Drive Time Philosophy

AM Philosophy: Kenny Noble Cortes

I'm like that guy that used to balance 8 spinning plates on the Ed Sullivan Show. Unlike the proverbial "Jack-of-all-trades" and "Master of None", a drive-time host of a major market radio station must be able to perform all tasks well. That doesn't mean I don't have any weaknesses, because I do. But I think the balancing act analogy is a good one. There are essential elements to any major market morning show: music, news, traffic, commercials. A good host is the thread that binds these elements together with a warm and friendly personality, giving the listener a feeling of inclusion via content that is relatable and informative. Relatable content includes humor on topical events -- everyday activities from brushing one's teeth to standing in line for Michael McDonald tickets, raising kids or getting to and from work. Informative content is more factual and has more to do with musical factoids, weather reports, traffic, local sports action, etc.

That brings up another important point - knowing who the audience is. At Coast we entertained a 25-54 demo with a slant toward females, their families, or lack thereof, their children and male companions. So I geared my morning show content to these people, communicating to the best of my ability on a one-to-one basis, since that is the way most people use a radio, i.e. in their bathrooms, bedrooms, on their walkmans, their desktops, in their cars, etc. Knowing who my listeners are and what they do during the hours of 5-9am is crucial to content and focus.

At Smooth Jazz 104.3 in Denver, as well as Love 94 in Miami, the typical smooth jazz listener is more passionate about music and tends to skew male. It is the host's responsibility to know the music. Doing so builds credibility. Additionally, as morning host, it is also my business to know what the listeners are doing between the hours of 5 and 9am. They're waking up, deciding what to wear and fixing breakfast. That could be nuking a danish in the microwave, opening a box of Cheerios, or grabbing an Egg McMuffin and coffee-to-go at the McDonald's drive-thru. They're herding kids, getting ready for work or school and mentally preparing for a difficult commute.

Beyond that there are heart-tuggers - passionate issues that affect us all. These are community issues like politics, health, workplace oriented questions and the impact our social and geographical environments have on everyone - from conserving Rocky Mountain water supplies, to parental responsibilities regarding the education of our children. Childrens' issues are a priority. And for me, the subject of drowning deaths in South Florida was paramount. Not only because of my *personal experience while serving as a morning host in Miami, but also because so many South Florida listeners had kids in that risk category. In Colorado, West Nile Virus and lethal outbreaks of the flu, especially impacting children during the summer/fall of 2003, dramatically raised the overall level of concern for everybody.
This all sounds so serious, which is why it's crucial to have fun. Fun with interviewees, studio guests, the traffic host and most importantly, the listeners. That's the macro shot of a major market morning show. Keep everything in context, and remember, as Michael Fischer, former PD of Smooth Jazz 104.3 repeatedly said during aircheck sessions: 'The most important thing in everything we do is what comes out of the speakers'.

In all, I view my role as a facilitator and a communicator. One who edits, rewrites, and presents a prism focus of world, national, and local stories to the listeners in an entertaining, informative way that does not interfere with the essentials: music, news, traffic and commercials - all delicately spinning plates.

*September 9, 1997, Sam, my 4 year-old son, was found unconscious at the bottom of an apartment swimming pool. He was under water for about a minute and a half. I thank God daily that Sam fully recovered from what could have been a life-changing, devastating tragedy.

	I'm like that guy that used to balance 8 spinning plates on the Ed Sullivan Show. Unlike the proverbial "Jack-of-all-trades" and "Master of None", a drive-time host of a major market radio station must be able to perform all tasks well. That doesn't mean I don't have any weaknesses, because I do. But I think the balancing act analogy is a good one. There are essential elements to any major market morning show: music, news, traffic, commercials. A good host is the thread that binds these elements together with a warm and friendly personality, giving the listener a feeling of inclusion via content that is relatable and informative. Relatable content includes humor on topical events -- everyday activities from brushing one's teeth to standing in line for Michael McDonald tickets, raising kids or getting to and from work. Informative content is more factual and has more to do with musical factoids, weather reports, traffic, local sports action, etc.

	That brings up another important point - knowing who the audience is. At Coast we entertained a 25-54 demo with a slant toward females, their families, or lack thereof, their children and male companions. So I geared my morning show content to these people, communicating to the best of my ability on a one-to-one basis, since that is the way most people use a radio, i.e. in their bathrooms, bedrooms, on their walkmans, their desktops, in their cars, etc. Knowing who my listeners are and what they do during the hours of 5-9am is crucial to content and focus.

	At Smooth Jazz 104.3 in Denver, as well as Love 94 in Miami, the typical smooth jazz listener is more passionate about music and tends to skew male. It is the host's responsibility to know the music. Doing so builds credibility. Additionally, as morning host, it is also my business to know what the listeners are doing between the hours of 5 and 9am. They're waking up, deciding what to wear and fixing breakfast. That could be nuking a danish in the microwave, opening a box of Cheerios, or grabbing an Egg McMuffin and coffee-to-go at the McDonald's drive-thru. They're herding kids, getting ready for work or school and mentally preparing for a difficult commute.

	Beyond that there are heart-tuggers - passionate issues that affect us all. These are community issues like politics, health, workplace oriented questions and the impact our social and geographical environments have on everyone - from conserving Rocky Mountain water supplies, to parental responsibilities regarding the education of our children. Childrens' issues are a priority. And for me, the subject of drowning deaths in South Florida was paramount. Not only because of my *personal experience while serving as a morning host in Miami, but also because so many South Florida listeners had kids in that risk category. In Colorado, West Nile Virus and lethal outbreaks of the flu, especially impacting children during the summer/fall of 2003, dramatically raised the overall level of concern for everybody. This all sounds so serious, which is why it's crucial to have fun. Fun with interviewees, studio guests, the traffic host and most importantly, the listeners. That's the macro shot of a major market morning show. Keep everything in context, and remember, as Michael Fischer, former PD of Smooth Jazz 104.3 repeatedly said during aircheck sessions: 'The most important thing in everything we do is *what comes out of the speakers'*.

	In all, I view my role as a facilitator and a communicator. One who edits, rewrites, and presents a prism focus of world, national, and local stories to the listeners in an entertaining, informative way that does not interfere with the essentials: music, news, traffic and commercials - all delicately spinning plates.