McVay Media President Mike McVay reminds FMQB readers what makes successful programming. The “7 steps to successful programming” may seem obvious, but with the many obligations a programmer faces today, they can be easy to overlook. McVay urges multitasking programmers to remain focused on their stations and the tasks at hand. –
Mike McVay
by Mike McVay
Throughout the years, since Edison first developed communication and Marconi first took credit for inventing radio, there have been basic fundamentals that draw listeners to radio as a moth is drawn to a flame. The wise programmers we view and consider history. The smart programmers understand who their audience is and what motivates them. The best marketers know that at its most fundamental the strategy of promotion is to find out what listeners want and give it to them. The most entertaining of talent are aware that they can create day-to-day tune-in by presenting content that is so compelling that listeners will feel as if they missed something by failing to listen. The most successful programmers are those that are most driven and most focused. Those that understand “bigger is better” are the ones that will dominate the ratings.
The 7 Steps to Successful Programming
- Mass appeal gets bigger ratings than niche appeal formats.
- Entertainment …being entertaining is a lighting rod.
- Exceed the audience’s expectations.
- Add the best music and play the most of it (or the best news stories) and air them most frequently — play favorites.
- News needs to go beyond the newscast and be included in the talent’s portion of the program.
- Emphasize the person in personality.
- Great promotion is like life: expectations, realization, and memory
The organizational skills of a multitasking programmer, which is almost every programmer these days, must be at an elite status. There is no way you’ll be able to concentrate on what’s coming out of the speakers if you’re completely focused on what’s happening inside your office. Do not be hypnotized by the Internet. Do not allow others to re-prioritize your work schedule.
Stay focused on the content that is most important to your rating goals. That, of course, must mean you have rating goals. Be mobile and able to adjust your strategy as needed. The most successful programmers of the day have become product managers who deliver the biggest shares of ratings to the sales managers so that he/she can deliver the largest portion of revenue possible.
Mike McVay is President of McVay Media. He can be reached at mike@mcvaymedia.com or on his cell at 440.343.0800. Visit www.mcvaymedia.com for more information about McVay Media.
