Clear Channel Consolidates Imaging Production

[robnokshus06]

From Radio-Info news:

"Kelly Doherty says "this team includes the top producers in each format" (15-total), and that is the direction Clear Channel is going, with centralized production for imaging on stations that use content from the National Programming Platforms unit." (that's pretty much all of them, right?)

"...It's unclear what the impact of this new structure will be at the local station/cluster level."

Unclear? Only if you've had your head in the sand the last 15-years! As someone who just recently parted ways with his own corporate master, I wish all of my imaging-producing brothers and sisters at CC the best of luck.

 

[VODood]

As the press release states The Team is producing the iHeartradio branding as well as national contesting for the respective formats. They're not going to be producing imaging for every single market.

I know most of the names. Top notch talents.

 

[bobbybooey]

Many of them have been doing it for awhile, they're just now getting formal titles/recognition. Too bad they're not being compensated for the extra workload.

 

[calguy]

I know a few of them, more money is not a concept that CC adheres to, but if you turn the job down, you may not be working there at all.

 

[TheBigA]

"...It's unclear what the impact of this new structure will be at the local station/cluster level."

Unclear? Only if you've had your head in the sand the last 15-years!

Imaging used to be something a station bought from an outside supplier. At a lot of stations, that's still the case. If you work for the biggest, it makes sense to bring it in-house. If you work for any of the other big companies, you need to be on the front end of proposing this same idea. Otherwise, you'll be on the outside.

Talent, regardless of the type, is something to be shared and grown. The next step for these people is to start your own imaging company and make money on your own talent. That's when you will get compensated for the workload.

 

[yugoidar]

"The next step for these people is to start your own imaging company and make money on your own talent. That's when you will get compensated for the workload".

With the pool of potential client stations shrinking and more imaging folks "on the beach" because of still further cost-cutting consolidation within CC (and likely others) - sounds like the perfect time to start your own imaging business!

Right!

 

[TheBigA]

With the pool of potential client stations shrinking and more imaging folks "on the beach" because of still further cost-cutting consolidation within CC (and likely others) - sounds like the perfect time to start your own imaging business!

No one said it was easy.

 

[SirRoxalot]

C'mon, let's not be naive. "Consolidated" imaging means essentially the same imaging for all stations of a particular genre. Stations not already following the "recommended" branding will be rebranded. Individual station imaging will be severely restricted. 15 people can't do much individual work for 800 stations.

 

[TheBigA]

15 people can't do much individual work for 800 stations.

And your point is?

 

[RDO]

Everything will sound the same. They will use as many generic sweepers as they can. All the stations of the same brand will have the brand only with no calls or frequency. Removing the localization.

 

[TheBigA]

Everything will sound the same. They will use as many generic sweepers as they can. All the stations of the same brand will have the brand only with no calls or frequency. Removing the localization.

People who live in one town for the most part won't know that the imaging is being used elsewhere. TM and other companies sell imaging packages that are only localized with call letters. Same thing with syndicated formats. Most of the TV news themes you hear on local TV stations are part of national packages. Very common practice, and has been for 50 years.

 

[jefflaurence]

True enough that CC is folding in the imaging for specific use with thier iHearRadio product. Basically it is an on line product, and they intend to use it as a value added product for their advertisers, and to cross promote..much like sirius/xm does on all their channels. It will not directly impact the individual radio stations....yet.

Sadly with PPM all over the place..it would seem logical that there would be literally no need for imaging of any kind..but truthfully station imaging will likely be a lot more entertaining and will need to be updated a lot more than it is now. The definition of "imaging" as it applies to radio used to be a vehicle to impress the name or call letters on the listeners mind..so presumably, they would remember the station, and write it in the antiquated Arbitron diaries. With PPM, there is no need to pound the stations name into the people who are already listening. They're already there, and their PPM sensors will tell the story when their data is gathered.

With those diaries in the rear view mirror, the purpose of imaging will be to cross promote, and raise awareness of the station's VALUE to keep listeners longer..well produced and craftily written promos sweepers and liners can be a cost cutting choice for lots of stations that don't want to pay jocks or voicetrackers. Not to say there won't be a need for jocks or voicetrack folks. It is just that listeners are aware of the non-local nature of the "tracked" shows. And they aren't fooled by it. Solid, and compelling station "signature voices" aren't trying to fool anybody, and they can be used 24/7 With PPM, all the imaging needs to do is remind and entertain..so as a result, there will still be a lot of room for imaging done right. And in a lot of cases it just may open up a lot of new business for those of us in the independent production business.

 

[xdjproductions]

And does anyone wonder why radio is on a downward spiral to becoming a memory rather than current and important in the life of the listener?

 

[TheBigA]

And does anyone wonder why radio is on a downward spiral to becoming a memory rather than current and important in the life of the listener?

Oh come on...imaging has nothing to do with what's important in the life of the listener.

 

[Ford]

And does anyone wonder why radio is on a downward spiral to becoming a memory rather than current and important in the life of the listener?

Oh come on...imaging has nothing to do with what's important in the life of the listener.

I think Jeff made a solid case above for the continued usefulness of imaging. Does a listener hear something and say "wow, that was a great sweeper, I think I'll listen more?"

Of course not. But the generic approach to imaging is just a symptom of a bigger problem. The prepackaged sweeper or promo that sounds exactly the same in every CC market, coupled with the canned...sorry, "Premium Choice" jock from another city, coupled with traffic reports phoned in from another city creates a station that has nothing to do with what's important in the life of the listener.

 

[TheBigA]

The prepackaged sweeper or promo that sounds exactly the same in every CC market, coupled with the canned...sorry, "Premium Choice" jock from another city, coupled with traffic reports phoned in from another city creates a station that has nothing to do with what's important in the life of the listener.

Huh? Radio has been using nationalized imaging packages since the 60s. Do you think JAM and PAMS composed and created original jingles for every station? Do you think formats were unique to every city in the country? Do you think weather forcasts originate in every city? That there's no such thing as the National Weather Service?

People live in their cities, and for the most part, they have no idea what radio sounds like in other cities unless they go there. Media today is national. The majority of the TV programs people watch every day are national shows, and yet somehow they relate to what's important in their lives. Same with music. Same with the greeting cards they buy. Same with lots of other things. Wake up and join the 21st century.

 

[jefflaurence]

Big A make a lot of really valid points. We have become a nationally conditioned audience. However that is precisely what has led to the dumbing down of terrestrial radio to the point that many markets have what amounts to only one or two viable stations. The rest are brokered, or niche programmed to such an extent that they may as well go dark, and sell the land to build a new nail salon or consignment shop. It has also led to Sirus/XM programming sounding very much like the same old same old. Soon, with more and more G4 and WiMAX enabled radios we will be sliced even thinner as a group of listeners because there will be so many varied choices of compelling and engaging programming. And not just the iHeartRadio and Tunein clusters. There are online broadcasters who reach millions of listeners as a matter of routine, and they offer some really interesting things to hear..they will require imaging. Hell, even Pandora is starting to image, and inject spoken elements into their streams.

Imaging as we know it will become more important and more narrowed as the medium evolves or dies. Podcast producers need and want imaging. Little independent webcasters want it. And smart terrestrial stations will use imaging to set them apart locally frothe cookie cutter approach. Believe it or not there are a lot of successful stations owned by smaller groups, and individuals who "get it" and that is where we can continue to make a good living.

 

[TheBigA]

Big A make a lot of really valid points. We have become a nationally conditioned audience. However that is precisely what has led to the dumbing down of terrestrial radio to the point that many markets have what amounts to only one or two viable stations.

That statement is simply not true. First of all, "dumbing down" is a subjective opinion. To some, pop music is dumb. To others, it's what they like.

What has caused radio to sound the way it does is the way it's financed. Commercial stations are supported by advertising. Advertising is based on achieving big numbers. So you program in a way that helps you achieve that. If you can't get big numbers, and advertisers don't want your station, then you resort to whatever funding system is available. If that's brokered programs, so be it.

But there is no connection at all between "a nationally conditioned audience" and "dumbing down of terrestrial radio." In fact, when programming on radio was, for the most part, provided by national networks in the 30s and 40s, radio was considered to be the best it ever was.

 

[Ford]

Huh? Radio has been using nationalized imaging packages since the 60s. Do you think JAM and PAMS composed and created original jingles for every station? Do you think formats were unique to every city in the country? Do you think weather forcasts originate in every city? That there's no such thing as the National Weather Service?

And yet despite all of this, radio (at least until recently) did sound different from city to city. Jingle packages sound the same, but other elements (sweepers and promos) were produced locally. Yes formats were similar, but a rock station in LA would sound different from a rock station in Little Rock. Are you suggesting radio has sounded generic since the 60s?

People live in their cities, and for the most part, they have no idea what radio sounds like in other cities unless they go there. Media today is national. The majority of the TV programs people watch every day are national shows, and yet somehow they relate to what's important in their lives. Same with music. Same with the greeting cards they buy. Same with lots of other things. Wake up and join the 21st century.

Yeah, local is so out of date. Maybe the local television stations should shut down their news programs, too. :

Yes much of media is national, but radio has the unique ability to still be local. So do other things. Yes, you can go to McDonald's and get a meal that will taste exactly the same no matter what city you're in, but every city has its local places with a flavor you can't get anywhere else. Unfortunately in the 21st century, we're waking up to an industry that would rather be like McDonald's - nationwide and consistently bland - than that great local place with a flavor all its own.

Yes, our station uses the same jingle package that is used in other cities, but the other stuff is all locally done. Every few months I've got a different production company trying to sell me prepackaged stuff...the shell of the promo is built for you with drops, hooks, and effects...all you gotta do is insert (your voice guy here).

I turn them down every time. Why? Because I want our station to sound different. And people DO notice. When I'm in the studio taking calls (we still have live jocks and answer our phones) every now and then we'll get a call from someone who just moved to town that goes something like "man, you guys sound nothing like the station I used to listen to back home!"

Anyone can serve a burger and fries.

 

[TheBigA]

Are you suggesting radio has sounded generic since the 60s?

Depends on what you choose to focus on. You seem to be willing to allow generic jingles, and national music, but want local imaging. In my view, if 95 percent of the content is national music, then that's the main part of the programming.

But regardless of the jingles or the use of national imaging and music, stations still sound different from city to city. But it doesn't matter since listeners don't regularly experience formats outside their home area. Whether formats are the same or different is an issue for radio geeks.

The goal for a radio station isn't to stick to the way things have always been. It's very obvious that the needs and interests of the public have changed in the last 50 years. Why should radio be forced to stay in the past? I mean, it's nice you want to stay local. Do what you want, and people who run other stations will do what they want. If people want bland, it's our job to give it to them. Not criticize them for their lack of taste.