Lee Abrams- From Broadcast to Satellite

Abstract

XM Satellite Radio's Senior Vice President and Chief Programming Office, Lee Abrams, has been shaping the American radio industry for more than 3 decades. During that time he has brought unparalleled ratings and economic success to radio stations in more than 200 markets, including 97 of the top 100, winning 318 programming battles. In 1993, Newsweek listed Abrams as one of the country's "100 Cultural Elite" for his contributions to creating modern day radio; and Radio Ink cited Abrams as one of the 75 most important radio figures of all time. Abrams joined XM in June 1998 to help create the next generation of radio-satellite direct radio. With 100 stations (channels) to develop and program, Abrams is once again challenged to reinvigorate the radio landscape, and if subscriber levels and terrestrial radio's mounting anxiety are any indication, he is doing just that. As a founding partner of Burkhar Abrams, the Atlanta-based consulting giant, Abrams invented and built Album Rock, one of the first successful FM formats. He also designed numerous other highly successful radio formats, including the first Classic Rock format at San Francisco's KFOG, the first Urban/Dance format at New York's WKTU, and the first New Age/Jazz format. In addition he created the original blueprint for the NBC Radio Network. His corporate clients have included every major broadcast group as well as Coca Cola, TNT, Sony, and Walt Disney. In 1989 Abrams joined ABC Networks as an internal consultant and oversaw the revolutionary Z-Rock format, which was the first satellite delivered Superstation (as well as being the first "Active Rock" format). Abrams was instrumental in the launch of many top morning radio shows, among them Howard Stern. In the interview that follows Abrams discusses the impact of satellite radio on terrestrial radio, the job market for broadcast majors in the wake of consolidation and the new and evolving listening options, and how streaming and broadband wireless audio services factor into the programming decisions and future of both broadcast and satellite radio.