Wall Street Week/Fortune

[Bill O'Neill]

SteveOrdinetz wrote:

> You still need to do GOOD radio...be a station people actually want to 
> listen to...."howdy folks" radio with lost dog reports and hour-long 
> interviews with candidates for sewer commisioner circa 1963 isn't 
> gonna fly.  

I agree that all radio needs to be listenable, but "howdy folks" can be 
successful if it's authentic and genuine versus a bogus set of liners 
polished by a well-meaning consultant.  Political wonks spewing forth 
during valuable dayparts don't spawn the kind of buzz that builds 
listenership; creative ways to execute the local mix can yield 
increase.  Local focus programming is most vulnerable because it is 
different. It's (without effort) not hip, nationally relevant nor have 
any Iraqi implications.

> And if you set the ad rates so every mom & pop greeting card shop in 
> town can advertise on your station how are you gonna afford to pay 
> your airstaff without 30 min/hr. spot loads?  

If you can fill 15-20 units of inventory every hour, regardless of the 
rate, a tip of the headphones!  If you can garner such investment from 
many different accounts (read: business partnerships) at loss-leader 
rates, and then show increase (read: it's not bad radio) then even a 
modest increase in rates can be encouraging.  More likely that the model 
of a jock lounge and newsroom with 5 FTEs apiece will never happen 
again.  Bridging new technologies and local talent along with 
appropriate network programming can make for a self-sustaining 
operation.  In that respect, it ain't 1963 anymore.

Bill O'Neill





-- 
No virus found in this outgoing message.
Checked by AVG Anti-Virus.
Version: 7.0.300 / Virus Database: 265.8.7 - Release Date: 2/10/2005