Tony Garcia's journey through the radio industry over the past four decades provides a fascinating glimpse into the evolution of syndicated content and the changing landscape of the medium. From his early days as an intern at the iconic WNBC in New York during the 1980s, Tony's enthusiasm for radio was palpable, as he recounted the excitement of being part of the station's shift from album rock to the burgeoning new wave scene.
This passion led Tony to create his own syndicated show, "Wave Breaker," while at WNYU. Through sheer determination and a willingness to learn on the job, he navigated the complexities of distribution, leveraging techniques like bulk-erasing tapes to get the show into the hands of eager college radio stations across the country, and in Europe. This laid the foundation for Tony's deep understanding of the syndication business, which he would go on to apply in roles at companies like Progressive Radio Network and the Wall Street Journal Report.
Tony's insights into the strategies employed by media giants like Dow Jones, who adeptly repurposed content across their various platforms, underscores the importance of adaptability in an ever-changing industry. The transition from vinyl to CDs, and eventually digital distribution, further highlights Tony's ability to evolve with the times, always seeking to provide the most efficient and cost-effective solutions for his clients.
The story of Tony's involvement with the Bob & Sheri show, from the initial challenges to the eventual triumph, exemplifies his knack for identifying and nurturing talent. By enabling ownership of their IP and digital presence, Tony demonstrated a keen understanding of the value of intellectual property in an increasingly fragmented media landscape.
As Tony looks ahead to the future, his enthusiasm for the potential of hyper-local podcasts and the continued expansion of Bob & Sheri, and publishing ventures reflects a visionary mindset.
We also talked about Two Guys Named Chris who are another morning show that work with Now! Media. A few weeks ago we heard them on another great podcast called Brandwidth on Demand. If you love radio - you will really enjoy this podcast. The duo discusses their unique chemistry, supported by producer Josh Ellinger and meteorologist Dave Aiken, and how a special coach helped them refine their craft. They highlight the benefits and challenges of co-hosting, adapting to the evolving media landscape, and the importance of personal anecdotes in connecting with their audience.
Also of note, Tony mentioned that the company is keeping an eye to the future with publishing. A quick tour of the Bob & Sheri Website shows numerous writing pieces, including her own.
And guest bloggers like Avery Rich's Declutter U which made its debut this week. Avery wrote about the many ways to Declutter your spending.
Tony also did a little decluttering of his own back in 2023, and it spurned a flood of memories about the growth of the show. One of my favourite questions in this episode is to recall some of the benchmarks along the growth trajectory for the Bob & Sheri Show. But Tony wrote an excellent piece for the newsletter. I'll tell you what - now that you have made it to the end of this page, I'll give you the start of the piece - and then you can go finish it here:
I was organizing my closet (for the one millionth time) and I came across some of the items in my “brag box”. It’s full of stuff that I’ve accumulated since my college days. One item was a cassette demo of Bob & Sheri we produced when I first joined the show. It took me back to the first time I met Bob & Sheri. It was a whirlwind day with no shortage of strange stuff.
It started when (then station Manager) Rick Jackson told me about the show, I was in Connecticut and had no idea who Bob and Sheri were.