How to think like a radio guy, III; The BadBoy Syndrome

Howard Stern wasn't the first RadioBadBoy. He's not even the worst. I remember hearing about a Honolulu jock making the whole town late for work with time checks one hour off one morning. Sounds like TP-ing the neighbors' house now. At least Howard hasn't slaughtered a pig at a mall, as did the notorious DJ Bubba the Love Sponge in Florida. And, of course, those zany New York radio tricksters Opie and Anthony, who "play-by-played" a purported sex act from a St. Patrick's pew. If two instances make a trend, the move of O&A to XM and Howard to Sirius mean the best of radio's worst offenders will move into well-compensated marginalization aboard the pay-radio satellites. But I'm betting the poor doofus in Lexington, KY, just doin' his job, being DJ-outrageous--giving away a "hundred grand" without telling the audience he meant the candy bar--I bet he's not looking at a fat job offer from Mel K. at Sirius. The good news: not all radio pros encourage badboy-ism. Jaye Albright, one of radio's top programming consultants, reminds her clients and admirers that fraud is not a good thing. Check out the top of her blog if your want a taste of what the smart, creative consultants are telling the radio guys. Horizontal-wave radio will stop slipping down the electronic slope when more of its execs start listening to people like Jaye.