NAB Athens Conference Session – Would You Please Help Us?

The 17th. European Radio Conference will be held in Athens October 25-27. I will be presenting a discussion on "Survival Skills: Maximum Quality Programming With Minimum Resources". I would like to ask you for your help. I only need a little something from you, but your input will be greatly appreciated, and will help inform programmers from around the planet. We will be discussing things that can be done that improve programming in a time of tight budgets. We have all had to "dig deep" and use hard work, creativity, cooperation and fresh ideas, often instead of money. What I would like to receive from you is a story about things you have done to positively respond and create great programming despite today's budget problems. This can be in the form of an email. It can be an audio file. It can be a web cam or other video. All are welcome. We're going to use these stories in Athens. And all of them, including the ones we don't have time to discuss during the 1 hour panel, will go on a special web site, along with the panel's presentations and other helpful material. Some ideas about what I am asking you to write me about, to include in our panel presentation: Your station's use of the Internet to inexpensively enhance your bond with your listeners Contests that worked because they were less about the cost of the prize and more about being fun and interesting to the listeners How you work with and improve the air talent you have, when you're not allowed to go out into the marketplace and hire experienced - and expensive - DJs How you have found new ways to get feedback from listeners, when some forms of research are now too expensive How you have found ways to sound better, when you were afraid it would be impossible Things you have found to be "no compromise!" items. In other words, cutting these things will surely lead to disaster. "Do It Yourself" projects you had success with. Did you build your own TV commercial? Organize a free listener concert without spending money? Something else? If you wish your contribution to be anonymous for some reason, just let me know. You wish will be respected. We just need your story. Please email me with at least a note about one of your successes, and audio or video if you have the time. Write to me at: scasey@UpYourRatings.com Thank you for helping us make this a great conference session.