RADIO INNOVATORS: MULTIMEDIA PERSONALITIES Phyllis Stark – Billboard Radio Monitor
While many prominent radio personalities have carved out secondary careers in other mediums, a recent flood of stars from films, TV, books and music have adopted radio as their next career frontier.
Industry observers say it is good for the medium to have well-known celebrities swelling radio's ranks, and just as good for radio personalities to branch out. But, they caution, celebrity will never be as much of a draw as real radio talent.
Explaining his company's recent hiring of actress Whoopi Goldberg to host a syndicated morning show, Clear Channel Radio president/CEO John Hogan says that in today's competitive environment, "star power isn't what you need. It's entertainment power . . . We didn't hire her for her name, we hired her because she can connect with an audience . . . Star power is a marketing gimmick. You've got to give [listeners] a reason to come back."
Among the pioneers in the multigenre game is the self-described "king of all media," Howard Stern, who has, over the years, expanded his radio franchise into film, TV and literary endeavors. "American Idol" host Ryan Seacrest is challenging Stern's "king" crown with his work in daily and syndicated radio, plus cable TV and even fashion.
His "AI" colleague, musician/producer Randy Jackson, hosts a syndicated radio show for Westwood One. Musician/TV personality/multiplatinum artist John Tesh has long hosted a syndicated radio show as well.
Actor/comedian Steve Harvey has a successful syndicated radio career. Glenn Beck and Jim Cramer are among the talk personalities who are stars of radio and TV. Air America's Al Franken has long made a living dividing time between TV and book projects.
More recent radio converts include Oprah Winfrey, who has a new deal with XM Satellite Radio and recently launched a radio division for her company, Harpo; and rock icon Bob Dylan, now hosting a weekly show on XM.
Even Opie & Anthony's unique deal to work in terrestrial and satellite radio via CBS and XM is further evidence that talented people need not be confined to one type of bullhorn (see story, page 13).
Edison Media Research VP of music and programming Sean Ross notes that hiring celebrity talent has "been a big part of the satellite radio game plan . . . And, as the Whoopi Goldberg hiring suggests, it's encouraging terrestrial broadcasters to raise the bar, too."
"Talented people are key," talk radio consultant Valerie Geller says, "but radio is just one medium that people use. Many talented communicators can adapt to many mediums."
Ross injects a cautionary note into Radio Monitor's trend spotting. "The danger . . . is that broadcasters view fame as a substitute for sounding good on the radio," he says. "The assumption has been that any celebrity is somehow more compelling than a mere DJ."
While Ross says celebrity personalities do "further develop radio into a national medium," they also "distract stations from developing new talent." |