THE BEST OF
Welcome to The Best of Radio Espionage!
Every Monday, I will be posting an article on radio programming that I've written in the past. I will post a mix of articles that still apply today and also give you an idea of how radio was programmed in the past All based on my personal programming experience intertwined with what I've taken from working with some of the best programming minds in the business. I sincerely hope you'll find each article informative and useful. - ME
HUNGRY FOR A TRUTH BURGER?
A lot has been written recently about terrestrial radio now being a digital brand. I'm sorry but I have to disagree. Companies like Apple, Spotify, YouTube, and Amazon beat terrestrial radio to it a long time ago when radio was selling digital as added value. Sure, from a competitive marketing and sales standpoint terrestrial radio has no choice but to market itself as a digital brand. However, I don't care how many companies put their radio programming on apps, it's still radio programming that cannot compete with the more desirable and established digital brands.
Let me explain what I mean. Terrestrial radio is like a vintage car trying to convince the world it's on the same level as a Tesla. You can add all the new technology to a vintage car but it's still a vintage car with updated tech. There's nothing wrong with it as long as you realized what you have parked in the garage. Do you know why people into vintage cars are willing to spend up to 25 times more than their original price? Because they have heart and soul and take people back to a time when they truly felt free. They can also be customized to fit the personality of the owner. When is the last time you've seen a Tesla with custom wheels and paint with a decked out interior? Tesla's are like driving a cardboard box with a computer inside. Plus they're disposable. The more terrestrial radio attempts to present it's programming as digital, the more listeners it bleeds. When terrestrial radio's greatest attribute is it's free, what's that tell you? Do you know what else is free? Samples in the isle at Costco. You might step up and try something that's free but it doesn't mean you'll buy the product. The general perception of something that's free is it's cheap. If terrestrial keeps promoting "Free" as it's greatest asset, the perception advertisers will have is that it has little to no value. Radio used to be known for it's entertainment value, but consolidation took care of that attribute.
By now you have to be asking why do I have such a discouraging view about terrestrial radio. It's because I've spent the past two months talking to people from 25 to 60 about their listening habits and the best response I received is, "I listen once in a while in my car" and this was from people in the upper demos who grew up listening to terrestrial radio. The younger demos had no opinion at all about terrestrial radio and only one had the TuneIn radio app downloaded on their phone. I can't tell you how disappointed I was by their comments. I recall vividly when when telling strangers what I did for a living at an event or a party, all they wanted to hear about were the mysteries from behind the mic and what really went on behind the scenes. Radio was revered by just about everyone. To be straight with you, now they could give a rat's ass. I might as well be a dish washer at an unpopular restaurant. I guess you would have had to experience it personally to fully understand.
Over the past 22 months, just about everyone from previous owners, to ex general managers, and programmers have all told me radio pros with my background are no longer valued. Unlike other industries, our experience no longer has a place in today's radio world and that's a shame. It's most likely why terrestrial radio is doomed to eventually fail. Radio is and always has been a people business, not a tech business. Technology only delivers the product. While there are many of you who scoff at this idea, you continue to melt listeners and push them to the more desirable tech options who have asked what their users want and are giving it to them.
Let me ask? If you were not involved with terrestrial radio, would you listen to it? If so, how much would you listen to it? How would you listen? Why would you listen? It always helps to get out of your bubble and talk to people from other walks of life and ask similar questions to get their perspective.
I recently went to the Peterson Auto Museum in Los Angeles and they had rows of cool custom vintage cars. They also had a Tesla exhibit where you could see early versions all the way up to the new 2024 models including one one torn apart hanging from the ceiling to see how Tesla's are built. 90% of the people at the museum were looking at the vintage cars. The other 10% were looking at Tesla. What I'm saying is if you want terrestrial radio to survive, accept you're the cool vintage car and stop trying to be the Tesla. This doesn't mean you can't implement all the digital components but you have to find your heart and soul. Believe it or not, heart and soul is what made terrestrial radio great and can again.
Let me explain what I mean. Terrestrial radio is like a vintage car trying to convince the world it's on the same level as a Tesla. You can add all the new technology to a vintage car but it's still a vintage car with updated tech. There's nothing wrong with it as long as you realized what you have parked in the garage. Do you know why people into vintage cars are willing to spend up to 25 times more than their original price? Because they have heart and soul and take people back to a time when they truly felt free. They can also be customized to fit the personality of the owner. When is the last time you've seen a Tesla with custom wheels and paint with a decked out interior? Tesla's are like driving a cardboard box with a computer inside. Plus they're disposable. The more terrestrial radio attempts to present it's programming as digital, the more listeners it bleeds. When terrestrial radio's greatest attribute is it's free, what's that tell you? Do you know what else is free? Samples in the isle at Costco. You might step up and try something that's free but it doesn't mean you'll buy the product. The general perception of something that's free is it's cheap. If terrestrial keeps promoting "Free" as it's greatest asset, the perception advertisers will have is that it has little to no value. Radio used to be known for it's entertainment value, but consolidation took care of that attribute.
By now you have to be asking why do I have such a discouraging view about terrestrial radio. It's because I've spent the past two months talking to people from 25 to 60 about their listening habits and the best response I received is, "I listen once in a while in my car" and this was from people in the upper demos who grew up listening to terrestrial radio. The younger demos had no opinion at all about terrestrial radio and only one had the TuneIn radio app downloaded on their phone. I can't tell you how disappointed I was by their comments. I recall vividly when when telling strangers what I did for a living at an event or a party, all they wanted to hear about were the mysteries from behind the mic and what really went on behind the scenes. Radio was revered by just about everyone. To be straight with you, now they could give a rat's ass. I might as well be a dish washer at an unpopular restaurant. I guess you would have had to experience it personally to fully understand.
Over the past 22 months, just about everyone from previous owners, to ex general managers, and programmers have all told me radio pros with my background are no longer valued. Unlike other industries, our experience no longer has a place in today's radio world and that's a shame. It's most likely why terrestrial radio is doomed to eventually fail. Radio is and always has been a people business, not a tech business. Technology only delivers the product. While there are many of you who scoff at this idea, you continue to melt listeners and push them to the more desirable tech options who have asked what their users want and are giving it to them.
Let me ask? If you were not involved with terrestrial radio, would you listen to it? If so, how much would you listen to it? How would you listen? Why would you listen? It always helps to get out of your bubble and talk to people from other walks of life and ask similar questions to get their perspective.
I recently went to the Peterson Auto Museum in Los Angeles and they had rows of cool custom vintage cars. They also had a Tesla exhibit where you could see early versions all the way up to the new 2024 models including one one torn apart hanging from the ceiling to see how Tesla's are built. 90% of the people at the museum were looking at the vintage cars. The other 10% were looking at Tesla. What I'm saying is if you want terrestrial radio to survive, accept you're the cool vintage car and stop trying to be the Tesla. This doesn't mean you can't implement all the digital components but you have to find your heart and soul. Believe it or not, heart and soul is what made terrestrial radio great and can again.
I know I'm not the only one you've heard this from and I realize it's going to require making an investment in talent and roiling up your sleaves and doing some hard damn work. But as Bob Parson's once said "if it was easy, everyone would be doing it". You're going to have to offer something different than the other digital choices. If we've learned anything from Hollywood remaking just about every old successful movie or TV show is something old is new again to a whole new generation or generations. Your other option is to ignore the radio pros who helped build terrestrial radio or be known for offering a product that is free.
Go be great!
* Due to the increased amount of traffic by interested readers, this article will remain posted through November 25th, 2024.
Comments and Questions Welcome at mem@markelliottmedia.com
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E: mem@markelliottmedia.com
P: (818) 259-0091
Copyright 2024
P: (818) 259-0091
Copyright 2024
