What about you, Spoken-Word-Media-Guy?  Guy-who-makes-his-living-by-talking?  What are you doing to expand your “virtual brand?”  Here’s a tip: Use the freedom that podcasting offers to do something different from what you do on the radio. Surely, there is more to you than politics.  Right…. right?  Try using the podcast to tap into your other passions.

I know.  You won’t make money right away with a podcast.  Probably not.  But you need to consider the wisdom of Facebook founder Mark Zuckerberg, who tells his staff, “We don’t build services to make money; we make money to build better services.”  Bring passion and hard work to your project and it will pay off.

Got an idea, but not sure how to proceed?  I’d love to talk it out with you.

Thanks to Don Anthony’s Jockline Daily for hipping me to the Mohr story.

As a power user of streaming, I agree with all of his observations. While many of the problems are out of a PD’s control, a good programmer can eliminate this one:

“Streaming more has made me very conscious, by the way, that six- and seven-minute stopsets very much still exist. And because some owners have made a greater recent effort to cover them with music (many Clear Channel stations) or at least fill them with real spots (simulcast with the FM signal or otherwise), one becomes very conscious of those streaming stopsets that are still cobbled together from hardsell PSAs, multiple morning show promos, and inducements to buy stream-only advertising.

“It often seems to be the case that the longer a station’s stopset, the less likely it will be covered in a listenable way online.”

When is the last time you listened closely to your stream?  Is it studded with stale promos, spots that play back-to-back-to-back, and dead air?

Based on my experience, it might well be.

IDEA: Do you have an APD, or an up-and-coming staffer who wants to learn the art of programming?  Put that person in charge of your stream. Let her own it, and hold her responsible for how it sounds and performs.

Would the content be uniformly great?  Nope.  But I’m constantly amazed at the quality of the audio programming posted to the web by amateurs.  With some minimal screening and grooming, you’d could easily create a stream of unique material generated by people with a real passion for the work.  You might even turn up a true star.

Think about it.

Victor Kong Named CNN Radio VP

In his new role, Kong (pictured) will manage development of new audiences, partnerships, and content for digital platforms and the network’s original audio news service to broadcast radio affiliates. He’ll be based at CNN’s Atlanta headquarters and report directly to Susan Grant, EVP/CNN News Services. Kong was most recently EVP/Sales and Business Development for Hoodiny Entertainment Group. Prior to that he served as VP of MySpace/Latin America, and before that as VP/Growth Strategy and New Media Sales for MTV Networks/Latin America. “We are excited to have Victor lead CNN Radio’s original audio news content in the media landscape,” said Grant. “He brings a dynamic skill set from his multi-media career and a proven track record building partnerships, growing audiences and integrating digital media.”

Denny Schaffer

When veteran personality Denny Schaffer was released from WGST/Atlanta in late 2006 he figured it was just another turn of the radio career wheel.  Sooner or later, he thought, he’d be back on the radio.  And he was right. Schaffer is currently the evening host on Salem talker WGKA/Atlanta. But his path back to terrestrial radio was anything but typical.

A few months after his exit from WGST, Schaffer began to grow frustrated with the lack of job opportunities.  His former producer, Crystal Lake Johnson, suggested that he start an Internet radio show. Schaffer rejected the idea as defeatist.

“It felt like giving up,” he says.

But in June 2007, after much prodding and assistance from Johnson, Schaffer launched “Denny Radio” on the Live365.com streaming platform using the home studio he built to accommodate his occasional fill-in work.  Schaffer says it cost him about $500 a month to host Denny Radio on Live 365.  In retrospect, he says, he probably should have simply done the show as a podcast on his DennyRadio website.

While Denny Radio didn’t attract a huge audience, doing the show every weekday paid many dividends for Schaffer.  ”I got better on the Internet,” he says. “It was just me.  No calls, no commercials. It kept me sharp for when an opportunity opened.”  It also gave  him the freedom to talk openly about  his deep religious faith, a subject his WGST bosses (including me) had asked him to downplay. And, Denny Radio kept Denny Schaffer visible in the radio community, which ultimately lead to his hiring at WGKA; first to do short-form commentary, and then as host of a 9p-11p show focusing heavily on local issues.  (Yep.  It’s a full-time job — with benefits!)

Schaffer is realistic but grateful about his current place in the radio food chain.  ”It’s a small voice, but I have a voice again in [Atlanta],” he says. As for Denny Radio, it continues to serve Schaffer well, streaming his WGKA show and providing a platform for live listener feedback.  According to Schaffer, the site attracts about 1500 unique visitors a month and brings WGKA listeners from across the country.

“With commercial radio relying so heavily on ads and Arbitron ratings, an iPhone app that gives listeners this much control over how they interact with the content is going to be a tough sell to broadcasters. But as consumers become increasingly accustomed to an on-demand world, radio is going to have to figure out a way to change with the times.”

On a sorta related topic: Why don’t we have radio TiVo?  All I’m asking is the ability to run back maybe 30 or 60 minutes so I can hear the rest of that great segment that was still going on when I arrived at the office.  How hard could that be?