Every radio industry ratings nerd knows what a “P1” listener is. Back in the day, there were even “P1” playlists, reflecting the biggest of markets and what was tops of the charts there compared to a smaller market.
Well, leave it to a program that’s all about the P1 to boost the future talent pool for both radio and television.
A Kansas City-based online learning company that focuses on being the broadcast industry’s “first preference” for fun, simplified online training is partnering with state broadcasters associations across the U.S. to help lure juniors and seniors from universities nationwide into radio and television.
The company is P1 Learning, and its “P1 Futures Program” is designed to educate college students on a career in broadcast sales. The two-week “pop-up” curriculum will complement existing sales course material as P1 Learning collaborates with colleges and instructors to cultivate new talent in the broadcast industry.
“We’re trying to respond to an ongoing need of member stations,” notes Jim Timm, President and Executive Director of the Nebraska Broadcasters Association. “Having done this for the past five semesters, we’re finding an increased buy-in of interest from students.”
The P1 Futures Program includes up to 50 training videos, testing materials, webinars, two-way video communications and classroom visits from broadcast professionals. Students will receive a certificate of completion to indicate to stations and companies that the prospective employee received adequate sales training.
“There are good salespeople out there,” says P1 Learning owner and CEO Speed Marriott. “We just have to be proactive in recruitment as an industry.”
In 2007, Speed partnered with broadcaster Katey McGuckin Woolam to found P1 Sales Systems LLC. P1 Learning currently works with over 1,200 radio and television subscribers in the U.S. and Canada.
Marriott has a radio industry background. In September 1996, he was appointed Director of Sale for Bonneville’s KMBZ-AM, KCMO-AM & FM and KLTH-FM in Kansas City. He stayed there through 2000, and an ownership change to Entercom. From 1981 until February 1993, he was a GSM with WHB-AM & KUDL-FM in Kansas City for Shamrock Broadcasting. He was transferred to WWSW-FM “3WS” in Pittsburgh for a similar role following his tenure in Kansas City.
In 1998, he was nominated by Radio & Records as Radio Sales Executive of the Year for his role at Entercom/Kansas City.
To date, the P1 Futures Program is financed by State Broadcasters Associations with the intent to extend the opportunity to broadcasting companies that look to be proactive in hiring quality salespeople.
For more information, visit info.p1learning.com/p1-futures-program.
