Fixing Radio In Two Easy Steps

The title of this post is meant in jest. Radio today faces challenges unlike any it has faced before, but I don't buy into the notion of doom and gloom.

Radio hasn't lost listeners' respect. Radio lost listeners' interest. That's quite a difference. Radio allowed itself to become a background medium while new competitors were being created almost daily. People still listen to the radio, but their passion for it has waned. Not in all cases - but in far too many.

That's fixable.

Step number one is understanding people.

Radio is a people business, not a music business. Build a station that connects with people and they'll listen. Even music formats like Jack need to find ways to reach through the speakers and really connect with people.

Step two is creating content that people find compelling. Say what you want about Howard Stern and Opie & Anthony - but losing compelling content (as judged by listeners) to competing mediums is bad bad bad news. Radio needs to create content even more compelling than what we're losing. But that's precisely what isn't happening often enough in radio today.

• Radio isn't doing a good enough job of motivating people to take our stations with them to work.
• Radio isn't doing enough to become a part of the community.
• Radio isn't doing enough to help people find things to do on the weekends.
• Radio isn't doing enough to become part of people's lives.
• These are a few of the many reasons radio is becoming a background medium.

And we blame radio's woes on emerging technology?

That argument is crap. A lot of radio programming these days is crap too. How can we blame XM when many of our FMs are putting lackluster programming on the air? Come on. The conversation about new technology killing radio is proof that too many radio people don't understand regular people at all.

Why would you shop at a clothing store that sells so-so styles in sizes that don't fit you?

Why do we expect listeners to be passionate about so-so radio programming that doesn't fit them?

We need to understand what causes someone to turn on the radio in the first place. It appears to me that too many broadcasters have forgotten.

Her name is Ashley. She's a 20 year old college junior living in Arlington Texas. She's driving to school in the morning. Her car's got a cd player in the dash and a stack of her favorite disks are in the storage compartment built into the center armrest. But she turned on the radio.

...why?

We've got to understand people if we want to entertain them, right? So then, why did Ashley turn on the radio when she's got her favorite CDs sitting right next to her? Well...

Part of her morning routine is listening to Kidd Kraddick on Kiss while driving to her first class at the University of North Texas.

I'm not saying the technology behind AM and FM radio couldn't be improved. Certainly it could. We'd all prefer better reception and more dynamic audio. Cleaner audio! And what about song titles? How wonderful it would be if all radios had the technology to scroll artist info and song titles across the tuner's screen.

But, when it comes to a lack of listener passion for radio, technology is not the issue. Not in the least. After all, stations that connect with people are still alive and well, and those that don't are still flipping to format after format, going from quick-fix gimmick to quick-fix gimmick.

The issue is content.

Every time somebody signs up for satellite radio because they want to hear Opie and Anthony... or Howard Stern... or some kind of music that FM radio isn't playing... or because they hear too many commercials on AM/FM radio...

...the issue is content.

There is no quick fix. But there are plenty of long term solutions.

If you're a PD, hire compelling air talent and let them shine. Seek out new talent and help them to grow. There's plenty of talent out there. What we lack are teachers. We lack leaders. Maybe we lack places for leaders to shine. Oh, how tragic that would be.

If you're doing production, you need to create imaging that really speaks to people rather than just talking at 'em. Big voice, sayin' stuff. SFX SFX SFX!!! ...that's bad news. Great imaging starts with great copy. Challenge yourself to become the best writer you can.

If you're an air talent, seek out the PDs that appreciate talent. Seek out opportunities to do a show not a shift. If you have to do a liner card show so you can stay on the air, so be it - but get a website, get the strongest demo you possibly can, and market yourself, market yourself, market yourself until you find a place where you can use your talents. There are some great programmers in this biz - make sure they know who you are long before they even have an opening.

No matter what your position in the industry, always keep learning. Always keep looking for ways to connect with people. Connecting = winning.

Music radio isn't the be all and end all that it once was. And it's true that it never will be again. But that makes me no less optimistic about radio's future.

All radio needs to do is get back to the business of entertaining people.

Corporate needs to demand it.
Programmers need to develop it.
Air talent need to excel at it.
And we'll all have to work together to get it done.

As long as people have radios, radio's future can be bright.