TALES FROM PRODUCER X #2

Hey gang, here's an excerpt from a recent conversation with PRODUCER X...



BAG: We're in the meaty part of the holiday season. How's it going for you production-wise?

X: As expected I guess. Even with a bad economy we're still pushing out a lot of spots.

BAG: Really? A ton of spots in this slump?

X: You have to keep in mind that plenty of bonus spots are being added to packages to sweeten deals. I think we're using more barter these days too.

BAG: What about imaging?

X: When the spot load gets big, imaging takes a back seat. Sometimes imaging is just a thing I squeeze in at the end of the day if there's time. Usually, I need to clear my head after a big spot day so, I go home, eat something and produce at night.

BAG: Would you say you're imaging has suffered in a big way?

X: Hmmmm, depends on how you look at it. I don't produce things that sound bad, I just keep them simple so they're quick and easy. They're less complicated and less creative for sure. That keeps me from working 12 hour days.

BAG: How does that compare to the past?

X: In the past, I could just focus on imaging. PDs that I've worked for always liked to have plenty of specialty imaging on around holidays. The challenge was to keep it fresh and to try and tie in to whatever was happening that year. You know, if Tickle Me Elmo is hot, you've got to have a sweeper relating to that.

BAG: And how do PDs feel now that everything is stretched?

X: I've never known a PD that doesn't love having fresh creative imaging on the air. Most of them feel like imaging is one solid thing you can own between songs that you can't own. Still, my PD understands that resources are tight to the point that we can't do what we used to do.

BAG: So, how does the people meter fit into all this?

X: Good question. I don't know. Things are too busy to think about that right now. Personally, I think the PPM will be a nostalgic museum piece as radio figures out how to transition to the web with decent monetization. In fact, PPM may be the motivator for the radio biz to speed up the process. Being a slave to the FCC and the PPM is not good for business when the web runs like a liquor store that sells to minors.



Our thanks to PRODUCER X once again for sharing real life experiences as our business transforms. More from X in the near future.

RUSH MONTH UNDERWAY ON FIREPOWER

What a year it's been for Rush. Just a few months ago, a documentary was released that chronicled their entire career. This summer, they released two new songs online that will be heard on their upcoming album Clockwork Angels. They appeared on The Colbert Report which was their first American tv appearance in about 30 years.

With the new album likely to drop in the coming months, we thought it would be great for our classic rock Firepower users to have some specialty imaging and workparts to create the appropriate buzz around this amazing band.

This is the start of a new feature on Firepower. We'll be doing more of these artist theme months to fatten up your classic rock imaging arsenal. During an artist theme month, you'll still get regular beds, sounds, sweepers etc. The theme is a bonus.

AUGUST IS RUSH MONTH ON FIREPOWER

This is brand new for Firepower. Throughout August, we'll be posting some Rush related workparts for artist focused imaging. In the future, we'll be featuring more artists in randomly selected months. It means a new level of depth for our classic rock users. FP will be bigger and better than ever. That's how we roll.

SOCK IT TO ME

As 3d televisions are moving off the shelves and iphone production fails to keep up with the stampede of demand, something very simple and ancient refuses to give way to all things new. Hand puppets. Pictured right is Warren the Ape. He's the star of a new show on MTV by the same name. Furthermore, he's not much different than the stinky sock puppet you put on your hand as a kid. This show does not attempt to reinvent the puppet or fuse it with modernity. It's a fist shoved into a fuzzy wrag which is then pumped full of the wit and bite of Triumph the Insult Comic Dog.

Perhaps the point is, everything can't be Avatar. We need contrast. And so it is with radio stations and their imaging. Some resemble the complexity and too cool for the room vibe of the iphone and some are more like the unfiltered crudity that comes from making a dirty sock that smells like stale Dorito's do an imitation of your uncle Bob. Yes, crudity is a word. The internet says so.

Both are equally entertaining. Both clearly have a place in media and society. What's better, you can increase their effectiveness and entertainment value by cleverly squishing them together. Remember Dennis Miller Live on HBO? That show seemed to smoothly shift from insightful political and social commentary to rampant eff bombs in 0.0 seconds. John Stewart, Steven Colbert and Bill Maher have a similar formula. Now, they have more credibility than network news.

What we're saying is, it pays to know that your audience has more than one dimension. Soccer moms can have a great sense of humor. Political junkies sometimes talk about who is the better draper on Project Runway. Soccer fans have been known to hold jobs and be productive members of society after intense anger therapy. If you want to prove to your audience that you really understand them, go beyond the obvious. A well thought out sweeper can do it quickly at no cost.

The young, text-crazy, iphone obsessed, video-game-addicted, hi-tech generation loves the oldest trick in the book. A dirty sock. So, what's the dirty sock for your audience? There's a good start to your next brainstorming session.

NEW VO FEATURE ON RIPPED

Users already know that Ripped offers free custom voice over. Now, we're taking it a step further. We're creating some imaging pieces that feature a vo track you can use as is. Literally just add your calls and you're done.

The tracks will be easy to find because they'll contain a green text box (pictured right). This new feature is just getting started so you'll see just a few cuts pop up this month. More coming. Every track that contains free and clear vo will be marked so, a quick glance is all you need. Fast, easy and free. Get Ripped!

DECADE IN REVIEW

Obama girl. Did she truly leave her mark on the last decade or was she just another viral flash in the pan with less staying power than Chocolate Rain? We try to answer this question and more with our first ever decade-in-review production pieces. Look for them on all services December 18th.

These rewinds will jog memories and entertain your audience as we transition into a new year. Go home early and enjoy the holidays...we've done the heavy lifting on the decade-in-review.

THE PROOF IS IN THE PROMO

Brown Bag makes imaging sound great. Although we've been doing it for
years, we're never above earning our reputation. With that in mind we make the following offer. If you're eligible to use Brown Bag and have a trial membership to any service,
we'll produce a sample radio promo with your voice over. Let us show you how great your station can sound with Brown Bag Imaging.

GOSSIP SITES

There are plenty of choices out there when it comes to gossip sites. Sites like Eonline, Perez Hilton and TMZ all have great late breaking content as well as archived material. But if you’re looking for content that's a little less mainstream yet relevant, try these sites.

OMG - offers extensive gossip content and features a dedicated video section along with photos, written news and a blog. The video section highlights some of the most recent celeb stories including current and past American Idol contestants and the like. They have a great keyword map on the right that allows you to quickly click on videos OMG considers to be “Hot Topic”.

Pop Eater is similar to OMG in that they specialize in all the latest gossip from the biggest stars of today (people like Katy Perry, the cast of Twilight, Brad Pitt etc.). Popeater has an easy and visually comfortable site that mixes news stories, pictures and videos.

Star Pulse takes things a step further and breaks down their video category into music, television and movie sub-sections. Each sub-section contains a boatload of vids, all with deep and thorough coverage of their title subject. The music category for example will cover big stories and events like the latest Michael Jackson developments as well as small stories like Girls In Bikinis and the Human Synthesizer (what?). Anyway, it’s worth a visit if you want a big choice of quick and easy gossip news with videos.

The Smoking Gun does not offer any recent gossip news but if you’re looking for something with a vintage flair to spice up your imaging then this is the place to be. They feature archive footage from some of the biggest celebs and stories of the old days. The video section will show things that back in the day may have been scandalous, controversial, compelling or at least interesting. The audio has a that great old sound and the site is easy to navigate, making your audio foraging experience very easy.