In this week’s Programming To Win column, Mike Stern draws parallels between the radio industry and the current re-launch of DC Comics’ universe. What lessons can radio learn from DC’s shakeup of Superman, Batman and “The New 52”?
Mike Stern
By Mike Stern
For comic book fans issue #1 of Action Comics, which was released on April 18, 1938, is iconic.
On the cover was an unprecedented drawing of a costumed hero in blue tights and a red cape who was somehow able to hold a car over his head.
Inside the issue, readers were treated to the story of Kal-El, the last survivor of a doomed planet called Krypton who was sent to earth by his father when he was just a small baby. As he grows up the child discovers he is able to do things other people can’t like outrunning trains, jumping over buildings and flying.
The first appearance of Superman in Action Comics issue #1 was not only the launch of a legendary character but it was the first tale of a hero with super-human powers.
The story became popular and the superhero genre was born.
Now, 73 years later, D.C. Comics has published a new issue #1 of Action Comics. The release is part of a program the company is calling the “New 52,” that includes new first issues for all of the company’s iconic characters including Superman, Batman, Wonder Woman, the Green Lantern, Flash and many others.
Many of these characters have decades of accumulated history that include rich backstories, colorful arch-enemies and pivotal moments all woven together within a larger D.C. Comics universe.
Messing with that kind of history can be risky but, faced with declining sales, the company’s leaders felt they had to do something.
The thing that caught my attention about the program was this quote from DC Comics Senior VP Bob Wayne about how they both maintained the characters continuity and re-set them at the same time:
“This is a new beginning which builds off the best of the past. For the stories launching as new #1s in September, we have carefully hand-selected the most powerful and pertinent moments in these characters’ lives and stories to remain in the mythology and lore. And then we’ve asked the best creators in the industry to modernize, update and enhance the books with new and exciting tales. The result is that we retained the good stuff, and then make it better.”
Keep the good stuff and update the rest to make it better; what a great idea. You should do that for your radio station.
Take the time and examine every element of the station. Decide which parts you, and your audience, would consider to be what Wayne would describe as “the most powerful and pertinent,” and keep them.
For everything else start considering how you could, “modernize, update and enhance,” them.
I realize that sounds like a big project, similar to re-launching 52 iconic brands, so let’s break it down into pieces:
Music
Your station’s music is like the D.C. Comics Universe. You need to have enough continuity for casual fans to follow along and enough variety to keep your hardcore listeners interested.
Start by taking a fresh look at your music library. Hang onto the tracks that meet your listener’s expectations and get rid of songs that, over time, have become irrelevant.
If you don’t have any new research to look at there are a lot of resources that can help you determine which songs other stations in your format are playing and which have fallen by the wayside including consultants, charts and databases.
Review your clocks and rotations too.
Just like D.C. most likely has a plan to weave stories together in their universe to create an interesting balance of primary and secondary storylines you need to be sure the station delivers the hits your audience expects and the variety they want.
Talent
The air staff is your station’s cast of superheroes. Each should be a part of the greater universe while also maintaining unique attributes and storylines of their own.
Start by working with each talent to outline what sets them apart from other hosts on the station. Make a list of their individual strengths and characteristics. Don’t be afraid to consider their weaknesses too. Kryptonite has made many Superman stories much more interesting.
Then consider whether the various elements of their show reinforce those attributes to the audience. Don’t just look at benchmarks or regular bits; examine the type of topics they are talking about and how they are addressing them.
Help them understand that the goal should be reinforcing their unique attributes while still fitting into the greater fabric of the station. That empowers each host to focus on their strengths while maintaining a cohesive sound for the audience.
Promotions
The comic book corollary to radio station promotions are special storylines designed to grab the reader’s attention.
Some are bigger branching out across the entire universe and involving all the heroes while others are smaller and contained within one particular character’s world.
At the station, when it comes to the bigger promotions that cross all dayparts be sure to clearly articulate to the staff the goal of the promotion as well as the details and what role they play in the execution. Be clear about the message you want communicated to the listeners.
For smaller individual promotions, challenge the talent to grab the listener’s attention in new and creative ways that play to the strengths and qualities you’ve outlined with them. These can be great opportunities for a host to stand out and build audience loyalty.
Sales
Just like a radio station which needs both listener and advertiser support to succeed, D.C. Comics needs both readers and retailers to survive. If comic book shops start to lose faith in the product and cut back on the titles they stock it’s that much harder for D.C. to thrive.
That’s another reason I was so interested in the quote from Mr. Wayne; it didn’t come from a press release. It was from a letter to comic book retailers explaining the “New 52” program.
In your case, as a program director, you don’t have to explain changes and improvements you make directly to the advertisers but it is your responsibility to help the sales people understand your vision.
Take the time to visit the sales meetings regularly where you can present the sellers with facts and insights about what you are doing and why it makes the station unique in the market.
When sellers have an understanding of the programming team’s goals they can often create special opportunities that benefit their clients which also fit nicely into the overall universe of your station.
Hopefully, despite the comic analogy you found some valuable advice in this column. You might say I’m hoping your ratings go up, up and away.
Mike Stern is a veteran radio programmer with more than 10 years of experience in markets such as Chicago, Detroit, Denver and Las Vegas. He recently opened Talent Mechanic, a coaching service for talent who want to improve their on-air performance and build their personality platform. For more information visit his Website www.talentmechanic.com or the Talent Mechanic blog; Free Estimates at http://talentmechanic.wordpress.com/
