From today’s TRI Newsletter and its ongoing year-end feature “2011 in 200 words”, a poem from Lindsay Wood Davis of Madison, Wisconsin-based Broadcast Management Strategies -





“Tom Taylor asked if I might
Sit down at my keyboard and write
200 some words
(Tweets are for birds)
Serious,
Perhaps with some bite

“Fine people our business enfolds
So my first thought went to Stu Olds
To lose him so young
A smart guy and fun
A real leader when we have almost none

“Yet new leaders might be emerging,
To give voice and help us resurging
Katz announced that Mary Beth Garber
Would help push Radio harder
Then just down the hall
An announcement hailed by most all
RAB welcomed Erica Farber

“If you had ventured out loud just last year
That All-News would be what you would hear
Touted by Randy and Walter
(though some think they’ll falter)
others would have bet you a beer

“And speaking of bet
(don't forget his new jet)
Bob Pittman's made quite a big one
If Clear Channel grows
He’ll reap what he sows
But if not, that jet will be grounded

“Ms. Ginny Hubbard
Looked in her cupboard
And thought, ‘What a fine time to grow!’
Bruce Reese came a callin’
(There wasn’t much stallin’)
They’ll get bigger, that’s one thing we know!

“To try to rhyme Cumulus
Is really quite humorous
Susquehanna makes it doubly fun
Farid Suleman’s gone
Citadel was his pawn
And the Dickey’s rolled three into one

“Our business has certainly changed
The bankers often are blamed
Where once it was billings
that we thought were thrilling
It’s now layoffs that get the acclaim

“We’re all on a mission
(Well, except the Commission)
To keep Radio a place that is happenin’
But it surely won’t hurt
If sales hit a spurt
That’s seen in your next Miller Kaplan

“Rick Buckley once said it best,
That ‘Service is our greatest test’
So go forth, and do good works
Great profit out there lurks
It’s trite, but we must give it our best.”

Thanks again to Lindsay Wood Davis (Lwdnrg@aol.com) for the versifying.