Group Radio Consultation
Sep 22nd, 2009 by Jim Reyes
The former CEO of EMF Broadcasting, Dick Jenkins, was recently contracted by UCB International to undertake a variety of projects designed to assist UCB affiliates to increase their ratings and strengthen their supporter base.
In March and April, Dick visited affiliate operations in Aust, NZ and the UK and spent several days with each of the CEO’s learning their operations and development plans.
In May, Dick presented his initial review of the affiliate operations. He stated, “On my first tour, the affiliates really impressed me with their creativity and ingenuity. Of particular note was the publications division of UCB-UK, the product/store distribution model set up by UCB-Australia and the multiple format operations of RBG-NZ.”
During his 22 years with EMF, Dick built a 650 signal FM radio network in 46 states in the U.S.A., from a single FM radio station in California. He is presently researching auditorium “emotion meter” technology to help determine the most effective music mix and tempo for the different UCB radio formats.
Dick is keen to use his experience to assist the UCB CEO’s to grow their organisations, during the coming months.
I think Dick’s insights into Christian radio were very well informed and he obviously has a solid background in music format broadcasting. His vist here to New Zealand was quite insightful.
Having said that, I am fully convinced that if radio is to survive in the 21st Century we’re going to have to do more than just “play the hits”. In an age where an Australian company is making 30 different format music chanels available for your cellphone for just $6/mth, we need to offer more than just the right songs. Radio has always been personality driven, (Kenny Everett, John Doug Mulray, Wolfman Jack). Even television news is personality driven (e.g. I watch World News Tonight because I prefer Peter Jennings to Dan Rather).
The task for us is to make Jesus the ‘personality’ who is evident through us as the ‘voice’.