8-30-2012
Earlier this week we gave you an example of a station using ad-insertion that sounded very clean and was executed well (WPRO-FM). Today we'd like you to take a listen to WAPE-FM which is a Cox outlet in Jacksonville, FL. When you launch the player, it begins with short, local video ad before jumping right into the stream. It was smooth sailing when the stopsets started rolling. The transitions were smooth and the audio levels were sound. While the user experience were up to broadcast standards the station stream did highlight two issues radio is dealing with when it comes to streaming
The first issue is the length of our stopsets. One commercial load contained 8 units, most of them sounded like 60's. And if they sounded like 60's to us, they sound like 60;s to a fickle listener. There also seems to be a common belief out there that online listeners cannot tolerate this many interruptions, which is why Pandora is sticking to a small number of units every hour and iHeartRadio doesn't play any (on the curation side). When radio mimics its on-air signal in terms of interruptions, does the turn off the listener?
The second issue was the content of the stopset. It's become very clear when discussing streaming with PD's and GM's all over the country that selling online ads is not as easy as some would like to have you think. During one of the WAPE.com online breaks we heard an anti-depression ad, a commercial for Progressive, Val-Pak and a local retail ad. Those ads were followed by a student loan relief 800#, joint supplement 800#, inventor 800# and fixitfast.servicemagic.com, before seamlessly re-joining the music. Not a lot of local Jacksonville ads in the break.
What are you doing with your stream? Let us know.
(8/31/2012 1:29:45 PM)
I'm not surprised at the solid stream from WAPE...Bill Hendrich is the market manager for Cox. He was one of the very first believers of maximizing radio's digital opportunity in 2000 and has continued to lead the way with new opportunities. As for local advertisers, I'll bet if you continue to listen, you'll hear plenty more. In response to Chuck: Listeners don't "want" the same promos and spots on the stream...in fact there's no way for them to know that they're different. It's just their favorite radio station.
(8/31/2012 12:55:50 PM)
What you folks continue to miss is that listeners want continuity... the same exact content including promos & commercial spots on both the streaming and terrestrial signals. One major issue with me is college football... stations sign deals with the college broadcast companies that prevent them from streaming the games. There is so much electrical interference in my home I cannot get AM or FM so I flip on WSB's streaming to listen to the Georgia game... sorry it's Clark Howard reruns because they can't stream the game
(8/31/2012 12:43:43 PM)
What you folks continue to miss is that listeners want continuity... the same exact content (including promos/commercial spots) on both the streaming and terrestrial signals. One major issue with me is college football... stations sign deals with the college broadcast companies that prevent them from streaming the games. There is so much electrical interference in my home I cannot get AM or FM so I flip on WSB's streaming to listen to the Georgia game... sorry it's Clark Howard reruns because they can't stream the game.
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