Listeners not following Boston radio. Developing better radio studios.

[thezak]

Not one of my friends and acquaintances listen to Boston radio anymore! Mobile devices focus their interest. I like Boston radio. Local radio offers content that complements my interest in trying to keep up with things around the city. Local Boston broadcasters' remarks complement my trying to keep up with things around the city. Salespeople at local stores like Best Buy say they don't listen to Boston radio. a) How can local Boston broadcasters produce better content for radio?... b) How can local Boston broadcasters put together better versions of what's already on the air?... c) How do we move away from out of date wrong headed broadcast studios' production methods to design new more interesting local Boston radio studios?...

 

[brightonboris]

Not one of my friends and ....

You got friends?!

 

[reelyreal]

I'll start off by pointing to the actual research that shows 93% of Americans listen to the radio every week. That's pretty damn good.

I'm unclear as to what you're asking about studios and production. What do you perceive as the problem?

 

[KeithE4]

I'll start off by pointing to the actual research that shows 93% of Americans listen to the radio every week. That's pretty damn good.

But how long are they listening? Doesn't it count if someone is listening for only 15 or 30 minutes a week?

My radio listening is only a couple of hours a week during my commute - about 10% of my total "audio broadcast" listening time. All other listening is online, either on my "Internet radio," PC, or smartphone.

And I'm an "out of the Sacred Sales DemosTM" geezer, not a kid. Broadcasters don't care about me (and vice-versa), but younger adults are doing the same thing I'm doing, if not listening to radio even less than I am.

 

[Goat Rodeo Cowboy]

I'll start off by pointing to the actual research that shows 93% of Americans listen to the radio every week.

I look around me. I listen to what my friends have to say in casual conversation. I am significantly suspicious of industry claims about 93% listen to radio every week. How many asterisks need to append that number to explain how they got such a number.

No station manager is going to spend money buying the right to publish numbers to the advertising world that say: "38% of American listen to radio." The survey companies understand that and they keep tinkering with the methodology that produces a number that stations will buy.

I'm unclear as to what you're asking about studios and production. What do you perceive as the problem?

The OP apparently assumes that "the sound" of today's radio... which may not appeal to him/her is pretty unappealing. It is kind of like the years when Detroit has produced cars that are garish and ugly.... but we bought them because there was no alternative. Then the Japanese (and now others) invaded our shores and offered different designs... and now the range of car-style choices boggles the mind.

I sometimes get the idea that unemployed Detroit car designers are now programming radio across America. There is no RIGHT way to program a station and no WRONG way to program a station. You could program a station that appeals to me, or program a station that appeals to the OP, or choose one of 300,000,000 other personal preferences.

The bottom lin is: Today's programming has so far kept the industry alive and somewhat financially healthy. Maybe the OP and I have to recognize that we have out-of-step tastes in radio.

If your church is thinking about building a new building, if you will let me set up the building design I will cause your church to change the theology it teaches over a 40 year period. It's very subtle but the mechanism can drive the message. Radio station achieve a consistent sound hour-after-hour by having a facility and a technical setup and an available set of format audio clips that drive the sound of the station... much like the corral out in the middle of an Oklahoma pasture is designed to guide the cattle right into the truck headed for the auction barn.

To take that analogy a bit further: radio today is like what they call "factory farms" where most cattle no longer roam "free range" but live in these little crowed up pens. The market place has rewarded this concept.

The OP has a dream that if we allowed the folks we hear on the radio to operate "free range" like we did 30, 40 and 50 years ago in radio, things would be better.

Free Range is NOT coming back to radio. If we are going to have "factory farm radio"... maybe we need to get some managers with Toyota-style factory management to come and rescue radio from Detroit-style factory management?

 

[reelyreal]

Japenese efficiency methods are already in place at the major U.S. broadcasters, it's a huge part of a modern business education. Look how efficient the broadcasters are! Keep expenses low, and churn out a generic "beige" product. I'm a car nut, and those in the car world agree that Japanese cars are bland and boring, but efficient. That's why people buy them. Radio may be bland and boring, but it's efficient and people are consuming it.

I don't deny the fact that there are HUNDREDS more entertainment options out there today than there were 20 years ago in the early 90's.

I do deny the claims that nobody listens to radio, that it's on it's death bed, and that the transmitters are going to be shut down any day.

Radio is still viable and still popular.

 

[Goat Rodeo Cowboy]

and those in the car world agree that Japanese cars are bland and boring, but efficient. That's why people buy them. Radio may be bland and boring, but it's efficient and people are consuming it.

Excellent response! Points well made.

If you are driving a Honda Civic or a Toyota Corolla, "bland and boring" may be the kindest choice of words. As the owner of a Lexus, let me suggest that "tasteful and comfortable" might be the words of choice. Drivers of BMWs, AUDIs and some of the Nissan line have found product that they might use words that maybe you use for the product you choose to drive. (Exciting Performance? Edgy design?) I think it is a good picture that I sketched and outline, and you filled in details.

I have been asking in these forums and a couple of other list-serves of broadcasters whether they see "Japanese Efficiency Methods" (and I would add the word QUALITY in there somewhere) at work in broadcasting. You are only the second person to respond who gave evidence they even knew what I was talking about! With firms like Bain Capital and others who see "Process Improvement" and "Lean Process" at work in other industries must surely be introducing those concepts to broadcasters in which they are investing, and grooming for the day when they can invest in them. When is the last time you saw a message posted in RadioDiscussions or any other broadcaster forum where someone talked about Six Sigma?

 

[reelyreal]

Agreed! I have a bachelor's degree in Business with a minor in Operations Management (and am now in Pharmacy school, long story) but I finished my degree after my full-time career in radio was ever-so-graciously ended for me by budget cuts, and I was amazed how much lean process is implemented in radio (the other big Japanese concepts like JIT and Kanban don't come into play as much when you're not manufacturing something.)

I think lean can benefit radio in some aspects, but I definitely think it hurts in others. Take, for example, WRKO blowing up it's local newsroom. From an operations standpoint, it makes great sense. However, I believe (and many others believe) that there's an intangible aspect to what broadcasters and entertainers do. The "local effect" can't be easily quantified, and it may appear wasteful on an operations organizational chart...

It's tough to pin down, and I think while business philosophy is important in the business, I think there needs to be more of a system of checks and balances.

More programmers with business degrees? PM me for my resume... lol.

 

[leegart]

Japenese efficiency methods are already in place at the major U.S. broadcasters, it's a huge part of a modern business education. Look how efficient the broadcasters are! Keep expenses low, and churn out a generic "beige" product.

+1

Computer + Satellite Dish + Transmitter = Radio Station "Operating Efficiently"

 

[dumber than a box of hair]

I look around me. I listen to what my friends have to say in casual conversation. I am significantly suspicious of industry claims about 93% listen to radio every week. How many asterisks need to append that number to explain how they got such a number.

Of course. The ever popular "me and all my friends" methodology. How could all the people who do statistically valid research, who all arrived at the same conclustion independent of one another, have been so wrong? WHAT were they thinking? All they had to do was ask you and your friends!

No station manager is going to spend money buying the right to publish numbers to the advertising world that say: "38% of American listen to radio." The survey companies understand that and they keep tinkering with the methodology that produces a number that stations will buy.

I suppose you have some proof of that statement?

 

[thirdendorsed]

It all comes down to whether radio works for advertisers. I don' t think there is a lot of out-of-car listening among people under 25. Yup, it's anecdotal, but the true picture comes not from ratings companies hired to show that "radio works" but from the advertisers who either do or do not see a return from radio.

I listen rarely in the car. In commuter hours, I sometimes punch up the traffic to see if they're still reading the same day-parted scripts at the same time every day, irrespective of what is really happening (yes) or if WBZ can update me on what is happening in the world (No, unless I want to know how loud to cheer at kids soccer games, or listen to outtakes from Ch. 4 disguised as news updates).

Self-satisfied broadcasters who ignore anecdotal reports of the declining use of radio, and who prefer to bask in the sunshine of self-created studies that say all is well, do so at their own peril.

Disagree all you want, but don't let the door hit you on the backside as you walk out the door for the final time.

 

[reelyreal]

You know for such a miserable hater on all things broadcasting, I don't understand why you're still on this board.

What do you want them to do? Listen to what the sales lady's next door neighbor thinks they should do? I see a lot of people using the republicans' favorite talking point, which is that ALL STUDIES ARE BIASED AND INCORRECT!!!11!! You're telling me that there's no possible way the decades and decades of research and numerical evidence could be slightly accurate?

This isn't Seventeen magazine, trying to chase down the latest trends. This is a multi-billion dollar industry. Anecdotal evidence? When the broadcasters reach the point that they're relying on gossip to make programming moves, they may as well turn in the licenses and go home. We're not there yet, not even close.

On the flip side, THOUSANDS of radio stations in this country actually do use anecdotal evidence to sell advertising. There are many more stations out there that don't sell the numbers than do sell the numbers. Why do advertisers (mostly local) buy a station with no numbers? Because there's evidence that it works. Yep, even in October 2012, radio works. It works.

 

[Goat Rodeo Cowboy]

I look around me. I listen to what my friends have to say in casual conversation. I am significantly suspicious of industry claims about 93% listen to radio every week. How many asterisks need to append that number to explain how they got such a number.

Of course. The ever popular "me and all my friends" methodology. How could all the people who do statistically valid research, who all arrived at the same conclustion independent of one another, have been so wrong? WHAT were they thinking? All they had to do was ask you and your friends!

No station manager is going to spend money buying the right to publish numbers to the advertising world that say: "38% of American listen to radio." The survey companies understand that and they keep tinkering with the methodology that produces a number that stations will buy.

I suppose you have some proof of that statement?

I get your point.

I am sitting reading and re-reading what I wrote. I have given some thought to other ways I could have responded that would have encouraged more participation and conversation. When reading my post causes someone to have the reaction and response that it caused in your case, then I failed. I should have written better, or just kept quiet if that is not possible.

No, I guess if I had PROOF of my statement, I would have identified and shared my proof.... or I would share it now.

What I said was: "I am significantly suspicious......".

It is a fact that I have my suspicions. What is not so clearly stated in what I said is that we are dealing with a topic that is very hard to quantify in a way that everyone will be comfortable with the results.

Let the conversation continue.

 

[TSBench]

........On the flip side, THOUSANDS of radio stations in this country actually do use anecdotal evidence to sell advertising. There are many more stations out there that don't sell the numbers than do sell the numbers. Why do advertisers (mostly local) buy a station with no numbers? Because there's evidence that it works. Yep, even in October 2012, radio works. It works......

One of the best sales leave-behinds I ever saw was put out by WKOX back in the 80s when they were pitching themselves as the voice of metro west.

The cover was splashed with OUR RATINGS BOOK. Inside was page after page of success letters from local businesses praising the station for being very easy to work with in putting together advertising campaigns and the results thereof.

Of course, the be completely honest, the media universe is almost unrecognizable from that of 30-something years ago and, at least around here, the days of the prominent local broadcasters like WKOX and WJDA and WESX are long gone.

Regards,
TSB

 

[WLYNWAZNgm]

Some kid and his circle of friends -that is representative of the whole country.
We are so lucky to benefit from his wisdom and experience!

 

[thirdendorsed]

My, my, my some people have problems having outdated. All I said was I don't think there's an awful lot of out-of-car listening to radio by teens and some wannabe thinks I'm suggesting programing decisions are made based on anecdotes.

Show me the numbers that say at home listening by teens is significant. Not "at least once per week." Significant.

And if you don't think Arbitron is self-serving when it comes to promoting radio you are hopelessly naive.

 

[NHRadio]

I have no numbers to back it up, but I find the request line callers to be getting younger. My teen daughter listens to Radio, but also to her Ipod and Pandora. IMHO a good part of what's hurting us is excessive spot loads. I'm not a salesperson but it seems to me that if you're sold out or running 16+ units an hour you're not charging enough. Wouldn't the station, the listener, and the client all benefit if we ran (for example) 8 units at $40 each instead of 16 units at $20?
Of course, I could be completely wrong, but "you can't be sold out because I hear records" seems counterproductive in the long run. There are only x number of seats on an airplane, so why don't radio stations use similar yield management techniques?