Digital Focus For Last Day Of Conclave

Digital Focus At Conclave

The final day of the CONCLAVE Learning Conference in MINNEAPOLIS opened with a panel on making money from station streams and podcasts, with moderator KURT HANSON of RAIN and ACCURADIO, SBR CREATIVE MEDIA CUSTOMCHANNELS.NET' DAVE RAHN, and DIAL GLOBAL's PHIL WILSON offering an overview of the revenue and expense numbers involved in streaming.  WILSON noted that "cost per thousand is a mother to sell online," advising online audio providers to "sell the benefit," namely a small but loyal audience that responds to, and buys products in, advertising on podcasts.

The panel led into another "Technology Track" panel on station's online digital strategy, moderated by ALL ACCESS' own JOEL DENVER.  MYLOCAL.NET co-founder JASON BANKS, whose company, part of CLARKE BROADCASTING, started community portal MYMOTHERLODE.COM from Talk KVML-A, Country KKBN, and AC KZSQ (STAR 92.7)/SONORA, CA, and COX MEDIA GROUP VP Digital GREGG LINDAHL discussed issues like the problem of delineating where the digital assets begin and terrestrial radio ends, including determining which managers are responsible for what programming and content, the utility of apps, and things stations should be doing right now with their online strategy. .

RAIN Summit Midwest Looks At Radio's Digital Future

HANSON returned in the afternoon with the RAIN Summit MIDWEST, a series of panels and presentations focusing on radio's new media present and future. 

Veteran programmer and consultant KIPPER MCGEE opened with a presentation on using different platforms to "reach, impact, and engage consumers with your brand."  MCGEE discussed how radio is rethinking its marketing to move from interruption -- like spots disrupting content -- to permission marketing on the Internet.

LINDAHL, RAHN, HANSON, and EMMIS INTERACTIVE's BRAD FUHR participated in a panel on using new media tools and techniques, and RAHN stressed the need for sales training to sell new media.  FUHR agreed, but contended that most station websites "do not have good content" and bemoaned the lack of production of quality content for web use.  HANSON noted that deep and rich audio content is critical for radio websites, because most people coming to radio websites are doing so to stream audio content.  The panel moved to a discussion of the role of radio station websites as supporting the radio station or as separate entities, whether stations should be generating different content for the Internet, and other issues.

COLEMAN INSIGHTS' WARREN KURTZMAN offered a preview of a new study, "Secrets of Streaming Audio Success," looking at consumers' motivation for using streaming media, what the target market is for streaming, and finding opportunities based on strengths and weaknesses of existing brands as well as the most important product attributes of streaming media to consumers.  The full report is scheduled to be released at the RAIN Summit in WASHINGTON this FALL, but KURTZMAN showed some of the study's rough footage and some of the initial qualitative findings, including that consumers have cited variety, customization, convenience, fewer commercials, portability, and discovery of new music as reasons for using streaming stations.   

In addition, the report shows that consumers could remember and name an average of 6-18 terrestrial radio brands but only 1.84 streaming audio brands, with PANDORA the leader; Still, PANDORA was remembered unaided by 33% of streaming audio users, not a large number for strong brands.

HANSON gave a "state of the industry address," discussing how changing customer priorities combined with a new business model can create billions of dollars in new value.  "We're seeing the tip of the iceberg in radio ... I believe we're about to see radio's fourth golden age," HANSON contended, adding that the new age features personalization, variety, low spot load, and portability.

A panel on how to program online streams moderated by ACCURADIO's JOHN GEHRON included ALL ACCESS Pres. JOEL DENVER, Urban Editor JERRY BOULDING, and News-Talk-Sports Editor PERRY MICHAEL SIMON, along with JOURNAL's TOM LAND.  The panelists discussed the need for PDs and management to pay attention to the quality and content of their feeds and the need to develop new products for online use.

And legendary CHICAGO radio personality STEVE DAHL delivered a keynote address, insisting that it was merely to allow him to write off his trip to see the TWINS-WHITE SOX game, calling himself a "podcasting basement dweller" and offering a PowerPoint presentation in which he displayed parodies of typical PowerPoint charts.    "You've been here since 1:00, you don't give a s--t about this," DAHL joked before asserting that the future of personality radio is in podcasting. 

"I have found, without any sort of marketing, just word of mouth, whatever, we average about 15,000 downloads a day," DAHL said.  He noted that the technology allows him to offer current ads even in archived shows and said that while he might stream at some point, "I really don't want to work for anyone again" and prefers the podcasting model.

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