NEW FILM: STEVE POST “PLAYING IN THE FM BAND” • APM PARTNERS WITH WESTWOOD ONE FOR NEW SEASON OF “IN THE DARK”

Steve Post

Steve Post was a one-a-kind radio personality. He never took things too seriously and found humor in the absurdity of the human condition. New York radio listeners could always count on Post’s irreverent commentary and quick one-liners to brighten any day.

Later in 2018, everyone will get a chance to be introduced (and in some cases re-introduced) to his life and times in the new film Playing in the FM Band: The Steve Post Story. The 80-minute documentary by On the Road Productions is loosely based on Post’s autobiography of the same name. The film's website is here.

Post started in radio as a volunteer at WBAI in 1965.  Soon he became cult radio hero who innovated his own kind of “free form” audio storytelling.  Post is perhaps best known for his work at WNYC-FM. From 1982 until 2001. He was the host of Morning Music With Steve Post, combining music, commentary, and satire. WNYC had dual format at the time of NPR News and Classical music. Post did the weekday 9am to Noon shift.

When New York was attacked on September 11, 2001, WNYC-FM changed to an all-news/talk format. Post became known as the station’s number one on-the-air fundraiser. He played an important role in helping WNYC raise the money to buy the station’s licenses from the City and establishing New York Public radio.

Steve Post in 1997

In 2002 Post began a weekly program – The No Show – on WNYC. He retired from WNYC in 2009 and died from complications of lung cancer at age 70 in 2014.

No story about Post is complete without recalling perhaps the best story ever about a DJ going to the bathroom and locking himself out of the station. Almost anyone who has worked in radio has a similar tale.

One morning in 1990s Post was doing his morning show on WNYC when he felt the need to go to the bathroom. When he got in the stall, he realized he didn’t have a key to get back into the station.

Fearing “dead air” (a common DJ nightmare) he screamed for help but no one heard him. Post was desperate. He decided the only way for him to get back in the studio was to go out the bathroom window. He then navigated the crumbing ledges of the Municipal Building, 20 stories above the pavement, and re-entered the control room through an open window. He arrived just as the music was fading.

Steve Post told this story much better than I can. Here is a YouTube video that features Post live on WNYC telling what happened:

APM ALIGNS WITH WESTWOOD ONE FOR NEW SEASON OF IN THE DARK

American Public Media (APM) has crafted a deal with commercial radio syndicator Westwood One (WWO) for promotion and ad sales for the second season of the podcast In the Dark. The Peabody Award-winning investigative podcast returns on May 1, 2018 and runs through June.

Season Two explores the case of Curtis Flowers – a black man in Mississippi who has been tried six times for the same crime. In the Dark’s first season has had over 12-million downloads since it was released in 2017.

Tim Roesler

According to Tim Roesler, APM’s Senior VP & Chief Business Development Officer, APM is partnering with WWO because of their promotional reach, “digital vision” and experience monetizing podcasts.

WWO has made major investments in podcasting in the past couple of years. 

The company owns Podcast One [link], a portal that distributes over 90 podcast titles. Podcast One’s biggest hit is the Adam Carolla Show [link], a former “shock jock” who shares his thoughts about current events, politics, relationships and anything else he can complain about, according to Podcast One.

A big benefit to Podcast One is the association with APM’s exceptional content and “halo effect” of public media. Suzanne Grimes, Executive VP for Corporate Marketing at Cumulus Media (Cumulus owns WWO), said in a press release:

“We are incredibly impressed with APM’s award-winning and high-quality investigative content. This collaboration is another example of the podcast marketplace maturing.”

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