Radio Lessons #54 – Asbestos

Staff Writer

Asbestos wasn’t always considered a bad thing.

Mining for the substance began over 4,000 years ago (it was used for cooking pots and utensils in Finland which is a scary thought now), but it became widely popular in construction in the late 1800s and into the 1900s, even as late as the 1970s.

Its physical properties made it highly desirable at the time; it was an excellent material for sound absorption, strong and easy to work with as a builder and most importantly, fire resistant.

That popularity fell away very quickly though as knowledge of the health risks of the asbestos dust became public, and by the mid-1990s the substance was banned by most countries. Even today, there are still people suffering from the awful asbestos aftereffects like Lung Cancer and Mesothelioma.

We know the dangers of it now. It’s diabolical. Its use seems insane. But hindsight is 20/20. It wasn’t always considered a bad thing.

Is there asbestos hiding in your station or show?

Things that were beneficial to our brands at one point in time and not always right today. And those things can be brand elements, contests, an execution style, even people. It takes courage to assess and reassess all of the moving parts that create and define your brand experience, and then confirm their value quotient is still there.

Looking for asbestos is dangerous work – tread lightly but look diligently.

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