There's hasn't been a buzz like this about the radio industry since Don Imus made his remarks about nappy hair.

Homeless former DJ finds work after desperation forces him to stand at street corner with a sign reading: "I have a God-given gift of voice. I am an ex-radio announcer who has fallen on hard times. Please! Any help will be greatfully appreciated. Thank you and God bless you. Happy Holidays."

Now, I've seen online reports from radio industry trades giving credit to an appearance on Columbus radio station WNCI as being instrumental in delivering attention and job offerings to the unemployed Ted Williams. In a small way, a shot behind the radio microphone amplified attention. It was in no way, though, connected with the rapid deployment of this feel-good story.

"Realize that each medium - cardboard, video, YouTube, Radio - did not propel this story in equal proportions."

First, let's join the chorus and wish Ted well. I'm near Cleveland, OH, so we'll revisit his new employment at season's end, after the Cavaliers get through using him as the arena draw that Lebron James ain't anymore. Should we feel sorry for the team, being upstaged by the announcer? Next, tip the hat to radio writer Tom Taylor for offering a side of this that isn't being talked about in his Radio-Info.com newsletter - namely, many displaced radio people are feeling frustration over Williams hitting the jackpot through the sheer luck of a newspaper posting his story online. (Stay with this thought. It's a major reason you're reading about Mr. Williams today.) Pipes aren't something given to only one person. Desperation isn't a rare commodity these days, either. Right place, right time. Life isn't always fair. Yada, yada, yada...

Over at Radio Business Report, Chuck Francis, VP New Media Strategies of Remerge Media, wrote an article titled "A homeless man understands integration better than most media companies." His opening paragraph reads: "He started with print (a cardboard sign with a message) on a street corner. Next, he was the feature of a video clip on a newspaper website; from there to YouTube; from YouTube to radio and three-days later a homeless former drug addict had a job offer from the Cleveland Cavaliers."

This story's greatest lessons lie on the above premise of integration, and the time from first exposure to world sensation.

Realize that each medium - cardboard, local web site, TV, YouTube, Radio - did not propel this story in equal proportions.

The story moved from hundreds of people passing Ted Williams at the street corner to thousands seeing the newspaper's online video; one person happened to be a TV reporter, who soon had hundreds of thousands seeing him on TV. It then went to tens of thousands hearing about him on the radio.

But, when it hit YouTube...

This saga of Ted Williams gives more than just the enjoyment of watching a downed radio man getting noticed. This is an educational moment, as defined by Dave Evans: If traditional media talks in terms of velocity (how quickly you can get your message out), then social media is best understood in terms of acceleration (the change in how fast your message spreads over time).

Remerge Media's Chuck Francis wraps his article with "This isn’t a newspaper success story, nor is it a web success story, a radio success story, a TV success story, a social media success story… this is an integration success story." I'll politely disagree.

Integration is a method of working various media in symphony for a specific result. There was too much luck and a staging of media (similar to passing a baton from print, to TV, to YouTube, to radio) to call what we've seen "integration."

Acceleration is what makes the Ted Williams story a "story," and the reason for this acceleration is that the story taps an emotional need to feel good for someone who's less fortunate.

Go read the public's comments. Nearly all see it the same way. That's needed in these hard times, and it's what propelled this to "viral." The public would respond the same way if this were a talented musician or welder being given a break.

What the Homeless DJ episode shows is how your content better tap into the emotions of the public, if you want the public to participate in passing your story on in social media.

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