“Why should it surprise us?” That was my reaction to a recent article by the esteemed Leigh Jacobs, EVP of Research Analysis for NuVoodoo.
Researchers, consultants, critics, and analysts are writing about Nielsen Audio’s proposed Average Quarter Hour (AQH) measurement changes. Nielsen will drop the listening requirement from five to three minutes to gain a coveted quarter-hour. I wrote about it on October 1st in this space. Three Minutes and Emotional Impact
Jacobs used the Nielsen changes to recap the Top 10 reasons radio listeners tune out. According to their NooVoodoo Ratings Prospects Study 24 NuVoodoo Study, the number one reason is Too Many Bad Songs. This caused me to talk back to the screen when I read it.
Bad Songs…Talking Bout The Bad Songs
Nearly half of the 3,000-person sample chose the bad songs as a reason for changing stations or tuning out. Six of the top ten results for dissatisfaction were music-related: Burnout, repetition (vertical and horizontal), unfamiliarity, and similarity were other reasons for leaving a station. Commercial breaks ranked eighth in the Top 10. I would bet most radio programming personnel would’ve placed those spot breaks as the top reason for audience attrition.
Music stations are called music stations for a reason. Those brands are identified and remembered by the genre of music coming out of the speakers. Radio has endured audience attrition due to electronic content competition from streaming services, video accessibility, podcasting, and social media access. No one denies the impact those inventions had and continue to have on a 100-year-old medium.
Play The Hits
Play the Hits is a line the Program Director, VP of Programming, and Consultant have been delivering in the hallways and on conference calls for as long as I’ve been exposed to the Programming side of the building. Every format lives by it. From the super tight Top 40 and Country stations to the expanded playlist of an Adult Hits station, everyone is attempting to play the best.
Stations playing a lot of contemporary music soar and falter based on the music trends of those hits. We can produce the best log, but music doldrums or lack of demand for the type of music you’re programming reduces the number of occasions a listener returns to the frequency or app.
Then there’s a lack of marketing. Oh, how we love to use that line. Worthy. Or, how about the talent is below average, or we don’t have a great signal? All of these contribute to product challenges and need attention and repair.
However, what if none of those issues are fixable in this season? What is the one thing you can improve? It happens to be the reason the listener comes to you and the reason they leave – music. Bad songs, repetition, rotations, etc..
F10, F9
In the Selector DOS and V12 days, we had a term for a PD or MD who didn’t spend enough time on a log: “They F10-F9’d that log.” F10 was the key you pressed to start the software scheduling the log. F9 was the print function. It meant they didn’t manually edit the log to move songs around and check for rotation issues. It felt like a rushed job.
Fast forward to 2024, when fewer people do more work, the rushed job reality occupies multiple categories of the radio workday. Technology has improved the speed of scheduling. It’s amazing what GSelector, Powergold, MusicMaster, WideOrbit, and other scheduling software can accomplish if you nurture and mentor the programs to create the sound you want. Oh, and the algorithms. Don’t forget that word. Do you know what gets minimized if we’re not careful? The human touch.
Those programs provide more reports than your medical insurance provider. Take the time to analyze and create reports to help you improve the six reasons NuVoodoo says listeners are switching stations or tuning out.
Put Your Ears On It
Listen to your station uninterrupted if you want to know what it sounds like. Drive in your car for an hour and listen without changing the station. Listen to it on a stream, on your app, HD, everywhere. Not every once in a while, but weekly and daily. It sounds primitive, but I’ve watched downsizing and technical noise over the last 15 years reduce our exposure to our products.
Research It
If technology and electronic platforms have caused the consumer to rely less on radio for accessibility to music, then shouldn’t we invest in research more than ever? It’s more challenging to get their attention. Why do we think less research is a good use of resources? Maybe you’re creating the next big format that can’t be researched. Great. We’re cheering for you. However, 97% of the other formats need the best consumption data we can access. All of it. Traditional, streaming, and video.
Express It
If the Nielsen AQH changes happen in 2025, it has the potential to make radio better for the listener. The changes don’t change the way the audience listens. It changes the way listening is reported. However, if we’re paying attention and investing time into the product, we will be more aware of the benefits of the three-minute rule, and more likely to focus on creating more occasions.
Great talent, promotions, street teams, digital content, and marketing budgets will be needed more than ever to create those occasions. Focusing on the content that comprises 75-80% of an hour of your radio station is the most important place to start. The music. The rest of the station can sound better if we’re scrutinizing and agonizing over those logs with a human touch.
Ron Harrell is a columnist for Barrett Media. He founded Harrell Media Group, specializing in radio and audio brand consultation, fractional management, and talent coaching. He has worked in every role on the Programming and Branding side during his career, becoming management and executive-focused in the post-Telecom Act era. Ron has held leadership roles for media groups such as ABC/Citadel, CBS Radio, Chancellor Media, Cumulus Media, Hope Media Group, Hubbard Broadcasting, and WAY Media.
Interested parties are invited to learn more about his company Harrell Media Group and reach out by email at Ron@HarrellMediaGroup.com.
