Randall Bloomquist

Dear Friends and Colleagues –  I started  TalkFrontier.com eight months ago as an experiment, as a way to learn about New Media while continuing to share my opinions and ideas about talk radio.  At the time, I took a pretty dim view of radio’s prospects.  But a funny thing happened across those eight months and 95 blog posts.  The more time I spent  talking to smart broadcasters, listening to “the infinite dial” and studying endless reports and statistics, I’ve concluded that talk radio has an exciting future, and I want to be part of it.

So, here it is:  Talk Frontier Media, a company offering talent management, content development and talk media strategy services to all segments of the growing spoken-word media. By the way, the Talk Frontier blog will continue to be a source of information, ideas and analysis for talk media professionals.  No charge.  So be sure to sign-up for our RSS feed.

TALK RADIO EXPERT RANDALL BLOOMQUIST LAUNCHES TALENT  MANAGEMENT AND CONTENT DEVELOPMENT COMPANY

ATLANTA, November 12, 2009 –Randall Bloomquist, a veteran talk radio programmer with a reputation for developing new talent and saving troubled stations, has launched Talk Frontier Media (TFM), a talent management, content development and talk media strategy company.

Bloomquist’s professional achievements include the successful transformation of two legendary radio stations, WBT/Charlotte and WRVA/Richmond, both of which are now market leaders in ratings and revenue.  He is also credited with developing several successful talk personalities including WTKK-FM/Boston’s Michael Graham and former WBT stars Richard Spires and Brad Krantz. Bloomquist has programmed two Top 10 market stations, WMAL/Washington and WGST/Atlanta. Prior to working at the station level, he was News/Talk Editor of the trade publication Radio & Records, where he founded the R&R Talk Radio Seminar, an annual convention for the talk radio industry.

Talk Frontier Media provides a full range of talent services from one-time air checks to on-going career management and image building. TFM specializes in working with up-and-coming talent and those who aspire to join the ranks of talk media — whether as traditional talk radio hosts, Internet radio personalities or podcasters.

“This is an exciting time for talk media,” said Bloomquist. “We are on the verge of a new golden age for spoken-word entertainment when listeners will have nearly unlimited choice on the aptly named ‘infinite dial.’  But one thing will never change.  The winners — regardless of platform — will always be those personalities who are able to effectively deliver unique content and create intimate bonds with their audience.”

Talk Frontier Media also serves as a force-multiplier for talk media outlets, providing critical programming services on a contract basis.  These include talent searches, talent evaluation, content development, station critiques and competitive analysis.

According to WRVA Program Director Jimmy Barrett, “The reason WRVA is enjoying its current ratings success is because of the groundwork laid by Randall.  He can certainly help any station identify its strengths and weaknesses and develop a plan for better numbers.”

TFM’s Talk Media Strategy programs help businesses and other organizations employ talk media to achieve their goals via relationship-building, public service campaigns, content development and production, and paid advertising.

For more information about Talk Frontier Media and its services go to the company’s website at www.talkfrontier.com.

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In the December/January issue of the trade publication Talkers,  consultant Holland Cooke announced the death of the talk radio star – a victim, he believes, of the new interactive media, where people want to buzz amongst themselves rather than “being talked at.”

“Self-congratulatory naivete that ’listeners tune in to hear compelling hosts’ is bankrupt,” he wrote.

Mr. Cooke’s answer to this supposed crisis: talk hosts should just kick back and answer the phones. ”Make callers the show,” Mr. Cooke advises. “As talent your value is topic and technique.  Conceive, conduct and barely control the conversation. Don’t dominate it.”

This is not a new idea.  Many programs use this formula.  They are called “bad talk shows” — meandering affairs that don’t engage the listener and generally have weak ratings.  They often get replaced by better syndicated programming.

Mr. Cooke isn’t the only one challenging the Cult of Personality.  In recent years, I’ve heard numerous radio managers (including programmers) complain about how a particular host “only talks about what he cares about” or “doesn’t take enough calls” or, my personal favorite, ”is too opinionated.” ( WBT-AM in Charlotte recently replaced a very opinionated afternoon host with a show that sounds like a cross between a high school civics class and a city council subcommittee meeting.)  I have even heard such complaints about Rush Limbaugh.  I wish I was kidding, but I’m not.  

I suspect much of the backlash against personality stems from fear.  There are lots of bogeymen out there.  Mr. Cooke is one of many who are reasonably concerned about how talk radio will fare as consumers are handed more and more digital entertainment/communications options — especially in-car diversions.  Others are spooked by the weak economy and/or political correctness. Nobody wants to lose their job because of a lost client or offended interest group.  This problem is made worse by the fact many talk stations are now overseen by PDs and/or GMs with no format experience; who have never truly understood talk’s power, and are uncomfortable with the controversy it unfailingly generates.  But if this mentality takes hold, it will be devastating to talk radio’s future.  A generation of  hosts taught to simply juggle calls will be as thin as the wave of music jocks raised to “just read the liner card.”

Interactive media is here to stay, and there are things radio can learn from it.  But that doesn’t mean radio must ape its every move.  On the contrary, the medium must play to its own strengths — just as it did when television arrived.

 Personality — compelling personality – does indeed drive good talk radio.  Radio has a unique ability to build strong intimate bonds between listeners and hosts.  The best talents  offer a unique world view delivered with openness, honesty, passion and bravery.  Listeners, in return, come to know,  love and trust radio talkers like no other media figures.  As money talker Dave Ramsey told a group of radio sellers and clients a few months ago, “[Listeners] do what we tell them to do.  In fact, it’s sometimes scary how much they listen to us.” 

He wasn’t bragging.  He was in genuine awe.

You don’t get that kind of influence by just answering the phones.  You get it by having a take and, well, you know the rest.