Time For A Change of Mind Radio Advertisers

[davideduardo]

I understand. I wasn't asking for anyone to renounce their heritage. I just didn't realize the cultural differences were that profound, beyond the second generation or so. My mother is quite fond of Perry Como but my grandkids probably don't even know who is was!

Sometimes it's more subtle... the fondness for rhythmic (distinguishing between rhythm and beat) music may translate to a like for things like rhythmic oldies and less of a like for things that are more rock or acoustic...

It blurs after 3 or 4 generations. Per the US government definition, Jerry Garcia was Hispanic.

 

[landtuna]

It blurs after 3 or 4 generations. Per the US government definition, Jerry Garcia was Hispanic.

Per my consumption of Dos Equis, refritoes and fajitas, so am I. ;D

 

[semoochie]

It's amazing! I always spell-check and when I don't, look what happens. I started to say "is" and then realized Mr. Como was no longer with us and changed it to "was" but left in "is" and forgot to put in "it" or "he".

 

[SirRoxalot]

What concerns me is that too many advertisers are considering radio as "old media", and not effective at reaching younger audiences. It's a lot easier to sell radio to advertisers looking for 45+, and these days, overworked account execs are looking for the easy sell.

If radio actually becomes a primarily 45+ media, its days are as numbered as some big radio companies seem to believe. The death of radio becomes a self-fullfilling prophecy.

 

[borderblaster]

Exactly why Clear Channel is putting more of its eggs in the iHeartRadio basket.

 

[KeithE4]

If radio actually becomes a primarily 45+ media, its days are as numbered as some big radio companies seem to believe. The death of radio becomes a self-fullfilling prophecy.

What stations, other than those carrying Adult Standards or Limbaugh and his ilk, are catering to anyone older than 45? And how many of them are on FM? I'll guess "very few" to both questions.

 

[SirRoxalot]

Classic Hits, Classic Rock, and Talk - some of the biggest formats out there - do most of their business 45+. Even in AC tends to lean toward the 35-54 end of the demo. Hot AC leans toward 25-34.

 

[davideduardo]

Classic Hits, Classic Rock, and Talk - some of the biggest formats out there - do most of their business 45+. Even in AC tends to lean toward the 35-54 end of the demo. Hot AC leans toward 25-34.

No, they do most of their ad business in 35-54 or 45-54, subsets of 25-54.

While some formats have a lot of spillage over 55, on transactional business that listenership is not taken into accounts.

Traditional AC is definitely 35-54. That is its focus. Just as CHR is predominantly 18-34. In the case of AC, there is 55+ spillage. For CHRs, the spillage is 12-17.

Agencies will do more than just look at rankers for a market buy which tends to be several stations... even 10 stations or so deep in top 10 markets. They will determine which combination of stations gives the right reach across the target.

So if we have a true 25-54 buy, you will see the total buy including classic rock, classic hits, Urban AC, AC and maybe talk for the higher end, and CHR, alternative, urban, Hot AC, several of the Hispanic formats for the younger end, and where appropriate, country for all of it.

On the business end, 35-54 or even a very strong 45-54 will generate presence on broad spectrum 25 54 buys. On the audience side, there is going to be "out of demo" appeal for every format.

 

[davideduardo]

What stations, other than those carrying Adult Standards or Limbaugh and his ilk, are catering to anyone older than 45? And how many of them are on FM? I'll guess "very few" to both questions.

As Rox has mentioned, traditional AC, soft AC (Easy) classic rock, country, Urban AC, Adult hits, Spanish adult hits and talk and all-news all target 45-54 or 36-54 primarily.

Standards reaches almost entirely 65+ (truly 70+, but that is a non-standard Arbitron demo). There are nearly no standards stations left in rated markets on significant facilities...

News/talk, complete with Limbaugh, gets a lot of 55+ when on AM only... move or simulcast with an FM, and that format improves in 35-54... which is the sales target in any event.

A prime example of news on FM is WTOP in DC. #1 in 25-54. Talkers on FM or with simulcasts do very well in markets like San Francisco (often 25-54 #1) Salt Lake, Phoenix, Indianapolis, New Orleans, Pittsburgh, Dayton, Jacsonville, etc., etc.