Year: 2023

Content from BPRAs radio people, we often live in a dream world where we assume that our listeners are hanging on for every word we say. The photo below is comical because it expresses the erroneous belief that our listeners’ lives revolve around our station. We act as if our station is as important to them as it is to us. The sad truth is that their lives do not revolve around listening to the radio.Humans are quite adept at tuning out talk that they either do not want to hear it or that they have heard so many times that the words no longer make any impression at all. We have often been told that the best way to make someone remember something is to employ endless repetition. However, anyone who has raised children knows that endless repetition is not an effective way to affect behaviour.Consider the above photo caption “more great music coming up.” After hearing this phrase repeated hour after hour, it is highly unlikely that it makes any impression whatsoever on the listener. (If you have to tell someone that something is “great” then it probably is not so great after all.) Perhaps the best promotional phrases are the ones that are backed up by hard fact. For example, “Centre City’s only Classic Rock station”.Another typical message is “Coming up next hour, the latest hit from Miley Cyrus.” In other words, listeners will have to wait until the next hour to hear the promised song. In the age of instant gratification, few listeners have the patience to wait that long.Here are some basic marketing and promotional rules:
Make the message believable. Base the message on fact.
Vary the message. Each variation makes a unique impression on the brain.
Avoid hyperbole. Ex.: “We play the best music ever made.”
When possible, allow a live presenter to deliver the message. Pre-recorded messages lack credibility especially after they have been heard numerous times.
Do not call attention to negatives such as “playing fewer ads than the other station”. This is simply a reminder that we run ads too.
“We’ll be back right after the news”. This statement begs the question “Where are you going?” In this instance, you are reminding listeners that news bulletins have a higher priority than music. This may be fine for a news/talk station but not for a music station.
The lesson is simple. Learn to think like a listener.By Andy Beaubien, BPR […]

Benztown, a global leader in radio imaging, voiceover, programming, podcasting and jingles along with P1 Media Group, providing research, strategies and consulting to radio stations worldwide, and Global Radio Ideas Facebook Group will host a free webinar On Thursday, May 18, for radio professionals around the globe.Titled “How You Replace Scott Shannon, & Lessons From An Iconic New York City PD,” the webinar is 29th in the companies’ “Global Radio Ideas” webinar series from top radio experts from around the world.The 40-minute webinar will be hosted by Andreas Sannemann, CEO, Benztown, and Ken Benson, Partner, P1 Media Group, and will feature Jim Ryan, VP of Programming, Audacy New York’s WCBS-FM and NEW 102.7/WNEW-FM.Ryan will take attendees’ questions and cover topics including:
What it was like to work with Scott Shannon, and to be his boss.
How he replaced the Greatest of All Time in New York Morning Radio, Scott Shannon.
Lessons he learned from coaching heavyweights like Casey Kasem, Whoopi Goldberg, and WCBS-FM afternoon great, Broadway Bill Lee.
What’s different, and what challenges programmers face in a post-Covid world. 
What’s his take on whether to be bold or subtle in making programming changes and why. 
His thoughts on the current ratings struggles of contemporary and young music formats and the ratings successes of AC and Classic Hits. What can the younger targeted formats do about it?
Is it still possible for AC and Hot AC stations to make format-exclusive hits?
How he came to own a radio station with Van Halen, and more!
Register at: https://event.webinarjam.com/register/82/10zx2h37. […]