“We play less music with more talk..”
Robby Bridges
By Robby Bridges
The headline sweeper copy above may not be the most effective phrasing for “music radio” stations over the next decade but it’s where we need to be headed in programming radio stations that are not purely talk-formatted. Study after study shows several undeniable truths: 1) Young people (i.e. those under 35) are listening to terrestrial radio much less than Gen X and much, much less than boomers OR not at all. 2) Personalities are now described as a bigger draw than music 3) Advertising done thru talent endorsement are not only a bigger ROI to clients but better holds ears than traditional spots (the same is true for podcasts and YouTube video content). None of this should be of any surprise. The tide has been shifting for the last decade and really a re-emphasis on marquee talent, full-service elements and live-read commercials and away from “non-stop music” is a return to earlier days in radio, both inside and outside of contemporary music formatted stations.
Here’s the wrinkle: the radio business (particularly in the big, debt-ridden, publicly-traded companies, but in many smaller, local operations too) is focused on the now: “just making the quarter” and/or “digital.” Further, many stations, formats, programmers, and consultants have spent the last 30-40 years hyping “more music and less talk” strategies after incorrectly reading the tea leaves especially when the PPM came along, giving owners and GMs a ripe excuse to cut back on talent expense and investment and hiring overall. As a matter of fact, we see the largest audio content distribution and creation platform, RADIO, continuously cutting back on its talent, its on-air personalities, at precisely the time the consumer tells us they want more content from them and we know their attention is being courted in more content spaces than ever before.
“More music, less talk” is dead. It’s not evolving, it’s not headed there, and it’s dead already as a strategy. If a radio station is hanging its hat on a “more music” position of any kind it’s already behind the 8-ball. A terrestrial radio station that is a jukebox is at a huge disadvantage as all music is available everywhere (never mind a tight rotation of music). The music should serve as format and branding footing for a station but be just one element of content NOT the sole content.
Radio has to utilize engaging personalities in every daypart, automated overnights and weekends don’t cut it. Radio needs to be live and local for the large majority of the broadcast day. Radio needs to let these content creators create content and while they need to be focused, disciplined and on message, they need not be restrained or forced to read liners and resort to “get more on our app” BS. Radio needs to pay talent, nurture talent, invest in talent, and procure and train next-generation talent. Personalities, service elements, music, live endorsement copy, marketing, promotion, public service, contesting…that is the way forward. It’s the viable way forward for “music radio” on terrestrial FM. Will the industry do it? It’s expensive and takes time, but it is the way to continued ratings success.
Robby Bridges has been a programmer and air talent for nearly 30 years in New York, Detroit, the network level and elsewhere. Currently he is PD and morning co-host at Press Communications Classic Rock WWZY/WBHX (107.1 The Boss)/Monmouth-Ocean, NJ. He also serves as guest host for Scott Shannon on the True Oldies Channel. He most recently worked for M.G. Broadcasting in Northern Michigan.
