Market report

WEST BRIDGEWATER -- In the final moments before Carl Jablonski aired live recently to 29,000 employees in more than 200 supermarkets, he grabbed a mirror and fiddled with his graying hair, practiced his lines, checked his props. He then realized he needed one final accoutrement for his television show and walked off to find it.

Jablonski, president of Shaw's Supermarkets and Star Markets, was calm. But his five handlers, crammed into the tiny studio at Shaw's headquarters here, were not.

They buzzed about, giving Jablonski last-minute directions beneath a sign that screamed, "The microphone is always on!" And then, when he returned to the set with his final prop -- a vase filled with water -- his handlers began to really worry.

"He scares me sometimes," communications manager Karen Peirce confided to a co-worker.

The reason for their concern is obvious. In the era of the controlled corporate message, Jablonski, 56, works without a script -- and he does it live. Once a month, his closed-circuit television show, "New England Live," including his closing segment "Carl's Corner," airs in stores from Maine to Connecticut. The goal: reaching employees, not customers, through a more personable medium than e-mails or printed newsletters.

"A 20-minute broadcast with the right individuals generates the message quicker, faster, and more to the point," said Jablonski. "Because every store director is watching that. Every store manager, for sure. They get to be a filter for how we disseminate information."

But it's not all about the employees. Jablonski is not afraid to admit that he really, really likes being on TV.

"I never have a bad day when I go on stage," he said.

It's not an original idea. Jablonski first began using television to reach employees when he was a senior vice president under Acme Markets president Peter Lynch a decade ago. And corporate executives in many industries are using all sorts of technologies, including recorded DVDs and webcasting, to communicate with employees.

"Some are doing live broadcasts," said Clay Adams , a judge for the International Association of Business Communicators annual awards. "There are a couple out in Europe doing live webcasts -- 60- or 30-minute programs -- with interactive technologies so employees can ac tually send questions through to the CEO."

But going live is very rare, said Adams. And at Shaw's, the idea was certainly novel. To pull it off, the supermarket chain converted an unoccupied office at its headquarters into a studio, darkening the windows, sound-proofing the walls, and outfitting the room with lights, a camera, an audio mixer, microphones, and other electronics.

Jablonski, who became president of Shaw's in February 2006, began his monthly broadcasts about a year ago. Weekly broadcasts starring another manager -- Shaw's senior category manager of sales and promotions Richard Regan -- have followed. And though Jablonski admits his program is still a work in progress, he believes the broadcasts are working.

On TV -- especially unscripted TV -- Jablonski said, "You're human. They see that human side of their president. And quite frankly, I think you work better for somebody who you understand."

Jablonski has never fashioned himself as a starched shirt. The son of a corner store owner in Trenton, N.J., he began bagging groceries at an Acme Market as a young man and soon moved up the ladder.

"I was probably different than a lot of people," said Jablonski, who has worked as a cashier, meat cutter, dairy manager, and store manager. "I didn't take it as a part-time job because I needed the money. I took it as a career."

That approach paid off. Jablonski was the president of Albertsons eastern division for six years before he took over at Shaw's, which is owned by Supervalu Inc.

But he never forgot his roots, and his broadcasts aren't intended to replace personal contact. Jablonski said he tries to get into stores twice a week.

Employees, past and present, say he's one of the most accessible executives they've ever met. And even though his broadcast style sometimes vexes his handlers -- "I keep these guys up at night," Jablonski says, joking -- the shows seem to be paying off.

"It gives you a chance to see who the top honchos are," said Aris Celestino , a supervisor in the check-out department at Shaw's Prudential Center location in Boston. "That's a good thing."

Employees admit they don't watch every show or even the entire show. But even those who don't watch could recognize Jablonski if he walked into their store. And those who do watch say they actually learn something.

The planning for the broadcasts -- which also play on repeat in company break rooms -- typically begins a couple of weeks in advance.

Jablonski, with the help of Shaw's director of communications and public affairs Judy Chong and others, chooses the focus of each show and decides what guests might appear.

He talks about everything from sales numbers to food recalls, where the company is excelling and where it could do better. He always has a guest and always reads from letters written by customers.

Tony Rivellini , the meat manager at Shaw's Prudential, said it's a welcome change.

"I've been around for 35 years," Rivellini said. "Every once in a while we used to have surveys: 'What would we like the company to do better?' And in every single survey we said, 'Communication, communication, communication.' "

"Carl has improved that greatly," he added. "We get the word from the horse's mouth."

Back on the set in West Bridgewater recently, the seconds ticked down. "Six, five, four . . ."

"Well, good afternoon," Jablonski said as the camera rolled, "and thanks for joining us for New England Live."

On this day, in preparation for Earth Day, Jablonski and his guest, Regan of sales and promotion, talked about recycling cardboard boxes and plastic bags. They reminded employees about the importance of customer service, and they told people how Shaw's was about to introduce organic pet food in response to the recent pet food recalls.

"We're not just crazy about food for people," Jablonski said. "We're crazy about food for pets."

Without losing a beat, Regan chimed in: "You give them organic dog food -- and then they go drink out of the toilet."

There was a pause.

Then laughter.

"I'm not going there," Jablonski replied.

As he spoke, Jablonski was surrounded by props: stuffed animals (to hold up when talking about the new organic pet food), a Boston Red Sox jersey (to wear when Jablonski mentioned a Sox ticket give away), and then that vase ( which Jablonski used to show that sales were up recently and the cup is more than half full at Shaw's).

As soon as the boss was off camera, Chong scurried to remove the vase, concerned Jablonski would spill it. But he avoided such a gaffe.

The worst that happened in this unscripted affair was that Regan poked fun at Jablonski in front of every single store manager -- or at least every one that was watching.

"It's not easy being a TV star like yourself," Regan told him at one point.

Jablonski's reply: "I know."