First and foremost, radio is a big business, with stations generating multi-millions of dollars a year. However, radio is entertainment, and has to have elements of fun and spontaneity to it. It must resemble a nuclear plant -- where the product must be creative, yet controlled because it can be very dangerous.

I love radio. I love to win. Here are the elements and the execution which I think necessary to succeed:

1. Good communication with all members of the team. To win, it is essential to have everyone on the same page. I believe that you must show trust to the team, and in return, they will support and trust the management; without this bond, things tend to disintegrate. I also believe in an open-door policy. Nothing starts rumors faster than a constantly-closed door. The “open door” promotes a team feeling from the beginning, and gives everyone the feeling that they can contribute.

2. Having the right people in the right positions. Then let them do the job you hired them to do.

3. Having an airstaff that is more than a bunch of card-readers. I really respect people who can do it day-after-day and keep it fresh, without talking too much.Talent needs to be overseen -- not micro-managed -- by someone who has been in the trenches, and most of all, they need to bond with the listeners.

4. Right promotions for the target audience. I believe that is part of doing your homework,and knowing to whom you’re talking every day. It is a basic part of relating to the listeners.

5. Music. I could write about this subject for days! Let me be direct and to the point -- we are not reinventing the wheel. When a song is right for the format and the audience, play it. Use the research as the tool for which it was developed: acceptance, fit, and burn.

6. Marketing. It’s a tool that’s often missing in the plan for a successful station -- and it’s as important as any element in the hot clock. The station must be marketed as a whole, living, breathing entity: the music, the personalities, the contesting, the fundraising. It elevates public awareness, and keeps the station top-of-mind for the listeners.

7. Integrity. I wouldn’t do any kind of business without it, and I believe that no business can succeed long-term without it. I use it when dealing with talent, salespeople, listeners, everyone I ever deal with. I can’t work for or with anyone who lacks it in his or her character.

8. Formats. I have extensive experience and great belief in AC, Hot AC, Modern AC, CHR, and Alternative. It is so important to keep in mind that music now crosses all boundaries. There is no such thing as a “pure” format. The smart programmer has to be intuitive enough to know where the boundaries are today.

9. Knowing the market. There’s no question that the learning curve is always there in a new market-- but it’s considerably minimized by getting out in the community, reading the local newspaper, touching the audience as much as possible, and getting a feel for how conservative or liberal the area is. This helps to tailor the format, and judge how accepting the market and audience will be of any changes.

10. Research. One of the most important tools in the programmer’s case! Both music and perceptual research are important. It is essential to ask the right questions -- as well as to test the right titles -- to continue to have a successful station.

11. Ratings. Take all of the above, done right, and the station should win. And at the risk of redundancy, let me repeat my earlier statement: I love to win. And I don’t stop until I do.