[grc] programming advice

[taproot at lmi.net]

While on the subject of programming advice, consider having a specific
term for each program, say two or three years, with an end point subject
to being renewed by the station upon review. No programmer, set of
programmers or particular segment of your audience should come to feel
they 'own' a particular time slot.

I think this is very important, and the stations that don't get this right
can let themselves into a whole lot of trouble with power struggles and
turf wars. Stations spend a fair bit of effort thinking about creating
programs, recruiting programmers and attracting listeners, but sometimes
they have not worked out very well how to end programs and replace them to
keep their air sched constantly fresh and evolving.

If programmers have their own 'show-for-life' they may not care about the
station's larger mission or any other part of the listenership beyond
their own. If the station is dominated by programmers that have their
shows for decades because there is no process or will to remove or replace
programming periodically they can form a proprietary clique that runs the
station for their own mutual benefit, which can lead to the station's
calcification and declining vibrancy and relevance. Somebody, whether
program director, or program council, must be able to recover programming
time from any programmer, or group of programmers, no matter how popular
with their particular audience, to insure the interests of the station's
mission and larger community of stakeholders are kept primary. Curt

> When I talk to producers about "plugola" (which this is) I don't get
buried too far into the weeds on regulation.   Because you'll end up
trying to explain the exact line they cannot cross, and they'll try to
push up to this line.    Which isn't what you want.
>
> Step back, remember that all noncommercial radio is educational (by
definition), and ask the programmer if the goal is to educate the
listener (through new music, or however) or promote their material? If
education is indeed the goal, how could only playing their material
possibly be a good educational experience for the listener?    As a
teacher, would you only allow students to read books you wrote?