News/talk radio brings community to our society. Now, our audience is not completely filled with Grizzled Geezers on the Spectrum. We live in an increasingly isolated society. This is not good for our society’s physical and mental health.
So, what is our role in this problem? Should we just ignore it or lean into this issue? How does this fact lean into your station’s ratings and revenue?
According to U.S. Census Bureau data, in 2024, 29% of all U.S. households have only a single occupant. Twenty-five percent of households have at least one adult with children 18 and under. It was reported that nearly 30% of adult children are still living at home. Twenty-five million Americans between the ages of 18 and 35 are still living at home. Every one of these statistics is disturbing. Our society is creating either loners with terrible social skills or individuals who are totally dependent on their families.
I am really concerned about these statistics because they are alarming for our society. Individuals between the ages of 18 and 35 should be starting a career, enjoying romantic relationships, and perhaps having babies. It’s abusive to them, or to their parents, for these individuals to be at home. These statistics should be a warning about our society’s failure to create adults.
I loved my parents and enjoyed being with them, but I was raised to make my own road. At the beginning of my radio career, I worked for a hotel for a few years. I put myself through school and worked sometimes three jobs at a time to make ends meet. My dad had a fraternity brother who owned a hotel, and he suggested I reach out to his buddy.
I felt that would be icky. I wanted to do this on my own. Certainly, I made mistakes and had successes, but these were on my terms. I did this on my own. We live in a society where some parents are raising their children to be their friends. Yes, this is a terrible idea. Not that you should hate your children or parents, but it is important to make your own way.
The Role of News/Talk Radio
So, what is the role of news/talk radio in this mess? Well, we get to shed light on our society’s ills. We are the radio format that deals with real life. When we speak with elected officials, we can ask about the housing shortage. The National Association of Realtors says the U.S. is 4 million homes or apartments short. This has led to artificially high prices for homes and for rental units. What’s going on with your community? Some places realize this issue and are creating an environment where construction is easy. Then there are places where it is ridiculously difficult and expensive to build.
I recently spoke with a contractor who is an electrician. He told me he was required, in new construction, to add light switches that automatically turn off.
Apparently, the light switches mandated by the city he was building in cost over $100 each, instead of the $2 for the old-school manual light switch. We now have light bulbs that use under 10 watts of electricity. So, think this through — that fancy $100+ light switch will likely wear out before $100 worth of electricity is ever used. Our local regulatory people are truly insane. We can address these issues.
Grizzled Geezers on the Spectrum would make an amazing reality show on Netflix or TLC. Here is the pitch: older people in a group home have only each other, Legos, Pop-Tarts, Wheel of Fortune, and their exhausted caretakers. I can write a treatment for this if you are interested.
Leaning Into Belonging
There is no debate that we as a society have become more and more isolated. Civic groups used to be the glue that held our society together. Loneliness leads to early death and unhappiness unless you are divorced — then it’s peace! News/talk radio is the original social media. Adventures and meetups with listeners are glue.
It doesn’t have to be something formal. Meet at a restaurant for politics and pints, or get a group of listeners together to clean up a local park.
You have better ideas on this than I do. Create belonging within your show and brand. Don’t sit on your high horse; interact with the people. I get it — many radio people are insecure introverts unless there is a microphone in front of their pie hole.
Station events are a great way to connect and have a great time. Perhaps your cluster can have an event for singles. It’s a huge part of your community. Again, this doesn’t need to be too formal. Just the basics, some icebreaker games, and let the romance begin!
Turning Connection Into Ratings
More connectivity to your audience and community ultimately creates ratings and revenue. Get people to serve the community together with their favorite radio performers. This is a total win.
A day of public service — a Saturday morning. Spend a day serving with your audience — a two- to three-hour event doing something cool for a local nonprofit, such as helping the homeless or painting a playground. (Remember, lead paint ain’t that good for the kiddos.)
How can we connect? How can we make a difference in people’s lives? It is more than just bitching about the democrats and taxes. We can do something great. I think Disney+ would be great for Grizzled Geezers on the Spectrum.
There is a significant portion of your audience that gets home on a Friday night and has no real human contact until they arrive at work on Monday. There is an opportunity for radio.
Barrett Media produces daily content on the music, news, and sports media industries. Sign up for our newsletters to stay updated and get the latest information right in your inbox.
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.