No one knows that better than radio personality Frank Ski. With a unique style and high level of professionalism refined by his long experience in the business, and a lot of high-tech savvy, he moved to Atlanta and quickly rocketed to the top. Ski is part of a new breed of radio personalities who touch the hearts and purses of radio listeners every day. And the Internet is helping him keep his cutting edge.

Just a few years ago, radio was a much more labor-intensive industry. Professional music entertainers worked relentlessly for long hours -- researching appropriate, popular music; finding hot news and events; identifying and implementing marketing strategies; juggling staff schedules; and looking for committed, like-minded personnel -- all to remain competitive, in the game of capturing and monopolizing the listening attention of their target audiences.

Using the Web, rather than legwork, to do this research is called "cybertainment," and it has done much to simplify the process. Ski, host of the Frank Ski Morning Show on V-103 in Atlanta (http://www.v-103.com), says, "The industry has changed significantly for the better because of the Internet."

Ski came to Atlanta two years ago from Baltimore. Many considered his new assignment -- replacing the longstanding and still popular morning team of Mike Roberts and Carol Blackmon -- to be a risky move, at best. But the Atlanta community took in Frank and his team -- Tara Thomas, Wanda Smith, and Griff; Atlanta's Home Team -- very quickly. And to the surprise of industry watchers, Ski has done again what he has done everywhere else: bring Number One.

Ski gets most of the information he needs from a variety of international music and news sources online. Selecting material for his generic and progressive-thinking audience of professionals is a challenge, he says, and increased competition with television and new media is causing on-air radio entertainment professionals to have to work harder to make their programs more engaging and mentally stimulating. But cybertainment has been a great help in facilitating more personal and immediate communications between the host and his listeners, who now can send in special requests or comments electronically.

Internet search engines allow Ski to retrieve the majority of his source material easily from "off-line" computer databases that specialize in music, news, events, activities, programs, humor, and celebrity lifestyle information. His two favorite search engines are Yahoo!, for music, and InfoSeek, for his other research.

Ski, who has a law degree from the University of the District of Columbia to go along with his 15 years' experience in music and radio entertainment, is a strong advocate for youth. He spearheaded and launched the Frank Ski Foundation, a nonprofit organization whose goal is to get young people more interested and involved in technology, science, arts, and athletics. 

Ski says that the new wave of computer technology is market-driven and can quickly force workers at any level into obsolesence.

"All persons, particularly youth, should be exposed to and use the computer to deter the 'Digital Divide,' " he says. "Keeping up with what happens around you is critical to your existence. Once a young person can read, he or she should use the computer and access the Internet."

Although he is a strong believer in technological empowerment, Ski says the root of his success is his genuine love for people and his practical personal relationships with them. He notes that his opportunity to work in Atlanta underscores his values and personal Christian beliefs. As he put it, "Atlanta is the Bible Belt; I can't help but to maintain my values."

Liz Best is a freelance writer based in Baltimore, Md. She can be reached at LBest@blackengineer.com.

Music-related Web Sites
http://www.billboard.com

http://www.cddb.com

http://www.sixtiesrock.com/index.html

http://www.worldpop.com

http://www.vibe.com/vibewire