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Todd's
Career Capsule
Todd
began on-air at 104.3 WNLT and Young Country Y96 in Cincinnati.
Then, he accepted a position at WAY-FM Fort Myers as Station
Manager. In 2002, Todd and his family moved to Ohio so that they
could be closer to family. He found work at a station in Mansfield,
Ohio before joing 95.5 the Fish in Cleveland as Music Director and
Middays. An opportunity came at 104.9 the River in Columbus where
he became a part of Todd and Sherry in the Morning. Their morning
show can be heard on the River Radio Network of stations in Ohio.
1.
Personally how do you keep the ministry in the “business”?
I used to struggle
with trying to find a balance between the two. Over the years, I've
learned that effective ministry is the outcome of a successful
business. There's no doubt that ministry happens at work, but my
personal ministry is just trying to be a good husband and father at
home.
2. Overall, how is
Christian radio different today, from 5 years ago?
Christian radio
doesn't have a "nationwide cookie-cutter" formula for success.
We're seeing that unfortunate outcome with Clear Channel selling
hundreds of it's smaller market stations. Recently, some Christian
radio stations have really invested in their employees and have
committed to their product from the listener's point of view. More
and more stations have implemented proven strategies to attract a
much broader audience (e.g. every day people - not just Bible
thumping Christians).
3. What do you think
are the main characteristics of today’s Christian radio PD?
Today's successful
PDs seem to be team builders. They rely on their own strengths and
bring in staff who fill-in their weaknesses. They're also committed
to learning and challenging others to be more than they ever thought
they could become. The good PDs seem to have tools
like consultants, talent coaches and music tests - not to be trendy
- but to grasp and understand what the listener really wants.
4. What criteria do
you require for a song to be played on your station?
I can't answer that
because I'm not the PD or Music Director...
5. What kind of
promotions work best for Christian radio?
Ones that involve
stories. Those kinds of promotions that share a story seem to dig
into a deeper level than anything else.
6. How do you think
Christian Record labels can better serve Christian radio?
I'm not really living
in that world now. But, I do think that radio and Nashville can
better work together. Every record company wants a hit single, but
if the song is tanking in music tests the radio station shouldn't
play it. Artists can either be "artistic" and sell a couple of CDs
or they can do their research to find out what the listener would
buy. That's our morning show's challenge every day - be
relevant,
be real and be today.
7. In your opinion
what are the biggest obstacles facing Christian radio today?
In this economy
listener support is down nationwide. We probably need to invest as
much into our donor relations/sales departments as we do with our
programming budget. Finding out the difference between "listeners"
and "donors" and deepening those relationships might attract more
loyal donors.
8. What do you
believe is the primary role of the Christian radio air personality?
Disclaimer: these
aren't my words. These are the things that Tommy Kramer has been so
patiently teaching me (I'm a work in progress). Talk about
something she cares about. Say one thing and then shut up. Be
re
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