I read an interesting story in the New York Post this week about the morning television wars. For the first time in 14 years, NBC’s “Today” finished the season ahead of “Good Morning America.” There were several factors involved, but one line in the story really jumped out at me: “Anchors are the No. 1 reason people watch.”

I think I may be married to the number one Halloween fan in the world. My wife has always loved Halloween. And back in the day, when our kids were younger, we started having a Halloween party every year at our house. What started as a family party turned into one of the biggest events of the year in our neighborhood. Before long, just about everybody was coming to the annual event.

Since I am a consultant, I probably should not be telling you how to avoid calling one. But here goes. When ratings start moving in the wrong direction, the first reaction is often, “We need help.” Maybe you do. But before you pick up the phone, there are a few things I would look at first.

If you’re in an unrated market, Christmas gives you something programmers in rated markets do not always have, freedom. With no ratings pressure, you can experiment, connect emotionally with your audience, and build brand equity. But should you go all Christmas? The answer is, it depends. And you have more options than you might think.

Not a day goes by where I don’t hear about people losing their jobs, programming cutbacks, or stations struggling to meet budget. Revenues are down drastically, and it’s not an isolated issue. It’s everywhere.

What’s in a radio station name? Magic. Mix. Kiss. Sunny. Somebody had to be the first to use each of them, and somebody had to take a chance. So, should a station name be researched and focus-grouped? Or is there something to be said for trusting your instincts, finding a name that feels right, and building the brand around it? That’s the subject of this week’s AC Programming Today. My Name Is Magic. What’s Yours

Labor Day weekend means a lot more than the end of summer. It means the beginning of what is arguably “The Most Wonderful Time of the Year.” Looking back at my PD days, I always loved this change of seasons. No matter the station or format, fall was a new beginning.

If you believe the future of radio doesn’t involve apps, streaming, and in-car digital listening, you can stop reading now.

But if you’re ready to deal with reality, let’s get into it. For years, stations have proudly announced, “We have an app!” Great. You should. But that’s not the real question anymore. Does your app actually work in Apple CarPlay and Android Auto?

I recently attended a webinar that featured NY real estate magnate and Shark Tank star Barbara Corcoran. She was most impressive and discussed many things about the sales process that related to the radio sales-programming relationship. She had many great quotes, but this is the one that stood out most; “Sales is the bloodline of every business".

I have probably audited hundreds of stations over the years, and it never fails, somewhere along the way I will hear the line every radio person knows too well, “My wife says.”

It is funny how often a station’s problems can be traced back to that one sentence, and here is the part most people do not expect, the biggest issues are not complicated. They are not strategic mysteries. They are not consultant level puzzles. They are the basics, the little things, the self-inflicted wounds. Stations rarely break because of one giant mistake; it is almost always "death by a thousand cuts."

And it usually starts the moment I tune in.

Today's newsletter is about being fired. It happened to me, and even though it was a while ago, it still lives very much in my mind. The reason I am writing about it is to let you know that you will be ok. It happens, and it very often leads to something much better than what you had.

There is a lot of noise in radio land right now. Between streaming algorithms, endless podcasts, and the looming shadow of AI, it is easy to get distracted by the shiny new toys. But we need to keep our eye on the ball. The primary reason people still choose radio isn’t the technology. It is the person on the air.

Last week, I wrote about how my WJR era began. I had arrived in Detroit to program WHYT, but right down the hall sat WJR, the biggest, highest-billing, and, let’s be honest, oldest sounding giant in the Capital Cities empire. My mandate was simple: Keep the heritage, protect the legacy, but drag the demos down to the 25–54 sweet spot.

Easy, right? It was like being asked to perform a facelift on a mountain.

I was bitten by the radio bug early. Growing up in New York, I spent hours glued to WABC and WMCA. The music hooked me, but it was the DJs, the jingles, and everything between the songs that made it feel larger than life. That excitement drew me into radio, and it’s kept me here ever since.

Last week, I wrote about the magic Rick Sklar created at WABC. We talked about how the secret sauce was not the processing or the contests. It was the on-air people. Sklar knew that radio wins when personalities connect, communicate, and create a feeling.

That idea has been rattling around my head lately because it reminds me of The Wrecking Crew.

Last week’s newsletter sparked a lot of response, and one thing was clear: you care as much about music history as you do about programming. The most common note I received wasn’t about strategy or ratings; it was this: How could you talk about the Wrecking Crew and not mention Carol Kaye?

When I first arrived in Detroit, it was to run WHYT, the Capital Cities CHR station. It was a massive job, and I had my hands full. But right down the hallway sat the undisputed giant of the market: WJR.

Being local has always mattered.

In 2026, it is essential. Listeners expect it. Advertisers demand it. And ownership wants it done without blowing up the format or adding bodies. The good news is that you can sound local, relevant, and connected even with voice tracking if you are intentional. Here are format safe ways to win the local battle every day.

Every NFL team spends time on blocking and tackling. Think about that for a moment. These are the best football players in the world. They've been blocking and tackling since they were kids. Yet every training camp and every week during the season, coaches go back to the fundamentals. Why? Because championships are built on execution, not gimmicks. Radio isn't any different.

After more than four decades in radio programming and consulting, I've learned that some of the things programmers worry about most are things listeners rarely think about at all. A good example is the language we use. Radio people often create terminology that makes sense to us but not necessarily to the audience.