As we get set to head into Veterans Day this weekend, every news/talk station should have a game plan and activation. This can come in the form of specialty broadcasts, broadcasting from notable locations in your community with ties to veterans, promoting the various veteran groups, or bringing on notable veterans from throughout your community.
There’s no “right” way to make sure Veterans Day remains a staple on your calendar, it’s just important to make sure it’s recognized and a part of your station brand in the first half of November.
We find ourselves living in an era where fewer people are willing to serve their nation. The reasons are cultural, generational, and economic. Traditional mainstream media is not helping the cause in promoting Veterans Day like has been done for the nearly 100 years since it became a federal holiday.
But just like the support of law enforcement that is done across our platforms, which sadly has become, in some ways, a partisan issue, there are similarities to how Veterans Day is perceived and celebrated in some circles.
So lean into it. First off, it’s not political to honor the men and women who served this country and protected our freedoms. Secondly, the feel-good nature of the show for your audience and potential branding opportunities for your station is invaluable.
And then there’s the sponsorship potential with any special broadcasts, packages, features, etc. that incorporate into Veterans Day. In an era when clients are looking for something unique to be attached to, anything related to Veterans Day has a chance to pique their interest.
At KCMO Talk Radio, we are grateful for our partnership with The Ramsey Show. As an affiliate, we are giving away Financial Peace University classes to veterans for listeners in his show. It’s a win for the station, as we can tease and promote it throughout the week, and push folks into The Ramsey Show, while also getting to help some men and women who have served this country.
We also are hosting our fifth annual Veterans Day show from the National World War I Museum and Memorial in Kansas City on Friday, November 10th. The show features an incredible organization we have become close with, The Battle Within, a Kansas City-based group that helps veterans and first responders on their journey with PTSD. Warriors come from all over the country, and wait on a waiting list, to get into this program in Kansas City, to begin breaking down barriers and giving these folks the mental and behavioral health support they need.
The response on the show as we share stories and talk to those who have gone through the program, while also hearing from those heavily involved in leading the program, is guaranteed to get any listener a bit emotional on the way to the office. Some of their big supporters and notable figures around Kansas City who support them also spend time on the show, which always “bigs” it up for the audience.
And while the show is more about awareness for the organization, rather than a fundraiser, as we don’t spend a ton of time directly soliciting donations during this show, The Battle Within has directly raised over $70,000 the last two years courtesy of the show.
These are the ways we can continue to make a difference in our communities every single day. And there’s no better day than Veterans Day to blend our audience’s passion for veterans, America, and generosity into one great opportunity for your station.
If you feel you’ve missed out this year, start planning for 2024. It will be here before we know it.
P.S. And in 2024 it will be days after a Presidential election, so it’s guaranteed to sneak up on you!
Pete Mundo is a weekly columnist for Barrett Media, and the morning show host and program director for KCMO in Kansas City. Previously, he was a fill-in host nationally on FOX News Radio and CBS Sports Radio, while anchoring for WFAN, WCBS News Radio 880, and Bloomberg Radio. Pete was also the sports and news director for Omni Media Group at K-1O1/Z-92 in Woodward, Oklahoma. He’s also the owner of the Big 12-focused digital media outlet Heartland College Sports. To interact, find him on Twitter @PeteMundo.
