The Opposite is Also True

One of the best parts of life is hearing words of wisdom from people who see the world from a fresh perspective - from a different camera angle. 

Bill Ward, President of Golden West Broadcasters was just one of those true rebels. One of his gems of wisdom – “The Opposite is Also True.”

A magnet has two poles – both which have magnetic attraction. One pole isn’t better than the other; they just both exist. In the same way there are always two sides to every dilemma; two solutions to every situation. Neither is more correct than the other. They both work.

When we in programming at KSCA in Los Angeles wanted to do anything that smacked of traditional radio rules, Bill’s guidance was, “The Opposite is Also True.”

The great radio programmers through the years have taken this rebellious attitude. In the '70s, programming genius Buzz Bennett at 13Q Pittsburgh stripped away all station jingles and produced elements, and had the deejays stop talking over intros of songs – just the opposite of what other stations were doing at the time. 

Because of that, 13Q stood out in the radio world of sameness and was tremendously successful. It was truly inspired radio. It brought balance to what was being offered on the radio in Pittsburgh.

Today, radio has once again fallen into an imbalance. Virtually every music station is cutting down on deejay chatter. Most radio stations have the DJs record every break before it airs, even when they’re in the studio for a “live” show. The reasoning? The announcer will have the chance to redo it to keep it concise. The result: live spontaneity is lost.

The balance is off. 

There’s nothing wrong with stations that want to follow these radio rules and be very music-intensive and fast-paced. 

But the opposite is also true.

Where are the music radio stations where the DJs actually have interesting things to say? A place where you actually hear their enthusiasm about the music they’re playing. 

When you think back to memories of something you heard on the radio, it most likely has to do with something that was said.

To keep the radio industry inviting to creative people, there needs to be a creative outlet for them. It’s time to restore the balance and create radio stations where stories unfold, personalities develop and listeners are personally involved and connected to their radio station. Just this alone will invigorate radio and keep it thriving.

I miss Bill Ward, sitting in his presence and hearing him expound on his latest tangent. There were always nuggets of wisdom in everything he said. Bill had a very positive influence on creating great radio by reminding us that the opposite is also true.

Dennis Constantine