PPM is Your Friend
by Dan Sileo
With all the years it's taken me to become a pretty decent radio person, I began to wonder just how long I can continue to do a job that's become a great passion. Even with 21 years behind me I'm still looking for ways to improve my product. The number one way we can all improve is to learn the winning ways according to the PPM.
PPM of course has become such an imporant tool in how radio shows are gauged today, it's important for every host that was under the old Arbitrion system to change as quickly as possible. If not, that host will surely be changed as soon as the GM can find someone who does understand it. My advice: If you don't know, go to your PD and ask how the system works. If he doesn't know, he's the wrong PD and the ratings on your station must be low.
Here's a trick I started about a year ago. So far, it seems to be keeping me in the 25-54 Men demo that most radio companies want their host to be in. I've listened to some of the great radio people over the years and the one thing that runs them out of the business the quickest is their reference points. I can tell when I hear a host who's been at the game for some time just by listening to their refenernce points. When a radio host uses reference's like Mickey Mantle or Jackie Robinson, today's listeners have zero clue what the host is talking about.
Here's a great example. Instead of using Joe Montana as a reference point use Robert Griffin III. It will keep you sounding relavent and in the present. Get with your producer and always make sure you are referncing athletes of today, not 50 years ago or, for me, even athletes I played against in the NFL 25 years ago. A good PD and producer always work together on these details. It goes a long way in making the best show you can possiblly put on.
Look at the content of the show you're presenting to your listeners. Does it sound out-dated? Are the athletes you talk about dead? Are you playing old music? If we've learned anything from PPM it's that listeners have crazy habits on how they listen to radio. Learn from the amazing information PPM is now giving us. DONT FORGET: "THE LEAST AMOUNT OF RESISTANCE GIVES US THE BEST FORMULA FOR SUCCESS."
Dan Sileo, also known as "The Bonecrusher," is a sports talk show host who has worked at KGO & KNBR-WDAE and WQAM. He can be reached at Umiam93@yahoo.com and on Twitter at @dansileoshow
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