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Five Down and Dirty Ideas For Gaining Radio Sales Advantage

Jeff Caves
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Sometimes, salespeople need a new twist on an old idea to close the deal with a client. Here are five bold, down and dirty, ideas to beat out the competition and stand out in your market:

1. Sell an endorsement

Make sure you sell the sponsorship in 13, 26, or 52-week increments. There is no way you want to burn your talent on a category because the client didn’t run long enough.

Start selling spring advertisers right now. Patios, pools, and landscaping makeovers. Maybe sell an advertiser on a community makeover for a prominent retired community person and have the on-air person lead the effort. Sell a crypto or NFT sponsorship to a host and let them learn all about it on the air.

Make sure the talent also posts on social for the client.

2. Update your copy!

Sell copy changes as a benefit to the client. Tie into the local team and have two ads ready to go. One if they lose and one if they win. Your traffic person will hate you, but it can happen!

Produce bad weather spots now. Insert them at a moment’s notice. Buy your traffic person dinner because they will have to re-con the logs. So what. Think “in the moment.” Your listeners do that and it’s the best way to relate to them.

3. Do you have several car dealers, heating and cooling, roofing, or restaurants on the air?

Help them stand out on the station by branding them on weather, traffic, or top-of-hour IDs. This is a great way to pound the advertiser into the listener’s consciousness and separate them for the pack. Consider bonusing them the IDs if they committed to an annual.

4. Sell some NIL

If you have a famous college athlete in your market and a local NIL deal, suggest adding a radio campaign. Dr. Pepper did it. Or sell one to a local sports bar and have the player go there after the game and do an appearance on your post-game show on site.

This concept works well when sold with your CHR or New Rock stations. The rules have changed and you can do a lot more now. Schools, in some cities, are even more than willing to help you! They are doing anything to show other recruits how much love they will get in their town.

5. Super Bowl bet

Get two non-competing advertisers to take sides for the big game coming up. Set it up so if one team wins, listeners get a discount and vice versa. A Heating and cooling guy vs. a plumber could work well. You know how to say “Big Game,” “green and gold” for Green Bay, and the “red team” for Kansas City.

Just find the clients who care about the game. See if your shows would let them do a call-in. Let them cut up a bit and give them some promos, make them part of the Super Bowl hype.

If one of these doesn’t work, sell like Tom Brady.

Joe Biden: Cable News Channels Are Heading South

BNM Staff
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President Joe Biden offered a scathing critique of cable news networks during an hours-long press conference Wednesday. 

According to Deadline, Biden took questions from a total of 22 reporters representing different television and print outlets. 

After being asked about his own poor polling data, Biden turned the attention back to the demise of cable news network ratings which fluctuate depending on what network you’re watching and what time of day you’re tuned in.

“One of the things I find that is fascinating that is happening, and you all deal with it every day is that a lot of the speculation and the polling data shows that the cables are heading south,” Biden said. “They are losing viewership.”

Biden said the American public is trying to decipher what is “real and what is fake” when it comes to cable news. 

“I have never seen a time when … the choice of what political coverage the voter looks to has had as much impact on as what they believe,” Biden added. 

Mike Shields Named New Traffic Reporter for WSB-TV

BNM Staff
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Atlanta’s WSB-TV announced some personnel changes Wednesday. Traffic reporter Mike Shields will take over morning traffic duties for Heather Catlin. 

According to the Atlanta Journal-Constitution, Catlin will return to the news and sports departments to cover feature stories and the Georgia Bulldogs. 

Catlin, who also hosts a weekend show on WSB-TV called “Hot Topics,” told the paper she was “ecstatic” about returning to cover the news. 

“It was fun,” Catlin said, referring to her traffic reporting stint. Catlin began anchoring traffic last year when Mark Arum left television to host an afternoon talk show on 95.5 WSB Radio.

Shields, who joined Channel 2 Action News and WSB radio in 2018, announced on social media this morning. He will continue to do traffic for radio stations 97.1/The River and B98.5.

Jon Stewart to Receive the Kennedy Center’s Mark Twain Award

BNM Staff
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Comedian and talk show host Jon Stewart will receive the prestigious Kennedy Center’s Mark Twain Award for lifetime achievement in comedy. 

The organization announced the news on its website, saying that for more than two decades, Stewart has “challenged minds and brightened lives.” 

“For me, tuning into his television programs over the years has always been equal parts entertainment and truth,” Kennedy Center President Deborah F. Rutter said in a statement.

Stewart will become the 23rd recipient of the award which is presented to individuals who have had an impact on American society in ways similar to Mark Twain, according to the organization’s website. 

Stewart serves as an Executive Producer on CBS’ Late Show with Stephen Colbert. He also co-created and Executive Produced Comedy Central’s award-winning series The Colbert Report. 

“In these often divisive and challenging times, someone like Jon, through his undaunted advocacy for first responders and veterans, also demonstrates that we all can make a difference in this world through humor, humanity, and patriotism,” Rutter added.  

Stewart will be presented with the award during a gala ceremony on April 24 at the Kennedy Center in Washington, D.C. 

Nielsen Braces Clients For Potential Challenges As Covid-19 Surges

BNM Staff
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Nielsen Braces Clients For Potential Challenges As Covid-19 Surges

All Access is reporting that Nielsen has alerted its clients of potential difficulties due to the COVID-19 surge. The measurement company which works with the majority of the radio broadcasting business has also relayed details of how it plans to handle the situation in order to deliver accurate and consistent audience estimates.

In the letter, Nielsen says it will continue executing in-person field work while using its established multi-mode recruitment and remote installation and maintenance procedures. However, the company cautioned that some delays in recruitment and slight volatility in intab levels could occur over the next month.

Nielsen further shared that it expected to have intab levels stabilized and back to current levels by the end of February or early March, depending on Omicron recovery rates. In-tab levels are expected to be closely monitored and field resources will be evaluated and adjusted if necessary.

Being able to rely on accurate radio measurement is important to radio stations and their advertisers. Though Nielsen says it is actively monitoring COVID infection rates in key panel markets, and any possible impact to its PPM inventory due to global supply chain challenges, the admission of potential challenges in executing as expected is likely to give radio executives and sales professionals a few extra headaches. The company says that it is confident that its contingency plans will mitigate risk, allowing it to move swiftly to ensure the accuracy and representativeness of its audience estimates. Whether that holds true or not will be depend on a myriad of factors over the next month.

Joy Behar: If Republicans Regain Power They’ll Censor Journalist

BNM Staff
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The View co-host Joy Behar told her audience during Tuesday’s broadcast that if Republicans regain power they would begin to censor journalists. 

“I read a lot about what’s going on in the world and you know Hungary and Poland, and they’re doing very badly with freedom of speech,” said Behar.

Co-host Whoopi Goldberg said this is part “of the big plan to control what happens in America.”

“Next thing comes the women,” Goldberg said. “We’re going to take your rights away just like we have taken X, Y, and Z because there will be nothing you can do.” 

“That will happen here I think if the Republicans are back in power,” said Behar. 

“You can see that they’re intractable right now. You cannot reason with these people. They are shameless, and they will destroy us. It sounds like it’s hyperbole, but I have been around a long time, and I’ve seen what can happen.”

News Media Reacts to CNN Hiring Rex Chapman

BNM Staff
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The news media reacted with a mix of amusement, confusion, and praise on the hiring CNN made of former NBA player Rex Chapman for its streaming platform.

Earlier in the day, Barrett Sports Media reported that the yet-to-be-launched streaming service CNN+ hired Chapman to host a weekly program that will debut at some point in 2022.

Syndicated radio host Clay Travis tweeted, “it’s amazing how @cnn continues to make decisions guaranteed to destroy whatever limited trust they have in the media today.” 

“CNN adding Rex Chapman to CNN+. So, they’re going for MSNBC, but even more stupid. Okay then,” syndicated talk show host Erick Erickson tweeted. “Suddenly Joy Reid won’t be the stupidest person on television.”

“Lol this is a perfect fit. He’s an endless source of misinformation on this website,” tweeted Washington Free Beac.

Others were happy to see Chapman land a new gig on CNN’s streaming platform despite the criticism. CNN Business & Politics Correspondent Vanessa Yurkevich praised the hire of Chapman by her company. 

“One of my favorite new hosts coming to the platform. If you don’t follow him, he’s feel-good content, with humor, wit, and political savvy. He also has the best-curated dog videos on the web,” Yurkevich tweeted. 

CBS News’ Chris Wragge was another to praise the hire, asking CNN or any other news network what took so long to bring in someone like Chapman. 

“What took so long? Good work CNN and congrats Rex Chapman. Light it up!” Wragge tweeted. 

Last month, Chapman drew sharp criticism when he tweeted that hospitals should turn away unvaccinated patients.

“How about we all agree that hospitals have the right to turn away unvaccinated covid patients?” Chapman tweeted. “They have freedom of choice, too right.”

Al Jazeera Pulls Plug on Digital Conservative News Outlet

BNM Staff
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Al Jazeera Pulls Plug on Digital Conservative News Outlet

According to Axios, Al Jazeera has pulled the plug on its digital conservative news outlet, Rightly.

Al Jazeera launched the outlet last February to “provide fresh voices that are too often left out of the mainstream media a space to engage and debate the issues that matter most to them.”

At the time, analysts wondered whether Al Jazeera was launching Rightly to balance out the perceived bias in its reporting.

According to the report, former Fox News columnist and current editor-in-chief Scott Norvell will remain in place but is expected to depart in a few months.

“As far as Rightly, we’re still evaluating the brand itself,” said Michael Weaver, senior vice president of business development and growth at Al Jazeera Media Network. “We’re constantly evaluating everything we put on the air.”

Brad Polumbo, a policy correspondent at the Foundation for Economic Education (FEE) who worked on “Rightly,” confirmed Rightly was being shuttered.

Sports Are Learning To Meet Gen Z Where They Are

BSM Staff
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Sports Are Learning To Meet Gen Z Where They Are

Should sports radio be concerned about where audiences will come from in the future? It is an interesting question that we talk about here a lot. It is also something that the New York Times tackled indirectly last week.

A column from Joe Drape and Ken Belson declared this generation of kids “The eSports Generation” and went on to explain just how disconnected from traditional sports they really are.

An alarmist might ask if this is the beginning of the end of traditional sports leagues. Someone a little more level-headed, like Joe Ovies, may want to dive a little deeper to see what leagues are learning and how they are adapting.

Joe hosts The OG in afternoon drive at 99.9 The Fan in Raleigh. He is always interested in how changes in technology and consumption patterns effect sports and his audience. I saw him tweeting about the New York Times piece last week and asked if he would want to write a little something for us.

Enjoy!

Demetri Ravanos

“Meet your audience where they are.”

How many times have you heard that phrase in the last 5 years from a consultant, manager, or any number of Barrett Media posts as content consumption trends continue to spread out over a variety of platforms? Turns out the same applies for pro sports leagues, who are fearful that an entire generation of fans will be lost and their traditional business model will crater as a result.

The New York Times recently highlighted what sports marketers are doing to win over Generation Z, which typically applies to kids born from 1997 to 2012. The Times hits the usual beats.

There’s a reference to Tyler “Ninja” Blevins, an esports star who is also a traditional sports fan, who the NFL hoped would be a Pied Piper for youth fandom. There are examples of MLB, famously stingy when it came to fans using their content on social media, now working with TikTok influencers. And of course, highlighting the NBA’s wide ranging approach to online engagement and their franchise run NBA 2K esports league. Most of the article was based on a recent SSRS/Luker on Trends report, which conducts regular surveys about sports and society.

The issue for pro sports leagues isn’t that Gen Z kids aren’t “passionate” enough about sports. It’s that Gen Z is more likely to admit they simply don’t like sports.

“Only 23 percent of Generation Z said they were passionate sports fans, compared with the 42 percent of millennials (defined as 26 to 41), 33 percent of Generation X (42 to 57) and 31 percent of baby boomers (57 to 76) who identified themselves as passionate. More striking was that 27 percent of Gen Zers said they disliked sports altogether, compared with just 7 percent of millennials, 5 percent of Gen Xers and 6 percent of boomers.”

The new york times, Jan. 12, 2022

Also factoring into the waning interest in sports from Gen Z is the dramatic decline of youth sports participation. There is a larger discussion to be had about the role of parents and specialization in this decline, but we can address that topic another day. As it relates to pro sports leagues today, the drop in youth participation absolutely impacts the level of interest in kids who might want to watch the best in the world of sports do their thing.

“Participation in youth sports was declining even before Covid-19: In 2018, only 38 percent of children ages 6 to 12 played team sports on a regular basis, down from 45 percent in 2008, according to the Sports & Fitness Industry Association.

In June 2020, the pandemic’s early days, 19 percent of parents with kids in youth sports said their child was not interested in playing sports, according to a survey conducted by The Aspen Institute’s Sports and Society Program. By September 2021, that figure was 28 percent.

On average, children play less than three years in a sport and quit by age 11, according to the survey. Why? Mostly, because it is not fun anymore.”

the New york times, Dec. 19th 2021

The crux of the issue is that Gen Z is the first generation of kids who are truly free to find their “thing” in a way previous generations never could thanks to modern connectivity. Meeting up on the playground or at a friend’s backyard for a pickup game has been replaced with meeting your friends on a Discord server and deciding if you’re going to play Halo or Call or Duty after school.

If you have kids in the age range that I do, none of this should be a surprise. You see it every day and don’t even think twice about it. But if you do stop and think about how frictionless it has become to be online all day with your friends, you start to realize the impact of never being bored or getting dragged to things by your parent because there were no other options.

Watching sports and going to sporting events isn’t frictionless. It’s a pain in the ass. Older generations deal with it because we don’t know any better, it’s just what we do. But Gen Z isn’t about to stop what they’re doing just to watch a game. Why would they? They can get the highlights later.

Gen Z is about dropping in and out of entertainment options whenever they feel like it. In other words, why would they sit around waiting for their favorite song to be played on the radio when they can easily pull it up on YouTube or Spotify.

Pro sports leagues can create all the social content and tout billions of views. They can tout engagement with Gen Z because a bunch of kids bought NFL related skins in Fortnite.

Awareness of their leagues isn’t the problem. It’s getting Gen Z to care enough to watch the game. Take my kids, who are fully aware of what’s going on in the world of sports, but getting them to sit down and actually watch the game is torture. Throw in the increasing cost to attend sporting events, I’ve started leaving them at home because it’s a waste of money given my 13-year-old is just gonna play Clash Royale in that $75 seat.

To be clear — I’m OK with my kids just not being into sports. It’s not like I didn’t try. It’s simply understanding we’ve transitioned to a world of niche communities. You can still thrive within those niche communities. Just look at sports talk radio as an example, where you’re not winning with cume, but with passion around sports. That’s what great sports talk radio stations sell. Pro sports leagues will be fine doing the same.

How Soon Is Too Soon To Lean Into The NFL Draft?

Demetri Ravanos
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How Soon Is Too Soon To Lean Into The NFL Draft?

For sports talk hosts, nothing generates content quite like the NFL Playoffs. The country’s most popular sport inches closer each week to crowning a champion. Each game produces an unlikely hero, a questionable call or some other storyline that can generate an entire show’s worth of conversation. Around the country, most stations talking about football are talking about the playoffs.

There is a select group of markets though where it makes sense for the football conversation to be driven by something else. Sure, the playoffs are on the radar, but if you are in a market with a top five draft pick, it makes sense that prospects and potential trades will draw significant interest.

Houston is not completely ignoring the playoffs. Landry Locker, co-host of In The Loop on Sports Radio 610 says that just like everywhere else in the country, NFL football is the headliner.

“We cover the NFL Playoffs top-to-bottom whether the Texans are in or not,” he told me. “However, just like all of our content we try to localize it as much as possible and try to respect the fact that we are a local show. Why do Houstonians care about what happened in each Wild Card game? What are the local ties?”

And what about the NFL Draft? The Texans have the third pick. That means there are plenty of discussions worth having on air, especially with the local team being so quarterback-needy.

I asked Landry if the lack of a Trevor Lawrence or Joe Burrow has dulled interest in the draft for Texans fans compared to what it could have been.

“I think there will be even more hype and content leading up to Draft than last year. While this QB class isn’t as good as last year’s the speculation about Russell Wilson, Aaron Rodgers and Deshaun Watson make up for that void because if any of those three are traded it will likely be before the Draft. The NFL offseason has become the most active in sports and this year’s will be as wild as ever, especially here in Houston with the Watson drama.”

Ryan Green, better known to Jacksonville sports fans as Hacker on 1010XL, is in a familiar position. Just last year, he and his colleagues on XL Primetime were talking about the Jaguars welcoming a new coach to town and holding the first pick in the draft. By the time the NFL Draft gets here in April, the Jaguars will be holding the first pick as they welcome a new coach to town. So how does Hacker ensure that this year’s conversations don’t sound like 2021’s conversations on air?

“We will discuss what went wrong last year and how not to duplicate that this time around,” he said. “Why did last year fail? What could have been done differently and what needs to be different this time around. Also the history of back-to-back No. 1 picks for teams isn’t good, how can the Jaguars succeed when so many others have failed.”

Having the first pick of draft is great when you have the chance to grab the quarterback that can change your franchise’s fortunes. But the Jaguars experienced that last year and they have the top pick again.

Hacker said it perfectly. Last year was a failure for the Jaguars. Does that make his listeners a little less enthusiastic this time around?

Yes, he says. Last year was such a let down that there is a whole series of conversations fans want to have before they are ready to start breaking down prospects.

“Jaguar fans want the coaching and gm hires to be correct or the picks won’t matter anyway. Coaching matters and the Jaguar fans have had to endure a lot of bad coaching over the past decade. They want the right coach, then they will focus on the top pick”

Draft talk is fun. As Brandon Kravitz pointed out in his column earlier this week, it is a chance for fans of bad teams to feel real hope. Hope is the word right now in Houston too.

Locker says that there are so many factors that make this offseason one that Texans fans have been waiting three years for. His plan is to devote as much time to draft talk as possible.

“Obviously that’s fluid depending on what happens with the Stros and Rockets,” he says, “but this is going to be the wildest offseason in Texans franchise history. This will be the first time the Texans have had a first round selection in three drafts and with the possibility of getting even more compensation for Watson and a new coach it’s going to be nuts around here.”

It seems weird to type this, but Jacksonvillians know it is true. Hope can get old sometimes. When it is all you have ever been served, hope just doesn’t hit the same.

Hacker jokes that he and his co-workers know their way around a show rundown this time of year because this time of year never seems to end for the Jags.

“Draft talk for Jacksonville always starts around Thanksgiving, so we are already a month into draft talk before the playoffs even get here.”

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