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Social Media: The Emperor Has No Clothes
- Thread starter jas2525
- Start date
TheBigA said:
Woe is you.
I didn't disagree with your suggestion that good comments be rooted out and maybe contacted (by support staff)for an ON AIR conversation, but still...is that REALLY necessary? Unless your station is really hurting for phone action, it's a lot of trouble for minimal return.
Oh that's right: To be cool, you need to invoke SOCIAL MEDIA!
:
Sheep.
I find a parallel between link-posting on this forum and stations trying to tease listeners away to social media. When I'm reading a thread I want to focus on succinct, well developed arguments -- not links to other material. The latter destroys the focus of the thread, much the way broadcast stations have lost their focus.
There's nothing wrong with links to supporting material, just as there's nothing wrong with stations having a social media presence, but it shouldn't interfere with the main objective. In the case of radio, that's to keep listeners engaged with your programming so that they'll hear your clients' advertising.
It isn't that complicated -- keep it simple! If I'm an advertiser and you try to sell me based on your station's integration with social media, I'm thinking that's an act of desperation. I want to buy RADIO -- I can develop my own social media plan.
There's nothing wrong with links to supporting material, just as there's nothing wrong with stations having a social media presence, but it shouldn't interfere with the main objective. In the case of radio, that's to keep listeners engaged with your programming so that they'll hear your clients' advertising.
It isn't that complicated -- keep it simple! If I'm an advertiser and you try to sell me based on your station's integration with social media, I'm thinking that's an act of desperation. I want to buy RADIO -- I can develop my own social media plan.
Just a hunch...
Just a hunch: You, personally, don't actually buy radio advertising.
Your comment seems naive about how the retailers Sales calls "local directs" are coping. These shopkeepers are dogged entrepreneurs, undaunted by their 16-hour work days fueling the economy there on Main Street USA.
If you're one of 'em -- or a radio or TV or newspaper or Yellow Pages ad rep trying-to-capture-their-attention -- you chuckle at-the-notion that they have the bandwidth to "develop my own social media plan."
Radio's opportunity is to be their media consultant, their on-air/online ideas-N-production wizard.
wadio said:
Just a hunch: You, personally, don't actually buy radio advertising.
Your comment seems naive about how the retailers Sales calls "local directs" are coping. These shopkeepers are dogged entrepreneurs, undaunted by their 16-hour work days fueling the economy there on Main Street USA.
If you're one of 'em -- or a radio or TV or newspaper or Yellow Pages ad rep trying-to-capture-their-attention -- you chuckle at-the-notion that they have the bandwidth to "develop my own social media plan."
Radio's opportunity is to be their media consultant, their on-air/online ideas-N-production wizard.
I can always spot the business owners who are doing their own social media plan. They are the ones with Facebook profile (friend) pages and not business pages.
No -- I used to sell radio advertising and I work with people who buy time -- but that's not the point.
That scam has been around for decades. The idea, of course, is to gain control of the client's budget and direct the bulk of his dollars into radio spots on your station. The dominant station in a market might even recommend flights on a tiny daytimer (at a cost that would scarcely dent the budget) in order to demonstrate how unbiased they were -- "We're just here to help you!" Right.
Perhaps you haven't noticed that "Main Street USA" has, for the most part, left the building and, along with it, the community AM stations on which they relied. Today even individually owned businesses with budgets large enough to include radio are likely to use an agency or a consultant for help with their advertising.
And Yellow Pages reps? My goodness, Willie Lohman is dead and the Yellow Pages are almost there. Has anyone gone to the Yellow Pages rather than a search engine in the last five years? If so, please speak up!
My point is that the time spent (and time is money) by radio account reps playing "media consultant" could be better directed toward more productive goals. For example, how about trying to recapture some of the evening and weekend advertising that stations seem to have given up on. Direct marketers know how valuable that time is and they make money with it! More advertising 24/7 begets better programming 24/7 which in turn attracts more advertising.
"Wall Street USA" is littered with companies that went belly up because they lost focus on the primary product or service that made them great. They diversified and lost market share. For radio, social media is a distraction.
RE "That scam has been around for decades."
YAH-mon. Although that's a consequence of a process that can-and-should be genuinely plotting-what'll-get-the-advertiser best results. Put their interests before yours, and you'll do fine.
THUS the advantage of being a diligent local operator, whose competition is mailing-it-in-from-the-mothership.
Local broadcasters who DO THINGS are all-the-more-conspicuous now.
YAH-mon!
HAS THIS HAPPENED TO YOU? It just happened here. We got the new book. I went to the drawer where the old book sat, two swap-in the new book, and toss the old book into the recycling bin...and it occurred to me: The last time I TOUCHED the old book was when-it-was-the-new-book. Social Media and other New Platform detractors take note.
That said: DON'T buy-into the Facebook IPO!
In-words-of Wall Street guru George Costanza, "do the opposite."
Millionaires are being made RIGHT NOW by people who -- carefully -- buy investment real estate.
Shhh...
wadio said:
YAH-mon. Although that's a consequence of a process that can-and-should be genuinely plotting-what'll-get-the-advertiser best results. Put their interests before yours, and you'll do fine.
wadio said:
THUS the advantage of being a diligent local operator, whose competition is mailing-it-in-from-the-mothership.
Local broadcasters who DO THINGS are all-the-more-conspicuous now.
wadio said:
YAH-mon!
HAS THIS HAPPENED TO YOU? It just happened here. We got the new book. I went to the drawer where the old book sat, two swap-in the new book, and toss the old book into the recycling bin...and it occurred to me: The last time I TOUCHED the old book was when-it-was-the-new-book. Social Media and other New Platform detractors take note.
That said: DON'T buy-into the Facebook IPO!
In-words-of Wall Street guru George Costanza, "do the opposite."
Millionaires are being made RIGHT NOW by people who -- carefully -- buy investment real estate.
Shhh...
Holland, I agree completely with your first two points! But when it comes to account reps actually doing the right thing I'd just need to add the caveat, "If only ..." Of course, I don't blame the reps -- it comes from the top down.
Gotta disagree with your corollary regarding the Internet as a replacement for the Yellow Pages and radio's use of social media. When I search the Internet for a phone number, I search the entire Internet, not just an insular segment like Facebook. Stations should have an Internet presence, but one that's accessible to anyone, with or without a Facebook account.
And, I believe you're 100% correct about "do the opposite," today's opportunities in real estate being a good example. So when it comes to radio stations falling all over each other in a race toward social media, I'd say, " ........ well, you know!
Gotta disagree with your corollary regarding the Internet as a replacement for the Yellow Pages and radio's use of social media. When I search the Internet for a phone number, I search the entire Internet, not just an insular segment like Facebook. Stations should have an Internet presence, but one that's accessible to anyone, with or without a Facebook account.
And, I believe you're 100% correct about "do the opposite," today's opportunities in real estate being a good example. So when it comes to radio stations falling all over each other in a race toward social media, I'd say, " ........ well, you know!
useful Social data
Add to your show prep bookmarks: Verizon Fios TV “What’s Hot”
Thanks to Ed Schultz producer James Holm for this tip.
The actual URL is long, so Google “Verizon Fios TV What’s Hot.”
In the “Hot on TV” column, “See what others are watching, searching and recording on FiOS TV right Now,” and what user DVRs are set for later.
And again -- because the runaway popularity of this thread is adding a-page-a-day (or more) -- I feel...compelled...to re-post the link to the aircheck referenced by the fan who kicked-off this thread: http://getonthenet.com/Ed02-03-12.mp3
And this Fabulous Radio Prize: http://hollandcookemedia.wordpress.com/2012/02/01/today-only-free-download/
Otherwise, I'd feel remiss...
HC
Add to your show prep bookmarks: Verizon Fios TV “What’s Hot”
Thanks to Ed Schultz producer James Holm for this tip.
The actual URL is long, so Google “Verizon Fios TV What’s Hot.”
In the “Hot on TV” column, “See what others are watching, searching and recording on FiOS TV right Now,” and what user DVRs are set for later.
And again -- because the runaway popularity of this thread is adding a-page-a-day (or more) -- I feel...compelled...to re-post the link to the aircheck referenced by the fan who kicked-off this thread: http://getonthenet.com/Ed02-03-12.mp3
And this Fabulous Radio Prize: http://hollandcookemedia.wordpress.com/2012/02/01/today-only-free-download/
Otherwise, I'd feel remiss...
HC
TheBigA said:
Your JOB is to entertain an audience, not be their penpal.
Get your priorities straight. Maybe I should do a seperate show for the HD audience as well?
Social media is empty-headed nonsense. I know people who were enthusiastic about it originally, like you, but lost interest, because it's mostly a waste of time. Eye off the ball.
As my mechanic would say, "There's your problem right there!"
"separate?"
THERE'S why HD Radio hasn't found traction!
Available HD programming hasn't motivated users to replace their AM/FM receivers.
If, 5+ years ago, Howard Stern had migrated to HD side-channel syndication, instead of Sirius, there'd be LOTS of HD Radio's in use.
But there are only scattered HD programming success stories, among 'em the Pittsburgh Penguins' channel.
jas2525 said:
"separate?"
THERE'S why HD Radio hasn't found traction!
Available HD programming hasn't motivated users to replace their AM/FM receivers.
If, 5+ years ago, Howard Stern had migrated to HD side-channel syndication, instead of Sirius, there'd be LOTS of HD Radio's in use.
But there are only scattered HD programming success stories, among 'em the Pittsburgh Penguins' channel.
Re: As my mechanic would say, "There's your problem right there!"
HD radio is one, massive pile of disjointed, disorganized and unfocused garbage. The parallel with satellite radio is off-base. Stern's presence their wouldn't have had the same impact on the broad market as it has had with satellite.
Holland Cooke said:
HD radio is one, massive pile of disjointed, disorganized and unfocused garbage. The parallel with satellite radio is off-base. Stern's presence their wouldn't have had the same impact on the broad market as it has had with satellite.
This is NOT a put-on!
Before conspiracy theorists wonder, I'll deny, for-the-record, that I am BOTH HollandCooke AND jas2525, and simply elongating this discussion by posting preposterous retorts, so I can keep posting this:
http://hollandcookemedia.wordpress.com/2012/02/01/today-only-free-download/
Nor am I Joint-Chinese
Before conspiracy theorists wonder, I'll deny, for-the-record, that I am BOTH HollandCooke AND jas2525, and simply elongating this discussion by posting preposterous retorts, so I can keep posting this:
http://hollandcookemedia.wordpress.com/2012/02/01/today-only-free-download/
Nor am I Joint-Chinese
Thanks for the newsletter, Holland.
I accept that a majority of Americans want their phone to be a whole lot of things.
If I may, I decline. There's just no romance to me in a device that wants to be a radio
but is does such a poor job of sounding like a radio. I readily admit memembership in the fossil society
that only wants a phone to be a phone. I'll turn down the radio when the phone rings.
Is there an app that causes a smartphone to emit the scent of dust on hot vacuum tubes?
I'm still addicted to free access to the ether. When the advertising foots the whole bill and I don't need a separate
SIMM and account for each device, there may be some usefulness for me, but still little appeal for something
that can't access the ether without a huge data network, nor for free.
No, still haven't signed up for cable or sat after all these years.
I accept that a majority of Americans want their phone to be a whole lot of things.
If I may, I decline. There's just no romance to me in a device that wants to be a radio
but is does such a poor job of sounding like a radio. I readily admit memembership in the fossil society
that only wants a phone to be a phone. I'll turn down the radio when the phone rings.
Is there an app that causes a smartphone to emit the scent of dust on hot vacuum tubes?
I'm still addicted to free access to the ether. When the advertising foots the whole bill and I don't need a separate
SIMM and account for each device, there may be some usefulness for me, but still little appeal for something
that can't access the ether without a huge data network, nor for free.
No, still haven't signed up for cable or sat after all these years.
Here's what might work for me...
A smartphone with the ability to stream audio without screwing up the "radio" reception when the phone function is used.
Then a bluetooth output of the radio stream.....and a little bluetooth device to slap on the back of ANY radio, or
put in the car radio coax, where the output is an actual AM or FM signal (not just FM) to permit using
any standard RADIO to do the listening.
I'd also like apps to provide various variable "radio" effects like 10 khz whine, random atmospheric noise effects....
The objection to paying for listening would likely still be an issue for me. But I'd be interested for sure in this method.
A smartphone with the ability to stream audio without screwing up the "radio" reception when the phone function is used.
Then a bluetooth output of the radio stream.....and a little bluetooth device to slap on the back of ANY radio, or
put in the car radio coax, where the output is an actual AM or FM signal (not just FM) to permit using
any standard RADIO to do the listening.
I'd also like apps to provide various variable "radio" effects like 10 khz whine, random atmospheric noise effects....
The objection to paying for listening would likely still be an issue for me. But I'd be interested for sure in this method.
Tom Wells said:
The FM devices have been around for several years. I use mine daily. I haven't seen anything similar for AM since FM converters were being sold in the '70s.
I hope you're just kidding. Why in the world would anyone want that garbage cluttering up their reception? That's why AM and shortwave are going away. But if you want to write a noise-making app and mix it into your other audio, that's your business. Don't expect any takers if you offer it in the Android Market, however.
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