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channel 4 package on Lonestar 92.5

G

gordontalk

Guest
I was watching channel 4 news at 6:00 and they did a package on Lonestar. They said that there would be no comercials: instead corporate sponsorships. They went on to say that even the New York Times was talking about this new idea. Can someone please explain how this is going to work? Are they simply going comercial free for a couple of weeks in efforts to get some attention nationally?
 
The theory is that sponsors will pay more for an hour that will not mention any other advertiser, and Lonestar 92.5 will mention that sponsor often during the hour. The question is whether or not it will work. Stations have, in the past, had no trouble with "Commercial Free Mondays brought to you by Coca-Cola" or something else of the like where Coca-Cola, or whoever sponsors the commercial free day, pays a premium for exclusive mentions. However, it's barely been tried on this grand of a scale, and The Morey Organizations "FM Channelcast" on Long Island tried it and had poor results.
 
Gordon said:
I was watching channel 4 news at 6:00 and they did a package on Lonestar. They said that there would be no comercials: instead corporate sponsorships. They went on to say that even the New York Times was talking about this new idea. Can someone please explain how this is going to work? Are they simply going comercial free for a couple of weeks in efforts to get some attention nationally?
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From what all has been said around here, and elsewhere, companies will sponsor an hour's worth of programming. Sort of like what some non-comms do with underwriting, "This hour of programming is sponsored by XYZ Burgerville". The jocks will also ad lib detail about the sponsors.

Interesting idea, but I wonder how long before ZPS will have to lauch begathons. :p

R
 
These "revolutionary" corporate "non-commercial" radio stations, are like watching soccer games on ABC. Sponsor changes every 20 minutes, announcers flub a liner and their logos are scattered everywhere.

Yeah, ask the sales staff how much their commissions are? This will be one of the craziest jack jobs in town, but then again, to work that hard and have some overnight "run of station" producer mess up the slogan is irony at its loveliest. 8)
 
The problem is going to be fighting everybody else in town that is still selling 60's, 30's, 15's and 10's, and getting the advertisers to go along...

Additionally, there's the issue of 'rate'. Let's say for sake of argument that a station is running 10-12 spots and hour. If they average 100 bucks a spot that's a 1000-1200 per hour in revenue.
(And yes I realize some stations get a lot more, but I'd also bet some stations are getting a lot less, again, just for arguments sake...)

To replace that revenue, they're going to have to convince advertisers to accept a couple of name mentions and a live read or 2 for 1000 bucks.

And while I'm sure the advertiser will love the exclusiveness, they also have to deal with TSL-if the station has short TSL, the CPP becomes prohibitivly expensive compared to other stations...
 
First of all, if I am Company XYZ and I am going to be seen prominantly on a station, without the clutter, its worth the price. Picture a plane and you have coach, business and first class. In this case its a private jet and only 13 people can get on the plane not 130. Its how its sold. If you like the format and I predict it has the potental to have a 2.7 or higher is promoted correctly, it should generate some decent revenue. Lets look at SWA since I used the analogy of an airplane. SWA has signed on and they can "Own" the station at least for that hour or daypart if they are that aggressive. It can work. They just have to have the right people who believe in it to sell it. As far as the clients are concerned, lets see, Dealership XYZ. They buy two hours 5p-7p, they are Charging $4000 per hour ($400 per spot, 10 units, two hours), so that's $40,000 per week, well, let see they pay $160,000 to stay uncluttered. Sounds like a TON of cash but it requires 23 cars weekly to be sold. 23 out of how many they cume, 330,000 weekly (Dealership would need about 115 potential buyers based on 20% closing rate)....That can be done. Hopfully I didn't make your head explode, but I think it could work. Just have to have the intestinal fortitude to make it work.
 
I've worked for a couple of stations that are top 5ish in billing. And very few of our advertisers on either station were spending 40K a week (160K a month) on advertising...

160K a month is approaching 1.75 mil a year, no? How many buisnesses have that kind of money to spend on advertising. On one station. In one market.
 
It's different, its innovative for commercial radio( I keep hearing KERA though),and I say its worth the risk. If it catches on,it could save radio from self inflected gluttony ,and actually start caring about programming..
 
And if it doesn't catch on and they just start whoring it out with massive spot loads, hey, it's clear channel, isn't that what we all expect from them?
 
I was really surprised to see KZPS/Lonestar flip on the 6:00 news. It was teased in the 5:00 news as well. I've never seen a radio station format change on the local news.
 
Thats what a good publicity/media agent will by you. Workin the deals. John Hogan has a promotion budget just to promote this inside the business community. Its like promoting records. Create your artificial BUZZ and people will think its something worth checking out, even if it isnt.

Wall st Journal has to print something as the different ad/revenue strategy will affect shareholders. Its Biz News.

The music itself isnt exciting enough for that attention otherwise channel 4 would be doing great news pieces about the WOLF. This has been purchased buzz.
 
The Wolf doesn't have great music. They just play pop country, which is just as bad as pop rock!

Ch 4 covered it because NYT covered it and it is hometown.
 
GRAYWOLF said:
The Wolf doesn't have great music. They just play pop country, which is just as bad as pop rock!

Ch 4 covered it because NYT covered it and it is hometown.
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How quickly we forget. Back in 2005 FOX 4 did a fluff piece camouflaged as news when Jack first launched. The Morning News also got into the act, writing a "story" singing Jack's praises.
 
$40K a week for a dealership can be done. I've had some that actually spent in four days $25,000 so it can be done. If I am wrangler or Levi's I am jumping on like stink on S***. I think it can work..
 
radioman921 said:
$40K a week for a dealership can be done. I've had some that actually spent in four days $25,000 so it can be done. If I am wrangler or Levi's I am jumping on like stink on S***. I think it can work..
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But can it be done on a consistent basis? Again 40K a week works out to 1.5-1.75m a year
 
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