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By Holland Cooke|
Consultant

At my very first “Consumer Electronics Show” they were showing-off VCRs. Back to the future. What we have witnessed this week is less about things than experiences.

No better example: The keynote by Delta Airlines CEO Ed Bastian, in the spectacular Las Vegas Sphere, a bucket-list venue. Google it. Like the Consumer Technology Association, Delta Airlines is celebrating its 100th anniversary; and neither are in business-as-usual mode.

Two days after her Golden Globes Lifetime Achievement Award, Viola Davis co-hosted Bastian’s remarkable multimedia presentation, which ended with a Lenny Kravitz set. Tom Brady was there too. He’s a Delta “strategic advisor,” and will host a new show on the airline’s inflight entertainment system; which will also feature exclusive commercial-free YouTube video.

Delta is using Artificial Intelligence to personalize passengers’ travel door-to-door; including Sky Miles points for Uber rides and Uber Eats, coming soon. Here’s more on his extraordinary presentation, and the airline’s strategy for forging relationships with – rather than merely transporting – their customers: https://news.delta.com/delta-soars-centennial-year-game-changing-innovations-ces-2025

What this means to broadcasters and podcasters? Be more than one of listeners’ – and advertisers’ – MANY choices. Engage them. Entertain them. Know them better and they’ll use you more.

For more on CES2025, hit HollandCooke.com, where I have archived my weeklong radio coverage, and this week’s TALKERS columns.

Holland Cooke is a consultant working the intersection of broadcasting and the Internet. Follow HC on X @HollandCooke and connect on LinkedIn

By Holland Cooke
Consultant

The sheer volume and velocity of information at CES is intimidating. But in neon-drenched Las Vegas, info-overload is business as usual. So cutting-through the clutter is table stakes. MGM Grand offers “Your Access to Excess.” What does your station or your show or your podcast offer?

In a crowded, well-catered “CES Unveiled” exhibit hall opening night, each booth had only a glance to stop us in our tracks. Think elevator speech on steroids. In one succinct sentence fragment tell me why I want to stop walking to know more. Among examples:

• Switchbot is “The world’s first multitasking household robot.”

• Atmos Gear has “the world’s first electric skates.”

• Sport Neo is “the first online bank dedicated to sports. Swipe for savings, score for your passion.”

• I would’ve strolled right past Xpeng Aeroht if it wasn’t “the world’s only aircraft that can fit into a car’s trunk.”

• The Litheli Easysurge is “redefining the battery-powered lawnmower;” and the affable rep had my attention when he said “100-minute run time,” double what mine does.

• LiquidView digital windows play 8K video, “24-hour views of an expanding global content library.”

• Roam is “like a Sodastream that fits in the palm of your hand.”

If you’re a music station, Christmas is over. If you’re a talk station, he won. What else ya got for me? Podcasting? Who isn’t? Tell me, in less than a sentence, what listening will accomplish for me. No station-centric slogans or other clichés allowed.

As I have in past years, I am offering TALKERS readers daily 60-second CES reports for air all this week. Simply download each report from HollandCooke.com the night before. No charge, no paperwork, no national spot.

Holland Cooke is a consultant working the intersection of broadcasting and the Internet. Follow HC on Twitter @HollandCooke and connect on LinkedIn

By Holland Cooke
Consultant
Hello from fabulous Las Vegas, where the faded Tropicana is now a heap of rubble holding space for the Las Vegas Athletics stadium; and where SO much else here changes between visits. There is just too much do-re-mi at stake for this place not to continue to strive to surprise and satisfy, and keep ya comin’ back for more… which is also the ballgame for broadcasters and podcasters.

What began 100 years ago as the Radio Manufacturers’ Association evolved into the Consumer Electronics Association, then morphed into the Consumer Technology Association. This week’s event is still called “CES,” but what’s happening here is less about electronics technology things than now we experience our lives.

CES2025 began with its perennial research presentation, the deck you can see at https://www.ces.tech/techtrends2025. Even without yesterday’s live narration by CTA’s Brian Comiskey and Melissa Harrison, this information is a real whack-on-the-side-of-the-head.Compose, offer, and deliver your work accordingly, or suffer diminishing returns.

As I have in past years, I am offering TALKERS readers daily 60-second CES reports for air all this week. Simply download each report from HollandCooke.com the night before. No charge, no paperwork, no national spot.
Holland Cooke is a consultant working the intersection of broadcasting and the internet. Follow HC on Twitter @HollandCooke and connect on LinkedIn

By Walter Sabo
A.K.A. Walter M Sterling, Host
Sterling Every Damn Night, WPHT, Philadelphia
Sterling On Sunday, TMN

As a consultant for about 25 years, I witnessed the full range of skill levels in the C-Suite. Bob McAllan of Press Broadcasting was at the top of the food chain because he had a consistent, passionate message: “We have to be number 1.”  He was an owner of million+ cumer New Jersey 101.5; WTKS FM, Orlando; and other envied stations. He had to be number 1. He never blinked. No participation trophies with Bob.

Shockingly many other GMs and CEOs do not mimic Bob’s war cry – number 1. Many, too many, executives responsible for AMs just gave up… as early as 1988. In 1988, I worked with a GM who was running a big station in a big city who constantly told me that his number 1 station would just have to die because it was on AM. Damn it, he would do everything to prove AM’s death was inevitable.

He was not alone. Over and over I have encountered owner/managers who refuse to invest or even pay attention to their full- market signal AM stations. (Even some FM managers when asked if they want to be number 1 have actually said to me, “I’m not sure.” Why come to work?)

If an AM station has listed cume, it can grow. Examples:

• WSB AM, Atlanta was sinking from dominance to a mid-level performance. COX radio hired top consultant Greg Moceri in 1995 to improve WSB’s performance. Moceri and, the more recent arrival, PD/ND Ken Charles‘ focus and passion since then has brought WSB back to dominance. Dominance.

• When John Catsimatidis bought WABC it was an almost dead, seriously abused station. It had a 1.7 share. John brought local shows, fun promotions, and pizza to the hallways. Recently WABC, under the guidance of John and Red Apple Media and WABC President Chad Lopez, has earned a 5.0 share. 5.0 in New York City.

• David Yadgaroff Audacy market president and Greg Stocker brand manager of WPHT-AM, Philadelphia air local live 80% of the day. When my show, “Sterling Every Damn Night” launched in May, the time period was 19th in total Adults. Today, with no promotion, politics or sports, it is # 1 Persons 25-54, #1 Men 25-54. # 1 Men 18-49. (Forgive the plug but I’m making a point…)

The shared ingredients of these turnarounds:

• Passionate belief in the show.

• Consistent delivery of entertainment

• No political agenda.

Personal note: Very happy and slightly surprised about the ratings success in Philadelphia but I am puzzled why not one industry type has asked, “What do you talk about every damn night?”

Consultant Walter Sabo A.K.A. Walter M Sterling has a nightly show “Sterling Every Damn Night” heard on WPHT, Philadelphia 10:00 pm – 1:00 am. His syndicated show, “Sterling On Sunday,” from Talk Media Network, airs Sundays 10:00 pm – 1:00 am ET, and is now in its 10th year of success. He can be reached by email at waltermsterling@gmail.com or Sabowalter@gmail.com.

By Walter Sabo
A.K.A. Walter M Sterling, Host
Sterling Every Damn Night, WPHT, Philadelphia
Sterling On Sunday, TMN

A surprising number of talented radio stars have been fired. Never understood why this is morally sanctioned between Thanksgiving and Christmas. The spreadsheet MBAs know it’s coming, a Halloween surprise would be kinder.

These suggestions might make the path to employment faster:

• No more stigma. Every industry has had massive lay-offs and job consolidation, being fired is not a reflection on you.

• The people who will help you are those who have already hired you. A prior employer wants to be proven-right. They want to see you succeed to validate their own decision. Make the list of everyone who has hired you, and call them. Don’t text or email. Call them. Ask for ADVICE. Not a job. Advice. They know your strengths and weaknesses. Ask who they know, who  you should meet and what your approach should be.

• Present solutions, not a CV. Identify the exact company or person for whom you would like to work. What are their problems? Write down your solutions. Package it pretty. A written presentation of ideas is something an employer has to “deal with”—a CV can be filed. You don’t want to be filed, you want a meeting.

• In your meetings, demonstrate superior knowledge of the company and express nothing but joy for your prior employer.

• You don’t want a “job” you want to participate in a solution.

• Skip the job postings, those are already filled.

• John Molloy’s book Dress for Success is correct. Every single word.

• Study your social network of people outside of radio. Think of all of your connections and relationships. Who do other members of your family know? You may realize that you have connections to major advertisers, community big shots, bankers, investors, ad agencies, media buyers.  Contact them and ask them for advice. You may hear, “I was at a community meeting with the president of a radio company…” Or, “We buy a lot of time on radio…”  Try it.

• Finally don’t be stupid. Post nothing. Nope, not that.

• Time off is a gift at this time of year. Embrace the moment.

Consultant Walter Sabo A.K.A. Walter M Sterling has a nightly show “Sterling Every Damn Night” heard on WPHT, Philadelphia 10:00 pm – 1:00 am. His syndicated show, “Sterling On Sunday,” from Talk Media Network, airs Sundays 10:00 pm – 1:00 am ET, and is now in its 10th year of success. He can be reached by email at waltermsterling@gmail.com or Sabowalter@gmail.com.

By Holland Cooke
Consultant

Your topic is often plucked from the on-hour newscast, asking callers’ take on what you reckon to be top-of-mind and relevant to listeners you target.

And as I have recommended here previously, it’s always useful to give ‘em a second reason to call. Hosts I coach pose a “Bonus Question,” generally something less controversial, softer, and (if you dare) fun.

Examples, evergreens that have lit-up the lines for hosts I coach:

• Dating co-workers” (Every workplace has one poorly-kept secret.)

• Your biggest gripe about where you work?” (“No names!”)

• What is the one thing about your spouse you would change?”

• Talking your way out of traffic tickets”

• Your least favorite song?” (An alert producer can quickly search YouTube and play a portion.)

Now – as it’s beginning to look a LOT like Christmas – many shoppers are short on ideas (and do-re-mi). So, consider asking for cool stocking stuffer suggestions. And don’t be surprised when callers answer your Bonus Question first (or don’t even weigh-in on topic du jour).

Holland Cooke (HollandCooke.com) is a consultant working the intersection of broadcasting and the Internet. Follow HC on Twitter @HollandCooke and connect on LinkedIn<

By Walter Sabo
A.K.A. Walter Sterling, Host
Sterling Every Damn Night, WPHT, Philadelphia
Sterling On Sunday, TMN

Chris Licht was executive producer of the Steven Colbert show. Then he took the job of CEO of CNN. There was unpleasantness. Thanks to our shared position on the Newhouse School Advisory Board at Syracuse University, I learned how he is advancing his career while seeking the right job.

Chris isn’t brushing up his CV or tracking down references, he is taking a strategic action that will enhance his career and his life!

Everyday he cold calls people he would like to meet or talk to. He reaches out to executives and decision makers at all levels of corporate decision making. Yes, dozens of people are happy to meet him, talk with him and share the introduction. It’s mutual. Chris thinks the people he is calling are powerful, useful, smart, positive. They also think the same of Chris. There is no downside or risk to this adventure.

No, he doesn’t pitch them for a job. He doesn’t have to. The “pitch” is in the call, the conversation, unspoken. After the call, Chris is top of mind to another decision maker, another ally, another peer. PEER.

Licht says he has contacted about 150 people who have become new friends, new colleagues.  He might take a job with one of them, but more importantly when he does accept a new position he will have a new, sizable network of pros to help him achieve his goals

 
Consultant Walter Sabo A.K.A. Walter M Sterling has a nightly show “Sterling Every Damn Night” heard on WPHT, Philadelphia 10:00 pm – 1:00 am. His syndicated show, “Sterling On Sunday,” from Talk Media Network, airs Sundays 10:00 pm – 1:00 am ET, and is now in its 10th year of success. He can be reached by email at waltermsterling@gmail.com or Sabowalter@gmail.com.

By Holland Cooke
Consultant

Pick a market, any market, in which one local TV station’s newscasts crush the competition. Experience that station’s – and its competitors’ – smartphone apps. You will find the winner’s app more helpful and user-friendly that competitors’ apps.

Nine-in-ten Americans own a smartphone, up from 35% in Pew Research Center’s first such survey in 2011.

So, although not mathematically in-tab to ratings, online content contributes to on-air numbers. Local TV’s linear broadcast product earns your trust, and the station empowers you with on-demand convenience. It won’t confine its use case to living room consumption, and radio shouldn’t settle for in-car + listen-at-work.

Chunks

That TV station likely live-streams its local newscast, just as radio station apps play what’s sent to the transmitter. And in my experience, radio station apps that autoplay when launched get more traffic than apps that ask you to click more than once to listen live. No need to explain portability to Baby Boomers who are lifelong AM/FM listeners, and whose first radio fit in the pocket (and whose annual USA retail spend is a demographically disproportionate $548.1 billion). And anyone younger already lives on a smartphone.

TV has a head start fitting its work into the phone, because 6:00 and 11:00 pm newscasts are already stacks-of-stories, easily repurposed online as short, searchable, single-topic videos. But too often, a news/talk radio station’s on-demand content is merely hourlong airchecks, not the moment within that hour that somehow enables listeners. Got “three ways to avoid [dilemma]” or “…to save big on___?” If you isolate those clips for easy access on apps, use your air to say it’s there, and link that mp3 to your social media, it gets shared, and you earn more Time Spent Listening.

Another opportunity to make the audience the show.

Recently, one of the stations I monitor had a technical glitch with its text system. Normally, listeners can use that same call-in number to text OR send a voice text. But for several days, the text function malfunctioned, so hosts explained that listeners could leave voice messages, and what they got was GOLD.

“Use the QR code on your screen…”

Another TV advantage. Radio doesn’t have a screen, but should put its QR code everywhere it can. Link it to your app install.

Holland Cooke (HollandCooke.com) is a consultant working the intersection of broadcasting and the Internet. Follow HC on Twitter @HollandCooke and connect on LinkedIn

By Holland Cooke
Consultant

Do you wish you could get in just one more hour of focused work… but your brain won’t cooperate? You’re not alone.

21st century productivity – especially for those of us in talk media where the action never stops – demands that we work against the way we’re wired. “For the brain to produce work of quality,” physician and neuroscience researcher Dr. Mithu Storoni says, “it needs to work in its own way.”

She observes how we’re expected to solve problems as though we’re feeding an industrial-era conveyor belt. But ideas can’t be manufactured in assembly-line fashion. Her solution? Rather than imposing the rhythms of work on our brains, we should impose the rhythm of our brains on our work.

Simple tips from her book, Hyperefficient: Optimize Your Brain to Transform the Way You Work:

• Keep shifting gears. Our brains function like a car’s engine, different gears for different mental challenges. We’re better-off doing short bursts of intense work followed by longer periods of light work.

• Take a walk. Have you noticed that you have some of your best ideas when you do? Sitting upright in an office chair staring at a computer doesn’t let the mind wander.

• Coffee is a friend. Storoni finds “no evidence that caffeine ingestion upon waking is somehow responsible for an afternoon ‘crash’ — or that delaying consumption would somehow prevent this if it did occur.”

• Tech can be a foe. Screens are making us jittery. The quantity of information they deliver can hinder the quality of our ideas. Did you ever read an email… see red… then fire-off an ill-advised reply? And social media “has this power to distort space and time,” causing us to feel “that something we are seeing is happening now and near to us. The problem is if this event is taking place halfway around the world, you cannot do anything to make the situation better.”

• Practice paying attention. “It takes some effort to focus. If I were to say, ‘Focus on that spot on the blank wall’, you’d need to work at it,” Storoni says. “Now information is cheap and attention is expensive, so everything is competing to grab our attention.”

• Never ignore mental fatigue. If you do more than four hours of “mental heavy lifting” every day, Storoni says the mind can’t recover even after a night’s rest, and fatigue drags into the next day.

Holland Cooke (HollandCooke.com) is a consultant working the intersection of broadcasting and the Internet. Follow HC on Twitter @HollandCooke and connect on LinkedIn

By Holland Cooke
Consultant

Here’s a sales lead, based on an all-out on-air radio war underway in the Providence, RI market I hear when I’m home. These advertisers are doing well enough that they are also now using TV; and I am now hearing this category in other areas. Because two aggressive sponsors here are using these same copy points, verbatim, they must be working, so rip ‘em off:

“There are no fees, no showings, no clean-up or repairs needed. We buy junk houses, abandoned houses, condemned houses, foreclosure houses, and even land. We buy several houses a month, in any condition, and we want to buy more. We buy inherited houses, behind-in-payment houses, divorce houses, we even buy my-tenant-won’t-pay-the-rent houses. Call today for a cash offer on your house!”