In this bonus episode, Musicmaster Scheduling Founder & President JOE KNAPP returns to share what prompted him to focus his programming, music, and engineering chops on a futuristic approach to scheduling music with (…gasp!) a computer.

He shares some of the initial objections to using a software program inside a radio station ─  and how some radio people still exhibit those prehistoric concerns.

He outlines the initial priorities in a pre-Windows computing world, and how Musicmaster has evolved to multi-faceted, the any-platform/any-device resource it has become.

Joe also shares some of the ‘secret sauce’ that has made MusicMaster the world's leading music software, including a focus on superior station support and the ongoing training they are noted for.

If you're wondering what a post-pandemic musicscape will be like in 2021 and beyond, you've come to the right place!

Sean Ross is an industry expert on music,, the evolution of formats, and the evolution of radio programming strategy in a world of audio choices. He’s programmed at the station level and worked in A&R for the recording industry. He now serves as Edison Research’s Vice President of Music and Programming. A longtime journalist coving the radio industry for Billboard, R&R and others he now publishes the influential ROSS ON RADIO newsletter 

Roula Christie has a storied career in radio. Beginning as an hourly employee answering request lines at a hometown station, she moved to morning show host in a top 10 metro. Along the way, she’s been an integral part of a team that was named Station of the Year, took home a Marconi Award, and she received named MIW Airblazer of the year by The Mentoring and Inspiring Women in Radio Group, the MIW. After dominating mornings at stations like Q102, Philly and her current home KRBE, Houston, she’s just rolling out the nationally syndicated WEEKENDS WITH ROULA program thru Westwood One.

David Cannon and Ritchie Beams have been Ace and TJ since the early 90’s when – as the only two single guys on staff – the Louisiana natives were paired up for the first time on a local Top 40 station near their hometowns. They moved from nights to mornings, then on to Baton Rouge, then to stations in Huntsville and Birmingham in Alabama, before being hired to do a morning show in Charlotte.  Ace & TJ were eight-time nominees for CHR "Personalities Of The Year", and now host a hilarious network show originating from there.

In this episode, they share their journey, how they’re staying ahead in content and marketing, share the secret appeal of the “ACE & TJ Button” ─ and more!

http://acetj.com/

Why were the recent political polls so far off again? What does this mean for radio measurement and ratings? 

We ask Leigh Jacobs, a prominent research and perceptual wizard why, and what radio can do about it. Leigh got his start with a 15-year career as Program Director for AC, Hot AC, and Classic Rock stations in Louisville, Detroit, Baltimore, and Philadelphia, and for iconic talk station New Jersey 101.5.

After nearly a decade as EVP of Research for Critical Mass Media for nearly a decade, VP, Research, for the Tribune Company. Now, as EVP and co-founder of NuVoodoo Media Services he heads the company’s perceptual studies services, analyzing consumer research for radio stations and other media.

We didn’t get into radio to make average audio for average people. Master Marketer SETH GODIN shares why we don’t have to. This best-selling author (Permission Marketing, Tribes, Purple Cow, and others) shares an elegant gameplan that inspires radio people and other creative types to stretch and commit to putting our best work out into the world. Despite budgetary pressures that can make our industry seem like it’s racing to the bottom, in this interview Seth assures radio people that there IS a way to do the work we want to do ─ and gives us some great tips on HOW. It just takes The Practice.

https://www.sethgodin.com/

https://www.akimbo.link/

Valerie Geller is president of Geller Media International, a broadcast consulting firm, which has trained broadcasters throughout the world at more than 500 stations in 27 countries, including the BBC, NPR, CBS Radio and more. She’s the author of three books about radio, and her latest, BEYOND POWERFUL RADIO is about to be released in Audible form.

With radio facing the triple-whammy of COVID, the local ad economy, and fewer people expected to do more, Valerie shares some stations that have really handled the pandemic well and she explores how a local PD or HOST can (and should!) ‘triage’ duties; to ensure continued relevance as we pivot to media’s ‘new abnormal.

If the name Joe Knapp rings a bell, it will be properly sound coded, categorized, and separated from other plays, since he is the ncer and creator of Musicmaster...the world’s most popular music scheduling system. On the station side, Joe has been a chief engineer, PD and air talent for various stations throughout the midwest including the legendary WZUU FM & AM in Milwaukee. Then, he was challenged to solve a programming problem, and ended up building a better mousetrap…known as Musicmaster!

In this wide-ranging episode, Joe reflects on the reasons he was first drawn to radio, to some of the biggest tech changes he sees on the horizon. He also shares his perspective on how radio is likely to operate in the “new Abnormal” and explores the skill sets that will be needed for success in the future.

Robin began her radio career at KGO San Francisco working under Jack Swanson. She was then hired to program KOA Denver. Later, when former KFI needed to find their next PD, Robin was the obvious choice. Since then, she’s kept the ratings high, helped steer KFI through a couple of snags, won some awards for the ongoing commitment to public affairs, the community and education, and keeps the promise of “More stimulating talk radio.” In this episode she also shares ALL the things she listens to (besides the radio) that help keep her stations on top.