4) Articulate new programs and pathways for programs on WORT
The station need to develop steps and a timeline for bringing good program ideas from the idea stage to “On Air” in a timely manner. This includes using the FM signal as well as the station’s website, webstream(s), podcasts, HD signal(s), mobile apps and other media. Currently, there is no predictable, intentional way to bring a desirable new program to the airwaves at any time. Program slots generally only open up when a programmer passes away or moves. Program slots are often filled in a ‘crisis response’ mode, upon the sudden or impending departure of a programmer. New people who have a program idea for WORT can’t get a clear answer about when – or if – they can get on the air. The station’s program schedule tends to be fairly static.
Comment from a participant at Wednesday’s Public Session:
“Online pilots, podcasts etc, for experimentation and to develop a following.”
Comment from another participant at Wednesday’s Public Session:
“As a longtime member of the Programming Committee, I think this is VERY IMPORTANT. To be blunt, I am not sure it is possible with the current committee structure or programmer culture however. Putting new shows on (the FM radio that is) requires cutting something that is on now. ‘Good luck with that!’”
Comment from a third participant at Wednesday’s Public Session:
“Great potential for providing more content, especially in terms of music. Could be a separate staffing position in the music department. Link with regional music festivals. Take advantage of broadband potential to reach out to rural areas throughout the state, region and county.”
Comment from paper submission to WORT2020 mailbox:
“Target key objectives for new/current programs and limit the time to get to those objectives, otherwise conclude program (e.g., 2 years?).”
Comment from a third participant at Wednesday’s Public Session:
“Begin a pitch pool with new faces/ideas (or OLD faces). And use internet/HD/podcast for experimenting with new programs + personalities. Online pilots? Keeping it locally focused seems critical. Maybe relocating under-performing shows to other streams. Rotating time slots.”
Suggestions for the critical task of opening up slots for fresh, new programs:
(1) A show put on by one or two indviduals (which includes many music programs and a number of news programs including each day’s Buzz and APA) that runs for 10 years should be presumed to have outlived its usefulness, At that time, to keep the show on, the individuals involved should be required to provide solid evidence (NOT just financial and other easily manipulatable data) that the show is still vibrant and of interest to a significant fraction of WORT’s community. If such a show passes this “10 year test,” it should have the same test every 5 years thereafter.
(2) A show put on by one or two individuals, no later than after it has run 5 years, should be required to develop a “succession plan” (including trained “successors”) to deal with one or both individuals’ sudden inability to continue with the show.
(3) Any show should be “retired” when data acquired in accordance with Proposal 1 establish that listenership has significantly declined, or there are other reliable data indicating persistent, reasonable unhappiness not relating to reasonable editorial judgment with the show in the WORT community, or there are persistent, serious technical or journalistic deficiencies with the show.
I do understand the desire to get different programming and to new voices on the air. What I do not like about WSUM is that the programming changes every semester. That just makes it very difficult to stay connected to a show or have any sort of “station loyality”…more like, “meh, it’ll change in 3 months so whatever.” I also felt a bit of derision about how some DJ’s got on the air – while it might seem ‘unfair’ to an outsider that sometimes when a DJ leaves (or passes on) their “cohost” gets the show, keep in mind that their “cohost” probably had been showing up for years helping out and as a result already knows the station, how to do pledge drives, engineering, etc. They don’t just “get” the show, they get it because of their proven skills. Sometimes a modicum of show continuity is not bad.
This should not be a priority, given the other needs of the station, which I would rate: 1- training, 2-fundraising, 3- Board development, and 4-digital revolution. Our schedule may be “old” but it’s really quite diverse. And it mostly works. Changing our schedule will not be a “magic bullet” that “saves wort from falling off a cliff.” Every single one of these proposals should be driven by wort’s mission, but especially this one.
Personally I do not think that people who’ve been programming for a long time (for example, John Kraniak, Chris Powers, Peaches, and Rockin’ John) need to be reviewed by any kind of management. Rules should be limited to those required to have programs functional – i.e., hosts who can learn how to operate necessary equipment and be relied upon to show up on time.
As to allowing new programmers to have access, I would poll all programmers who currently have 3-hour slots (or longer) to see if they would voluntarily cut back to 2 hours and open up a 1-hour slot for a newbie to start out. Has anyone checked this out? (I would be willing to volunteer to do it if that would help.)
Please don’t waste your money on that HD radio scam. It’s been around almost ten years and hardly anyone buys HD radios. It has a more limited range and analog radio is still best. Also, please keep I like it like that, entertainment, and that harry rag show.
I like the idea that WORT would have several venues for programming in addition to basic FM. Podcasts, Digital are all great places to have people start out. The station already has a relationship with WIDE-LP and will likely have a relationship with any new LPFM stations licensed later this year, perhaps these stations could become sort of like the farm team for a slot on WORT.
I like the idea above of shortening some of the longer shows, but feel some continuity is good in related timeslots not unlike the current Monday – Thursday afternoon jazz slot.
From Glenn Mitroff, Staff Collective member:
As the Volunteer Coordinator I think it would be a good idea to look for more ways to share on-air opportunities. A mentorship program might be a good way to involve new (and younger 18-30 year old) programmers. Mentees could assist with tasks such as pulling/refilling music, entering playlists in Spinatron, organizing on-air calendar announcements, social networking, show promotion, etc. Once trained, they might be able to sub for shows and be part of a “farm team” for hosting new shows in the future. (I think that we’d have to identify hosts who were interested in being mentors and then have a process—applications, interviews, etc. to pick the most desirable candidates.)
I’d like to propose that we create a Youth Access Hour (for 18-30 year olds) in order to engage younger listeners.