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?

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.