The hot topic in radio today is the future of the medium. With all the competition from the internet, ipods, podcasting, satellite radio, etc., I am continually having this discussion and it seems to be more frequently due to the economic conditions the industry is facing with all the budget cuts and lay offs. Lets not forget automation, syndication, voice tracking, the PPM (Portable People Meter) electronic ratings system and the effects they are having on our industry.
Our industry is also experiencing costs it has never incurred before, from streaming and online royalty costs to an estimated 60% increase in cost for Arbitron's PPM ratings services. And keep in mind that these expense increases come at a time when revenues are declining quarterly.
There is so much to discuss when talking about the future of this radio business. I just hope talented program directors and local personalities have a future in radio.
Lj
Tuesday, February 24, 2009
Thursday, February 19, 2009
CAN A NICHE BE A SUCCESSFUL FORMAT?
Recently a station in my cluster switch to a format based on the success of a specialty show that was airing on the weekend of a previous format. But to date, the station has experienced very little ratings or revenue success. This reminded me of when KDAY returned to the L.A. market with a 24 hour Classic Hip-Hop format and was unsuccessful in the ratings and revenue department. So, it brings me to think... can a niche, specialty show (neo-soul, classic hip-hop, blues, mix show, etc) be a successful 24 hour format? I mention mix show because a station in Memphis tried the 24 hour mix format without much success.
I'm sure there has to be a success story somewhere. If you have one please share. But, my understanding of listener behavior and marketing leads me to believe that a format can not be successful if it is not appealing to the majority. You have to please the majority most of the time and not the minority some of the time to be successful. And my definition of success is #1 ratings in a specified demo.
So, can a niche be a format?
LJ
I'm sure there has to be a success story somewhere. If you have one please share. But, my understanding of listener behavior and marketing leads me to believe that a format can not be successful if it is not appealing to the majority. You have to please the majority most of the time and not the minority some of the time to be successful. And my definition of success is #1 ratings in a specified demo.
So, can a niche be a format?
LJ
Monday, February 9, 2009
PERFORMACE ROYALTIES
If you watched the 2009 Grammy Awards you saw Grammy president Neil Portnow mention performance royalties for artists. Currently terrestrial radio stations are exempt from paying these royalties. However, internet and satellite radio do pay performers' compensation. Now, terrestrial radio is not exempt from paying any royalty fees, we do pay BMI and ASCAP (songwriters and publishers).
This new legislation is called the Performance Rights Act and its getting a lot of support in Congress. And there are legitimate arguments, for and against, on both sides.
But let just be real. Record company's seek air play to expose their artists to the public and exposure is the reason for marketing. A record company has to pay magazines, TV stations and billboards to market a song but do not have to pay radio to play it.
So think about this... if radio has to pay artists a fee to air a song, would it be wrong for radio to charge to play that song?
I'm just thinking that the Performance Rights Act, if passed, could change radio forever.
Lj
This new legislation is called the Performance Rights Act and its getting a lot of support in Congress. And there are legitimate arguments, for and against, on both sides.
But let just be real. Record company's seek air play to expose their artists to the public and exposure is the reason for marketing. A record company has to pay magazines, TV stations and billboards to market a song but do not have to pay radio to play it.
So think about this... if radio has to pay artists a fee to air a song, would it be wrong for radio to charge to play that song?
I'm just thinking that the Performance Rights Act, if passed, could change radio forever.
Lj
Wednesday, February 4, 2009
NO STATION IS PERFECT
No station is perfect... can you think of one? People complain about something on every station. Just think about it... "They don't play enough east cost hip-hop", "they need to play more r&b", "they need to play old school hip-hop", "they running too many syndicated shows", and the list goes on and on and on.
It's not that everyone wants to be a Program Director. Radio is art and art is interpretive. You interpret it one way and someone else will interpret it another. Think about music... you love the song but no one else does and you can't understand it.
Look, it's ok to have an opinion about the station, its music, format, promotions, etc. But this job is not about pleasing everyone all the time, it's about pleasing the majority most of the time. That's why you have different formats. If you like hip-hop you can listen to the hip-hop station and if you like rock you can listen to the rock station.
I know you think the station should do what you like, but remember... no station is going to be perfect to everyone.
LJ
It's not that everyone wants to be a Program Director. Radio is art and art is interpretive. You interpret it one way and someone else will interpret it another. Think about music... you love the song but no one else does and you can't understand it.
Look, it's ok to have an opinion about the station, its music, format, promotions, etc. But this job is not about pleasing everyone all the time, it's about pleasing the majority most of the time. That's why you have different formats. If you like hip-hop you can listen to the hip-hop station and if you like rock you can listen to the rock station.
I know you think the station should do what you like, but remember... no station is going to be perfect to everyone.
LJ
Tuesday, February 3, 2009
A WINNING SHOW
I'm often asked about how to have a winning show and I do share a few elements with my talent that I think is consistent of all winning personalities.
1. Be a fan of your station - if you are not, how can you expect your listener's to be?
2. All your breaks should pass the "who care's?" test - think before you speak
3. Know the station's target listener - why talk about hip-hop if you're on an R&B station?
4. Respect the music - listener's really want to hear the whole song, so why talk all over it?
5. Front and back sell - you will be familiar with the song long before your listener's are
6. Provide artist info - your listener's will want to know what the artist are up to
7. Talk about your city - landmarks, major events, traffic conditions, etc.
8. Talk about the weather - talk about it on the air, listeners are talking about it off
9. Tease and Please - keep your listener's curious about what you got coming up
10. No inside jokes - don't exclude your listener's from your show
If you just implement some of this, you'll start feeling smarter and your listener's will feel like you are living the lifestyle with them.
Others will have their opinion, but these are my 10 elements to a winning show.
LJ
1. Be a fan of your station - if you are not, how can you expect your listener's to be?
2. All your breaks should pass the "who care's?" test - think before you speak
3. Know the station's target listener - why talk about hip-hop if you're on an R&B station?
4. Respect the music - listener's really want to hear the whole song, so why talk all over it?
5. Front and back sell - you will be familiar with the song long before your listener's are
6. Provide artist info - your listener's will want to know what the artist are up to
7. Talk about your city - landmarks, major events, traffic conditions, etc.
8. Talk about the weather - talk about it on the air, listeners are talking about it off
9. Tease and Please - keep your listener's curious about what you got coming up
10. No inside jokes - don't exclude your listener's from your show
If you just implement some of this, you'll start feeling smarter and your listener's will feel like you are living the lifestyle with them.
Others will have their opinion, but these are my 10 elements to a winning show.
LJ
Monday, February 2, 2009
HOW CAN I SURVIVE?
With budget cuts rampant in our industry (and the world) I was just thinking... "How can I survive?"
While budget cuts are mostly based on a number... "cut 10%" or "cut 100K", a human is making these cuts. So I thought of 5 way to avoid being cut, but it has a lot to do with me making a few sacrifices. These probably apply if you're full or part time.
1. BE ON TIME FOR WORK weather it's for an on-air shift, production, meeting, a van hit or remote. Tardiness just means the job must not be that important to you if you don't respect it enough to show up on time. So why not cut you.
2. WORK EXTRA WITHOUT PAY. Cutting hours is the first area we are usually asked to make adjustments in next to controlling expenses. So why not do the extra work and keep my job.
3. SUGGEST BUDGET SAVING IDEA'S. There has to be something or some area, I notice, that can save the company money.
4. VOLUNTEER TO TAKE A PAY CUT. I know this a hard pill to swallow. But a small pay cut is better than no pay check.
5. STOP ASKING FOR A RAISE. You won't get one in this environment and to keep asking is annoying.
It's an employer's market and while there are no guarantees when it comes to budget cuts and some of these seem drastic, taking the above actions could be proactive and save your job.
It's just my opinion on how you can survive.
LJ
While budget cuts are mostly based on a number... "cut 10%" or "cut 100K", a human is making these cuts. So I thought of 5 way to avoid being cut, but it has a lot to do with me making a few sacrifices. These probably apply if you're full or part time.
1. BE ON TIME FOR WORK weather it's for an on-air shift, production, meeting, a van hit or remote. Tardiness just means the job must not be that important to you if you don't respect it enough to show up on time. So why not cut you.
2. WORK EXTRA WITHOUT PAY. Cutting hours is the first area we are usually asked to make adjustments in next to controlling expenses. So why not do the extra work and keep my job.
3. SUGGEST BUDGET SAVING IDEA'S. There has to be something or some area, I notice, that can save the company money.
4. VOLUNTEER TO TAKE A PAY CUT. I know this a hard pill to swallow. But a small pay cut is better than no pay check.
5. STOP ASKING FOR A RAISE. You won't get one in this environment and to keep asking is annoying.
It's an employer's market and while there are no guarantees when it comes to budget cuts and some of these seem drastic, taking the above actions could be proactive and save your job.
It's just my opinion on how you can survive.
LJ
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