Question About Station Evolution...

[leethalweapon]

Living in Australia, I have managed to see how radio stations evolve with their core audience. There are often changes (most in CHR stations), moving the older ones on, with their spot filled by Gen Y's next big thing. Then listener doesn't care, as long as the music is pumping.

Then I look at the US. Some stations have had the same talent on the books for more than 25 years. So how does a station like KROQ or Z100 keep the talent relivent? By my guess, some of the talent is old enough to be parents of the average 20 year old that listens to them.

 

[Roger That]

The station usually does little to help that situation. The most successful of talent that you're describing are usually responsible for that evolution, because they're legitimately that talented.

Elvis and Kidd Kraddick are two that come to mind that really reinvented themselves to stay relevant. And so long as they can do that, they'll stay right where they are. Just because you're older than the audience doesn't mean you can't relate to them. But not everyone can relate to them, and there shouldn't be entitlement just because of tenure.

 

[Goat Rodeo Cowboy]

There are often changes (most in CHR stations), moving the older ones on, with their spot filled by Gen Y's next big thing. Then listener doesn't care, as long as the music is pumping.

You ask a very valid question. In programming, your question is the equivalent to the student of philosophy and religion asking: "What is the meaning of life."

Your choice of wording of your question and your observation telegraphs a message that you are probably young.

You may assume I am older than you.

"as long as the music is PUMPING?" There comes a time when husband and wife both have jobs and there are three little children in the family and when you get a few minutes to listen to radio.... you may value the comments and humor of that 25 year veteran a lot more than you want any PUMPING music.

Your question reminds me of that generation that followed my own..... that groups who raised the banner that said: "Never trust anyone over 30!"

I would think that every station management that is focused on reaching the young audience has to constantly face two questions:

• 
  (1) When do we turn our back on our loyal listeners (up til now) and abandon them for fresh young faces who may or may not develop loyalty to us?
  
  (2) When do we harvest the benefits of the audience loyalty we have built and mature our programming to keep them loyal for a few more seasons, a few more years.
  

Mama never said life would be easy.

 

[SirRoxalot]

Evolution

In short, stations don't necessary evolve along with their listeners. Their music evolves as the musical interest of their target audience changes.

For example, CHR stations follow the hits - thus following the new music trends. People that are into the newer music generally stay current with the language, fashions, and lingo that are attached to it. In radio, nobody worries about fashion, but it's common for a 40 year old guy to adopt the (legallly acceptable) street language of a much younger generation on the radio. There are enough shared human experiences for good jocks to find common ground with much younger listeners.

Audiences tend to gravitate toward the music that they like best. 30-something moms with young kids generally won't be listening to gangsta cop killer ho downs - especially when the kids are around. So, they'll gravitate toward radio stations that play the music that they consider to be "cool" - which is either a few years older, or in a different musical style.

In the US, we have a plethora of radio stations in most markets, and relatively few people lock onto a single station. There's a lot more shared cume. What happens as people age is that they cume for one station goes down, and the cume for another station goes up.

 

[davideduardo]

Re: Evolution

In the US, we have a plethora of radio stations in most markets, and relatively few people lock onto a single station. There's a lot more shared cume. What happens as people age is that they cume for one station goes down, and the cume for another station goes up.

In most of the free nations of the world, people have as many, and sometimes more, choices than in the US. Much of Europe, from Spain to France and Italy has far more FMs per market than the US, and Latin America has even greater concentrations. Only a few nations, like Canada, Australia and England, generally have a smaller concentration of stations, aside from the nations where they just can't let go of state controlled radio or where a virtual theocracy exists.

It's always found, whether in smaller US markets or big ones, that people listen to multiple stations, not just one. It's mood related as much as variety related. That's why peoples iPods often have a selection of the favorite songs from three or four formats, not just one.

 

[SirRoxalot]

Re: Evolution

Only a few nations, like Canada, Australia and England, generally have a smaller concentration of stations, aside from the nations where they just can't let go of state controlled radio or where a virtual theocracy exists.

The original poster is from Australia, hence the comment about a "plethora of radio stations in most markets".

 

[justplaythehits]

Australian markets have a limited number of commercial stations.

On FM Brisbane has B105, Nova, Triple M and 97.3. A few others can be heard from the Gold Coast but those four are the key players . ABC has a rock station Triple J, plus there are numerous 'community' stations which can program dance or something specific to their license.

Many stations tend to be broad in music scope. They also feature news and other services which are not heard in the US on FM.

Alan Furst
http://alanfurst.wordpress.com/

 

[SirRoxalot]

The original posting was about a "plethora of stations" in most US markets.

David already made the point that Australians have a limited number of signals to choose from.

 

[soundblast]

I remember in the 70's and 80's promoting themselves to clients telling them that the teens listening to those stations would grow up with that stations but because the stations did not evolve it to a more adult appeal that did not happen. Another reasons it is hard for CHR stations to hole on to adults is so many get married & have kids taking up their time and there live becomes to busy. Suddenly it slows down an when they tune it to the CHR station all the singers are efferent and the style ts different so they can't relate. If you are a listener who evolves with the station then just like you handled the gradual changes in artist and style earlier in you life you will adapt to and it is likely you will like the changes. But with the listening cycle more like to include years were life's demands increase so much radio listening decreases when the listener gets older and returns to heavy listening and everything seems foreign they go to the various adult appeal formats therefore a CHR station needs to stay young in its appeal.

This does not include the various forms of oldies from classic rock , oldies, classic hits and so on because to keep targeting a certain demo as time goes on they must go from late 50's to early 70' to late 60's to late 70's or early 80's as many stations have. If they do not do that instead of appealing to there target demo they will be appealing to an older audience who will eventually die