Facebook Coming After Small Businesses

6-5-14

There are 30 million active business pages on Facebook and now the company is making an effort to convert them to paying customers. Of course that means, like Pandora, they will be coming after local businesses. Ad Age has the details about Dan Levy, Facebook's director of small business, who's on a five-city tour, talking to small-business owners. One strategy Levy is suggesting is to experiment with social posts, find the ones that have some success, then pay for wider reach, using Facebook's "Boost Post" promotion tool. In Q4, one million of the 30 million business owners on Facebook became paying customers.

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Lovin' Life In Small Market America

7-23-13

Congratulations to the team at WCRE in tiny Cheraw, South Carolina (population 6,000), where the station that went on the air in 1953 just celebrated its 60th anniversary. The station was an AM daytimer back in the day and didn't go 24 hours until 1996. Today, the station is also heard on 93.9 via translator (W230AS). Over the years there were seven ownership changes before current owner Jane Pigg came along. Pigg says she wanted to serve the community and there is nothing like serving the community where you work. Pigg admits she had no idea how to be an owner, but with help from the previous owner and a run through the The NAB's "Broadcast Leadership Training" program, where she graduated 5th in the class of 2005, she was ready to take control. Here's the story of how Jane Pigg was able to go from salesperson to owner.

RI: Do you feel like it was the right decision to become an owner?
Pigg: Absolutely. I would never look back. It was absolutely the most perfect thing for me to do. I had the opportunity to go to a larger station and go into other industries. My preacher said, "Go where you can serve the most people." If I had gone to a big station and made gobs of money, I would've served myself. But serving the most people was at WCRE. When I went there, I basically went on faith, because I knew that I was going from making a six figure salary to making maybe $10,000 the first year.

RI: How challenging is it to own one AM station when everybody else owns four or five stations?
Pigg: First of all, we are located in no-man's land. There are no other radio stations. There's a station licensed to Cheraw, but it is a Florence station. There is no media here. The television market is split between the Charlotte DMA, but we're in South Carolina, so everybody watches the Florence stations. They only media in the whole region, is my station. We cover everything. People listen to us because they know we know what's going on, and we will get the word out.

RI: How are you are getting people to continue to listen on the AM dial?
Pigg: I'm going to throw a wrench into your story right now. We turned on the FM translator on April Fools Day of 2008. I know that probably 90 percent of my listeners are listening on the FM side. Every AM station deserves an FM signal because of the clarity. Radio has evolved into an FM signal. I don't want to put AM down. I really don't. But, I know from personal experience that the FM station is where my listeners are. If my FM station goes off the air for 30 seconds, I will have 30 phone calls. If my AM station goes off the air, I might have a phone call in 30 minutes. That is reality.

RI: What are your biggest challenges, being in a small market?
Pigg: One the biggest challenges would be franchised stores that place 100 percent of their advertising budgets, including the money that comes from the franchise located in our town, with the DMA and not here in Cheraw. The money goes to Charlotte or Florence. Supposedly "Cheraw can pick up off of that advertising." From an economic standpoint, we don't have as many locally owned stores as we had 10 years ago. Locally owned stores put money back into the community. Franchise stores don't put local money in the local community ? at least where we are. Some do, but most don't.

RI: Would you advise people to get into ownership like you did? Is it a great experience?
Pigg: It is a fabulous experience. I love owning a radio station. I like serving the community. I like selling things. I like to be able to go to a car dealership and put a campaign on the air and sell cars. I like to go to a dress store and sell dresses. But, when I can use the airways to inform the community and put something on the air that can make a difference in someone's life, that is what pushes my button, more so than selling the cars and the dresses.

WCRE has won many awards over the past 12 years, including the state?s highest honor from the South Carolina Broadcasters Association, ?South Carolina?s Radio Station of the Year,? and  has been named one of the top five Oldies format radio stations in America by the National Broadcasters Association. 

Congratulate Jane for being a great small market operator, janepigg@gmail.com
For more information on the NAB Leadership Program go here:  

(7/24/2013 9:12:11 PM)
I compliment Ms. Pigg on all she has accomplished and continues to do. Small and local is real radio today and not corporate-controlled and programmed i.e Cumulus or Clear Channel. Keep up the great work! Al Gordon 1640 WJPR Highland Park/Edison, NJ
(7/24/2013 3:34:37 PM)
There aren't many small market stations doing local radio in 2013 and I always make a point of tuning in WCRE to see how they're doing when I'm in the area.

Great work, Jane, and best of continued success to all of you!

(7/24/2013 3:33:37 PM)
As Jane mentioned, they added the translator in 2008, way before most operators even thought of the possibility and immediately repositioned the stations as My 93-9, an FM with a more modern, tighter playlist. Driving through the market one day I heard Susan Glimour play an obscure 80s song ("Everybody's Got to Learn Sometime" by The Korgis) on the noon request show and called to tell her how great she sounded... which was the truth!
(7/24/2013 3:32:58 PM)
I'm Operations Manager for Entercom Greensboro, NC and have been hearing WCRE for years on my drive from Greensboro to Florida when I go "home." At one time, the station was doing automated oldies, with a deep playlist and not many spots. Later, they began to reconnect with the community... lots of local information in drive times, local news, etc. They ran more spots and the station sounded alive. Still, as Jane says, it's tough to get it done on AM and the long term potential was an issue.
(7/24/2013 1:37:13 PM)
Hats off to ALL broadcasters who are fortunate enough to know the privileges and pleasures of being alone in small market. Our WRIP(FM) in Windham, NY (pop: 1,600) is the only station within 35 miles. We literally saved lives when Hurricane Irene washed away entire creekside neighborhoods in our area, homes and all. We've taken most every local advertiser away from the local weekly newspaper (which was not our intent - they are our friends.) It's so nice to be important and beloved!

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(SALES) Big Thinking In Small Markets

7-10-2013

Just because you work in a small market doesn?t mean you have to think small.

Small market broadcasters have a significant advantage over their cousins at the large and medium stations. This is because a business? gross margin of profit remains about the same whether it?s operating in a small, medium, or large market. For example, grocery stores try to operate on about an 18 percent gross margin whether they?re located in Los Angeles, CA, Austin, TX, or Mitchell, SD. And, average sales for groceries don?t fluctuate much between large, medium, and small markets.

Funeral homes operate on a 55 percent gross margin (after the cost of labor), regardless of whether they are operating in Atlanta, GA, Cleveland, OH, or Bartlesville, OK. And, the average cost for a funeral ($6,000) is about the same regardless of market size.

Furniture stores in all sizes of markets operate on a 44 percent gross margin. The average sale at a furniture store, regardless of market size, is around $800.

I just spoke with a plastic surgeon who lives and works in a small Iowa market. His gross margin is 50 percent. His average sale for liposuction is $3500 per zone sucked (there are eight zones). His average sale and gross margin would be the same if he worked in Dallas or Pittsburg.

So, if gross margins of profit and average sales are similar regardless of market size, what?s the small market advantage? Media costs. Compared to the rates in bigger towns and cities, small market rates are obviously very low. That means a small-market business owner can afford to own significant media inventory, a schedule he?d probably never be able to afford if he were working in a bigger market.
Bigger schedules usually get better results. Unfortunately, the only thing keeping clients from running bigger schedules is us. We?re not asking for bigger orders. We?re used to asking for $500 per month, instead of $500 per week.

?Why run a commercial every hour on these stations?? I say to the client. ?Because they let you, Mrs. Independent Businessperson. In this town you can afford to own your category on these stations,? I continue. ?So, why wouldn?t you take advantage of that? Here, you could afford to run as much or more than your biggest national competitor. With that kind of schedule and a good creative idea, when people think about your category, they?ll only think about you.?

The plastic surgeon fully understood what I was saying. ?Your average sale is $3500 and your gross margin is 50 percent. So, how many $1750s have to come through your clinic per thousand a week spent on advertising? It looks like a good calculated risk to me,? I said. He agreed. With that kind of money, he could afford to run a massive schedule to educate people on the benefits of liposuction and, at the same time, teach people to trust him and to like him. Instead of going to a larger market for the procedure, they can have it done by a big-city doctor right here in town.

The furniture store owner absolutely gets the concept. By spending $500 per week on his small-town station, he now owns his category. He has plenty of minute-long opportunities to teach people about his bistro tables, tilting armchairs, and indoor/outdoor furniture. He is now aware that to break even on his campaign, he only needs to catch one new fish per week.

Previously never a big advertiser, the funeral home director now sees the benefit of running a very competitive marketing campaign. Per thousand dollars per week spent, he only needs one or two new customers a month and he?s more than paid back for his advertising investment. Unscripted, he talks about the kinds of services that people request. He gives people ideas they can use when planning their own funerals. He lets the people know that he is a real human being with real emotions. This is important, if he is to survive his battle with a price-cutting corporate competitor.
The grocer now has a better way to deal with his biggest competitor, Wal-Mart. He can use vignettes of unscripted conversation to remind listeners that, unlike his competitor, all of his meat is cut fresh each day right there at his store. Unlike his competitor, he buys almost all of his produce locally. Unlike his corporate competitor, he participates in virtually every single local charitable event.

Even in small markets, big ideas deserve bigger budgets. Do the client?s marketing and advertising thinking for them. Then, ask them for real money. If you ask for more budget and back it up with calculated risk based on gross margins and average sales, you?ll find far less rate resistance than you think.

Paul Weyland helps broadcast stations bring in more long-term local direct business. Read his book Successful Local Broadcast Sales. Contact Paul at www.paulweyland.com or call him at 512 236 1222.

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Small Market Makes A Big Difference

2-18-2013

Kudos to WNCY in Appleton/Oshkosh/Green Bay, WI, for raising $214,203 last Thursday and Friday during the station's 16th annual Y100 Country Cares For St. Jude Kids Radiothon. Left to right in the attached photo of the check presentation are:  WNCY's Mike DuBord, Randy Allen, Dan Stone, Abby, Charli McKenzie, Bear, ALSAC St. Jude's Kristine Paca, and a happy client sponsor.

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Digital Making Gains But Still Relatively Small

19-7-2012

This may support the theory that committing too many resources to digital just isn't worth it yet. Or depending on how you look at it, it may also support the theory that radio is only getting a small portion of digital because of a lackluster effort. BIA/Kelsey is forecasting a 12.1% increase in digital revenue for radio in 2012. Certainly, that's a nice bump. However, the total dollar amount still remains small.

In 2012, BIA/Kelsey says that 12.1 % increase will bring radio up to $491 million, up from $438 million. What's hard to determine is how many of those dollars would have been spent on over-the-air radio if digital wasn't an option. Many in the industry are debating, discussing and meeting to decide how they can maximize revenue from their digital assets.

Another interesting part of this debate involves something you may not even be aware of. In the recent focus group conducted by Edison research, some of the digital advertising agencies he spoke to said they do not like to use radio websites because the stations are still hung up with posting the "babe of the day" photographs. These pictures, and this mentality for a radio station website, may be creating a sense of unprofessionalism for the entire industry, hampering radio's ability to grow digital revenue. If you haven't yet, you should watch ALL of the Edison videos.

At the Radio Show in Dallas, an entire day was dedicated to the digital discussion where broadcasters heard from vendors and digital experts on what they should do with their digital assets. The meeting was not part of the Radio Show agenda and neither the RAB or NAB sanctioned the meeting. No decisions were made other than an agreement to meet again.

Not everyone is sold on ad-insertion as of yet. Most broadcasters tell us they know they need to be streaming, but without scale, selling digital ads is not too lucrative for them. Vendors say the lack of willingness to invest in the technology or salespeople is the reason the numbers are so low. One vendor told us just this past Friday that a CEO was unwilling to spend one hour toward selling digital. He said that one hour alone would have resulted in tens of thousands of dollars in revenue. He added, "all industries face this sooner or later; when disruptive technology comes along, some will embrace it and succeed and many won?t and they eventually fail. That?s just the nature of how markets work but it doesn?t make it any easier when you are living in it." Radio people are pressed to do a lot more these days. Not to mention, the industry is hardly short of over-the-air inventory.

Among some of the other "digital" campaigns, many broadcasters we speak to seem to be more interested in is texting. Campaigns where stations can directly touch listeners, gather their opt-in user information and sell a sponsorship to a local sponsor. And with a texting campaign, you don't have to worry about music playing over commercials or 8 minutes of PSA's.

Just to make a comparison, for anyone interested, Pandora is projecting revenue for its current fiscal year to be $425 to $432 million.

(10/8/2012 2:23:24 PM)
What Al said...
If not us, who? If we don't supply the digital alternatives/additions for the clients' campaigns, someone else will. Is not every significant newspaper or TV station out there also pitching digital? Frankly, the fact that we as an industry get what we do with a "part time" sales staff is pretty impressive. What do the better radio sellers spend on digital, 5% of their time? Without dedicated digital sellers the percentages will stay small.
(10/8/2012 2:13:06 PM)
I think Radio has some smart managers and will improve at the brand extension side of Radio. It has become an expectation of heavy users of any product. I believe Radio is stuck in the classic "Innovator's Dilemma" where they are too close to the problem to see the solution. They start with a very large audience that many more profitable industries would be envious of-now there based solutions to create dollars for traffic that integrate seamlessly into Radio. One will have to go first.

(10/8/2012 12:01:51 PM)
It would be interesting to see the ratio of time/effort spent to achieve that revenue vs. the time/effort spent to achieve the broadcast revenue.

Given the amount of effort most broadcasters are putting into digital I'd guess that digital actually has a better ROI right now.

(10/8/2012 9:16:46 AM)
There is no debate here. Radio will use its traditional assets to become a local digital player or its share of media time and revenue will stay flat or fall. Why? Because radio audiences want to be served with digital products. We do it or others will. The only issue with the development of digital by radio stations is the commitment of top management. Anything new and disruptive needs focus. Some managers and owners get that, other don't.

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NAB Hosting Webcasts for Small Market Broadcasters

8-14-2012

The new series of webcasts is called "NAB Virtual Academy for Radio: Big Ideas for Small Markets." The series will include consultants, trainers, broadcasters, and personalities, with the first webcast taking place Tuesday, October 2. NAB Executive VP for Radio John David said, "The information presented will empower broadcasters to maximize their potential." The webcasts cost $49 per session or $99 for the three-session package.

Valerie Geller, president, Geller Media International, will host the first webcast, entitled, "Powerfully Engage and Grow Your Audience by Mastering Social Media." Geller will discuss low-cost, high-return social media tips that will allow small market radio stations to increase audience engagement, ratings, and advertiser response. Doug Stephan, host of "Doug Stephan's Good Day!" will provide opening remarks.

The second webcast, "Tips to Recruit and Retain the Best," takes place on November 15. Laurie Kahn, president and CEO, Media Staffing, will discuss how to effectively manage multiple properties, build a staff that will grow station revenue, and compete with other local employers. Steve Newberry, president and CEO, Commonwealth Broadcasting Corporation, will provide opening remarks. The final webcast, "Ten Ways to Master Managing Multiple Stations," will include organizational and human resource advice and cost-cutting strategies.

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Meet The Best Small Market PDs in America

8/7/2012

In the August 27 issue of Radio Ink magazine we name the Best Program Directors in America. The issue is broken up into several categories: Vice Presidents of Programming, Major Markets, Large Markets, Medium Markets, and Small Markets. Each PD had to be nominated by someone. From there we judged their accomplishments,  what their employers or supervisors had to say, and how they responded to our questions. In our Small Market category (76 and up) Saga Communications Springfield PD Rob Cressman is No. 1. Cressman has bee in radio for 26 years, 18 of them as a program director. Here's more from our No. 1 Rob Cressman.

What was your first job?
I was a news anchor and reporter for what was then full-service WFVA, in Fredericksburg, VA. I worked as a college intern in the WFVA news department during summer and holiday breaks and was later hired as the station's full time midday announcer.

What should a well-programmed radio station sound like?
Great radio stations are points of reference. They sound as linked to their locations as Bourbon Street to New Orleans or the Golden Gate to San Francisco. The best-programmed radio stations reflect the sounds of their streets, their towns, and their neighborhoods. Their communities are on the air introducing the next song, raving about a new city councilman, or grumbling about how sick they are of hearing that Katy Perry song again. Great-sounding radio stations are funny and self-deprecating, serious and trustworthy. They are what they say they are. Great-sounding radio stations are well produced and impeccably imaged. Here, they never rest. The scenes they illustrate and the stories they tell elicit emotion and response. Well-programmed stations are highly visible and always accessible. They develop and host experiences that transcend the airwaves to become hallmarks in their communities.

What does the station mean to your listeners?
Listeners depend on radio stations to make accurate choices for them regarding music, hosts, contests, and promotions. The alignment between anticipation and delivery cultivates affinity and allegiance. So we always look for new ways to provide opportunities for the audience to actively participate. We want listeners to interact and share their experiences with other listeners. The station should be a place of candid conversation, music discovery, real-time information, and entertainment. It should be a diversion from the tension and tedium of everyday life. Listeners depend on our stations to let them know when concert tickets go on sale, and they expect us to take the lead in providing news and relief efforts in times of local emergencies or natural disasters. Listeners identify mutual interests and shared lifestyles with our stations' personalities. Developing these solid relationships is integral to building trust and success.

For more insight like this, order Radio Ink magazine now by calling 561-655-8778 or by ordering online HERE.
Congratulate Rob for a job well done HERE
See our entire listing of small market PD's HERE

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Small Changes in Triton Monthly Ranker

5-30-2012

Triton Digital released its monthly ranker for April online listening yesterday and, compared to March, other than a big jump from Slacker, there wasn't a lot movement. The top five companies in both March and April were Pandora, Clear Channel, CBS, Cumulus and Slacker. Based on "Active Average Sessions," (6A-8P Monday - Friday) Slacker radio went from 51,674 in March to 63,069 in April. Pandora and Clear Channel were slightly up while CBS and Cumulus were down. See the entire Triton top 20 ranker HERE

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Small Markets Make Big Gains

4-10-2012

Small markets may not be what CBS is looking for but according to BIA/Kelsey, they performed quite well in 2011. Several small and mid-size markets flourished in 2011, according to the BIA report released yesterday. The Portland, Maine market, for example, had the largest increase in revenues over 2010, with $25.4 million, or 22.8 percent. Worcester, Massachusetts, posted a 15.8 percent increase, with $12.9 million in revenue, followed by Ann Arbor, Michigan, a 10.5 percent increase with $6.1 million in revenue, and Providence-Warwick-Pawtucket, Rhode Island, where revenue grew to $45.3 million, a 9.9 percent increase over 2010.

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Radio Fills News Void in Small Vermont Community

12-27-2011

(by Ed Ryan)

If you search hard enough, there are still stations out there doing the "minor league" training our industry needs to grow the next generation of successful broadcasters. That, despite the many loud cries that corporate radio is killing that concept. WBTN-AM could be considered one of those stations. Then again, the volunteer voices heard in Bennington Vermont may like what they're doing so much, they may never want to leave for corporate America. Air shifts at this 1K daytimer are covered by local residents who also have full-time jobs. One person is a singer, another a psychologist and even the Superintendent of schools has a show. WBTN Executive Director John Likakis (pictured) says everything is locally produced and almost everyone on the air has no radio experience. WBTN-AM has become that small town's only source for real local news and information.

                    LISTEN TO OUR INTERVIEW WITH JOHN LIKAKIS ABOUT WBTN HERE

Director of Sales Ted Hollo tells Radio Ink, as a non-profit, our focus is entirely on service to the local communities. "Topics range from medicine and law to the arts and local history. School closings and the school lunch menu are included every weekday early in the morning so parents can make necessary adjustments in their schedules." The annual budget for the station is $155,000.

Hollo says "open forum programming gives listeners an opportunity to call in and state their case, their opinions and their concerns. We give voice to many non-profit and charitable organizations and share in efforts to help feed the hungry and direct seniors to programs that especially benefit them."

WBTN also provides emergency information in times of crises. Hallo says during Irene, Likakis and two station volunteers stayed on the air for twelve hours to keep residents informed. "Following the storm, air time was immediately set aside for interviews with the Town Supervisor and representatives from FEMA to outline relief measures, and what steps needed to be taken for Government assistance along with updates on road and bridge repair, water main repair and  electrical service. For all of these efforts, the Vermont Association of Broadcasters gave John a Community Service Award in October of this year."

Reach out to John Likakis and congratulate him on his work via e-mail at john@wbtnam.org

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How To Win Big In A Small Market

11-29-2011

Robert Wynne is the President of Wynne Broadcasting Company, a cluster of five radio stations in Klamath Falls, Oregon. In the most recent issue of radio Ink magazine Wynne was voted one of Radio's top managers for 2011. Wynne has put in years of tireless dedication to the radio business. His detailed concern for what his station puts out over the air every day and dedication to the local community were just a few of the traits that put him on our list for this year. He says those two things are more important than titles or personal benefits. "I buy the best equipment we can afford, devote resources to multiple backups of our equipment plants for consistency, carefully scrutinize every minor detail of anything that affects our image and give back to the community in every way I can. I pay close attention to all aspects of my operation on a daily basis but also spent abundant time envisioning and creating future plans and strategic alliances."

What are you most proud of about your people and station(s)?
I am most proud of the integrity, consistency, longevity and dedication that I see every day from my people. We have an outstanding Program Director that has been waking up our community on our Soft Rock station for the better part of his career. His dedication and commitment to not just our stations, but our community is something that makes me proud every day. In addition I am blessed to have key employees leading my Traffic and Sales departments as well. Again, these are people that have been with the stations for a long time and are truly dedicated to serving our clients, listeners and our community. These people have a passion for radio and it shows.

I am proud of the fact that my stations are locally owned and operated. Todays radio world is dominated by giant radio corporations and out of town owners. A local operation and owner such as myself is becoming increasingly rare in our industry.

Although we are in a small market, I am proud of the fact that year to date we have donated over $200,000 in airtime to help local groups and organizations make our community a better place to live. In the last three years of this difficult economy we have donated over $650,000 in airtime to our community. I can hold my head up high anytime our stations or my broadcast group name is mentioned in public and feel blessed we have been able to help our community by our commitment to local public service.

Describe the makeup of a successful GM/Market Manager in Radio
A successful GM/Market Manager must be versed in all aspects of the radio stations he or she is leading. By definition, the owners of most radio stations believe the GM must be strong in sales and relationship building in the community. However, they must also be capable in all departments, Traffic, On Air, Production, Accounting, Engineering, IT and Marketing. A successful GM/Market Manager must be able to talk intelligently to all employees in every department and truly lead the team by example, dedication and the ability to ?roll up their sleeves? and help out in any situation. A successful GM/Market Manager must also have the ability to envision the big picture and develop and constantly modify a strategic plan for success without getting mired down in marginal situations.

What is it about YOU that makes you successful?
Never ask anyone to do something that you are not willing to do yourself. The dirtiest jobs in a radio station are an important part of what makes the whole system work. I believe I am successful because of the tireless dedication to the radio business that I have built over the years. I am more concerned about our on air product and our reputation in the community than I am about titles and personal benefits. We may be in a small market but that is no reason to think small. I buy the best equipment we can afford, devote resources to multiple backups of our equipment plants for consistency, carefully scrutinize every minor detail of anything that affects our image and give back to the community in every way I can. I pay close attention to all aspects of my operation on a daily basis but also spent abundant time envisioning and creating future plans and strategic alliances.

What will the top three challenges of 2012 be for radio managers?
Number one?.keeping radio local and relevant. As the number of music, news and entertainment distribution options continue to increase it is imperative that local radio super serves the local community on all levels. It is all about local content and programming. As the saying goes ?All politics is local??.and the same applies to radio in the future. Your station may sound and look great but if it is not a relevant part of your local listeners day to day life your future is rather bleak.

Number two?finding and keeping talented people. The amount of talented people entering radio as a career has fallen to dangerous levels. We are seeing a new generation that has no interest in working in radio and the unique challenges that make it a business that ?gets in your blood?. As each year passes it will become harder and harder to find capable individuals dedicated to our business.

Number three?understanding and embracing the technological advances and creations that lie ahead and having the wisdom to embrace those that can advance our local image and disregard those that offer no practical improvement to our core audience. We need to understand that not everything new and shiny should be embraced with our limited budgets. Some may look or sound great but in reality offer a very limited return on investment and affect a minimal portion of our precious audience.

Reach out to Wynne HERE to congratulate him or discuss his successes.

(11/29/2011 11:38:55 PM)
I've Had the pleasure of knowing Bob for many years, I consider him a friend and a true professional at what he does. He works hard within our community and I consider him a great asset to our town. I've had the opportunity to work with him on large event we produce and his character, honesty, and integrity along with his imput have largley helped in it's success.
(11/29/2011 7:26:18 PM)
Thank you for wanting to keep the LOCAL in RADIO!!!!

(11/29/2011 4:24:45 PM)
"I buy the best equipment we can afford, devote resources to multiple backups of our equipment plants for consistency, carefully scrutinize every minor detail of anything that affects our image and give back to the community in every way I can. I pay close attention to all aspects of my operation on a daily basis but also spent abundant time envisioning and creating future plans and strategic alliances."

This type of commitment separates the doers from the posers. Worth pondering and sharing!

- Rod Schwartz - Grace Broadcast Sales(11/29/2011 11:45:50 AM)
Dear Robert: Advance to the cloning department - immediately. Well said.
(11/29/2011 11:06:02 AM)
AMEN, Robert! AMEN!

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Clear Channel Promotes Small Business Saturday

Clear Channel Radio CEO John Hogan said ?Clear Channel is participating in Small Business Saturday because local merchants are the lifeblood of the communities in which we live and work, and are integral to the health of our economy. Our radio stations are deeply rooted in hundreds of distinct communities across the country.  We are harnessing the power of our national voice, our relationships between on-air talent and loyal listeners and local community leaders, as well as our unique programming initiatives, to drive consumers to shop at their local small businesses this November 26th.?

Clear Channel?s Small Business Saturday activities, which will launched yesterday and run through November 26th. Activities include:
?         Public Interest Campaign ? Clear Channel?s 850 radio stations launched an on-air public interest campaign that includes a series of messages from select public officials as well as recent survey data affirming the important impact small businesses have on the economy.
?         On-Air Advocacy by Station Personalities ? Personalities will serve as advocates and drive listeners to action by championing SBS on-air and online, encouraging listeners to pledge to shop small on Facebook and buy local. 
?         Local Small Business Stories ? Local stations will develop and air compelling, market-specific radio spots that showcase local business success stories which show first-hand how these businesses fuel the economy and support our communities.  The spots will include highly customized local stories that celebrate individual community merchants. 
?         Social Media and Digital Integration ? Clear Channel?s digital sites, including iHeartRadio as well as individual radio station websites and Facebook pages, will feature dynamic Small Business Saturday digital content, including banners, pre-roll video, homepage takeovers and a digital countdown to SBS.  Local stations will also deploy Twitter and Facebook to drive attendance to events in their communities.
?         Local Advisory Board Activities ? Stations will activate their Local Advisory Boards, which are comprised of diverse civic leaders, elected officials and activists, to encourage members to spread the word about SBS and engage local government to do more to support small businesses.
?         Community Events ? Clear Channel will support local Small Business Saturday events in a number of local markets through on-air mentions, promotions and station remotes hosted by Small Business Saturday?s coalition partner Women Impacting Public Policy (WIPP).  Stations will also tweet updates from the activities. 

?Our goal is to stimulate small business sales on the biggest shopping weekend of the year by reminding listeners of the impact on their communities,? added Hogan.  ?The campaign is also intended to give a bigger voice to small business owners.?

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Small Market Station Raises Big Money.

In the tiny town of Liberty, New York, Country station WDNB, owned by Bold Gold Media, raised $42,000 for St. Jude's Children's hospital. Thunder 102 held its first ever Country Cares For St. Jude?s Kids Radiothon. The Country Cares Radiothon ran from 6 am to 7 pm each day and was sponsored by M & M Auto Group, Yellow Cab, Formaggio Cheese, Catskill Regional Medical Center, Hilltop Homes and Bethel Woods Center For The Arts.

Besides the actual days of the Radiothon, over 50 businesses throughout Thunder Country sold Bethel Woods Country Cares For St. Jude?s Kids Boot Cards for a minimum $1 donation.  In all, ThunderHeads raised over $42,000 for St. Jude Children?s Research Hospital during two emotionally charged, but inspiring days.  Paul Ciliberto, New York Market Manager and host of Ciliberto & Friends, was in tears as Danny Thomas? voice closed out the final moments of the 1st Annual Thunder 102 Country Cares Radiothon, ?With all that has happened in our community?Hurricane Irene, a tropical storm and flooding?our ThunderHeads still found the time to reach out to help others while in need themselves.  I say it time and time again, but our ThunderHeads never cease to amaze me!?

St. Jude?s Children?s Research Hospital was founded by entertainer Danny Thomas and opened in 1962. Its mission?to find cures for children with cancer and other catastrophic diseases through research and treatment.  In 1989, Randy Owen, a member of the country group Alabama, met with founder Danny Thomas who asked him to play a part in curing childhood cancer and Country Cares was born.  Throughout the two day Radiothon, there were many from the Country Music Industry calling in to show support for St. Jude and Thunder 102?s efforts on St. Jude?s behalf.  Everyone from up and coming artist Amber Hayes to charting artists, such as Josh Thompson, called in, 26 in all, but the most special of these calls took place early Friday when Paul Ciliberto picked up the line to be greeted by Country Cares founder Randy Owen who called in with words of encouragement, hope and thanks.

Has your station pulled off a great community event? You deserve the recognition. Send all details to edryan@radioink.com

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Small Catskill Station Makes Big Mark on Community.

Dennis Jackson started WRIP from an FCC application filed 1996. Local legend Guy Patrick Garraghan convinced Jackson that a new local station was viable, and so became the General Manager and morning man." According to Jackson, "It was a station with a staff of two, because we weren't sure how it would be received, since there had never been a radio station within 35 miles of rural but growing Windham, NY before. But Guy was a beloved local figure, so everyone listened and the station took off." And live and local is exactly what this small upstate community needed when Irene swept through town. And that' exactly what they got.

"Jay Fink joined WRIP in 2002. "When Garraghan died suddenly last year, Fink stepped in to become VP/General Manager. When hurricane Irene moved up the coast, Fink prepared to ride the storm out overnight and confirm that the station's emergency generator kicked in if power was lost. Forecasts to that point had only called for 6 inches of rain, but by daybreak the region was on its way to receiving a record foot of rainfall in about 10 hours. Coverage began Sunday morning as listeners reported rapidly rising waters from the only creek carrying runoff from nearby mountains. By 9 AM Sunday, power was lost and Fink was stranded at the studio. WRIP remained on generator as Fink broadcast solo for 13 hours, fielding calls from frightened listeners and passing on information from first responders and officials on the ground. All week, Fink spearheaded coverage with morning man Joe Loverro, office manager and town historian Patti Morrow, and Sonny Rock, host of "Local Licks," where area musicians play live in-studio Tuesday evenings. By the end of the week, he was hoarse."

Jackson says "Obviously it brings a sense of pride that Jay, Joe, Patti and Sonny worked to exhaustion, and with the result that they were able to bring comfort and safety to so many, as well as the reassurance that people were not alone even in the midst of a major natural disaster. They deserve the highest commendation." And they have been getting the kudos they deserve, written up in the New York Times.

Jackson says Jay Fink (pictured) is one of those guys who puts other people first and will work to exhaustion when it matters so much to others in the community. "That's what he did. He and his team connected residents, people who were stranded, town officials, volunteers, emergency workers, FEMA, the National Guard, etc.  What he did was to show people how to use radio effectively in an emergency like this. He helped everyone involved to contribute their best."

But the small team at WRIP did much more than just sit in the studio giving out important telephone numbers. Just west of Windham, the small town of Prattsville, New York was leveled. Jackson says many Prattsville residents felt abandoned. "The Town Supervisor told us it would mean a lot if we could do a broadcast from there. Joe and Sonny went live from Prattsville most of Sunday, letting people tell their stories on the air, and relaying information about needed volunteers and supplies information. It really helped bring people together, and made them aware of how much others do care." Often what is needed is hands; people to do physical work. Many people have stepped forward to volunteer, and the station is being used as a clearing house. People want to help others. A regional disaster brings out the best in many of us. People are grateful that we were there for them. We serve a group of "Mountaintop" communities that feels somewhat isolated from the Hudson Valley below.

The station Facebook  page has been flooded with comments from the community. And local officials are referring questions to the station website at http://wrip979.com, which is updated in real time by volunteer webmaster Andy Mack on a laptop from his fulltime job in Albany."

Jackson talks about about how special and selfless the radio industry behaves when situations like this arise. "I think it is most important for small market stations who can unite their communities at such times, and also for the news/information stations in larger markets, to be willing to let their staffs on the ground in their local markets step up to the plate on their own. Many do, and they really shine! The staffers who get creative and then do the hard work should be fully credited by their companies and by a grateful public. WRIP is highly visible, but it is not alone. There are a lot of dedicated men and women in radio awaiting their opportunity to do what our people have been doing." 

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Helping Small Markets Win The Big Battle

July 13, 2011

I've only written two blogs for Radio Ink and yet my inbox was almost immediately filled with questions about dealing with things through a small market filter. I have been spending so much time with Google plus this week, it seemed like a good time to answer a few of the questions instead of expounding on Google+, which was the original plan. So here goes. Names held to protect the innocent from their bosses.
I do mornings in a small market that is under the influence of a major market. Their signals all get in here and I have virtually no chance of having the tools that they have. My PD doesn't have a plan but I want to win, or at least TRY to win here. What would be the first thing you would concentrate on?
KM: That's an easy answer with a tough follow through for you. The main thing that you have that they don't is ACCESS. You have ACCESS to your listeners on a personal and local level. SPEAK TO THAT. Every show prep session focus more than 2/3 of your show on local content and local events. I am assuming that this major market is within 50-75 miles? If so, that means that the listeners are also under the influence of that citie's events and festivals. It is only natural to be shifted by those events during your prep sessions. Focus your attention on what you can do there in your town. Local contests, something that requires YOU to be out in the public are always helpful but as far as your morning show goes; you need to make every effort to bring in local people, talk about local events, make an emotional connection locally and personally. Don't be cookie cutter and don't try to imitate the big guys that are on the dial.

I am a PD in a small market, and have a question regarding social media and streaming. How do you handle people from out of the market entering your contests? We have had three winners from more than 100 miles away in the past year. I feel like I am wasting my schwag on them.
KM: That's GREAT! That must mean that your streaming strategies are working and you are connecting with people from outside your broadcast circle. That is a good thing! We live in an ever shrinking world. They way I handle this is by taking the stats of our web stream to our sales manager. It gives them the understanding that there is a base of people out there that could be reached by our sales department. It might mean a day trip a few days each month or hiring someone specifically to sell those outside towns. Web streams can be a significant revenue stream if you have an ENLIGHTENED sales department that isn't living in the 80s. We have built a REGIONAL station. We position it as regional, and we like it like that. The point of streaming in the first place is to connect with people that can't otherwise hear you. Keep up the great work and remember that!

Whatever happened to small markets being a bed of talent?
KM: I was just discussing this this other day with a PD friend. When I started, small markets were kind of like the minor leagues. I worked my way up from an unrated market to a Top 100, then to a major. It was a right of passage. You learned the craft and moved up. Now it seems that small markets are populated by people that are doing the job because they were local people that had been recruited by management and have never done the job before or by older jocks who are on the downside of their career. There doesn't seem to be the young hungry kids who love the business and want to learn and move up.

I had a meeting last week with an under-performing staff member who actually said to me that she didn't CARE if she got better because she would just go back to her old career if this "didn't work out." I would love to see small market owners take the responsibility of grooming younger people to carry the torch. After all, they grew up in a digital world. They know more about social networking, connecting with people and global issues than most anyone else. Why not take that knowledge and let them mold it around a radio career? Why not USE that knowledge to better a small market station. Take a chance. GIVE a chance. The only way our industry survives is by passing the info that we have to the younger generation and let them take THEIR skills and mesh the two.

Kit Mann (The Kit Mann Morning Show) can be reached at 214-702-MANN http://www.kitmannmorningshow.com or http://www.facebook.com/kitmannrocks or http://twitter.com/kitmannrocks

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5 Tips To Make a Small Market Station Sound Big

June 27, 2011

by Kit Mann

When there were no such options such as Facebook, Pandora, Smart Phones, iPods and tablet apps, the small market listener would accept what was thrown at them by the two or three music stations that inhabited their markets. Stations were programmed by the owner or the owner?s son with very little attention paid to what was going on in the rest of the world.

Today, this approach to small market radio is akin to business suicide. Today?s small market listener has just as many options as their larger market comrades.  They will not simply support the local station because it is what they grew up listening to. They will just log on to their device and go elsewhere. Therefore it becomes the small market station?s responsibility to their advertisers to put out a quality product that can compete with what is available to the populace of their market.

Here are the five quickest ways to begin to build a station that sounds and performs like the other options available.

Local information, but don?t overdo it. Tight, focused news in morning drive with a locally driven content needs to be delivered in a large market, headline style. Focus on things that elicit loyalty; sports, local big stories and economic news. Any newscast that last longer than two or three minutes is a turn off. If the listeners want details, send them to your web portal for detailed stories. Get in, get out.Decide what you are, and be that.  Tight, smart play lists are the key. If you say that you are a rock station, stop playing old Motown songs just because the owner?s wife likes Motown. If you are Top 40, play the TOP 40 songs. Don?t pick and choose based on what you like personally. There are too many on demand options out there to steal your listeners when you stray from your format. Variety is ok; chaos will chase ?em away.Entertain and challenge with your morning show. Train and allow your morning show to elicit emotional responses. It is no longer good business for your morning show to be safe and beloved. It is perfectly ok?in fact desirable ? for your morning show to take chances and push buttons. Temper this with charitable events and make them part of the community. On the air though, they need to be trained to sound and act like the stars that you need them to be. Production counts. The number two biggest issue in small markets is the fact that commercial production is treated as a throw away. It is a full THIRD of your air sound, yet it is the first thing to be compromised. The spots need to sound like the station. Nothing sounds worse than a rock station playing cold voice commercials or spots with country music beds. Small markets have GOT to stop letting clients voice their own spots. Do they get to go into the local restaurant and cook their own food? Do they get to pull up to the local mechanic and fix their own cars? Train them to let the professionals do their job and then RAISE THE BAR on production values.Finally. IMAGING! The biggest difference between small market sound and big market sound is imaging. There are literally hundreds of voice guys looking for stations to image. One hundred dollars a month will go a long way to improving the presentation of your station. Go listen to a big market station online. Listen to what they say BETWEEN the songs. These things need a steady hand and a committed ownership, but do it right and there is no reason for small market stations to get trampled under the wheels of the big machine. Change is not coming, it is already here. We need to give our listeners a better product than they can get online and the loyalty will build.

Kit Mann is the morning host and program director of KBPY in Chadron, NE. A brand new signal that he built from the ground up this year. Or Facebook.com/kitmannrocks. Or on Twitter at kitmannrocks

(6/27/2011 5:05:55 PM)
Good stuff, Kit. And, if we're being honest, there are stations in some larger markets who could use your advice.
(6/27/2011 4:52:34 PM)
Imaging voice for $100 a month? You'll get what you pay for. Step up to at least $200 and you'll BEGIN to get someone good. The best people wil not even work for that.
(6/27/2011 4:15:07 PM)
This is great information for us small markets! Thanks Kit.

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Small Market Owner Hit With $15K Fine. Quarterly Issues Missing.

June 20, 2011

WLSW owner Stanley Wall fails to maintain the file and the commission slaps the big fine on the Scottsdale, PA operator. In response to a 2010 inspection Wall told the FCC some of the files were removed and he committed to replacing the files and putting together new files for the items he did not have copies of. The FCC returned for a follow-up inspection early this year and found the station was still missing 17 quarters. Wall told the commission the files were moved to storage and claimed that some of the files were damaged when a roof collapsed at the storage area. The commission didn't buy any of the explanations and hits Wall with a $15,000 fine.

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