SNOWSTORM REPORT CARD

[jimbradley]

I am conflicted about totally eliminating the airing of school cancellations. But I have also advocated for years the need to reduce the airings significantly. I would favor maybe a full list at 5:30 and 6 am then only new information after that for the full service stations. Not everyone of your listeners can afford internet access. Of course, I am old fashioned in thinking sometimes we should serve the public. But I agree the music stations should get out of the cancellation business.
Another note: we were driving in the storm and annoyed to be directed to a radio station's web page for major cancellations. It was the Saturday before Christmas and we had shopping and errands that needed to be done. I don't have internet in my car. I'm not paying for mobile web on my cell phone for the five times a year I'd use it.

 

[Seltzer]

I have to agree with "I Know" the more I think about it. The information is much readily available elsewhere. It adds clutter. Parents should definitely want to get school info as quickly as possible and a text or e-mail from the school directed to your mobile phone is what is happening today.

Why don't the majority of music FM stations do news outside of AM drive? Because of TV and the internet. We live in a society where people "want it now." I can access my local TV station's website and CNN or Fox website to get my news ANY TIME I want it. I don't have to wait for the radio news update, nor do I WANT to wait for it.

And again, the same goes for school closings.

Your music format, personalities, and stationality have EVERYTHING to do with your P1s. Not school closings. In fact, I doubt school closings EVER had anything to do with your P1s.

 

[ratingsgeek]

I have to agree with "I Know" the more I think about it. The information is much readily available elsewhere. It adds clutter. Parents should definitely want to get school info as quickly as possible and a text or e-mail from the school directed to your mobile phone is what is happening today.

Why don't the majority of music FM stations do news outside of AM drive? Because of TV and the internet. We live in a society where people "want it now." I can access my local TV station's website and CNN or Fox website to get my news ANY TIME I want it. I don't have to wait for the radio news update, nor do I WANT to wait for it.

And again, the same goes for school closings.

Your music format, personalities, and stationality have EVERYTHING to do with your P1s. Not school closings. In fact, I doubt school closings EVER had anything to do with your P1s.

"Stationality" is one of those terms (like "P1") used in radio circles and nowhere else--so its definition isn't widely discussed. But for sake of this conversation I'll define it as "positioning"--and the perception of a station's position, particularly its strengths, in the minds of the market population. School closings, weather information, road conditions, etc., can play a big role in positioning a particular radio station as "the one to turn to"... the source... the authority. That's all very positive, and--yeah--can help form that bond between a listener and a station that translates into "P1" listening.

On the other hand, the value of snowstorm-related info for any specific station may be a bigger deal in smaller markets than in larger markets--where everybody is more likely to have similar resources. So those of you in Harrisburg may not see the value that those in Chambersburg or Sunbury might see...