Like a sweet, refreshing glass of everyone’s favorite warm weather citrus beverage Robby Bridges offers his thoughts on how we as an industry can take the lemons abounding in today’s climate and make, well… you know!
by Robby Bridges
Robby Bridges
Like a sweet, refreshing glass of everyone’s favorite warm weather citrus beverage I’d like to offer some thoughts on how we all as an industry, as programmers, as managers or as air talent can take the lemons abounding in today’s climate and make…well you know!
First, let’s look at the problems: 1) The sour economy has led advertisers to hold onto their pennies much tighter than otherwise would (if they are being spent at all) and they have begun to question the ROI radio offers. 2) Many of the industry’s largest groups have been forced to accelerate streamlining of budgets and staff while re-examining the efficiency of how radio stations and even entire clusters operate. 3) Amidst this turmoil there are fewer jobs with more out of work professionals; and as an ever greater spectrum of new media technology both threaten to erode cume and TSL at terrestrial radio and enhance its viability, there is a “content void” with streamlined operations often running on autopilot.
The best steps the radio professional can take to remain viable and successful is to multi task. As in any business, the employee who can bring the most expertise to a position will be the most valuable. Additionally, there is really zero room for negativity. Air talent and programmers ought to go back to the drawing board and think about the fundamentals of what their roles are. Once mastering the basics, a talent or a programmer can branch into multiple formats and understand how best to super serve their core audiences. For a talent working in these times (and in a PPM world) it is important to make every rap count, always think about the following while doing a live shift, VT, cyber-jocking or imaging in a given daypart or format:
Ÿ What is my audience passionate about? What are they talking about TODAY (and more specifically the time of day of the shift)?
Ÿ Do I understand what’s going on in this community and around the world and how it affects the listener’s life TODAY?
Ÿ Will this break cut through? When choosing to air a phone bit, reading a liner, offering artist info, local flavor, traffic information, whatever the case, consider word economy, pacing, placement and phrasing and if a talent can’t be absolutely sure their content will be “worth the listener’s time” it probably shouldn’t get on the air. Remember: When listeners say they want less DJ talk, what they really mean is less clutter. This is why forward momentum and formatics are so important
Ÿ Is this relatable to the target audience of the station? Also, is it consistent with the station’s branding? Does it mesh or stick out? While personalities ought to bring their own wit, style and flair to their airshift, they ought not to derail the consistency of the overall feel created by station branding.
Ÿ Jocks, ask yourself: Am I having fun? Am I communicating or talking at? Am I prepared and focused? Am I connecting with my audience through new media in addition to my on air raps?
Talent ought to consider, beyond these basic air personality skills, evaluating their ability to schedule music logs, web design, promotional execution, news anchoring and reporting and voice over delivery. As most talent are asked to do more with less, look at these new realities as a chance to “diversify the portfolio” don’t look at new challenges as extra work.
Programmers, today, it’s all about maximizing the value of what you do have control of and creating powerful brands around them. Many programmers and regional VPs are faced with smaller staffs, budgets, promotional opportunities and now have to focus on ensuring the fundamentals of a station’s identity are strong to sustain viability when there are not the bodies to bring it to life that there once were. Think of each station and its brand (music, positioning, imaging, content, talent, web identity) as you would a restaurant; a burger place will first and foremost serve great burgers and a variety of toppings, that’s a given. Then the given burger place will showcase them in a store front and with marketing to cut through and make a positive impression on the consumer…Johnny Rocket for example has done this by creating the feel of a 1950s drive-in and designed all functions of their business around that branding. Programmers ought to consider the following when tackling multi station execution:
Ÿ Does this station have a strong position in the market and does its on air presentation and visual/online supplements create a clear brand impression on the listener.
Ÿ Is the audio chain clean, bright and audible no matter what level a listener sets a radio to or what variety of tuner they use, be it tabletop, HD, car, clock etc?
Ÿ Are the imaging liners/contesting/promos concise, easy to understand and impactful? Are they consistent with the brand?
Ÿ Does the music rotate evenly between dayparts? Is it properly sound coded? Sorted?
Ÿ Is the station setting appointments for listening and recycling audience through dayparts creating meaning listening occasions and valuable quarter hour audience to offer advertisers?
While the radio industry is faced with enormous challenges on top of a, at best, “economy on the mend” this is precisely the time to be focused on offering the best possible product coming out of the speakers. When the product is of quality and it’s presented as such, listeners will want to use and advertisers, will want to buy: one radio reality that is not subject to succumbing to change. Be positive, aggressive and think forward!
Robby Bridges is host of the Ride Home Show on WEBE-FM Bridgeport, CT. He is also President of BBOR Productions, developing and marketing syndication, music and production pieces nationally. Previously Bridges has worked in various capacities at WCTK/Providence, Z100/New York, Q102/Philadelphia, WODS and Mix 98.5/Boston and elsewhere in New England. Robby can be reached at 203-333-9108 or bridges@bborproductions.com
