Repeating Station Names

[Stuart]

As mentioned before, I am not in the Radio Business, it is just my hobby.

I do have a question. How come stations keep on repeating the name of their station (it seems like 100 times an hour)? Is it for imprinting the name in people's mind? I listen to the station, I know where it is on the dial, it is set on my car radio.

Please help,

Thanks,

Stuart
Chapel Hill, North Carolina

 

[PTBoardOp94]

Yes, that's exactly it.

You might find fewer repeats of the station name if you go to a metered market (NYC, Philly, Houston and several others by now). In the metered market, the panelists wear a device that records their listening. The older diary method required the panelist to remember the station long enough to record their listening, likely after they got off from work.

 

[quadraphonic]

It's probably also for the voicetracker to remind him/herself of what station s/he's doing right then, and a convenient way to fill time between commercials or songs.

 

[davideduardo]

Yes, that's exactly it.

You might find fewer repeats of the station name if you go to a metered market (NYC, Philly, Houston and several others by now). In the metered market, the panelists wear a device that records their listening. The older diary method required the panelist to remember the station long enough to record their listening, likely after they got off from work.

I don't work with any stations that have reduced the name mentions, although frequency mention has been increased to remind people where to return. Radio stations still need to brand... just like CocaCola which advertises extensively even though the brand is over 100 years old.

 

[LKellerIII]

I would guess that All News stations mention their station's name or call letters most often, primarily because they have so many opportunities:

Reporter in the field: "Reporting live from Oakland, this is Joe Schmo, All News KCBS."

Anchor: "KCBS News time: 8:08. Now, with KCBS Traffic and Weather Together on the 8s, here's Bill Smith in KCBS Traffic Central"

etc...ad nauseum

 

[MikefromDelaware]

Even with the constant repeating of the stations name on news/talk stations, you'd be surprised how often people get confused. In Wilmington Delaware, many people get confused as to 1150 WDEL and 1450 WILM, both are news/talk stations. One airs live and local and is a CBS radio affilitate, airs Phillies and Eagles sports,etc. (WDEL). WILM, on the other hand is a Fox radio network affiliate and has airs some local talk, but also airs Rush/Hannity/Savage/Levin/Bohannan. I've heard people say they listen to 1150 WILM and 1450 WDEL. So I believe, that if and when the people meters come to Wilmington, might help offer more reliable ratings info.

 

[ixnay]

Talk about confusion, Mike, more than once I've heard people say "Publishers Clearing House... isn't that the sweepstakes with Ed McMahon on the envelope"? Of course Ed is dead now, but he was on the envelopes of American Family Sweepstakes(?), not PCH.

ixnay

 

[LKellerIII]

Talk about confusion, Mike, more than once I've heard people say "Publishers Clearing House... isn't that the sweepstakes with Ed McMahon on the envelope"? Of course Ed is dead now, but he was on the envelopes of American Family Sweepstakes(?), not PCH.

ixnay

It happens because people associate a brand name with the major brand, or the brand that was there first. That's the challenge of being number 2.

We all put "Band-Aids" on our cuts even if they're Curad (or a couple hundred other brands of) bandages. When our nose runs, we say "pass me the Kleenex," even if it's Kirkland brand tissue.

Have you noticed that when we make a phone call, we still "dial" our phones. The call-send button on my cell phone is even labeled "dial" but there ain't no dial on the thing.

It's all habit.

 

[michael hagerty]

As PTBoardOp and David noted, PPMs seem to be rewarding the smoothest stations with the lowest levels of interruption. Since stations don't need the listener to remember their call letters, frequency or station name to write into a diary anymore (once they've converted to PPM, that is) they'll probably reduce those mentions.

In fact, there's a school of thought that says that the purpose of identification now is simply to make sure the audience finds you...PPM takes care of the rest (accurately recording the station you're hearing and how long you're hearing it)...and that call letters and station names may give way to starkly simple identifiers like "FM 103.9"....providing the information listeners need to locate the station on the radio and eliminating possible confusion between "Wolf", "Frog", "Jack", "Bob", "Star" and "Sunny".

Of course, the FCC will still require the once-an-hour legal ID of call letters and city of license.

 

[Ai4i]

Interesting how Sirius-XM channels practically never give their channel numbers, yet everyone knows how tro find what they want, even when they have the ocassional channel shuffle. Of course, that is in a non-competitive universe with cross promotions.

 

[BRNout]

Interesting how Sirius-XM channels practically never give their channel numbers, yet everyone knows how tro find what they want, even when they have the ocassional channel shuffle. Of course, that is in a non-competitive universe with cross promotions.

That's because, for branding purposes, Sirius-XM is the 'brand' and not the individual channel. In other words, this subscription service is sold in a bundle so they market the overall service and not the individual channels. Different business model not directly comparable to how you market a radio station.

David was absolutely right about why the repetition still exists: it's the reinforcement of the brand. Despite the fact that diaries are going away, you still need those PPM-wearing listeners to find your station. So, you still need to pitch the station name and frequency so they'll keep finding and listening to you. Particularly important when everyone goes into spot breaks at the same time and listeners tend to go hunting. You need them to return to your station. Successful branding can help listeners to remember where they want to be.

 

[MikefromDelaware]

I don't know if it is a different service or branch of Sirius-XM for businesses vs what you would get at home and in your car, but I've noticed in malls and restaurants that use Sirius-XM that they do give channel numbers every 20 minutes or so. They don't make a big deal out of it and hype it or fanfare it, etc, but it does get said. My guess is most people don't notice it, but it is be said.

 

[BRNout]

I don't know if it is a different service or branch of Sirius-XM for businesses vs what you would get at home and in your car, but I've noticed in malls and restaurants that use Sirius-XM that they do give channel numbers every 20 minutes or so. They don't make a big deal out of it and hype it or fanfare it, etc, but it does get said. My guess is most people don't notice it, but it is be said.

Yes, some do - though not all. My guess is that it's done on certain channels that are more likely to receive public airplay (in stores, etc.) as an advertising tool. Some of the channels, such as "60s on 6" and "70s on 7" play a lot of IDs (often in the form of jingles) because their respective formats would sound strange without such identifiers.