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Radio Is About Making Adjustments …
July 21, 2020
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An air talent told me he was having a phone conversation with a salesperson and she asked him if he thought the PD could find some concerts to fly a couple of winners to as part of a promotion for a client. He said he looked at his phone and wondered if the salesperson was aware of the current pandemic and that there are no live concerts going on anywhere. He said he politely told her, “I'll ask.”
Moving Past Our Comfort Zone …
That a salesperson asked such a question doesn’t surprise me. Concerts and promotional events have been a big part of music radio over the years. Radio is in transition; smaller air staffs, COVID-19 ramifications, and shrinking advertising dollars have contributed to promotional scrambling.What To Do …
Music radio is learning how to cope, be creative, and concentrate on what can be done to reach ratings goals. The planning and approach for promotional events are the same as before, but programmers are being forced to use their “virtual” imagination.Change The Plan …
Because of Coronavirus, radio can’t promote or be part of any large gatherings. Instead we must lean more on the digital and social media community. A surprising plus for radio is that more people can take part virtually than could ever show up at a live event.Some Ideas Programmers Are Currently Using … • Zoom, Facebook Live, or Facebook Watch -- home concerts
• Veets - Zoom meet and greets with artists and air personalities – all done remotely of course
• Instagram (IG) live events (there is a 45-minute limit; remind people!)
• Zoom, Facebook Live, or Facebook Watch -- school announcements
• Virtually host birthday & anniversary parties as promotional eventsPlanning & Flexibility ...
Evolving issues of all sorts cause constant adjustments when using new ways to interact with listeners. I remember being a first time PD and taking what I thought was a perfect plan to the General Manager and he said, "This is great, but what if ... and did you think about...?" He told me, “always be prepared with at least 3 ways to execute any proposal, especially a station event. Have an A, B, and C plan.”We Know How To Do This …
Radio is well equipped to include all forms of digital technology and social media to reach listeners. The use of technology fits in with the current staff reductions. This is commando radio at its best, smaller groups of talent trying to win the battle. Make everything you do digitally an experience for your audience and something other stations wish they could do as well as you do.Radio wars have always been about one-upmanship. One of my favorite quotes concerning competition came from General George S. Patton, "If everybody is thinking alike, then somebody isn't thinking."
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