POSSIBLE FUTURE OF SYNDICATED MORNING SHOWS IN PROVIDENCE

[McRadio]

Hot is already syndicated but does anyone have any opinion as to whether we could see more of this? Mix 985 in Boston is about to be syndicated out of Memphis. I don't see any more of it happening on The Trail but what about Oxford, mainly Coast or B101? In cases where no matter what they do, certain morning shows just can't seem to make a dent in the numbers I wonder if syndication is the next step?

 

[Moonstruck]

I don't see that happening. Hot 106 is not the kind of station to build up a loyal following in the morning. They also have enough other people, full and part time, for appearances. The other two Citadel music stations do well enough in the morning. As far as B101 and Coast, mornings are all they really have and they need live people for appearances, remotes, sponsor schmoozing, etc.

 

[someplacesomewhere]

I don't see that happening. Hot 106 is not the kind of station to build up a loyal following in the morning. They also have enough other people, full and part time, for appearances. The other two Citadel music stations do well enough in the morning. As far as B101 and Coast, mornings are all they really have and they need live people for appearances, remotes, sponsor schmoozing, etc.

Appearances can be kept up with low or no pay Street Teams, and no one will know the difference.

 

[McRadio]

I don't see that happening. Hot 106 is not the kind of station to build up a loyal following in the morning. They also have enough other people, full and part time, for appearances. The other two Citadel music stations do well enough in the morning. As far as B101 and Coast, mornings are all they really have and they need live people for appearances, remotes, sponsor schmoozing, etc.

Appearances can be kept up with low or no pay Street Teams, and no one will know the difference.

Street teams are fine when you want to send people out just for a presence at places like Waterfire but for actual remotes, if you want to call them that, you need personalities. If the future of radio is syndication, out of town voicetracking, and street teams we're in trouble. Might as well hire professional models to pose as jocks on station websites and send them out and no one really knows what the face behind the voice looks like.

 

[Speaker of Truth]

"Street teams are fine when you want to send people out just for a presence at places like Waterfire but for actual remotes, if you want to call them that, you need personalities. If the future of radio is syndication, out of town voicetracking, and street teams we're in trouble. Might as well hire professional models to pose as jocks on station websites and send them out and no one really knows what the face behind the voice looks like".

Street teams is pretty much all that WEEI, as an example, does these days..seems to work for them..as long as everybody goes home with your logo on something, does it really matter who hands it to them?

Most listeners aren't that interested anymore in the face behind the mic..hand them a T shirt and they're happy..

I worked at a station in Ohio a couple of years ago where part timers pretty much did every remote our FM did..the morning show had to be dragged kicking and screaming to do anything outside the studio, and the midday female would sit in the station van and pout at being asked to do anything more than her shift..so in some cases, you do what you have to do..

 

[RadioNut]

I couldn't disagree more....actually, that point is whats wrong with the people that run radio.

People, DO want to meet the person behind the mic...IF that person has made a connection with the listeners.
I have seen lots of instances of it, and it is common with jocks who have spent alot of time with one station, and with jocks who actually DELIVER PERSONALITY.

I've been at remotes where people are LOOKING tor the people they hear. That is what needs to be focused on, not assuming people don't care and just want a sticker from anyone. That is certanly not accurate

 

[McRadio]

You're not entirely right RadioNut but you're somewhat on target. IF the station is personality oriented there's a better chance listeners want to meet the jocks. The same danger exists here in relying on request lines when it comes to what everybody wants to hear and if just a few people show up to obviously meet the jocks then those jocks run the risk of thinking the active few represents everyone. Still, going by the scenario you gave when it comes to personalities who can connect and who deliver personality then you are on target. Most stations rely solely on the morning people to deliver that personality though and when it comes to street teams I don't think they have any effect positive or negative. Just because an intern or whoever sets up a table at a store and hands out cookies to passers by doesn't mean the station is going to gain any listeners. Visibility is nice but there should be some logic behind it and an end to the means.