We’re Doing a Radio Show???
No. Let’s try that again.
We’re doing a radio show!!! Which will also be a podcast! Hell yeah! I’m psyched! Now I just have to learn everything I need to know about all of those things before the new year.
“First lesson for a business show - how to waste $1,500 in billable time to get a $90 discount on equipment. Stupid.”
I got a call from a producer at VoiceAmerica asking if I would be interested in hosting a show on business. Apparently, they had done some diligence on me, scoured my social media presence to see where my brain is, and decided that I might be an interesting(?) experiment(!). I thought about it and gave them an answer - I’ll do it, but only if I can wait until the new year (so I can finish school - you see, my midlife crisis was to go back to school, and, in the process of doing so, I picked up a couple advanced degrees), and only if I can make it snarky and entertaining instead of doctrine and accounting driven. They were on board. The producer and I talked about my vision for the show - basically, my vision is the quote often misattributed to Mark Twain: It ain’t what you don’t know that gets you into trouble; it’s what you know for sure that just ain’t so.
So, a few days later, the producer pitched the network and they liked it. So we’re gonna do a radio show! I’ve been getting smart on broadcast stuff. I and my team played with some names until we found one that works (check out that name right up there in the upper left-hand corner of this very page that you’re reading right now). We formed a corporate entity to do the show, we registered service marks (podcasts and broadcasts are services, so they get service marks, not trademarks). We came up with some logos (check out that baby up there - cool, amirite?!?). I bought some broadcasting gear - a couple of boom mic arms, a couple of appropriately nice microphones, and a mixing/recording station. I spent far more time on the phone with Guitar Center trying to apply a coupon than I should have. Never mind - I returned the thing and bought it back and they applied the discount at the store.
First lesson for a business show - how to waste $1,500 in billable time to get a $90 discount on equipment. Stupid.
I lawyered up (my Contracts professor from law school, who specializes in entertainment law generally and podcasting law in particular which, I am assured, is an actual thing). I selected episode topics for the first thirteen episodes, and a couple extra. Those are already up on the Episode Guide here on the site. The list of dream guests is created and invites are going out. And I did the thing I think I’m most excited about - I arranged for original music for the show, from perhaps the most respected (and certainly my favorite) composer serving the broadcast genre today, the mysterious Breakmaster Cylinder. I can’t wait to hear what they come up with for our musical voice.
At this point, you’re probably wondering “who the heck is this guy and why is he going to be doing a radio show?” Great question; stay tuned. That’s the next blog post.
I hope you join me for this journey. I welcome your thoughts and comments.
-Ted
