Holland Cooke – Page 3 – TALKERS magazine

Monday Memo: Does Anybody Really Know What Time it is?

By TALKERS | October 27, 2025October 28, 2025 by TALKERS

By Holland Cooke
Consultant

Possibly not – beginning Sunday – unless you live in Hawaii and Arizona (except the Navajo Nation) or American Samoa, Guam, the Northern Mariana Islands, Puerto Rico, or the U.S. Virgin Islands. Everywhere else, clocks will change when we “fall-back” on November 2.

It’s uncanny how just that one-hour shift impacts listeners’ lives. So, it’s a BIG topic of conversation. Plan now to empathize with the emotional and practical adjustments they’re confronting, including…

Increased Morning Light:

Positive: With the clock set back, it becomes lighter earlier in the morning, which can help people wake up more easily and feel more alert, especially for those who need to start their day early.
Negative: For people who start their day later, they may not notice much of a change, but the adjustment period can still be disruptive.

Shorter Evenings:

Positive: The extra hour of light in the morning might be useful for early morning commuters, outdoor activities, or children heading to school.

Negative: On the downside, the sun sets earlier in the evening, meaning it gets dark sooner. This can affect evening activities and make commutes home feel less pleasant or even more dangerous due to reduced visibility.

Disruption to Sleep Patterns:

Positive: The “fall back” of the clock gives people an extra hour of sleep, which many enjoy.
Negative: Some people experience disrupted sleep patterns and may feel temporarily groggy as their bodies adjust to the new time.

Health and Mood:

Positive: For some, the extra morning light can improve mood and reduce symptoms of Seasonal Affective Disorder (SAD).
Negative: The early evening darkness can lead to feelings of fatigue, a drop in energy levels, or contribute to “winter blues” or SAD. especially as daylight becomes limited.

Impact on Productivity:

Positive: People may feel more productive in the morning due to earlier sunlight.
Negative: However, the earlier sunset could reduce motivation to engage in activities after work or school, potentially leading to a decrease in evening productivity.

Safety Considerations:

Positive: More daylight in the morning can make commuting safer for drivers and pedestrians during rush hour.
Negative: With darker evenings, there’s an increased risk of accidents, especially for people who are walking or biking.

Energy Consumption:

Positive: Energy usage patterns may shift as a result of less artificial light being used in the morning.
Negative: However, people tend to use more lighting and heating in the evenings, which may counterbalance the potential energy savings.

Impact on Schedules:

Positive: Some people enjoy having the extra hour in their day when DST ends.
Negative: For parents and workers, adjusting children’s or personal routines to the earlier darkness can be challenging.

What’s a radio station to do?

Bump with or play songs related to time (Cyndi Lauper “Time After Time,’ Cher’s “If I Could Turn Back Time”).
Explain the history of DST.
Ask listeners’ opinions on DST. Do they love it or hate it? You’ll hear both.
“How will you spend your extra hour?”
Give away nostalgic items (like retro vinyl records or vintage tech).
Sleep tips from health professionals and mental health experts.
Advertisers offer “10% off for the extra hour! Sale only valid from midnight to 1 AM.”
Coffee or breakfast gift card giveaways.
Pertinent commercial copy hooks, i.e., “It’s time for a new ___!”

And please note: It’s “Daylight Saving Time,” not “Daylight Savings Time.”

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

Industry Views

Monday Memo: Podcasting Pitfalls (and How to Avoid Them)

By TALKERS | October 13, 2025 by TALKERS

By Holland Cooke
Consultant

The most common mistake podcasters make is assuming the microphone alone creates an audience. Too many would-be hosts hit Record without a clear strategy for WHY they’re doing a show, WHO it’s for, and what makes it DIFFERENT from millions of other podcasts.

Here’s where radio people have an edge. They already understand what makes audio work, fundamentals instructive to pure-play podcasters:

Know your listener. The #1 podcasting error is failing to define the audience. A show that tries to appeal to “everyone” ends up resonating with no one. In radio, you wouldn’t program an AC station to please hard rock fans; the same logic applies here. Create a mental picture of your ideal listener and talk to that person… as an individual. A radio show might have thousands of listeners, but they’re listening one-at-a-time. Podcasting is even more intimate. It’s the opposite of “Hi everybody.”

Prep like it matters. Many podcasters think conversation is enough. But even the loosest-sounding successful shows are tightly structured. Radio taught you this already: segments, clocks, and story arcs keep things moving. Format your podcast.

Edit ruthlessly. The average podcast listener has thousands of options. Rambling is death. Trimming, pacing interviews, and cutting inside jokes shows respect for your listener’s time. Walking-the-walk, TALKERS publisher Michael Harrison takes a mere 44 seconds to explain in this video.

Be consistent. If your show drops sporadically, you won’t build loyalty. Listeners want reliability, whether weekly, biweekly, or monthly. Radio wouldn’t move a morning show around the schedule; don’t do it with your podcast.

Think discoverability. A podcast isn’t a “Field of Dreams” (if you build it, they will come). Great audio needs marketing: social media clips, smart SEO in show notes, cross-promotion, and ideally, visibility on your broadcast platforms.

Make it about them, not you. This is the big one. Too many podcasts are self-indulgent — hosts talking about what interests them. Successful shows flip the script: What does my audience care about, and how can I deliver it in a way only I can?

The bottom line: Radio has invested 100 years doing what podcasting is just learning — creating focused, disciplined, listener-first audio. Bring those habits with you, and you’ll click, while others are still figuring it out.

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

Industry Views

Monday Memo: Social Media Checklist for Radio

By TALKERS | October 6, 2025 by TALKERS

By Holland Cooke
Consultant

These aren’t just bulletin boards. They’re extensions of your station, where listeners expect to be acknowledged and advertisers expect to see results.

Michelle Krasniak’s “Social Media Marketing All-in-One For Dummies,” 6th Edition (Wiley, 2025) really is “9 Books in One.” Haven’t got time for all 739 pages? I’ve boiled-it-down to five fundamentals that tee-up useful brainstorming.

Her core message: stop treating social media as a sideline. It is as important to your brand as what comes out of the transmitter. And it’s sponsorable.

Here are five fundamentals:

Pick your platforms wisely.You don’t need to be everywhere. As our superstar traffic reporter Bob Marbourg used to say when I managed WTOP: “Pick your lane and stay with it.” Figure out where your target listeners already spend time and go-deep there. For most stations that’s Facebook and Instagram, but TikTok and YouTube Shorts are big with younger demos.

Treat it as programming. Every social post is content marketing. That means it needs the same creativity and discipline as an on-air break. Recycle strategically: a morning show prank becomes a 15-second Reel, a newscast becomes “WXXX News Now, Top Stories.”
Post consistently. Social media isn’t set-it-and-forget-it. Build an editorial calendar. Balance evergreen content (i.e., music trivia or host Q&As) with timely, trending posts. Post predictably.
Measure what matters. Stop obsessing over likes. Engagement — comments, shares, saves, direct messages — is where the action is. Track what kinds of posts spark conversation and what falls flat. Advertisers will also expect hard numbers, so get comfortable with analytics.
Bring advertisers along. Clients want more than a schedule of spots. They want campaigns that include social media integration — from sponsored live streams to Instagram Reels with product tie-ins. Package these with on-air buys and show ROI with real data.

Krasniak stresses that “content is everywhere” — the trick is connecting the dots. For stations, that means breaking down silos between the studio, the stream, and the screen. Social feeds aren’t bulletin boards. They’re extensions of the studio, where listeners expect to be acknowledged and advertisers expect to see results.

Bottom line: Social media done right isn’t an add-on; it’s table stakes. If your station isn’t treating it with the same rigor as on-air programming, you’re leaving audience and revenue on the table.

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

Industry Views

Monday Memo: Replay it. Reuse it. Re-sell it.

By TALKERS | September 29, 2025 by TALKERS

By Holland Cooke
Consultant

Sure, radio’s superpower is that we’re live. But 75% of all advertising dollars are now spent on digital. And Netflix, YouTube, and podcast platforms have conditioned consumers to expect that their content will wait for them (“on-demand”), not the other way around (“linear,” meaning real-time on-air). If your best content disappears the moment it airs, you’re leaking value. Think: time-shifted, searchable, and shareable.

Repackaging doesn’t just mean repeating

Is posting airchecks – whole hours – your news/talk station’s only on-demand offering? Hey, why not. It’s easy, and – mathematically – no listener hears everything live. So, archiving offers convenience.

But few people sit through a whole hour, even when listening live, as Nielsen’s 3-minute gimmick reminds us. So do what music stations do, because music rights issues force them to: Extract chunks of what aired.

— Smart stations, in every format, are curating familiar recurring morning show bits.

— From interviews: Was there an “Aha!” moment, the-one-thing-said that was most impactful/helpful/surprising/quotable? Maybe even a few standout moments? Just one is fine. Be choosy, rather than posting for the sake of posting.
— From host monologues, excerpt the passage that makes the point in-a-nutshell. Like Sean Hannity’s shortform morning bit, a lift from the previous day’s live show. Give yours a title, i.e., “Mike in a Minute,” “Randy’s Rant,” “Tell me I’m wrong,” whatever. And if a caller crystallized – or challenged – the host’s take, include a bite. These features are hors d’oeuvres, nibbles from those whole segments you have also posted for those interested to devour.
— If you are doing solid local news, CONGRATULATIONS. You’re conspicuous, as newspapers tailspin and because TV stations’ coverage tends to come later in the day. So consider repurposing the morning’s top local stories into a short daily update.
Don’t just clip and post. Package and brand. Give all-of-the-above your station’s imaging feel. A series with a name is easier to remember, easier to sell, and more likely to be shared.

The juice is worth the squeeze

Repackaged content does more than just fill your feeds:

— It increases time spent with your brand.
— It creates more occasions of listening, whichever way works best for the listener. BE ON PHONES.
— It opens up new monetization opportunities. Sponsors love targeted content and are buying digital. Sell them yours.

The bottom line? Yours. Future-proof your station.

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

Industry News

Industry Pros Applaud RI Radio & TV HOF Inductees

By TALKERS | September 26, 2025 by TALKERS

Pictured above at last night’s Rhode Island Radio & TV Hall of Fame induction ceremony in Warwick, Rhode Island are (from l-r): consultant and TALKERS columnist Holland Cooke; radio personality Doug Stephan; 95.5 WSB, Atlanta news director Chris Camp; former Saga/Audacy/Entercom GM Phil Zachary; and WPRO-AM, Providence host & NBC10 anchor Gene Valicenti. This year’s inductees included: WJAR-TV, Providence’s Mario Hilario; ESPN’s Doris Burke; WPRI/WLNE Providence’s Steve Cascione; Poder Spanish Radio’s Tony Mendez; WLNE-TV, Providence’s John DeLuca; iHeartMedia’s Andy Lamchick.

Industry Views

Monday Memo: Boo!

By TALKERS | September 22, 2025 by TALKERS

By Holland Cooke
Consultant

Don’t let Halloween sneak-up on you. The only holiday Americans spend more for is Christmas. So – to seem more in-touch than your robotic and/or non-local audio competitors – plan something spook-tacular.

DJs will play all the occasion-pertinent songs, good bumpers if you’re a talker. For you, the living, this mash was meant too.

— Do an event? A “safe space” parents can bring costumed kiddos? Maybe to benefit a local charity?

— Or a grown-ups-only party? 😉Sell a sponsorship. Try a big-box liquor store; or if your bash is at a bar, they might line-up a booze brand from the distributor.
— Costume suggestions? In years past, this has been a productive call-in topic. With family budgets tight now, those pop-up costume stores are less-affordable to some; and many funsters are imagination-challenged. Back when we “went to the movies,” Harry Potter-level characters were more obvious.
— Sell Halloween Safety Tips, PSA-sounding commercials. It’s a low-price way to give new advertisers a taste, and another way for existing advertisers to show-up.

Copy points:

1. Make sure costume masks don’t block your kids’ vision.
2. Go out early, stay in groups.
3. Warn young boys & ghouls not to run into the street from between parked cars.
4. Stick with well-lit streets in your neighborhood.
5. Give young trick-or-treaters flashlights.
6. Stay on sidewalks or walk facing traffic.
7. Tell children not to eat anything before getting home, so you can inspect goodies.

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

Industry Views

Monday Memo: Stakeholder Whispering

By TALKERS | September 15, 2025 by TALKERS

By Holland Cooke
Consultant

Radio programmers and sales managers know the drill: The GM drops an idea, a client makes a request, or a listener offers feedback – and the reflex is to jump straight into execution. But what if the real opportunity lies not in what’s asked for, but in what’s actually needed?

That’s the premise of Bill Shander’s new book, Stakeholder Whispering: Uncover What People Need Before Doing What They Ask (Wiley, 2025). Though written for a broad business audience, its lessons resonate in broadcasting, where competing priorities and fast-moving decisions are the norm.

Shander reckons that traditional “stakeholder management” sounds paternal – corralling people to fit our plans. Instead, “stakeholder engagement,” gives them a seat at the table. This “whispering” is a deeper, two-way collaboration where probing questions and active listening uncover hidden needs and surface better solutions.

For broadcasters, this can be transformative. Consider sales. If an advertiser wants “a morning drive schedule,” a reflexive seller builds a package and fires back a rate card. But a whisperer pauses and asks: Why morning drive? Who exactly are you trying to reach? What outcome would make this buy successful for you? The conversation shifts from spots and cost to outcomes and value.

Programming is no different. Listeners may say they “want more music” or “less negativity” from talk radio. Whispering means listening past the literal request to the sentiment beneath. Is it about mood, pace, or trust? The host or PD who engages at that level isn’t surrendering control – they’re co-creating an experience listeners feel invested in.

The book also emphasizes “loss aversion” – the tendency to resist change for fear of losing control. Whispering reduces defensiveness by letting stakeholders feel ownership of solutions. In a station environment, that might mean involving talent in shaping format tweaks, or framing sales proposals as shared discoveries rather than dictates.

Stakeholder whispering is a reminder to slow down, listen more deeply, and help others articulate what they really need. For radio, it may be the difference between just checking a box and creating lasting value on both sides of the mic.

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

Industry Views

Monday Memo: Water You Known For?

By TALKERS | September 8, 2025September 10, 2025 by TALKERS

By Holland Cooke
Consultant

My kitchen faucet wouldn’t shut off. It died, of old age. Things start doing that when your “new” house turns 25.

With replacement hardware inbound from – where else? – Amazon, we’re coping, filling pitchers in the first-floor loo. Yet, days later, we still reach for the broken kitchen faucet, force-of-habit.

WHAT IF someone pushes your station’s button, or goes to download your podcast, and nothing comes out?

What are you known-for? What would be missed if you weren’t still doing it?

Explain that-you-do what-you-do-well, things listeners thirst for, especially things they can only get from you. And make every effort to deliver.

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

Industry Views

Commercial Copy for Careworn Consumers

By TALKERS | September 2, 2025September 3, 2025 by TALKERS

By Holland Cooke
Constulant

Why I love going on sales calls with station reps: Meeting retailers, who have SUCH a feel for their customers’ (our listeners’) mindset. Following-up last week’s column exploring the societal angst we are living through, this week’s will recommend technique for scripting in what psychologists call the Age of Outrage Fatigue.

Emotional bandwidth is down. Skepticism is up. And the old tricks – hyperbole, urgency, shouty headlines – are backfiring. People aren’t just tuning-out content they disagree with; they’re tuning-out tone. They crave calm. Clarity. Credibility.

To cut-through:

— Clear beats clever. Instead of “Don’t sweat it – we’ve got your ducts in a row!” Try “Get your AC fixed today, and sleep comfortably tonight.”

— Ditch the drama. Instead of: “Drowning in debt?” Try: “Make a fresh start.”

— Frame your offer as an upgrade, not a fix for failure. Instead of: “Will you EVER be able to retire?” Try: “Plan your next chapter, on your terms.”

— Empathize, don’t exaggerate. People trust what feels human. Empty hype gets filtered out fast. “There’s never been a better time to buy a car!” goes in-one-ear-and-out-the-other.

— Earn attention quickly. The first sentence matters more than ever. Make it a question that includes “you” and/or “your” which describes the consumer situation that your advertiser can cure. “Is your money doing what you want it to?”

— Use specifics, not superlatives. “Best ever!” means nothing. Numbers and proof points build confidence.

— If you’re scripting with AI, rewrite to weed-out clichés. Restaurant spots that tout “a relaxing atmosphere” are verbal Styrofoam.

— Respect their time. Use short sentences. Bullet points. Clear next steps. Happy outcomes.

Today’s most effective copywriting calms the reader. It offers clarity in a crowded, chaotic world.

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

Industry Views

Monday Memo: Unmet Needs?

By TALKERS | August 25, 2025 by TALKERS

By Holland Cooke
Consultant

Last week’s column previewed “CeaseFire,” C-SPAN’s antidote to the caricature cable news shouting match. Thanks to all who offered feedback when we wondered “WHAT IF…?” for talk radio.

Recent report from Reuters Institute for the Study of Journalism: People are disabling news alerts, “either because they feel they get too many or because they are not useful.”

People are anxious. Even a robot can read-the-room, as I learned by asking ChatGPT: “In USA society generally, list unmet needs.” Among them:

Belonging Without Division

— People crave community but are tired of being forced to choose sides.
— Unmet need: A way to feel connected and purposeful without being tribalized by politics, race, class, or ideology.

Trusted, Nuanced Information

— There’s information overload, but trust is at an all-time low.
— Unmet need: Sources that feel both credible and fair-minded, without sensationalism, bias, or agenda-chasing.

Civility in Public Discourse

— Public conversation often feels like a battleground.
— Unmet need: Spaces — digital or real-world — where disagreement is safe, not destructive or humiliating.

Mental & Emotional Support

— Rising anxiety, loneliness, and burnout affect people across all ages.
— Unmet need: Accessible, non-stigmatized mental health support, including community-based emotional infrastructure (not just therapy apps).

Work That Feels Worthwhile

— Many jobs pay the bills but feel meaningless.
— Unmet need: Opportunities to do work that’s valued, not just productive — where dignity and contribution matter as much as output.

Financial Security That Isn’t Fragile

— Even middle-class households feel one emergency away from disaster.
— Unmet need: Stability and predictability — not just income, but housing, healthcare, and retirement that won’t evaporate with one bad break.

Intergenerational Connection

— Older and younger generations increasingly live in separate realities.
— Unmet need: Meaningful contact across age lines, where wisdom flows both directions — not just tech tutoring and nursing homes.

Shared Purpose

— Many feel like they’re drifting — or living someone else’s script.
— Unmet need: A sense of contribution to something bigger than self, not through ideology but through everyday roles, responsibilities, and relationships.

Consider as you pose call-in topics and choose interview guests.

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

Industry Views

Monday Memo: CeaseFire

By TALKERS | August 18, 2025 by TALKERS

By Holland Cooke
Consultant

As TV touts its perennial New Fall Season, our DVR is already set to “record series” so we can pick-up where the “Matlock” sequel left-us-hanging; and for a third season of quirky “Elsbeth” (a closet reboot, the female “Columbo”). And where I live – where everyone seems to know everyone – we are salivating for “The Real Housewives of Rhode Island.”

Enduring as its hourglass, “The Days of Our Lives” – which NBC punted to Peacock – is renewed for season #61. As Max reverts to the HBO brand, “The White Lotus” will be back for its 4^th. “American Idol” will vet a 24^th crop of crooners; “America’s Funniest Home Videos” will share a 36^th batch of bloopers; and America’s argument will remain unresolved on every channel… except one.

Nonprofit C-SPAN – the Switzerland of cable news – presents “CeaseFire,” a weekly show where “Democrats and Republicans come together to solve problems and discuss the great challenges facing our nation… during a time when division and dysfunction dominate the national conversation.”

And who better to U-turn the “Crossfire” template that pits partisan pundits against each other than the suit who oversaw it, longtime CNN EVP and Washington bureau chief Sam Feist, now C-SPAN CEO. “In a media landscape that too often rewards outrage over understanding,” he reckons “‘CeaseFire’ stands out by showing what respectful, principled conversation looks like.”

“Like sands through the hourglass,” radio’s talk format was an early 1990s Revolution. Now – like the AM band it buttressed as long as possible – WHAT IF…

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

Industry Views

Monday Memo: Topics That Tune-Them-In

By TALKERS | August 11, 2025August 11, 2025 by TALKERS

By Holland Cooke
Consultant

Baby Boomers (born 1946–1964) are some 20% of the U.S. population, but control more than 50% of all household wealth. They hold $70+ trillion in assets and spend an estimated $548 billion annually. They are lifelong AM/FM listeners, and they’re redefining what life after 60 looks like. Are you into what they’re up to?

Some are having the time of their lives. Others are confronting new realities. All are seeking relevance, respect, and real-world information. Consider these issues for call-in topics and guest interviews and podcasts. Possibly a sponsored series?

Lifestyle & Purpose

— “How to Make Your Bucket List Actually Happen”
— “Finding Purpose Beyond the 9 to 5”
— “Encore Careers That Start with a Volunteer Gig”

Health & Wellness

— “Sleep After 60: What Changes and What Helps”
— “The Foods That Fight Brain Fog”
— “Fitness Without the Injuries: Smarter Workouts After 50”

Financial Confidence

— “How Much is Enough? Retirement Planning Backwards”
— “Social Security Myths That Could Cost You”
— “Turning Your Home into Income” (downsizing, ADUs, Airbnb)
— “Helping Without Hurting: When Adult Kids Need Financial Help”

Freedom & Adventure

— “How to Travel More for Less”
— “National Parks Over 60: Hidden Gems and Senior Pass Tips”
— “Cool Day Trips”

Home & Relationships

— “Downsize Without Drama”
— “Living With – or Near – Your Kids: Pros, Cons & Boundaries”
— “Home Safety Upgrades You’ll Be Glad You Made”
— “The Second Time-Around Marriage: Legal & Emotional Realities”
— “Grandparenting Without Overstepping”

Learning & Creativity

— “The Science of Lifelong Learning: Why Your Brain Craves It”
— “It’s Never Too Late to Learn an Instrument (or a Language)”
— “Turning Your Life Story Into a Book – Or a Podcast”
— “Digital Detox: How to Stay Connected Without Feeling Glued”

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

Industry Views

TV Trend is Radio Wake-Up Call

By TALKERS | August 5, 2025 by TALKERS

By Holland Cooke
Consultant

South Florida viewers are confused. WPLG, which brands as “Local 10,” was an ABC-TV affiliate for 69 years… until yesterday. Now it’s more local than ever, after divorcing its network, whose programming moved to the FOX affiliate’s digital channels 18.1 and 7.2, now branded “ABC Miami.” Among courteous FAQs about this change on WPLG’s web site: “How do I rescan my TV?” to find ABC programming.

FAQ #1: Why is this happening?

WPLG GM Bert Medina explains, “We made a generous offer to ABC, but it became clear the two sides were not going to agree to a new deal.”

Citing the FCC’s “interest in and the authority to promote the public interest and to ensure that local broadcast TV stations retain the economic and operational independence necessary to meet their public interest obligations,” Chairman Brendan Carr is investigating what he calls networks’ “attempt to extract onerous financial and operational concessions from local broadcast TV stations.” His recent letter to Comcast CEO Brian Roberts announced an inquiry into NBC practices that will also scrutinize other networks’ affiliation agreements. He reckons that networks threatening long-held affiliations “could result in blackouts and other harms to local consumers of broadcast news and content.”

“That’s why we have an FCC license.”

WPLG’s GM explains that “our job is to serve this community with news and local programming.” He – and his Berkshire Hathaway ownership – determined that “if we agreed to the ABC terms, that mission would have suffered.” The last straw? “Exclusivity, which is the core to our relationship, is disappearing. Even when ABC airs high-quality programming, like the Oscars, ABC airs that same programming on other platforms. We no longer feel we are getting what we pay for.”

Proud that “a majority of our staff grew up here,” Medina announced that WPLG is staffing up. “Instead of sending our money to New York, we will keep it in our community and use that money to finance a massive expansion in local news and other local programming. We are excited for the future of Local 10. Just watch us. We are about to serve this community in an even bigger and better way.”

Music has been commoditized

It’s all over the other platforms and devices increasingly siphoning-off radio listening time and ad revenue. And unlike six-spot (or longer) stopsets now common on FM, streams’ spots are shorter and fewer. And there are NO commercials for paid subscribers who’ve had-it-up-to-here with broadcast music radio.

TV networks aren’t shy about hijacking affiliates’ viewers. ABC offers Disney+, CBS lures us to Paramount+, NBC touts Peacock. And network radio spots are plugging iHeart podcasts.

So, yuh. Make your station as smartphone friendly as possible. But when I jump in the car, and my phone pops-up on the dashboard radio once owned, what comes out the speaker still has to compete. And what is the ONE thing that streams that your robotic FM competitors don’t offer? “Local.”

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

Industry Views

Monday Memo: How You Tune Them Out?

By TALKERS | August 4, 2025August 4, 2025 by TALKERS

By Holland Cooke
Consultant

Unintentionally, your poorly phrased comment, dated reference, weary cliché, or offhand remark can at least subtly distance you from your listener and could undercut your credibility, offend, or even spark backlash.

Whether you’re a broadcaster, podcaster, newscaster, or you are crafting commercial or promo copy, take a fresh look at these often-overlooked pitfalls.

Dated references: Nothing can disrupt your listener’s day quicker than quickly changing weather. Being thought of as a weather source can advantage any station in any format. But you risk that currency by calling tomorrow “…a carbon copy of today.” Few under 50 have ever used carbon paper. And with weather more erratic lately, implying otherwise can make your forecast sound – forgive me – “like a broken record.” Also antique: “Rolodex,” now that listeners’ smartphones have “Contacts.” So, purge old-speak from “the radio dial.” Listeners (and advertisers) notice when we keep-up… or don’t.

Stereotyping:

— “Soccer mom in a SUV” sure is the retail super-consumer advertisers want to see pull-into the parking lot. Visualize her in programming and promotion planning and sales prospecting… OFF-air stuff. But reinforcing gender roles and class assumptions ON-air paints a narrow picture of parenting and lifestyle, potentially alienating women.
— “You know how Millennials are.” Yes – like “Generation X” – they dislike being typecast, and you sound out-of-touch and judgmental.
— Calling someone “a Karen” can alienate listeners who have felt ridiculed suffering a situation similar to whatever you’re describing. And there are millions in the potential ratings sample named… Karen.
— “Probably some college kid with no clue how to drive in the snow” implies incompetence based on age and background. This kind of dig can undermine younger listeners or newcomers to your market.

Stereotypes are lazy, often a shortcut to humor or imagery. Ask yourself: “Is this something I’d say to someone’s face?”

Insensitive Humor: “Looks like someone forgot their meds today!” can offend those quietly dealing with anxiety, or depression. Pandemic silver lining: Mental health is no longer a laughing matter. You may have seen TV PSAs by Howie Mandel, sharing how ADHD has impacted his life and asking that it not be a punchline.

“Potty-mouth:” Mom and Dad’s just-the-two-of-them vocabulary is different than the way they speak with kids in the car, and what they want to hear their children repeat after hearing on radio.

— “Pissed-off” has become unnecessarily familiar, particularly with recent inflation…with which we are “annoyed,” “fed-up,” and “frustrated.”
— Even if something sounds commonplace, origins or implications may make it unsuitable for all-audience radio. “Scumbag” began as a term for condom. “Sucks” and “screwed” also have sexual roots some consider vulgar.

Taboo red flags:

— “No offense, but…” or “I’m just saying…” often precede something offensive.
— “It’s just a joke!” often follows a crack at the expense of marginalized groups.
— “Everyone thinks that…” overgeneralizes and can alienate those who disagree.
— Mocking accents or speech patterns can come across as disrespectful rather than entertaining.
— “Real [men/women] do…” Gendered assumptions can feel exclusionary or outdated.
— “This [group] is always…” Sweeping characterizations often reinforce stereotypes.

Words have weight. In a medium where tone, timing, and trust matter, what we say – and how we say it – can either strengthen listener connection or erode it.

NEXT WEEK: Topics to Tune-IN the listeners you want most.

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

Industry Views

Monday Memo: News/Talk’s New Fall Season

By TALKERS | July 28, 2025 by TALKERS

By Holland Cooke
Consultant

Why we’re already seeing TV tout its coming attractions: They understand how, after Labor Day, routines settle in. Viewers will be ready to re-engage.

Radio stations that treat September as just another month are missing an opportunity to reintroduce our relevance, refresh our programming, and remind listeners why we matter. After a summer of disrupted routines, school vacation, and scattered attention, commutes return, and schedules normalize. And we want to be the soundtrack. How?

1. Make listeners feel like they’re rejoining a conversation they care about. “Back to the grind? We’re back with what matters.”
2. Freshen your lineup or formatics. It’s a great time to introduce new contributors – analysts, columnists, or rotating guests with fresh perspectives. Debut a new segment: deeper dives, listener town halls, daily fact-checks, etc.
3. Update Imaging.Listeners tune to news/talk for clarity. At client stations, we’re refreshing IDs, show opens, transitions. Convey momentum and immediacy, and that you’ve got your listener’s back. Adjust clocks to improve flow and appointment tune-in. Even subtle changes, well-explained and promoted, can feel significant.

4. TV has premieres. Radio can, too. Launch a limited-run podcast series and promote it on-air?
5. Promote like you’re running for election. Off-air marketing money may be scarce, but you have other arrows in your quiver: Daily topical on-air promos explain how listening will be helpful. Use social media to tease what’s upcoming, and to post ICYMI “Feature the Moments that Matter.” Ditto e-newsletters and station app alerts and, and partner mentions via local media or civic groups.
6. Sales! Help advertisers freshen their messages similarly.

Any station, any format, should reassert its role. And – as each day’s events impact everyday life – no other format can command more attention than news/talk. So, welcome back.

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

Industry Views

Monday Memo: The Dog Days of Summer

By TALKERS | July 21, 2025 by TALKERS

By Holland Cooke
Consultant

Ask any dog: The humans’ greatest invention EVER? Ice cream. Share summer’s sweetest treat with them, and listeners, during National Ice Cream Month.

Ask dog owners: “What makes YOUR dog happy?” Callers will tell stories.

And what’s cooler than hot wings? Do something special on July 29 – National Chicken Wing Day – and you will seem more special than non-local and/or robotic audio competitors.

Ditto International Hot Dog Day, August 26.

Convene a meeting to brainstorm opportunities on Thursday (July 24, National Tequila Day). Or August 8, International Beer Day.

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

Industry News

Monday Memo: We’re There, Too

By TALKERS | July 14, 2025 by TALKERS

By Holland Cooke
Consultant

How obsolete does this sound? “Newsweek magazine.” News, gathered during most-of the week, had to be frozen by week’s-end, on deadline, to roll the presses in time for hard copy to be delivered in Monday’s snail mail. Back then – picture people dressed like “Mad Men” characters – enough subscribers felt informed-enough to deliver Return On Investment for the magazine’s advertisers. Seems antique. Now, news is reported moment-to-moment, on any device. And newsweek.com is there… along with everyone else competing for attention.

Also quaint: that “clock radio” on the nightstand, which accomplished two-of-many functions now on smartphones. And the “transistor radios” heard all along the beach this time of year in the 1960s? In Providence, the capital city here in The Ocean State, an AM 630 signal superior to its AM 1290 Top 40 competitor led WPRO to brand itself as “The Station That Reaches the Beaches.” Now, there are smart speakers on those beach blankets. I live at the beach and hear them playing Pandora and Spotify.

Good news, but…

Radio is still the #1 in-car audio; increasingly ported there via smartphone app, if stations have explained theirs well. And there’s plenty of other audio on those phones, and on the smart speakers that brought radio back in-home… unless we ask Alexa to instead “play hotel poolside music” or ask her for the weather or some other heretofore radio content.

Repetition builds habit, and to best explain that we’re there too, you should audit the user’s experience consuming your stream. Does “Just say ‘Alexa, play 102.3 WXXX’” or “Hey Siri, play KXXX on TuneIn” get you there? Does the smartphone app instantly play your on-air programming, or are multiple clicks required?

More important than Where and How to listen: Why?

Radio’s real-time nature is still its superpower, and if your station has earned a news reputation, listeners will find you – however they listen – when the fit hits the shan. And between bombshells, diligent stations whose real-time audio seems helpful and relevant and uniquely local will be habit-forming and keep ‘em comin’ back for more. Adding push notifications, breaking news alerts, and other direct engagement can bridge the gap, prompting more live listening.

Beyond that “linear” delivery, our on-demand culture favors predictable utility. Smart stations repurpose their best moments into snackable content: a daily local news roundup, your morning show’s funniest bit, or the weather and event calendar for the weekend; all sponsorable. ICYMI, my recent TALKERS column: Feature The Moments That Matter.

Your over-the-air signal is still the beating heart of your operation. Your call letters are a family surname, these new platforms are siblings. They’re extensions, not threats; extra doors into your house. Make sure they’re open wide, easy to find, and lead to something welcoming. Ideally something they can’t hear anywhere else.

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

Industry Views

Monday Memo: X Marks the Spot – Radio’s Most Valuable Demo

By TALKERS | July 7, 2025 by TALKERS

By Holland Cooke
Consultant

Ipsos Generations Report 2025: “Right now, it’s Generation X who are the highest-earning generation in the US, surpassing both Boomers and Millennials.”

Born 1965 to 1980, they grew up with an AM/FM radio habit. And – as they are about to inherit a LOT of money from wealthy grandparent Silents and Boomer parents over the next few decades – which prospective advertisers want to meet them?

Prospect banks, financial planners, real estate agents, and wellness and eldercare consultants and Elder Law and Trust attorneys.

Recommended commercial creative: advertorial. “Tell ‘em and you’ll sell ‘em,” with spots disguised as informative features. Sample topics:

— “5 Inheritance Mistakes to Avoid”
— “How to Talk to Your Parents About Their Will”
— “Downsizing Without Downgrading”
— “Kids, Parents, and Cash”

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

Industry Views

Monday Memo: Feature the Moments That Matter

By TALKERS | June 30, 2025 by TALKERS

By Holland Cooke
Consultant

Are archived shows – whole hours – your station’s only on-demand offering? It’s an easy checkbox: post the aircheck, call it a podcast.

And why not? In our on-demand culture, why expose this work – and its sponsors – only to those who happened to be listening in real-time? But few listeners will sit through an hour – or three – of linear audio. Most don’t when listening live. They’re busy. The only person who hears the whole show is the host (which is why I cringe when I hear “hour number three”).

Trim the fat, serve the steak

Many more will be interested in highlights, those couple minutes of Pet Pro Dr. Donna Stone’s tips for “Helping Your Critters Keep Their Cool During a Long Hot Summer,” or whatever “money moments” aired.

— Give these excerpts a title, incorporating words someone might include in Search. Add a sharable description. Let MS Copilot or ChatGPT make you a graphic. For this example, make it a cute puppy.
— In addition to the station’s website, these clips should be all over your social media. Think of your whole show as a movie. Hashtag-laden Tweets that include a click-to-listen link are the trailer. Script several versions and post at intervals.
— Get good at this, and your posts will get shared.
–And Dr. Donna can share her moment to her followers.

This is something music station morning shows do better than talk stations, because archiving whole songs is taboo. They’re forced to cull.

Find the time

It’s an investment in reach, relevance, and revenue. Don’t just archive – curate. You can find new ears, using these audio appetizers to offer people who don’t know your show to try the entrée.

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

Industry Views

Monday Memo: On-Demand is In-Demand

By TALKERS | June 23, 2025June 23, 2025 by TALKERS

By Holland Cooke
Consultant

If you saved back issues from when TALKERS was a print tabloid, dig-down about 20 years into the stack. A couple times a year beginning then, I was reporting from conferences then called The Podcast and New Media Expo, which later evolved into NMX and BlogWorld and other incarnations.

As I was typing-as-fast-as-I-could in the back row, I was hearing a new medium take shape.

— These energized events had the mojo radio conventions used to. But radio was already struggling as consolidation eliminated many on-air jobs, cutbacks that continue today.
— But plucky podcasters were already self-publishing about high-affinity Long Tail topics too narrowcast for AM/FM radio. And because it is what we then called “the World Wide Web,” they were growing a following far beyond local broadcasters’ signal footprints.

Remember iPod? Suddenly, EVERYONE had one. Then, just-as-suddenly, everyone didn’t. Because Apple rolled-out iPhone, which could also tote your tunes, and do thousands of other things. Yet the term “podcasting” – which first referred to the device – endures.

What’s remarkable about the podcasting phenomenon, is that users – not the device manufacturer – came up with the idea. iPod was designed as a music player. But it was We The People who reckoned that audio-is-audio and started self-publishing radio-without-radio.

“P-O-D” = “Programming On-Demand.” Think Netflix for audio.

— But unlike Netflix, stations aren’t investing aggressively in on-demand content. Short-staffed, it’s all they can do to feed multiple transmitters robotic programming.
— Meanwhile, enthused podcasters are generating content, some of which is amusing quirky boutique topics. Others are doing local news, now in shorter supply from AM/FM radio.
— Smart stations buddy-up with these DIY creators, showcasing their sponsorable stuff. They create audio, we sell audio.

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

Industry Views

Monday Memo: Stepping-Up and Sounding Solid

By TALKERS | June 16, 2025 by TALKERS

By Holland Cooke
Consultant

With so many of us taking vacation time soon, guest hosts are often local somebodies who are not career broadcasters and don’t share our second-nature performance routines. For their benefit, these tips, based on my experience on both sides of the mic:

Get right into it. When I used to fill-in for Jim Bohannon, I figured that – to his listeners – who-the-heck was I? Lacking the back-story of “a name,” I simply, succinctly, told the truth, “I’m Jim’s pal, Holland Cooke.” Skip the biographical blah-blah-blah that devalues a show by emphasizing that the familiar host is absent. Just tee-up what the show is about this hour… why it matters to those listening… how they will benefit from not wandering-off… and how to join-in.

Make the phone ring. When “FOX Across America” host Jimmy Failla is off, my client Paul Gleiser – owner of affiliate KTBB/Tyler-Longview TX – often fills-in. Paul asked Jimmy for advice. Ever in-character, Failla quipped, “Drive it like you stole it!” So Gleiser is all about call count, teeing-up TWO tempting propositions, one topical, the other a softer “Bonus Question.” As new employment numbers were announced, “The WORST job you ever had?” got callers telling great stories.

“Know what the show was about yesterday,” Paul urges, because political topics tend to change little day-to-day. Avoid this trap: The guest host’s outspoken narrative is a point that’s already been talked-to-death BUT this is HIS shot on a big show, so this is HIS turn to me-too the unison. Better approach: Come up with a new wrinkle.

Invite participation multiple ways. Many listeners would rather text than call. Welcome them and you’ll sound accessible and at-the-speed-of-life. Note how effectively SiriusXM’s Michael Smerconish polls listeners via social media.

Establish a relationship with the producer “BEFORE the show” Gleiser advises: “Don’t just show up.” Ascertain who-does-what. In some cases, the producer will have booked guests and may suggest or assign call-in topics. Or if – in Jimmy Failla speak – you’re driving, the producer is simply call-screening and running-the-board… which you should NOT attempt if you’re not an experienced broadcaster or if you are unfamiliar with the station’s setup.

Keep re-setting – succinctly, “matter-of-factly,” introducing yourself and your guest-or-topic — going-into and coming-out-of breaks, and at the beginning of each hour. Listeners are constantly tuning-in.

Always and only announce the call-in number immediately after you tell them WHY to call. Most common mistake I hear, even from experienced hosts: They give-out the phone number at the very beginning of the show or hour or segment, then (eventually) they tell you why to call, possibly minutes later (an eternity in live radio). So, they’re haunted by those dreaded “regulars” who already have the number memorized. Make announcing the number your punch line, whether you’re asking opinions on topic du jour or offering access to a guest they’ll want to interact with. Seems like a little thing, but this can make a big difference in how popular you make the station sound.

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

Industry Views

Monday Memo: Dear Old Dad

By TALKERS | June 9, 2025 by TALKERS

By Holland Cooke
Consultant

This coming Sunday, June 15, is Father’s Day. For that day – and the Friday before (hint-hint) – you might have already readied Harry Chapin’s “Cat’s In The Cradle” and The Winstons’ “Color Him Father” and Dan Fogelberg’s wistful “Leader of the Band.”

Regardless of your format – yes, news/talk stations – hear-me-now-and-believe-me-later: “The Men in My Little Girl’s Life” by Mike Douglas. Guaranteed Kleenex material. Don’t even intro it. Just hit it cold and play the whole thing. You’ll hear about it.

GREAT call-in topic: “The best advice he ever gave you?” You will save the aircheck. Callers – some chuckling, others choking-back-tears – tell stories.

And if you still have your Dad, give the lug a hug. If he’s not still around, I suspect that you will find, as my brothers and sisters and I have, that he never really leaves you.

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

Industry Views

Monday Memo: Summer! Bummer? Opportunities.

By TALKERS | June 2, 2025June 2, 2025 by TALKERS

By Holland Cooke
Consultant

“Fewer than half of Americans plan to travel this Summer,” according to a Bankrate survey, and “cost is a major concern.”

— Just 46% plan to travel, 38% domestically and 15% internationally (with some overlap between the two).
— 65% of non-travelers cite a lack of interest in traveling currently. “Not being able to take time off work and travel being too much of a hassle both came in at 16%.”
— “The expense of everyday life tops the reasons people can’t afford to travel.”
— “15% of respondents said they were worried about flight safety. That comes on the heels of several high-profile aviation incidents in the United States.”

This isn’t bad news. It’s an open door.

Programming/Promotion ideas:

— Local Day Trips vignettes (within 90-minute drive)
— Grilling tips (local chef? listener suggestions?)
— Weekend activities/events calendar
— Near the water? “Shorecast”
— Online Staycation Directory
— Listener photos (garden, patio, pool, grill-N-chill)

Any/all-of-the-above are sponsorable. Prospects:

— Outdoor furniture retailers
— Home improvement stores (paint, decking, lighting)
— Grill/smoker shops & barbecue supply
— Pest control services
— HVAC (air conditioner tune-ups)
— Pool and hot tub installers, maintenance
— Gazebo/screenhouse/awning installers
— Water parks/mini golf/drive-in movies
— Ice cream stands, craft breweries

PS: Tomorrow’s bumpers:
“Ode to Billie Joe” by Bobbie Gentry, and “Desiree” by Neil Diamond. Both begin “It was the third of June…”

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

Industry Views

Monday Memo: Your Passion, Your Media Station

By TALKERS | May 19, 2025 by TALKERS

By Holland Cooke
Consultant

TALKERS publisher Michael Harrison introduced the term in the 1990s, inviting us to think-beyond the real-time audio we were sending up those towers. What he described seemed conceptual, even futuristic, back then, when we were still logging-onto AOL via dial-up (screech).

The “Media Station” he reckoned we would be producing by now seemed more like a place than a show. It wouldn’t be bound by regulation or sponsor sensitivities or an on-air format. Content needn’t be 30- or 60-seconds or minutes. It won’t even have to be audio. Or governed by how long you can last between bathroom breaks or eating or sleeping, because it won’t be the real-time content that radio was confined to then.

Back to the future. Among headlines from 2025 Edison Research “Infinite Dial” research:

— 248 million Americans are on social media.
— 91% (262 million) own a smartphone.
— 101 million own a smart speaker.
— 40% of vehicles now on the road have phone integration.
— Though AM/FM is still the #1 in-car audio, #2 is online audio, #3: podcasts.
— 210 million listen to online audio every week.
— “Podcast consumption is at an all-time high.” 55% of Americans listen each month.

Anyone anywhere can publish something that is available to everyone everywhere.

Most who read this are probably content creators, many working full or part-time at radio stations, doing the station’s business. Using that same skill set, build your own, a Media Station. Most of the tools are free, including ChatGPT, which will even help you plan it.

What’s your area of expertise?? Your hobby? Your passion? Your media station could include:

— Podcasts
— Blog, inviting participation
— Tutorial videos about a craft or skill
— Tips-N-Tricks about ____
— Checklists/worksheets/recipes/other documents, as PDF downloads
— Stories about businesses or artists, traditions or customs, history, science, tech
— DIY projects, of any sort
— Makeover transformations
— Fitness routines and workout tips
— Money topics
— Food topics of all sorts, including restaurant reviews
— Relationship topics
— Travel
— Product reviews/recommendations
— Sports
— Amazon Associate links to earn commission on related products
— Whatever!

NOT saying: Build a media station so it becomes your livelihood after the next round of cutbacks. But, hey…

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