Sreejith K
We used to call it “a radio show”.
Smith and Barber
When I was the “Barber” of “Smith and Barber The Morning Show”, the thing I loved the most was improvising with our listeners. The program had some really funny followers who would call in. (I was in on many of those conversations for almost 18 years!)
Crowdsourcing
As the Smith and Barber community grew, so did our ability to ask just about any question on the air – and we’d always get a good answer. This is what is being referred to these days as “crowdsourcing”.
The Real Life Survival Guide
What I’ve just described was the impetus for “The Real Life Survival Guide”: the notion that somebody out there has the answers to life’s goofy little questions. My goal for the Guide is to get the conversations started again and see what happens.
jbcurio
One of my top priorities these days is the planned relaunch of “The Real Life Survival Guide”, a Website and radio show dedicated to helping people deal with everyday problems.
Traditional media meets digital
I’m excited about the prospect of producing a traditional radio show that is closely tied to a Web-based community. People will ask questions on the site, and I’ll find experts to provide the answers for the show.
Integrated Marketing
I plan be as creative as possible when it comes to selling ads. By building campaigns around both radio and the Web, our partner brands will expand their “reach” dramatically: They will gain the ability to interact, in real time, with potential customers.
Strategic Planning
Strategic planning is crucial when “marrying” traditional advertising with digital. If you don’t have a concise and engaging call to action, your message will be lost in the shuffle. Content is still king.
Joe M500
As someone who’s been involved in the radio business for over 30 years, I can honestly say that the only radio content that seems to inspire me these days is the stuff that’s being produced by non-commercial, or “public” stations. (Full disclosure – I work for one.) Why is this the case? I believe that it comes down to three things: intelligence, passion, and variety.
Intelligence
I do not contend that people who work in commercial radio are stupid. The problem is that commercial radio is about profit, and it’s a lot cheaper to play the same Pink Floyd song over and over than it is find smart people with interesting things to say. You play music that’s been researched, get the best ratings you can, and sell commercials based on those ratings. Public stations don’t have commercials per-se, and there are strict rules regarding underwriting. Add to this the fact that most non-commercial stations cover only a portion of their operating costs from underwriting, and you’ve got built-in incentives to engage listeners in ways that will compel them to become “members” and donate money. This has led to the production of smart (and ultimately successful) programming like All Things Considered and Wait Wait, Don’t Tell Me!
Passion
When you’re being paid to play the same Pink Floyd song over and over, it’s hard to summon much passion. I’ve been in commercial radio studios where the talent seems about as engaged as someone who’s flipping burgers. Many commercial jocks have been told, in no uncertain terms, to restrict their “chatter” to the station’s agenda – slogans, sponsors, and the benefits of an upcoming set of “commercial-free music”. (Does anybody else see the irony in this?) When I walk into the newsroom of WNPR (where I’ve been working for 3 years as an independent producer), I see passionate people working on content they believe in. Wonder who’s turning out the more compelling product…
Variety
In a recent conversation, I was speaking with a friend about stereotypes as they apply to public radio. The first thing that comes to mind is the “Schweddy Balls” sketch on SNL. The truth of the matter, however, is that public stations will air just about any kind of programming. You hear college students playing a wide variety of musical genres. You hear LOCAL news. You hear faith-based programming. And you hear two guys from Boston giving automotive advice.
In an era of seemingly limitless media choices, there are still constraints when we get in our cars – we generally end up flipping through the same old stations. If you’re tired of “Comfortably Numb”, public radio might be a good option.
Matthew Glover
I love radio. (There, I said it. Man, that feels good.)
Unfortunately, my “lover” is in deep trouble. Our programming is over-researched and homogenous. “Personalities” are cliches, mocked on Family Guy. Radio has become tiresome and BORING.
As a result, advertisers won’t pay what they used to, and talented people are losing their jobs.
This should be an era of great opportunity. With inexpensive digital editing tools and unlimited distribution, passionate producers could create high quality content for very little money. But we don’t – because no one will pay us.
A New Way of Thinking
It’s time we realized that the old model is dead. We can no longer wait to be hired by benevolent despots willing to pay for the privilege of imposing an intrusive tariff on our listeners. (They won’t have it, anyways.)
We need to bring everyone to the table – talent, producers, sales people, brands – with the shared goal of creating content that informs, entertains, and enables the providers of goods and services to connect with a community of engaged customers – and we need to do it OURSELVES. Was it easy when we could practice our craft without the need to consider the “back end” realities of the stations that hired us? Hell to the yes. Now let’s move on.
This is Not a Bad Thing
Industry changes and a bad economy have presented us with a call to action. It’s time to learn how to use ProTools and Adobe Audition and Soundtrack Pro. It’s time to reach out to our old audiences on Facebook and Twitter. And it’s time to partner with the people who know about “CPMs” and “RFPs”.
We MUST learn these new skills – we owe to our audience, to our advertisers, and most importantly, we owe it to ourselves.
Chris Kelly
I despise intrusive advertising. I’m on the “Do Not Call” list. I’ve joined Forest Ethics. And I gleefully zap commercials with my DVR.
I’m also in radio, which means that for most of my adult life my salary has been paid by… advertising. (This is something that’s commonly referred to as “the rub”.)
Which brings me to a recent realization–that not all advertising is created equal.
We Don’t Interrupt This Message…
According to Wikipedia, “In contrast to traditional marketing methods that aim to increase sales or awareness through interruption techniques, content marketing subscribes to the notion that delivering high-quality, relevant and valuable information to prospects and customers drives profitable consumer action”.
Helping Your Customers
Despite the fact that content marketing has been around for years (“Soap Operas” offered housewives an escape from their daily routine and allowed sponsors to speak directly to that demographic), I think the idea of helping your customers (as opposed to spamming them) feels downright “of the moment”… and I hope to be able to employ some of this thinking as my own projects move forward.
