If you are a program director, eventually you will make some changes to your syndicated news/talk radio show lineup.
If you are a show represented by Premiere, Salem, or Westwood One, you have stations under your corporate umbrella that are carrying your show. But if you are a self-syndicated show or with one of the independent syndicators, you have some distinct challenges.
I’m sharing my thoughts on how to grow your affiliate list and protect the stations that are already carrying your show.
I recently made some changes to the weekday lineups on two of the stations I supervise. One show was removed, not because it wasn’t good enough, but because it underperformed and wasn’t a great fit for what I’m trying to do as a programmer. Out of the blue, I got an email from the host who was upset about being cut. He wanted to know my reasoning.
This host had been on my stations for over a decade. In that time, I never heard from him. I once tried to book him as a guest on the station’s morning show and was told he was unavailable. This isn’t the first time I’ve heard from a host only after I’ve replaced their show. My question is: when is the last time a syndicated host thanked you for carrying their show?
This host had been on my stations for over a decade, and I never received a thank-you note or even a holiday card from him. This is a host I’ve never seen at a conference. I had zero relationship with him. I can assure you that if a show isn’t performing on a station, a good programmer is eventually going to make changes. Having a relationship with the local program director and market president is really important.
This host isn’t on more than 100 stations. If he would just call 10 stations a week, he could build and solidify relationships. If you are with an independent syndicator, start protecting your show from being cut.
Every couple of years, I get the pitch for the next great talk show host. I recently received a few form emails from a show host. Here’s the basic pitch: I have common sense, I’m a young host with a fresh perspective, and I’ve filled in for shows with limited reach. I listened to the demo, and this host was essentially doing the same show that hosts have been doing for the last 30 years. No interesting wrinkles. No contemporary angle. If you’re a young host wanting to make an impression, do something that hits the news/talk demographic in a different way.
It seems like nearly every host has an insatiable need to be syndicated. I can only imagine the pitches from new radio hosts believing they’re the next big thing with little to no experience. If you really want to be the next syndication star, get on a station and blow the doors off the competition in your market — not just the news talk competitors but every format in your market. That’s impressive. If you want to be great, you must show the drive to be committed for the long haul and demonstrate that you’re an innovator.
So, you’re rolling out your syndicated show. I don’t care if you’re with Westwood One, Premiere, an independent syndicator, or representing yourself — don’t just email potential stations. Call program directors. I probably receive 100 emails every day, and some brand managers get many more. Your email touting that you have common sense and want to talk politics is not enough.
By the way, have a demo ready. Don’t just send programmers to a podcast link. Many of these links have pre-roll commercials, and many hosts have long, uninteresting openings to their shows. I’ll give a show demo 30 seconds to grab my attention. If I’m not interested, I move on to another task.
When song-adding decisions were made in individual markets, I occasionally sat in on listening sessions. The PD and music director would give a song 20 seconds to impress them. Make sure your demo comes out firing. Hit that program director in the chin with an awesome opening.
There’s a lot of material available, and if you want to add stations, it’s really up to you. I guarantee that personal contact is your first opportunity to impress someone who can truly help your career. Here are some tips on how to establish those connections.
- Go to the BNM Summit and other news/talk events next year.
- Shake everyone’s hand.
- Give a business card to everyone, including the support staff at the event. Don’t pester people, though.
- Treat this like a job opening.
- When you follow up with a brand manager, don’t call them without something of value.
- Don’t ask for advice.
- Come in with an idea.
- Share a new blog.
- Offer a guest hit with that station’s morning show, even if the station isn’t carrying your show.
This is a business built on relationships. Act like it.
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Peter Thiele is a weekly news/talk radio columnist for Barrett Media, and an experienced news/talk radio programmer. He currently serves as News/Talk Format Captain for Zimmer Communications. Prior to joining Zimmer, Peter held programming positions in New York City, San Francisco, Des Moines, Little Rock, Greenville, Hunstville, and Joplin. Peter has also worked as a host, account executive and producer in Minneapolis, and San Antonio. He can be found on Twitter at @PeterThiele.
