It might not be easy to see a connection between news/talk radio and Southwest Airlines, but stay with me here for a second.
Southwest Airlines announced that it will begin charging customers for checked bags — something it has never done before — beginning on May 28th.
If you’ve never flown on Southwest Airlines, congratulations on not being middle class. But for the rest of us, especially those who live in somewhat rural, smaller areas where Southwest Airlines seems to thrive, it’s a big damn deal. Because not only was Southwest an almost universally cheaper option than American, Delta, and United Airlines, the savings was compounded by the fact that any passenger could check two bags for free. Genuinely, it was the reason so many chose to fly with the company.
But, apparently, Southwest Airlines was unaware of that. Or, let me rephrase: Southwest didn’t give a bleep if that’s why people chose to fly with them. They need the money, by god, because the shareholders demand they find more profits.
This isn’t anecdotal, by the way. There is legitimate data that shows bags flying free played a role in 97% of passengers choosing the airline. And yet, they’re kicking that brand equity to the curb in an effort to chase profits. That policy enacted by the company nearly 60 years ago became an identifier for the brand. It differentiated it between its competitors, made it a logical reason for customers to choose them, and those customers rewarded the company with their business. It might not be Capitalism 101, but it sure isn’t too far down the list.
How does this correlate to radio? Great question. Here are some other good questions: Do you know what sets your brand apart from its competitors? Do you know why listeners choose your station? Why do you do what you do on the air every day?
If you don’t know the answers to those questions, it feels increasingly likely that you’d be susceptible to making a bone-headed policy change similar to that of Southwest.
We all like to think of our radio stations as living, breathing entities. But sometimes, you need to think of your station or brand as an inanimate object. If you don’t take care of it, if you don’t do the things necessary to keep it performing at the level you expect it to, you’re going to break it.
Additionally, if you use your radio station in a way that it wasn’t designed — like using my grandma’s favorite vase as a hammer — you’re going to break it.
I think for some in radio — program directors, especially — tinkering is second nature. We always want to tinker with our brands, sounds, clocks, talents, and anything else we can try to put our stamp and individual flair on. And while I’ll never be one to denigrate the idea of trying to make your station better, you also have to have a great feel and understanding of what truly makes your station.
That’s the key. You have to know what it is your listeners expect. You have to know what your advertisers expect. If you deviate from those expectations, it can spell disaster.
If you have built your brand on an identifier — whether it’s news/talk, sports, music, or what have you — you can’t one day arbitrarily tell your audience “Oh, by the way, you know how you know us for this? We’re not doing that anymore. Sorry,” and still expect everyone to think you’re fantastic. It doesn’t work that way. It’s insulting, truthfully.
So, don’t be Southwest Airlines. Know what separates you from the pack. Know why listeners and advertisers choose you, your hosts, your stations, your company, and your brands. Because if you don’t, you might be in a world of trouble.
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.
Garrett Searight is Barrett Media’s News Editor, which includes writing bi-weekly industry features and a weekly column. He has previously served as Program Director and Afternoon Co-Host on 93.1 The Fan in Lima, OH, and is the radio play-by-play voice of Northern Michigan University hockey. Reach out to him at Garrett@BarrettMedia.com.
