7-2-2012
In an unrelated item, Clear Channel will be announcing the lineup for the 2012 iHeartRadio Music Festival in Las Vegas next Monday. Ryan Seacrest will be making the announcement, across Clear Channel stations on July 9th. Think Justin Bieber will be one of the 2012 performers announced?
Nothing lasts forever, as they say, and last week Cumulus and Jack Silver parted company. Silver had been the long-time programmer for KLOS and KABC in Los Angeles. He has many years of programming knowledge and experience under his belt, having gotten his first PD gig when he was in his 20s. He also worked as a producer for Rick Dees at KIIS-FM. Silver says that opened the door to his talent coaching business and eventually running FM talk stations and music stations with major morning shows like Brandmeier, Stern, Carolla, and Mark & Brian We wanted to pick his brain and help spread the knowledge, so here are five killer questions with Jack Silver.
How has programming a station changed since your first year compared to this last year.
The basics of programming haven't really changed but the game has. PPM changed the game in many ways. It rewards solid programming basics like clock management and playing the hits. Also, the ownership changes have evolved the business as well. Finally, the people part of the job is still the best part... working with talent on a daily basis is my favorite part. Worrying about "making the quarter"? Not so much.
What were/are the three greatest accomplishments as a programmer for you and why?
Just recently, the growth I was able to accomplish at KLOS was pretty amazing. I hadn't done music radio in a while, but I just used the tactics I learned from guys like Steve Rivers and Kevin Weatherly and they worked! Increases in all demos and dayparts. Then, the growth of 97.1 The FM Talk Station in Los Angeles was damn fun. After Howard Stern dubbed the station "Radio Hindenburg," everyone thought I was crazy to accept the programming job. But in the end, we built a strong station after Howard with great talent like Tom Leykis, and the station was a monster in adults and men. Plus, one year we billed $50 million! And I guess back in the day, being part of flipping KMEL in San Francisco to Top 40 was pretty cool. Today, KMEL is one of the best music stations in America and I got to be a part of that switch with Rivers and Keith Naftaly until I moved on to KFRC!
What's the pressure like programming in market 2?
I've been lucky to do radio in large markets so I don't know the difference! I like "major market sounding" radio so the stations I'm involved in fit the big-city profile. Actually, radio in Los Angeles can be easier as there are so many ad dollars available. But you need a strong sales staff and managers like Bob Moore and others who can cash in on the available revenue.
Is PPM good or bad for radio?
Having followed the system since it was first announced and debuted in Philly, all I can say is that it has its pros and cons. The pros are that you see how people really use radio: they pop around, they push buttons, they are fickle. But we always knew that, didn't we. The other positive is that you can see results or lack of results quicker in PPM than in the diary world. I think the con of PPM is that now everyone just wants to be the "exposure listening station," playing in retail establishments etc., so they get credit when, in reality, I like stations that are very foreground, and are chosen by the P1s by their choice. Either way, the methodology is here to stay and you have to learn the tricks in order to cash in on a PPM world.
Who should young people follow and look up to these days?
I have two sons. One who just graduated college and is now working in the digital space for a company, and the other who is headed to college to study computer programming. I tell them to look up to companies like Apple, Berkshire Hathaway, and the Disney company, and follow their growth and corporate culture. As for the stars in our industry, I think Ryan Seacrest is a good example for young people in that he created a brand and a business model that will work under any ownership changes that may be coming our way.
Silver is not retiring. He says he has a passion for the business and making great radio on a daily basis. He plans to be back in the game soon. And make sure you look for programming articles from Silver in upcoming issues of Radio Ink magazine. Reach out to Jack via e-mail: jackesilver@aol.com
Add a Comment | View All Comments Send This Story To A Friend
6-30-2012
Yesterday, a study underwritten by Katz and conducted by the University of Southern California's Annenberg school for communication, could be used as a great sales piece for every salesperson hitting the street. The study confirmed what most people already know, that consumers turn to radio because they have a connection with their favorite personality. More importantly for sellers, nearly 1 out of every two respondent said they considered purchasing a product when their favorite personality recommended it. Here are more details from that study.
USC-Annenberg School for Communication and Journalism professor Paula Patnoe Woodley talks about the study. ?Our findings underscore the depth of the relationship, loyalty, and trust between listeners and radio personalities. This connection can be a significant benefit for radio station advertisers as demonstrated by the significant number of study respondents who have considered or purchased services or products advertised during radio shows or recommended by favorite on-air personalities.?
Co-author of the study Lauren Movius added, ?With more than half of the respondents saying their favorite radio personality influences their opinion, it is clear that parasocial interaction, or listeners? feelings that they have real relationships with radio on-air personalities, definitely exists.?
Here are detailed results from the study:
? 75 percent of study respondents reported that they turn on the radio because they know their favorite personality is on the air;
? 72 percent of respondents talk to their friends about their favorite personality or what they heard on the program;
? Notably, listener engagement extended into the online realm, with nearly 70 percent of study participants reporting that they follow their favorite radio personalities and/or radio stations via social media channels;
? Nearly half (47%) of all respondents considered or purchased products recommended by their favorite radio personalities;
? More than half (51%) considered or purchased a product advertised during their favorite personality?s show; and
? Fully 82 percent of study participants expressed feelings and exhibited behaviors consistent with the phenomenon known as ?parasocial identification.?
The web-based study that was underwritten by the Katz Radio Group was conducted in November 2011 and was completed by Woodley Communications and the University of Southern California?s Annenberg School for Communication and Journalism. More than 600 study participants completed all relevant measures; participation was incentivized via entry into a random drawing to win one of five $100 Amazon.com gift certificates. The survey sample was comprised of 70 percent women and 30 percent men, with 66 percent of participants reporting their age as between 18-34 and 90 percent of participants between 18-49 years of age. Survey sample demographics closely aligned with the composition of the Los Angeles population, with respondents consisting of 45 percent Hispanic, 8 percent Asian, 4 percent African-American, and 43 percent other (compared with 48 percent Hispanic, 11 percent Asian, 9 percent African-American, and 42 percent other, according to the most recent U.S. Census). The complete study results are available at www.katz-media.com.
Add a Comment Send This Story To A Friend
6-29-2012
By Loyd Ford
Radio could use video much more effectively and often. It does not require a lot of time or effort in 2012 to make good video that listeners will be interested in and post it to social media sites so listeners are encouraged to participate in your brand. While there are less people to do more work, products like Video Flip make it quick and easy to take advantage of video on social media platforms to engage listeners with the fun of our business. Remember: Everyone does not have a job like yours. Use the fun to bring people to you.
Here are the 12 commandments of video for radio:
1. Use video to show listeners and clients how effective and exciting radio is on a daily basis.
2. Make video blogs for personalities.
3. Do video interviews backstage or even phone interviews with stars. Listeners love to be "inside."
4. Post videos to Facebook with a lead-in back to your station website.
5. Use creativity by using video to film listener "happenings" or staged events, big or small.
6. Put video in an email to your loyal listener database when you have an upcoming concert event or some special backstage footage after a show.
7. Video different staff members or the staff together with holiday messages for 4th of July, Christmas, etc. Post them to Facebook and Twitter.
8. Use video to show "backstage" at the radio station.
9. Use "cause video." You or someone on your team may be close to a cause in your market or just simply of interest to your life group. Post a video related to helping this cause.
10. Video a radio station tour.
11. Post video of station events or promotions to YouTube.
12. Have one of your personalities do a video review of music or products of interest to your target.
You can make the most of social media and grow participation on Facebook, Twitter, your website and also on-air by using video. Get started for about $100 if you don't have a video flip.
I talk about this all the time to clients. We are in a "backstage business." Listeners will absolutely flock to us if we will show them a little love. Video is a great way to do that. Good luck!
Loyd Ford programmed very successful radio brands in markets of all sizes for years, including KRMD AM & FM in Shreveport, WSSL and WMYI in Greenville, WKKT in Charlotte and WBEE in Rochester, NY. Learn more about Loyd here: http://about.me/loydford. Reach out to Loyd via e-mail HEREAdd a Comment Send This Story To A Friend
Download this show
6-29-2012
At an early age Greg Hill knew he wanted to be on the radio. Growing up he was a big fan of John Garabedian. Hill took a chance and sent Garabedian a letter and asked him if he needed an intern. There were no openings at the time, however, Garabedian needed some work done at his house and Hill knew that was his foot in the door. Hill took advantage of the break he was given, right out of high school he landed a radio job in Boston. Working his way up the ladder, Hill eventually made it to WAAF with a company he loves. This week he signed on for another 5 years as morning man for the Entercom rocker. He's been doing mornings for 23 years now. We spoke to Hill yesterday about his big break, what he would say to someone today if he received the same letter he wrote to Garabedian and why Entercom is the perfect fit for him.
Listen to our interview with Greg Hill
Congratulate Greg on a stellar career mantown@waaf.com
Add a Comment Send This Story To A Friend
6-27-2012
By Wayne Ens
With more than 20 million small and medium businesses (SMBs) in the U.S. alone, SMBs have become by far the largest, most lucrative target for advertising salespeople. But selling advertising to SMBs has never been more competitive.
In addition to increased competition from traditional media, countless new media are hiring local inside and outside sales reps every day: Google, Bing, Yahoo, Merchant Circle, Angie?s List, YP, Super Media, Yellow Book 360, ValPak, online newspapers,Groupon, Living Social, Yelp, SEO Consultants, Web Developers, videos, listings...the list goes on and has new players added every day.
In a recent BIA/Kelsey study, titled "Thriving or Not: A Revealing Look Into the World of Local Media Sales Consultants," 79 percent of SMBs said they were confused or didn?t understand all of the new media, and nearly 60 percent questioned the relevance of traditional media.
In an increasingly fragmented and fiercely competitive media environment, being "number one" or the best media is no longer a surefire route to success. In fact, the difference between number one and number two in this crowded universe is often behind a decimal point...too small to be a claim to fame.
The strongest competitive advantage any media can have today is their sales force. But the toughest competitive factor any media company faces today is capturing and retaining those superior sellers. The real competition today is on the recruiting and retention front.
Here are some of the facts revealed by the BIA/Kelsey study, along with our conclusions:
1. There are too many media sales people selling too many products.
ENS Media conclusion: Only the best sales people can stand out in that crowd and win.
2. The majority of local media sales reps have received solutions or consultative selling training.
ENS Media conclusion: Everyone needs to have solutions/consultative training, but that?s only the industry bench mark, not a competitive edge. To have a competitive advantage local media sales rep must be trained beyond traditional solutions or consultative selling.
3. 79 percent of SMBs were confused or didn?t understand all of the digital choices
ENS Media conclusion: Only the best salespeople with in-depth knowledge of cutting-edge products and strategies can win the SMB business.
4. 57 percent of SMBs see traditional media as "obsolete."
ENS Media conclusion: Traditional media needs the best and most knowledgeable marketing professionals to compete against the glamour and glitz of "new"...no one is lining up to buy "old" or "traditional."
Executive Summary: You?ll notice that each and every one of our conclusions to the study findings is that your only competitive edge is to have the best possible sales force. But here?s the problem I identified in a recent ENS on Sales.
I think I must be getting dumber every day because I see large companies in our industry do things I don't understand. I see them cutting commission rates, attracting sub-standard talent and not investing in promotions, training, or creative to produce better results for their clients. They default to "selling" via discounting rates up to 50 percent or more to "get the order."
I know I didn't learn the "new math" some of these CEOs studied, but by my "old math," investing more in startups and training, creative, salaries and/or commission to get people who can sell at 100 percent of rate, is the only route to clear competitive advantage. Professionals who can convert non-advertisers to advertisers inevitably capture more revenue than inadequate "salespeople" taking orders with huge discounts or bonuses.
My Old Math
A $100 rate with a 10% commission = $90 net.
A $100 rate at a 50% discount and a reduced 5% commission rate, = $47.50 net.
(a loss of 47%)
The Apparent New Math
Cutting commission from 10% to 5% = 50% saving on "cost of sale" + less incentive for sales people + higher sales turnover + less attractive compensation to capture the best recruits = less revenue.
I think it's time to look at the "cost of NO sale" or "cost of low sale" instead of the "cost of sale.?
All across North America I see weak radio account executives grovelling for a share of existing, and perhaps even dwindling, radio budgets. It seems to me, if there was a bigger reward at the end of the process, we could attract the kind of professional salespeople who could sell radio to new non-radio advertisers at great rates, rather than grovelling for existing scraps.
You can see the BIA/Kelsey study at http://www.biakelsey.com/webinars/Thriving-Or-Not-A-Revealing-Look-Into-the-World-of-Local-Media-Sales-Consultants.pdf
The study makes it very clear that those with the best compensation package and retention programs will win the fierce competition for the best sales force.
For more articles from Wayne Ens go HERE
Wayne Ens is President of ENS Media Inc and can be reached via e-mail Wayne Ens wayne@wensmedia.com
(6/28/2012 5:56:46 PM)
Why is he leaning? Is that some sort of power move? LOL!
(6/27/2012 7:38:16 AM)
In addition to Wayne's stellar comments... and more sobering conclusions, one can also add the Creative Departments across the country to the discussion. Doing so reveals similar results. Or, rather, lack of desired results.
I won't have to recite any examples either as this group of readers already knows full well what has become of these departments and the resultant drop in quality that has ensued.
Radio Ink is now accepting nominations for the 2012 Best Program Director's in America. The categories are: VP's of Programming, Major Markets (1-10), Large Markets (11-25), Medium Markets (26-50) and Small Markets. Send your submissions to edryantheeditor@gmail.com. Here are the details on criteria
Nominee must have been in the position of Program Director for at least 1 full year.
Must be at current station for at least 1 year.
Each submission should include all contact information for nominee including telephone number, e-mail address, station(s) responsible for, immediate supervisor,
Each submission should include details about the nominee's successes and that could/should include:
- ratings success (if a rated market)
- what the nominee is doing to help increase revenue for the management team
- at least one event that scored big with listeners over the past year
- a short paragraph explaining why you believe nominee should be considered.
Once nominated, we will send each nominee a list of questions and a deadline for submitting answers.
Nominate now by sending details to edryantheeditor@gmail.com