“I don’t know what to say except it’s Christmas and we’re all in misery” – Ellen Griswold.
The number of hits radio took this year alone is cause for concern. Technology offers broadcasters exponentially more remote options than ever. Every one of our clients – not including syndication – has shows developed and delivered out of their home market.
Is it – better?
Stopping to catch our collective breath, the good news is that radio still remains the #1 out-of-home audio preference to on-demand OR streaming audio. By more than – double. Even among younger listeners. And radio remains the #1 source for music discovery for those over 35 years old.
The holiday season steamrolls forward. It’s the perfect time to be thankful for what we have as an industry. Beyond the usual tools of the trade, these wishes speak to the heart of what makes radio magical. Here’s to wishing inspired programming births fresh innovation while evolving creatives bring us new ways to develop attractive brands in the next seasons!
Santa, here’s a short list that I hope will find its way into the stockings of radio stations everywhere.
Creative Music Curators
Here’s to brave souls who take risks with their Music Matrix. Those who still have a child-like passion for music discovery.
In August, we outlined a plan for direction in the music-finding process. Re-read that – HERE. Let’s also take a look at what the charts looked like – say, 50 years ago. The Billboard Hot 100 was wildly diverse. Have a peek – HERE.
Programmers didn’t have a format blinder. They chose what was popular regardless of the format. That year had John Denver, Golden Earing, Ray Stevens, Barry White, The Righteous Brothers, Elvis Presley, Mac Davis and The Tower of Power all on the same chart.
We’re dipping our collective toes into wild diversity in 2024.
A rapper with Nigerian ancestry topped The Billboard charts for 19 weeks, tying a Hot 100 record. Shaboozey also went #1 on the national Country charts. A Nashville-based rapper crossed from the Hip Hop Charts to country – THEN pop – sharing life events through song. Jellyroll’s Beautifully Broken debuted at #1 on The Billboard Top 200 album Charts late this year.
Just two days ago, CBS Sunday Morning profiled a prolific singer-songwriter who sold out Madison Square Garden – twice. Triple AAA has taken to Maggie Rogers. Where are you – pop radio?
Legendary Programming Guru Guy Zapoleon has shared his pop-radio highs and lows, mapping 10-year music cycles. He tells us last year was an awful year for ‘The Doldrums’ or soft musical offerings.
There’s no ‘Doldrums’ if you know where to look.
Creative Audio Generators
There was a time you networked with others and discussed how GREAT certain radio brands sounded. These stations (Z100-New York was the standard-bearer) presented their audiences with World-Class Imaging, theatre-of-the-mind talent, BIG voiceover talent, harmonious tight jingles, and the cleanest audio processing.
What we know: leveraged public companies have decimated the talent pool, voice-over talent is going to the lowest bidder, jingles no longer punch momentum, time-starved producers cobble just the basics into audio, and hourly contract engineers saved the audio chain for the backburner.
Those fortunate to have an outsider veteran advisor are those you should lean on to get this part of Radio Magic back to air.
The electric feel talent would bring to air was an offshoot of LIVE radio. Talent would run their OWN tight board, interact with callers, and ‘feel’ the music in their presentation, creating that charged intangible.
Put these on your Christmas list:
Talent – The state of audio delivery has produced little talent who will ever do a LIVE show. The last half dozen emerging talents we’ve coached have never – and most likely never will – do a LIVE program. Coach talent to ‘hear’ the music when they piece together their tracks. You would be surprised – maybe not – how many voice-trackers do know their format’s music. How songs start – end is critical to pacing. Coach your out-of-town voice-track talent to scour local chamber websites for events, pull the local weather, and reference local landmarks.
Imaging – This starts with the pen – not the mic. Write imaging as though Tom Hanks or Sam Elliot is your voice talent. Every word counts. Hire the voice talent that YOUR ear tells you fits your brand. It’s not good for veteran voice talent, but entry into this work has never been easier or cheaper. Voice talent fees have dropped exponentially in the past decade. That BIG voice you’ve had your ear on now may be in your budget range.
Sonics – Your audio atmospherics competition is no longer the radio brand across the river. Your audio chain needs to be as clean as Spotify – #1 for music discovery among young people – and satellite radio. In larger markets, we’ve been hypnotized into thinking we need front-end audio enhancement – Voltaire – to game the PPM units. Downside – it muddies audio.
Creative Community Promotions
Isn’t it funny how people are only hungry around Thanksgiving, kids only need coats in winter, and The Salvation Army only helps people at Christmas?
Point is – let’s keep the community connection year-round. Food, coat, and money drives are great campaigns for the community. Our service to our local community should be ongoing.
There was a time when we’d put talent on a billboard until a goal was met, sleep in a bus until it was stuffed, or stay on air for days to promote a cause.
For Christmas this year, let’s gift ourselves with creative 2025 promotions that serve our communities and make a memorable mark on our brands.
A few examples:
Second Run Sing-Along
Have a February Food Drive at a local cinema on a Saturday morning. The price of admission is a bag of non–perishable food. Wicked and Moana 2 will both be online and in second-run theatres. Food drives not associated with a holiday stand out, help those in need, and create goodwill for our brands.
Featured Teacher (Or Classroom)
Teachers are time and cash-strapped. Most of their in-classroom materials come through donations or their own pocketbook. Have parents vote on a teacher or classroom to receive a grant. At times, it’s difficult to gain entry into local schools with radio events. The point of entry secret is through local PTOs in schools. PTOs are excellent at organizing events! Have talent visit and present the grant. Record The Pledge of Allegiance – yes, students still do this – in the classroom for replay the next day or week. All sorts of sponsor categories.
Kards For Kids
Have listeners create homemade cards for kids and send them to the station. Morning shows read some of them on the air. Talent then delivers to the children’s wing of the local hospital. Take pics—with permission—and post them online. Sell to the local hospital or any affinity group looking for great first-quarter P.R.
These are a few of my favorite things.
What’s on your Christmas wish list?
Barrett Media produces daily content on the music, news, and sports media industries. To stay updated, sign up for our newsletters and get the latest information delivered straight to your inbox.
Kevin Robinson is a passionate award-winning programmer, consultant and coach – with multi-formats success all over the country. He has advised numerous companies including Audacy (formerly Entercom Communications), Beasley Broadcast Group, Westwood One, Midwest Communications, Townsquare Media, Midwest Family Broadcasting Group, EG Media Group, Federated Media, Kensington Media, mediaBrew Communications, Starved Rock Media, and more. He specializes in strategic radio cluster alignment, building lean-forward tactics and talent coaching – legacy and entry-level – personalities.
Known largely as a trusted talent coach, Kevin is the only personality mentor who’s coached three different morning shows on three different brands in the same major market to the #1 position. His efforts have been recognized by The World Wide Radio Summit, Radio & Records, NAB’s Marconi, and he has coached CMA, ACM and Marconi Award-winning talent. He is also in The Zionsville High School Hall of Fame as part of the 2008 inaugural class. Kevin is an Indiana native – living near Zionsville with his wife of 39 years, Monica and can be reached at kevin@robinsonmedia.fm.
