What Christmas taught me about programming

Written By Michael Krall

Two Holiday Lessons in Programming

Story #1: Hosting: Early in my career, I hosted classical music one December night and played Christmas carols. I imagined listeners unwinding with their favorite holiday music. Back‑announcing, I confidently said we’d just heard Away in a Manger. Moments later, the studio phone rang. I never got past “hello”. Would you please tell that arrogant ass that it’s pronounced MAIN-jer not MAYNG-ger?!

Story #2: Programming: As a new program director, I had to choose which holiday specials to air. When listeners asked why A Festival of Nine Lessons and Carols wasn’t scheduled, I realized my perspective wasn’t enough. Tradition and uniqueness matter deeply, especially at Christmas. I still had every reason not to make a last minute change: we had already published holiday program information and there were crucial operational details to be figured out. It didn’t matter. I was in a position to make it happen and I did — because sometimes responsiveness is the right call.

Takeaways:

  • Preparation matters — especially for traditions outside your own experience. That moment also reminded me how quickly listeners can react when something feels personal to them.

  • Respect for tradition and listener feedback are valuable inputs, but they don’t dictate every programming decision. They’re signals worth considering alongside your expertise and goals.

  • Professionalism is the ability to bring your goals together with community expectations, understanding that you don’t have all the answers.

These lessons continue to shape how I help stations, hosts, and creators refine their programming. Whether it’s polishing delivery or designing schedules that connect with audiences, my work is about creating audio that resonates. If you’re ready to strengthen your programming, let’s talk.

Michael Krall
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Introduction