treasure Dick
Fatherley, so
well. He is one of the great voices still on the air anywhere in
the
country, and you are to be commended for recognizing a talent whose
background impacted radio in St. Louis and Kansas City both, as well as
setting precedents in the industry when rock n' roll really was king.
You have my permission to use as little or as much of this as you like.
And for anyone who wants to stay in touch: george@georgewoods.com
See you on the radio.
George Woods
