As the 250th anniversary of our great country’s founding approaches, I can’t help but be a little bit excited. Like you, I assume, I love this country. I love what it means to be an American, what living in this country provides, and the America 250 celebration has me bursting with pride.
To be frank, however, I’m a bit disappointed by the response from the news/talk radio space. This should feel like a momentous occasion.
But I don’t know that you’d feel that reflected by the medium as a whole.
Sure, it’s probably too late to get much done for the coming weeks and have it ready by the 4th of July. I don’t believe, though, that the America 250 celebration has to end on Independence Day. It can carry all the way through the end of 2026. Heck, if you commit to it hard enough, you could really argue that it should roll all the way through July 3rd, 2027.
Below, I’ve crafted some easy — and some not-so-easy — ideas for news/talk radio hosts, producers, leaders, and sales managers to execute over the coming days, weeks, and months to help spark some ideas on how the format can own this event.
Imaging
- Legal IDs
This is perhaps the simplest way to “own” the celebration. I know your legal ID is probably already crammed full with a sponsor, positioning statement, the actual ID, and promotion for something else on the station. But slapping in a “(Insert City/Region Here)’s Official Home for the America 250 Celebration”, or something similar, is easy. Now, should you have been doing this for the past six months? Absolutely.
I’ll give credit to one station I know has been on top of the ball: WOWO in Fort Wayne. I think I heard the first piece of “America 250” imaging the first week of January. Having your ducks in a row that early sure makes it much easier to monetize than thinking about it now.
- Local Heros
If you look hard enough, you can find local connections in major stories. They’re not all this simple, but, for instance, Neil Armstrong’s hometown was in my old radio market. Additionally, every tank used by the American military was built in that market. Not every story like that is going to be that easy to find/well-known. But they’re out there. Honoring the local heroes in both the past and present is a fun, easy way to connect deeper with your community and sound like the local authority.
- Listener-Driven Imaging
It’s never been easier to get audio from listeners. Whether it’s phone calls, talkbacks on your app, having listeners record voice memos, or setting up a recording station at your remotes, if you want listener audio, you can get it. But ask listeners what freedoms they value most. What makes them proud to be an American? What does it mean to be an American? They’ll answer. Truthfully. Honestly. And most importantly, passionately. Harness that for an “America 250 Minute…powered by (insert advertiser here).”
Social Media/Digital
- Special Logos
Similar to the Legal ID space, this is also easy to pull off. Even if you don’t have an on-staff graphic designer, with the rise of AI, it’s simple to create graphics for social media.
For instance, I changed the 1210 WPHT logo from its usual branding to be more “American flag themed.” Drop it in as your logo on your social media channels, use it as your branding from Flag Day through Sunday, July 5th, and look like you’re owning the topic.
- “My American Story”
There is probably a strong crossover between news/talk radio listeners and those interested in family genealogy. Creating a place for listeners to submit their own personal stories about family history in the country, as well as the opportunities, service, and sacrifices they and their family members have experienced, will draw plenty of submissions and attention on social media. People like seeing themselves. Show them, then. It is also a great chance for listeners to share their or their relatives’ military history. It’s never a bad time to honor our veterans. No one is going to look down upon it. Take the opening and run with it.
- Polls/Question of the Day
If polls aren’t already a part of your social media strategy, they should be. You know who listens to news/talk radio? Boomers. You know who loves to tell you how they feel about everything? Boomers. Have an America 250 question of the day on social media. Slap a sponsor logo on it. Tag their business in the post.
Furthermore, theme questions of the day are good social media options. Easy things like: “Who’s the greatest President in American history? What’s the greatest American invention? Who gave the greatest speech in American history?” Then, use the answers as a short segment on a show. Cross promotion. Everyone wins.
On-Air Content/Promotions
- 250 Acts of Service
This is perhaps the most difficult to pull off. But it is also the most impactful. Think about your city or market. There are always places to help. Similarly, there are always people to thank. You wouldn’t believe how appreciative a local fire or police station is when you bring them pizza, donuts, or a catered meal. You have those connections within your community. If one of the tent poles of great radio is the local component, harness it. Bring people together in your community. Help create volunteer projects, food drives, blood donations, and veteran support causes. It makes you look good, it helps the community, and listeners will remember that you were there. It’s a triple-win.
- The Presidential Series
I loved what WJR 760 in Detroit rolled out last week with its Founding Fathers Friday series. Each Friday in its morning show, the station will speak to a historian or an expert on a given Founding Father. A good solid 8-10 minutes with an expert about the men who helped shape the foundation of the country. It’s informative and educational. If you find the right interview subject, it’s also entertaining. The possibilities are endless. You can create a sales package around the series. You can continue the series for a really long time. Combine the conversations into speciality or “best of” programs to air on weekends, holidays, or other occasions. Again, the possibilities are endless.
- Local Landmark Campaign
We all have and know local landmarks. Famous buildings. Natural wonders. I could go on, but you get the point. Highlight those things that make your market — and America, by proxy — special. It’s never been easier to broadcast on location. Use it to your advantage. Take the show out of the studio and on the road. Even if you can’t fit gobs of listeners into the space, you have the ability to create theater of the mind and bring them there with you.
The America 250 celebration doesn’t have to end on July 4th. In fact, I think you could argue that the appetite from local advertisers to tie their brands to the event is probably just now reaching its apex. Capitalize on both the programming opportunities and the non-traditional revenue chances. There is no other format better positioned than news/talk radio to capture listenership and revenue with this once-in-a-lifetime opportunity.
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Garrett Searight is Barrett Media’s News Editor, which includes writing daily news stories, features, and opinion columns. He joined Barrett Media in 2022 after a decade leading several radio brands in several formats, as well as a 5-year stint working in local television. In addition to his work with Barrett Media, he is a radio and TV play-by-play broadcaster. Reach out to him at Garrett@BarrettMedia.com.
