U.S. Admiral’s book on Special Ops Warfare can easily be applied to radio writes John Patkin
The end of the broadcast year of 2014 resembled a slow motion car crash as we watched companies abandon key time-slots in favour of what became well-publicised ‘leaks.’
From the cheap seats, it resembled retiring at three-quarter-time despite having the talent and infrastructure for a full battle, and seemed to defy radio’s great strengths of speed and flexibility. How could you avoid the accountant’s crosshair? Perhaps it’s time to prepare your war cabinet!
William H. McRaven’s Spec Ops: Case Studies in Special Operations Warfare: Theory and Practice presents a relatively modern series of scenarios that could easily be adapted to radio. Admiral McRaven prepared the US Navy Seals that killed Osama bin Laden in Pakistan in 2011.
McRaven’s thesis centres on the theory of Relative Superiority which argues that smaller forces can defeat larger ones if they attack quickly and maintain their position. Some may feel this is similar to Sun Tzu’s Art of War, but McRaven focuses on offense in a relatively modern context.
For example, if a major concert is happening and your station is sidelined because another network in the market has exclusive promotions such as tickets and artist interviews, go around them. This can be done by reviewing the competitor’s advertiser list to identify brands which are more closely associated with your demographic. Content can be boosted by interviewing fan club leaders, former band members, previous managers and rock journos. Get around the exclusive ‘free tickets’ by asking sponsors to pay for them. But do it quickly. The ability to move fast is one of the key strengths of radio.
On a more personal level, prepare for management to change focus from your show to another by ensuring your team, maybe you and some well-cultivated friendships in sales and promotions, can gain Relative Superiority with a list of well-publicised events. According to McRaven, a small and tight, well-tuned team is stealthy. It can quickly collect intelligence, plan an attack and maintain its position. Get sales to write you into emceeing events that gain maximum exposure in the local community and share it with your promotions contact. Add fresh material from the events and use them on-air and in your social media profile.
How do you plan for something like this? The answer is preparation and practice. Instead of gifting a competitor with all the revenue and latent value of a major event when a pitch fails, have a well-rehearsed back-up in place. Have proposals ready and convene an immediate meeting to decide on a strategy whether it is for a network, a channel or individual show.
A good example of recent Relative Superiority occurred during the Umbrella Revolution in Hong Kong. While the public began to grow weary of protesters and police battling on the streets, another group of activists used stealth by unveiling large banners on prominent cliff faces in the city. The impact was immediate because the bright yellow banners were placed in unique locations where no one expected them. Although the authorities quickly removed them, protesters learnt from this and found more difficult locations that offered excellent publicity. This was a success in terms of Relative Superiority because the protesters used speed and stealth.
The concept of having an inside team that develops strategies for individual channels within networks or timeslots in large stations may seem disloyal to upper management and other colleagues but may be perfect for longevity. The manager or colleague you fear today may be working elsewhere tomorrow and taking positive steps to increase your dominance through exposure can only help your organization. It’s the kind of value you can take with you too. We know high profile breakfast shows eat into the promotions budget but what about the afternoons or evenings announcer that could easily be replaced by a network feed or a fresh voice? These are the roles that need to be protected by a good strategy.
Spec Ops is a serious study of life and death situations and glaringly different from the ego-centric world of radio. McRaven gives examples of poorly-equipped World War Two frogmen struggling for air in a mine-riddled harbour. The admiral also highlights difficulties in the ability of soldiers to perceive success and the acceptance of high casualties. The obvious contradiction is your competitor becomes wary of your strategy but as McRaven repeats in his eight cases, success is about practice, good information and secrecy. By rehearsing new ideas, using good intelligence and unleashing your attack at the right time, you will maintain the edge. One note of caution. Before acting, remember to consider the law but don’t let that curb your creativity.
John Patkin is a regular contributor to radioinfo. He is a Hong Kong-based Australian media researcher.