Staff photo by Mark CzajkowskiMichael Hierl, host of "Princeton Business Today" on WHWH 1350AM, records a show with guest Jim Dovidio of Brown Dog Marketing. Local business people find their voices on the air
Melinda Sherwood, Business Editor
You’ve successfully grown your business, mastered your trade and earned the respect of colleagues — so what do you do next?
Some people become consultants; some join boards or become teachers and mentors.
Others, like Milton Paris, a sales and marketing professional for 40 years, become talk radio hosts.
"Teaching professionals, whether they are tradesmen, trainees, entrepreneurs or employees of a major corporation, has always been fulfilling and enjoying for me," says Mr. Paris, a Monroe Township resident whose talk show, "Getting Ahead in Business" on WCTC 1450AM, Central Jersey Talk Radio, offers listeners career advice and networking tips.
Mr. Paris is not the only local entrepreneur to recently discover a knack for broadcasting.
In May, Michael Hierl, chairman of the Princeton Regional Chamber of Commerce and owner of Pacesetter Management Consulting, launched "Princeton Business Today" on MoneyTalk, WHWH 1350AM, as an outgrowth of his chamber responsibilities.
"The idea we had at the chamber was that expanding to radio would allow us to reach even more audiences, perhaps even new audiences," said Mr. Hierl.
Meanwhile, veteran broadcaster and Caliper founder and CEO Herb Greenberg has seen his weekly call-in radio show on MoneyTalk, "Winning In Business," which focuses on human resources issues, become syndicated nationally.
So why the sudden proliferation of local business talk radio shows and is anyone listening?
It’s not so much about how many people are listening as who is listening, says Ed Palladino, operations manager at Nassau Broadcasting, home of WHWH MoneyTalk 1350AM.
"In this case, it’s niche programming — lesser in terms of broad appeal, however way up the end of the scale in terms of quality of people listening," he said.
Demographic studies of MoneyTalk listeners describe an affluent, and economically active audience: 60 percent are male; 71 percent are married; 51 percent are in top management; 84 percent are homeowners; 83 percent have investment portfolios; 25 percent have investments over $200,0000; and 70 percent spent more than $30,000 on their last vehicle and have average household incomes above $75,000.
From an advertising standpoint, business news programs are an easy sell, says Michael Harrison of Talkers magazine, the leading trade magazine of the talk radio industry.
"Business talk radio has always been one of the leading sub-genres of talk radio," he said. "You don’t need a huge audience to generate revenue because you get a very qualified audience. The people who would listen to the money station or financial show are obviously people who have money or are interested in making money, and that’s who advertisers want to advertise to. It’s good format to be in broadcasting because there’s a built-in industry."
The show itself also equates to a unique marketing opportunity for both the host and guests.
"It’s really a longer-form marketing tool for many companies," said Mr. Palladino. "It’s great to use a 60-second commercial, but you can’t establish the relationship with the audience you can (through a talk show). We’ve gotten to know Herb Greenberg, and for that reason, if I were to apt to use his services, there’s a whole other reason to — because I’ve gotten to know the man behind the company."
Now airing on 19 radio stations around the country, "Winning in Business" has helped get Caliper’s name out to a wider public, says Mr. Greenberg, although the impact on business is immeasurable at this point.
"You know if you have good guests and a growing number of affiliates are picking us up, it’s got to rebound positively," said Mr. Greenberg.
It also helps him build a better rapport with clients.
"When we call a Caliper client and ask them to appear on the radio, it’s a plus — they like it," added Mr. Greenberg, whose program has hosted such national business figures as Bill Rosenberg of Dunkin’ Donuts and David Power of J.D. Power and Associates.
Mr. Palladino, who helps train an up-and-coming crop of local radio personalities for WHWH, strives to keep the programming balanced and informative nonetheless.
"One of the things we strive to do in general is to not have these programs be an infomercial," he said. "Really what we’re looking for and have established with these local people is good quality talk radio program."
"Winning in Business," which airs every Saturday at noon on WHWH, explores human resources issues — an area that business news has long overlooked, says Mr. Greenberg, who co-hosts the show with Patrick Sweeney.
"It just occurred to me that there’s a lot of business shows on the air — how to invest — but no one was really talking about the people side of business — how do you get the most of your human capital, get people to maximize their human potential," he said. "That kind of information available on air is tremendously valuable."
While "Winning in Business" taps national figures, regional news is the primary focus of "Princeton Business Today," which airs every other Thursday from 10 to 11 a.m. on WHWH. Recent guests include Barry Rabner, president of Princeton HealthCare System, Bob Hillier, of Hillier Architecture, and West Windsor Mayor Shing-Fu Hsueh.
"If I’m out there and listening to radio, and I’m a business person listening to radio, what would I want to hear? I try to focus the show on that," said Mr. Hierl. "My view is that ‘Princeton Business Today,’ in a nutshell, is a news-oriented show, as opposed to getting behind the scenes, which is what I think Patrick and Herb do very well."
Mr. Paris’ program, which airs every Saturday from 9:30 to 10 a.m. on WCTC 1450AM, is a call-in program that covers the gamut.
"’Getting Ahead in Business’ is an excellent and concise forum for all kinds of people who want to learn how to inject some excitement into their professional lives, how to assess their situation — whether it’s a major change of career, or whether it’s a specific challenge being faced," Mr. Paris explains. "The extra advantage is the networking; people have found others who provide services and goods they need."
"We have heard from people who have listened and said they’ve found it helpful to know what’s going on, not just with the chamber, but with local businesess that they didn’t really know about," added Mr. Hierl.
They may not have the rock star status or cult following of a Howard Stern or Don Imus, but amateur local talk radio hosts are still a valuable commodity to radio stations, said Mr. Palladino.
"From a local programmer standpoint," he said, "I want to add as much local programming as a I can, because there’s a more direct link to the community."

