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Radio’s Chance To Think Outside The Box …
July 7, 2020
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This is a Presidential election year and the Senate is in play too. Music stations could turn this into a ratings bonanza. This country has been awakened by the coronavirus pandemic, awareness of racial & economic injustice, inequality, and police reform. In addition, there's a diverse “silent majority" that wants to make things better. For music radio there is opportunity just sitting there.
The Wheels Are Turning …
I have had conversations with a lot of program decision makers, and I can see radio is continuing to make an emotional connection with its listeners. As I recently pointed out (Coaches Corner 6/23), short form newscasts have returned to music radio and the table is set to do more than play music.I Know This Game ...
Several years ago, I moderated a radio programmers’ panel and one of the speakers talked about a fish fry his station held annually. He mentioned that each year local TV and newspapers covered the event. After the panel discussion, I asked him to send me the details and footage of the coverage. A week later the information arrived.It Took Me A Minute ...
I knew this community event could be used as a backdrop to even greater gain. The timing wasn’t right, so I filed it away. Three years later there was an upcoming Presidential election, and everything came into focus.Call To Action …
I modeled an event around the fish fry idea and created a series of community picnics. The sales department got them sponsored and we targeted our hot zip code areas. Our station provided food and an opportunity to recognize accomplishments within the community.It Worked …
Other than presenting the idea to neighborhoods and providing the food, we just sat in on the planning meetings. The communities did everything; the cooking, the awards to those deserving recognition (youth and adults), the entertainment, security, and cleanup. We just showed up with the station van, emceed, and did call ins back to the station.The Hidden Agenda …
The events provided an opportunity for politicians to speak, provided on-site voter registration, brought together various non-profit organizations, and gave us instant TV and media coverage right up to election day. Most important, our ratings jumped over a four-month period.How Would You Do It Now? ...
The pandemic and recent social injustice protests have given music radio an opportunity to emotionally bond with listeners. COVID-19 has taken public events out of the equation. However, technology and social media have given stations the chance to utilize their media platform menu to achieve what I did with those neighborhood community events. When you make a personal connection with a listener and or advertiser, it’s amazing what can be accomplished. Commercial radio’s goal is to get ratings and make a profit. What I've suggested is a non-traditional approach, but the results could pay off. -
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