Archive for category: Planet Reynolds

Why It Matters:  because doing same old, same old and allowing the phone lines or social media reaction to guide your content strategy are coin flips.

The week of November 3, 2025 was a particularly tough one at the intergalactic headquarters of The Reynolds Group and for your old pal Steve Reynolds aka the Top Ten Talent Coach®.

I spot checked two different shows that week and something so horrific happened on both that it took multiple therapy sessions and some gummies to deal with.  Only now can I talk about it.

I tuned in and both shows had on psychics.  Cue the thunderclap.

Hype and hyperbole aside, I did bristle at the content choice and imagined what both would say when I asked why.  As a former morning guy, I tend to know the excuses before I hear them.  I was well-versed in using all of them to justify a content choice that was both bad and non-strategic.

Here’s what they’d say: “but the phones blow up every time we do that.”  As if the phones were an affirmation of a smart decision.  They might be right.  But they could also be wrong.

I wanna make two points:

• It scares me to make content decisions based on direct feedback from what you get on the phones, when listeners talk with you, or what you see on social media. Not that those people are wrong for themselves, but it’s dangerous to extrapolate what a few people say and believe it’s correct for all.  Four blinking phone lines means that those four people are reacting to what you’re doing.  Without research, there’s no idea what everyone else thinks (test recall and perceptions and you’ll know much more than what blinking phone lines or social media likes/posts say).  If listeners tell you how wonderful you are, that’s their truth.  But remember, no listener will ever reach out to say the opposite.  It’s easy to be romanced into thinking that that’s how everyone feels.  But, emotions (good or bad) are never a smart way to decide about content for your show.  Tens of thousands are listening at any given moment.  That five said something is noise in the grand scheme of things.  The question I’d ask both shows above is this:  how did having on a psychic fit our content strategy?  If that can be answered satisfactorily, then let’s do it.  If it can’t, then we shouldn’t.
• The specific issue I have with psychics is that it isn’t a modern content choice. It’s quite old school and might say to the audience – we do this because we’ve done this and that should be good enough for you.

One show I work with decided to pull the old standard War of the Roses last year.  It got us our best streaming downloads and tune ins, but the show lost favor with it and, in a reassessment of our content strategy, we believed it no longer fit where the listeners are in life.  In a world with lots of arguing and deception, they and the show’s hosts hearing about cheating couples no longer was right.

That’s not to say drama doesn’t work.  We just had to update doing dramatic things, but no longer through this feature.  I’m not advocating taking this feature off if you do it, just sharing the conversation I had with this show about its fans.

We pulled the feature (everything went online and on demand for those who like it) and came up with new (modern) ideas to get stuff like that on the air.

Some talent reading this will wanna defend psychics.  I’ll make it easy.  Email me here to make your case and let’s have that spirited conversation.  But we need to be more strategic and inventive to get to our win, given the vast number of choices listeners have for content and connection.

Let me leave you with this great quote from Harry Styles on Howard Stern on the best advice he ever got in his career (clip here).  Harry said:

“I think one of my favorite things a friend once told me is remember that everything that people say about you isn’t true.   Whether they say that you are horrific, it’s not true.  And if they tell you that you’re the best thing ever, it’s not true.”

Certainly, accept those comments.  That’s the truth of the person sharing it.  But…your plot and content strategy beat all of that.  Can you honestly and dispassionately connect the dots between whatever you decide to do on your show and that?

In a world with lots of noise all around us all the time, choose well and smart.  And ignore the feedback you get from those blinking lights and social media posts.  It’s always dangerous to decide only from those.

WKTU, New York just celebrated a milestone 30^th birthday in the format.  You may not remember, but part of that history included having Whoopi Goldberg as its morning host.  When I listened back then, it was one of the most confusing radio shows I’d ever heard.  As fate would have it, I met Jim Ryan, who put Whoopi on the brand.  I mentioned I never understood the show, which did not work.  Over the years, Jim and I have talked about this.  I turn Planet Reynolds over to him this week for this excellent analysis explaining why and what’s to learn from that.  This article first appeared in the terrific Barrett Media.  I found it incredibly interesting, so I asked Jim to share it here, too.

What’s your brand?

Very often, the best lessons come from situations that didn’t work out as planned. Twenty years ago, while I was at Clear Channel (now iHeart), we believed talent was the key to making radio a meaningful companion. At the time, Elvis Duran was dominating in New York and expanding into other markets, while Delilah was a staple on our AC stations. Sean Compton, who was handling talent acquisition, wanted a household name for female-targeted morning radio. The decision was made to sign Whoopi Goldberg.

We launched the show with great fanfare across major affiliates like New York, Chicago, San Francisco, and Philadelphia. Whoopi was a rare EGOT (Emmy-Grammy-Oscar-Tony) winner; it seemed logical that an award-winning household name would be a hit in morning drive.

However, a disconnect emerged. While Whoopi had a storied career, including her acclaimed role in The Color Purple, much of the radio audience expected to wake up with the comedian they loved in Sister Act. Her vision for the show was more aligned with what she does today on The View. Sitting in the studio most mornings, I saw firsthand the audience wasn’t expecting that direction. Despite the great interviews and funny moments, the show struggled. We learned that in a nine-minute listening occasion, you must be true to your brand. The constant listener calls referencing Sister Act were a reminder that while Whoopi was incredibly talented, that alone wasn’t enough to deliver the expected ratings success.

Regardless of the show you produce, you must ask: “What is the listener’s expectation?” and “What is my brand?” Just as you wouldn’t expect Stephen A. Smith to host love songs or Delilah to act like a shock jock, every successful personality has a defined brand that sets a clear expectation for the audience.

What is your brand? What is the basic plot of your show? If you are part of an ensemble, what is your specific role? Once you answer these, you must run all content through that filter. If you are a “funny” or “feel-good” show, certain topics like politics might be off the table. Conversely, shows like The Breakfast Club thrive on strong opinions. Another example was Mike and the Mad Dog who launched WFAN as the first sports station in America; the show’s success relied on the specific conflict between Mike and Chris. They knew their roles and fulfilled listener expectations every day. Howard Stern, once a “shock jock”, has enhanced his brand to become one of the greatest interviewers in media today. But he uses that brand to be able to ask the questions that nobody else dares to. And gets away with it.

I have worked with many shows where the personalities are unsure of their roles or their on-air relationships. In successful long-running television shows, the audience knows exactly how each character will react. From I Love Lucy to Seinfeld to Everybody Loves Raymond, character friction drives the content.

If you are part of an ensemble or overseeing one, take a minute to ensure each character is clearly defined. Over time, co-hosts can adopt similar mannerisms or opinions, and a re-evaluation becomes necessary. If the friction between characters disappears, so does the drama and the show becomes boring. Long-running shows like Elvis Duran, Dave Ryan, and Mojo have successfully changed co-hosts to stay relevant. The late Kidd Kraddick was so obsessed with show evolution that his program has remained at the top of the ratings for years even after his passing.

Radio shows are only on the air for 20 hours a week, but a strong brand stays with listeners long after they tune out. People think about Howard Stern, Charlamagne tha God, Delilah, and Elvis Duran well beyond their broadcast times.

So, what’s your brand?

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You’ll come for the sex; you’ll stay for the story.

Heated Rivalry is the “it” show now – lots of buzz.  It’s on everyone’s timeline and seemingly inescapable in conversation.  Why is it resonating and what’s to learn from that?

Heated Rivalry does the one thing at its core every show must do to shift people from being listeners to becoming fans:  they make us care about the characters.  Think of any show or movie that moved you – that connected with you that you still rave about – and note that the screenwriter and story made you care about the people in it.  Think of who you hang with in your personal life; those you know and those you care about.  You must do the same with your show to create that loyalty with listeners.

Heated Rivalry works because conflict is the engine.  The characters are rich and deep and human and flawed and very different from each other.  That contrast creates a powerful storyline.

Here’s proof that conflict is the oxygen of storytelling.  Heated Rivalry doesn’t succeed because everything goes right. It succeeds because almost nothing does.  The story draws us in because there’s lots of drama.  If your story is boring, it’s because drama doesn’t exist.

At its core, Heated Rivalry is built on opposition. Two very different elite competitors locked in a long-term clash where winning isn’t just about the scoreboard.  It’s about pride, identity, ego, and the quiet fear of being seen as less than the other.  That tension never fully resolves, and that’s the point. Resolution ends the story.  Friction keeps it breathing.

The show’s most effective tension point is the collision between public personas and private truth. On the surface, these characters are confident, dominant, and unyielding. Underneath, they’re insecure, guarded, and hungry for validation and connection. One is Russian, the other Canadian – and the stereotypes that come with each.  Every scene’s bravado cracks just a little which pulls us closer to the characters and storyline. We recognize that feeling because we live there, too.

Another smart pressure point is proximity without permission. The characters are forced together by circumstance. Same arenas. Same headlines. Same orbit. They don’t choose connection; it keeps choosing them. That creates emotional whiplash: attraction colliding with resentment, admiration tangled with jealousy. Viewers aren’t watching to see if something will happen, but how long they can resist it and what it will cost them when they stop.

Sometimes the tension is big – Shane’s been texting Ilya for six months and been ghosted.  The anger and hurt feelings are both relatable and palatable.  And sometimes it’s small – Shane introduces himself to Ilya at the top of episode one.  They’re two premiere athletes and one of them is secretly smoking cigarettes.

Emotionally, the show plays a rich chord progression.  Competition lights the spark, anger sharpens it, vulnerability deepens it, and fear threatens to extinguish it.

We care because the stakes are high – we root for Ilya and Shane because we want people to root for us. That’s why vulnerability is so powerful in life and radio – we want the audience to care and root for us, too – and they want to know that we care for and root for them.  You must do that with your content to win.  Because if your content is friction free – if it has no drama – you ain’t got nothing.

Heated Rivalry understands something many shows miss:  likability is optional, but emotional honesty is not. The characters are often difficult. They make selfish choices. They hurt each other. Yet the show earns our loyalty by letting us see why.  We’re not asked to excuse their behavior, only to understand it.

Conflict creates curiosity.  Tension creates attachment.  Emotion creates memory.

That’s the lesson Heated Rivalry teaches. Storylines don’t become compelling by smoothing edges. They become compelling by pressing on them and refusing to let go.

And that’s what keeps us watching.

The success of Heated Rivalry should teach us lessons.  What should be our takeaways if we believe in the power of radio talent to make a difference?

Radio talent often believe the goal is to be agreeable, upbeat, and without friction – liked by all.  But the show proves the opposite.  Audiences don’t bond with perfection.  They bond with flaws and pressure.

Lesson One: Find the Tension in Everything and Let It Breathe

In Heated Rivalry, the characters don’t rush to tidy conclusions. They sit in discomfort. They argue. They hesitate. They contradict themselves. That’s what makes them human.

For radio, this means that the messy wins.  Try to position yourself as perfect or unflawed and you’ll lose.  My friend Lori Lewis says, “unpolished is the new polished.”  She’s right.  If you’re wrestling with a decision, a frustration, or a change, let the audience hear the wrestle. Unfinished emotions create forward motion. Forward motion keeps people listening.  No tension/conflict/drama/friction = no memorable story.

Lesson Two: Stakes Make Stories Sticky

Every conflict in the show costs something. Reputation. Identity. Trust. That’s why it matters.

On the air, stories without stakes sound like anecdotes. Stories with stakes sound like life. When you tell a story, ask yourself: What did I risk? What could I lose? What changed because of this? If nothing was on the line, the audience won’t lean in.

Lesson Three: Vulnerability Beats Likability

The leads in Heated Rivalry aren’t always likable, but they are emotionally honest. That’s the trade.

Radio personalities often chase approval when they should chase truth. Saying “I didn’t handle that well” or “I’m not proud of this reaction” or “I don’t understand that” builds more trust than trying to sound polished. Vulnerability is the shortcut to credibility.

Lesson Four: Conflict Doesn’t Mean Chaos or Arguing

The show’s tension is controlled. Purposeful. Directed.

On the air, conflict doesn’t mean yelling or controversy for its own sake. It means contrast. Opinions that collide. Expectations that aren’t met. Internal debates spoken out loud. That kind of friction creates texture without alienation.

Heated Rivalry reminds us that connection isn’t built by being smooth. It’s built by being real under pressure.

If you want listeners to care about you, let them hear what you care about enough to struggle with.  That’s where the bond forms.

Ilya, Shane, Scott, and Kip’s characters are grounded in tenderness, struggle, and betrayal and you want what’s best for them, because you want what’s best for you.  So does the audience.  So connect there.

By all means enjoy the steamy sex in the first few episodes of Heated Rivlary.  That’s the show’s hook.  But at the end of episode six, know that you stayed for much different reasons.  Then see what you learn from that to deepen and grow the bond you have with your fans by how you do your content.

Some nights while eating dinner, I have no appetite on TV for the political shout-fests or sports round table know-it-alls.  So, I keep clicking until I hit gold:  a rerun of Everybody Loves Raymond.  A show that hasn’t been on the air in 20 years but always delivers the laughs.

I wanna break down why and then offer your first challenge once the show returns from the holiday break in January.

The foundation of any successful show is its plot and characters.  Without either, you have no direction and can’t have a content strategy.  What is the unique plot of your show?  What is your show about?

Everybody Loves Raymond’s Plot:  Ray Barone, a successful sportswriter and family man, deals with a resentful brother, an always disappointed wife, and meddling parents who happen to live across the street.

It may shock you to know that they made 210 episodes over nine seasons.  And that’s the plot of every one of them (on purpose).  Ditto any successful show (Seinfeld, Survivor, Friends, Big Bang Theory, etc.).  What’s your plot?  The unique one-sentence frame of what your show is about?

Then come the characters.  They must be relatable and each different to lend a contrast to the others.  Here’s how you connect with the audience.  Well-defined characters allow listeners to identify with one.  It’s the tension with the others that makes the plot come to life.

If you’ve watched even a few Everybody Loves Raymonds, you will recognize and identify with these characters:

Ray:  the show’s protagonist who lives across the street from his parents and struggles with the demands of work and his family, often getting a lot wrong.

Debra:  Ray’s wife who is strong-willed, exasperated by Ray’s immaturity and his family’s constant intrusions into their lives. She can never live up to the expectations of Ray’s mother.

Robert:  Ray’s older and taller brother who’s an insecure cop and is always overshadowed by Ray.

Marie:  Ray and Robert’s mother who is an overbearing, meddling woman who constantly puts Ray on a pedestal, while criticizing Debra.

Frank:  Marie’s husband who is loud, sarcastic, and eccentric, and has a habit of yelling and making bizarre comments.

Who are the characters on your show?  They must, must, must be grounded in the truth.  The difference between your characters and those on Everybody Loves Raymond is that yours are real (the TV characters are assigned to great comedic actors).  You cannot give a persona to someone on your show – they’ll be inauthentic and the audience will sense it.  Apply this exercise above to your cast then ask where the tension is and how they are different.

I was recently asked by a program director to evaluate their show.  They said there doesn’t seem to be any electricity in the on-air conversation.  It was apparent why when I listened.  He has two of the same people.  The only difference was their gender.  They are both spouses, parents, the same age, and basically held the same world view.  Not much contrast there.

CBS just had an Everybody Loves Raymond 30^th Anniversary Special.  The show’s creator, Phil Rosenthal, said the program is really about his home life.  Because real life is relatable, very funny (if you have the right scripts and characters), universal, and timeless.

When you come back in January, run this exercise as a re-set for the year.  There is never a downside to affirming your plot and characters.

Once you do, your content becomes easier to find and execute.  Your connection with the audience heightens because of it.  And you’ll own that turf.  If you’re strategic about all of this, there’s no way you don’t see greater success a year from now.

Have you ever been at a red light and picked up your phone?  We all do.   Know why?   We’re bored.  And checking email, texts, or worse, engaging the endless scroll of social media fixes that, as we look for something, anything to solve that boredom.

I’d like to make the case that our lack of boredom is one of the things that makes radio less entertaining.  I’ll explain, considering I spend 100% of my time helping shows not be boring.  (There’s a difference between you being boring and the benefit of you being bored.)

I’m always asking shows I work with, “Yea but what are we going to do with that to stand out?”  Our step back from being creative has a huge downside.  People don’t talk about us, they’re not captured by our imagination and curiosity, and we do fewer things that listeners find memorable so we’re not top-of-mind.  I think the solution appears when we go get bored because when we clear our heads, creativity happens.

I get bored in Umstead Park, right by my house.  I leash up Willow Two Toys® and Sam the World’s Neediest Dog® and we go for a walk.  No phone, no music, no headphones, no disruptions.  I turn the “gotta figure this out” dial down to zero.  Only nature and my wandering mind.  And what enters my brain when I invite in some boredom are solutions to challenges, ideas, and ways to innovate I didn’t have when I was filling that boredom with an endless search for something to solve it.

I don’t profess to have any super creative abilities.  But I have found, when I create that brain space by walking through the park, things magically happen.  I don’t know why and can’t predict when, but it happens.  We don’t do enough of that.  As an example from last week, we have a holiday concert at one station and the morning show has 100 tickets to give out.  Instead of doing pairs of tickets so lots of listeners win, or the dreaded Family Four Pack (someone kill this, please), the walk through the park brought me the idea to give all 100 tickets to one listener.  The morning show promotion Deck Your Doors was born in the park because of the boredom.  The talent and brand manager loved it and now we have something that’ll make our show stand out.

When I got back to the office one day after pondering this, I Googled “the impact boredom has on creativity”.  What I found was amazing.  An article came up by Arthur Brooks, a Harvard professor.  As did a video (below).  It’s worth five minutes of your time.  He said:

“We hate boredom because it makes us think about things we don’t like.  But boredom switches our brains to bring us creativity, solutions, and even less depression.”

So, I’m here to say go be bored.  Find a park, let your feet touch grass figuratively, leave the phone behind, and let your mind wander.  If you’re one of my on-air talent, try this weekly and watch what happens to your creativity.

Any of us could bang the drum on radio’s issues.  One thing in our control is what fuels our innovative spirit.  Those of us of a certain age remember the wild west days when we’d think of an idea on Tuesday and it’d be on the air on Wednesday.  It doesn’t just have to be standard phone topics or family four packs.  We need quirky ideas and treatments to the right content on our shows that capture the listener’s imagination because they came from ours.  Doing fresh things with the right topics will make whoever is listening in that moment stay because it’s so compelling.  Getting more bored might bring you those ideas – it’s what works for me.

I recently decided to add to the boredom menu.  I bought a bike.  While my friends all have bets on when I’ll end up in the emergency room, I’m betting that the boredom of the rides, with no phones or distractions, will unlock more of my curiosity.  A few days ago, the boredom of a ride brought me the idea for this blog.

I understand how the phone manufacturers and social media algorithms have addicted us.  But some boredom unlocks creativity.  So, let’s make some room for that to reclaim our full imagination.  Ditch that bonus meeting or Zoom (unless it’s with me!) and create space in your week to let your mind wander.  A walk in the park is my secret weapon.  Maybe it’s yours, too.  It could help your problem solving and increase your creativity, too.  Then watch how much more inventive and memorable your show gets.