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Doug Stephan Hosts The Circus, Literally And Figuratively

“I like to have a male and female counterbalance,” he said. “We don’t discuss politics much. I let other people do that. I start each newscast with a good story. We can get to whoever got shot later.”

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When I called Doug Stephan recently, he wondered if we could reschedule in a couple of days as a circus was setting up on his property. On Stephan’s farm in Framingham, Massachusetts, the radio talker hosted the Stars Above: An All American Open Air Circus.

To the best of my recollection, I’ve never started an interview by asking, ‘How was the circus?’ In this instance, it was the only question to ask.

“It went so well,” Stephan said. “We had acrobats, aerialists, dance groups, jugglers, trapeze artists. I was proud of my people. The event was great.”

This was Stephan’s first year hosting a circus.

“They’ve been out of vogue since the pandemic, but they’re coming back around. The kids who put on the circus are wonderful human beings. I try to vary things up on the farm.”

The event originated when circus founder Josh Aviner came to the farm in April of this year, and wanted to present his circus on Stephan’s farm.

“What we have here is a bovine sanctuary, an equine sanctuary,” Stephan said. “We’ve saved some dogs. The farm is all about teaching, an educational tool.”

Stephan has been around cows all his life. He bought the farm (not that way) in 2004.

“As a kid I worked on farms all over this area, but this one is the best. The most prestigious.”

Stephan said he often escaped to the local farms and appreciated the basic virtues.

“Being around the farms crystalized who I was. In that way, I have a tribute to the salvation of interesting beings. Cows are so sweet. Hindus worship them, just like Indians have reverence for the buffalo. Cows are my friends.”

“We’re supposed to be talking about radio,” Stephan said.

Nope. I never said that.

Farms have consistently been a huge part of his life. Then he found radio when he was 17 years-old. He’s done all sorts of things in his life; he was a teacher, owned a bus company, a clothing business, and a restaurant.

“If I am good on the air it’s because I’ve been doing it for 57 years. I guess it’s because I’ve paid attention to a lot of things in my life,” Stephan explained.

“The farmers I was around as a kid shaped me to who I am. My ‘second father’ had a farm up the street. I used to ride my bike up there at 4am, in snow, sleet. My job was to take care of the calves. I’ve probably been part of 1,000 births. I’ve had to help 300-400 give birth because the calf was breech or backward.”

A farmer who is a total vegetarian is rather unique.

“I don’t criticize other people for what they eat,” Stephan said. “To each his own. If you saw the way they kill chickens, you’d never eat them again. The hens lay eggs. When their usefulness has run out, they get sent to the Campbell soup factory. Chickens are raised in a 100 day window. They don’t move around and they’re fed nutrients. Then some worker comes by with a chainsaw and cuts their heads off, cleans them up, then sends them to Tyson, grocery store or wherever.”

Stephan said he tries to help educate people and will talk about things like the chickens and the situations facing American farms as it relates to surviving.

“I’m pretty strident about that. I don’t go out of my way to make points in that area. I will take swipes at China. People who are my age made the decision to work with China 40 years ago. China is reaping the harvest of us propping them up. I’m a capitalist, but China is just greedy. There’s a difference between the two.”

Stephan said in the United States we’re not interested in paying farmers to keep us healthy.

“We ingest so many preservatives, sweeteners. There are people who are more Generation Y than Z that are perpetuating this problem. The Y generation is shamefully out to lunch. They’ve become zombies on their devices and they don’t eat well. I was in Best Buy recently to buy a dishwasher. There were three young men working there, all grossly obese. They didn’t get off their asses to help me. They just wanted to point and send me in a direction. When I told them I’d like a little help, they said they were busy with something else.”

He believes some of the mindlessness started with the first Gulf War. “People like Bush and Cheney sold that war, those lying bastards. We all fell for it. Even Colin Powell bought it hook, line and sinker. Although later he realized it was wrong.”

Stephan said it was Eisenhower who told us to beware the military industrial complex.

“They just keep building more planes, making more bombs. Nobody wins anymore. I don’t believe we’ve learned a stitch. Civics isn’t taught in schools anymore because they don’t want kids to know their responsibilities in society. They just don’t give a shit. There aren’t too many thinkers, we don’t honor them anymore. I don’t have much use for Bill Gates, Mark Zuckerburg, or Jeff Bezos.”

As he gets older, Stephan said he steps back. Learned to take things as they come.

“I’m not going to get a heart attack. Nothing going on with Trump affects my life. I think it’s a good thing Andrew Yang is starting a Third Party. Hopefully a good candidate comes out of that. When I talk to people on my show they all say they’re exhausted. All schools these days are diluting the minds of young people. It’s all about social justice. People do need to be respected and treated well, but the pendulum tends to go too far in each direction. I can’t watch television during an election cycle.”

Stephan said his show is part extemporaneous and part prepared or scripted.

“I like to have a male and female counterbalance,” he said. “We don’t discuss politics much. I let other people do that. I start each newscast with a good story. We can get to whoever got shot later.”

He said he’s concerned about the lack of attention paid to any subject by kids.

“I do think social media is a form of mind control. ‘Just look at this fancy quarter, don’t worry about everything else.’ It’s analysis paralysis.”

Talk radio came to be out of my age. There was dissatisfaction with war. Movements came out of talk radio. Advocates in the 70s and 80s. Coming out of the Vietnam War, we started to have very intense radio talkers.

“With some talkers there was a great deal of dissatisfaction,” Stephan said. “You could find a guy like that in any city. Guys like Boston host Gene Burns. He was very good at getting into what people were thinking. When he told a story you could take it to the bank. With a guy like Mark Levin, I like him as a person, but listening to him is like fingernails on a blackboard.”

Stephan began his career in radio as a deejay in the 1960s in Tiffin, Ohio and has worked as a talk radio show host in Los Angeles, Boston and other major markets in America.

When he’s on the air these days, he hosts Doug Stephan’s Good Day moniker.

“My co-host, Jai Kershner, is vivacious, thoughtful. She always provides a good jumping-off point in the direction of what I’m trying to convey. The world is okay, even though it’s crazy. You can make your world whatever you want. Some things are good. Some things are not so good. I tell stories on the air. It’s important to give them context.”

His impressive list of celebrity guests has included the biggest names from the worlds of politics, sports, media and the arts: former President Bill Clinton, Senator John McCain, Gloria Allred, John Elway, Dan Marino, Florence Griffith Joyner, Maureen Dowd, Tom Brokaw, Regis Philbin.

“One of my favorites was Ed McMahon. I liked him a lot. He loved being a celebrity and he was unabashed about it. I spent a lot of time with him in Vegas. People would come up to him for an autograph, and he’d reach out and touch your finger. Engage people in conversation. I don’t think he believed in autographs as they are worthless. But he did make a connection with people.”

Another connection Stephan made was with Donald Trump.

“Even if you don’t like Trump and his high-handed ways, the man has a certain savoir faire. I was at Mar-a-Lago a couple of times. He walked by once and asked me how I liked my crab sandwich. I told him it was pretty good. He doesn’t use his savoir faire very often, except when he’s around people who are clearly his people. He’s much more comfortable around them. I don’t think he was breast-fed.”

Mic drop.

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BNM Writers

News is the Only Thing Missing From Election Coverage

Coverage of the election is, as we’ve discussed, still very horse-race-centric, and there’s been, of course, coverage of the various Trump court cases, but where is the coverage of exactly what the candidates plan to do if elected?

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The first thought I had when I heard NBC had hired Ronna McDaniel as a commentator for $300,000 a year was to wonder how many actual journalists they could have hired for that money. Then, I recalled that NBC had laid off dozens of news staffers just a few months ago. Then, I remembered that I had just recently written a column decrying news organizations throwing pretty much anybody on the air as a “pundit” and this….

This was worse. It’s one thing to grab some rando who happened to be a minor functionary for the Executive Branch. It’s another to hire someone whose job was to promote election denialism and pretend that her opinion is something valuable for viewers. And, yes, it’s just as ridiculous when news organizations hire former presidential press secretaries (that’s you, Jen Psaki and Sean Spicer), their very jobs were to spin everything in their bosses’ favor and now you’re going to pay them big salaries for, um, what? Because they “have a name” or you’re afraid someone else will snap them up? Why them?

The McDaniel deal lasted five days, one completely unilluminating interview, and one unexpected Chuck Todd spine-growing outburst, so it’ll all blow over soon enough. The problem is, though, the part about having fired several news staffers, and what it means in an election year on both the national and local levels. If you have the money to hire an alleged pundit – any alleged pundit – you have the money to hire reporters, and I don’t mean anchors or opinion show hosts.

Coverage of the election is, as we’ve discussed, still very horse-race-centric, and there’s been, of course, coverage of the various Trump court cases, but where is the coverage of exactly what the candidates plan to do if elected? Who’s probing Project 2025 and why isn’t it front-page, first-segment news? Who’s pressing the Biden administration on Gaza? Is anyone reporting on the candidates’ record on climate change?

Beyond prescription drug prices, is anyone digging into the broken healthcare system and demanding answers from the candidates about what they’ll do to fix it (and not letting Trump get away with “I’ll have a better plan, a beautiful plan” without a single specific detail, like they did in 2016)? Why didn’t anyone focus on, for example, the GOP candidate for governor of North Carolina and his incendiary past comments well before the primary?

Pundits are not going to do the legwork on the issues; they’ll just talk about swing states while John King and Steve Kornacki point at their touchscreen maps. We need reporting on the things that matter (and can affect that horse race, even if most people have made up their minds). It shouldn’t just be Pro Publica and scattered independent journalists doing the dirty work.

Honestly, I don’t want to hear the complaints about the quality of the candidates or how this is a rerun or any of that. (We’ll leave that to The New York Times.) We are a horribly underinformed electorate and we got the horse race we deserve. It might just be idealists like me who think that, just maybe, the news media can play a role in educating the public and bursting the bubbles and echo chambers. This country has survived and prospered for a few centuries with the press shining a light on injustice and corruption.

Now, when we need that most, they’re more concerned with what they think will bring them ratings and money (although someone will have to explain to me who thought having Ronna McDaniel as a paid commentator would draw a single viewer to NBC).

Here’s a thought: Don’t lay off reporters, especially in an election year.  Assign them to dig deep on issues that matter to the voters.

Let the pundits talk about that.

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8 Ways to Take Your Commercials From Drab to Fab

Our main source of income is derived from commercials. There are a lot of bad commercials.

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Another reason to read this column, I often add an Easter egg. We are in the advertising business. Our main source of income is derived from commercials. There are a lot of bad commercials. Frequently, clients write these ads. You can excuse it if the spots suck. But when the commercials are written by Account Executives or the production department at the station, it is kind of unforgivable.

I am going to share the most meaningless phrases in commercials.

Locally Owned and Operated

Customers do not care. If customers cared about a business being locally owned and operated, Walmart would not exist. People want service, selection, and value. They do not want to get soaked. When you purchase something, are you willing to pay 20% for a local company? If you say yes, you are wrong. People want a deal.

The Phone Number

Doing 70 down the 405, John slammed on the brakes to write down the phone number for an amazing HVAC Company. That is not how it works people. HVAC companies rarely have or should have regular customers.

Normally, your AC is out. You call the HVAC Company that you are familiar with. Radio advertising allows people to have “TOMA”: Top of Mind Awareness. There are stats that show when a company is advertising on your radio station, their website shows an increase in traffic. When you needed a service for your home, you hit Google and choose the company that you’ve heard of. It’s that simple. I actually heard a commercial asking listeners to add a businesses phone number to their contact list. That is a moronic use of advertising real estate.

Street Addresses

“Tequilaberry’s Prime Rib is located at 106 East Governors Drive in Peoria.” 

The people listening cannot process that detail. You could say “Tequilaberry’s Prime Rib is on Governors Drive just off 10th in Peoria.” That is almost digestible. That creates a picture of where it is.

Trust me, people interested in prime rib will Google you and load the address in their navigation system. Spend that precious spot time selling the experience of the restaurant.

Always Using the Company Owner/Founder in Commercials

Sometimes, it is amazing when business owners are their spokesperson. They have passion and are natural salespeople. Some business owners are terrible at speaking about their product.

When you have a business owner who is a natural promoter, they can drag listeners into their business. I once worked with a family who owned a couple of hardware stores. They spoke about the benefits of visiting their stores. It was heartfelt and real. They promised that their employees can help solve any problem in your home. If you went to that store and had a simple or complex problem, the employees helped you out.

I once worked with a man who owned a really nice flooring company.  For whatever reason, he thought that he was funny. He had spots written by him, his wife, or a kid. The ads were dreadful. They were not funny at all. Account Executives need to talk these clients out of doing commercials like this. Nothing says wacky hijinks like flooring.

Overuse of Numbers

“We have grapes at 99 cents a pound, Chuck steak at $1.99, two-for-one zucchini.”

Trust me, no one driving in city traffic can keep track of that. “The 2025 Chevy Chevette is back with 45-mpg efficiency and amazing 18-inch tires. Prices start at $19,999…  The New Chevy Silverado starts at $32,999.”

It gets really confusing fast.

WWW.

Yes, I hear commercials saying check us on the internet at “W-W-W dot business name here dot com.”

WWW is assumed and not needed anymore unless you are running a Commadore-64 with the latest floppy disc technology.

Yellow Pages Ad

“Check out our new ad in the Yellow Pages!”

OMG, no one reads those damn things anymore. Most people born after 1960 just toss those suckers in the trash. There was a time when the Yellow Pages were the largest revenue generator in advertising. Yes, a book of ads. Like Facebook, without your buddy’s political, vacation, or food posts. It was just ads. Zero content.

I had stuffed salmon tonight that I engineered myself. I would make Sydney Sweeney quite the trophy husband. Set us up. Hey, I am single. It was not that long ago that you would hear a radio ad that promoted a coupon in the Sunday paper.

Well, that copy should be deader than a doornail.

Amateur Theater

A husband and wife discussing their lawn and how she heard about Telly’s Lawn Service from her friend Stacy. 

Those commercials are obviously contrived and not interesting at all. 

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Open every commercial must have an attention-grabbing opener. “Totally Jammed…  The floor covered with the guest towels. Fearing the horrific consequences of another flush…  I did the right thing. I called ABC Plumbing. Quick service, a great price, and peace of mind.”

The next time that the plunger is failing to get the desired results, the listener of that commercial will identify with the very realist scenario.

We are in the advertising business. Use radio as it was meant.

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The Lost Art of Using Sound as a Springboard

Use sound it wherever you can. All you need is a loyal, capable and willing board operator, to go along with a conscientious host.

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Jon Stewart was the first guy to do it — take a politician’s words from the news of the day or week. Search his or her entire past and find a sound byte saying the exact opposite.

It became an art form – and a great way to keep people accountable.

Most radio operations don’t have the resources necessary to consistently do something like that, but truth be told, that kind of journalism isn’t really the point of this week’s column.

It’s an example of the simple power of sound. We need to use it more within our shows. Use sound it wherever you can. All you need is a loyal, capable, and willing board operator, to go along with a conscientious host.

Speaking from experience, not doing it is lazy.

Doing it takes minimal effort and helps conversations tremendously – especially when it’s in real-time. I know. I’ve been there – missing opportunity after opportunity because I didn’t think of it, ask for help or just do it myself.

Put simply, good sound is a better springboard to a question than just a question.

Just the other day, I realized how well it works and how little I’ve been doing it.

Here’s what happened.

We have one particularly heated congressional race in our state. The Republican candidate is running for a second time after narrowly losing in 2022 in an election where Connecticut’s gubernatorial candidate from the same party got smoked, and the Republican presidential candidate lost the state as well.

This time around, there’s a struggling Democratic President with real doubts about the economy and the country’s standing in the world.

Put simply, the Democratic congressional incumbent has a massive task ahead to get re-elected.

On my show, I try to be consistently independent and be a place for both parties to appear with the expectation that the conversations will be fair and honest.

The Republican candidate came on the show earlier this month, and we went through a number of issues. Connecticut is a relatively strong Democratic stronghold, where the party controls the legislature, the Governor’s Mansion, and the entire congressional delegation.

Having said that, the largest voting block is unaffiliated, so appealing to independents is crucial for either side to win. I asked the Republican candidate twice about whether he will support Donald Trump, and both times, he equivocated. I asked the follow-up, we were on the record, so I moved on.

The following week, his opponent, the Democratic incumbent, was scheduled to appear on the show. Before her arrival, I realized the Trump Q&A should probably be replayed for her. Duh.

My producer found it, clipped it, and had it at the ready. I felt that I should have realized it sooner and not put some added strain on my partner’s morning routine. He was fine, but it definitely added unnecessary work within the show.

Lesson learned.

The sound byte worked well. I played it. She responded. We moved the story forward, and it was compelling – as you might imagine, the topic of Trump vs. Biden is pretty compelling these days.

By no means did it create a “wow” moment. That would be a little much. But it did make the show better, using the opponent’s own voice as opposed to my paraphrasing something. That lends credibility, not only to the topic but also to the show. He gave this important answer on our show, and she gave her response … on our show.

My final thought on this is that we (I) need to look for more places to utilize sound as a springboard to conversations, as opposed to simply raising the topic and discussing it. Maybe you’re already good at it and do it all the time, but this past week, I realized I need to push myself to do it more.

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