Positioning Statements

[Sporque]

The data I'm making these claims based on is my own study. It's ongoing, and I've used upwards of 200 test subjects, both those I know and anonymous survey respondents.

Josh, if you know anything about sample sizes, you know you need at LEAST 1500 participants in any survey, chosen at random and further selected by representative demographics (age, race, sex, income) to get an scientifcally accurate sampling.

I've worked in opinion research. 200 respondants are not nearly enough for even +/-20% accuracy vis vie the general public. Respondants who are "people you know" and people reading your blog are already tainted because they are a narrow segment of the populous who actually give a damn about music and radio... like you and me and EVERYONE on this board. Sorry to burst your bubble. Not that I don't feel somewhat the same, but your numbers don't bear out for the MASSES listening to the media.

 

[jcolletta275]

I didn't know the 200 respondents, and they don't read my blog. That part of the project was a completely anonymous sample. And, as I said before, the project is ongoing, with this being only a part of it. This isn't just an opinion poll, this is a whole slew of various data-gathering endeavors rolled into one giant, running project.

 

[JustPastBuffalo]

"We've got a transmitter, a phone and somebody here to answer your call, so whataya waitin' for..."

Seriously guys (and ladies) there's been some good discussion here. I worked with a fairly successful medium market news-talk station for ten years (programmed it for five) and did some small market consulting. I subscribe to the theory that there's no limit on how many times you can tell your listeners what your name and address are and what it is you do. So if it's News Radio 1350 WJPQ or whatever, let 'em know... frequently... because as we all know, customers are always coming into the store and leaving the store.

This having been said, it helps to be creative and push the envelope with your imaging promos and liners. "Heres the way it works, you call, we listen and then the fun begins... let's talk... write down the numbers and stick 'em on the fridge... News Radio 1350 WJPQ..."

We had two production guys who were half nuts and loved to do outside the box stuff. I'd tell them what the message needed to be and let them write and produce their assets off. That's not to say we didn't run the standard straight-laced promos, we did. But we also surprised our listeners at times with stuff that was rather "out there."

One of the things we need in news-talk is to understand the way Joe and Jane Public use our product and how we can entice them to use it more frequently... and how to get more 25-44's into the store, especially on AM news-talkers. We also have to cut through the clutter and set ourselves apart from all the spurious noise that people are bombarded with every day... even the stuff that runs in the commercial breaks, some of which can be rather mundane, yet at times, quite creative.

We used to borrow from high rotation national spots and do parody promos... On-Star comes to mind as one.. "This is an actual call from Larry Boobahts in Tonanwanda..."

One of the elements frequently overlooked in news-talk is that callers give you GREAT audio to play with! It's all about the spoken word. A creative production guy can turn three seconds of caller audio into a memorable promo and positioner.

Oh my... look at this... eight paragraphs... you'd think I wanted to give up my AC midday gig and get back into news talk... tsk, tsk.


Best regards, -Jim