What's old is new again

[merrymary]

The economy, the fact that September was the ninth straight month of job declines, with employers shedding a net 760,000 jobs so far this year, tells me that hardworking Americans feel lost and scared. More than ever, they're looking for someone to be on their side, to understand what they're feeling. And that tells me that more than ever, live radio broadcasters can be there to answer the call.

I'm not trying to make every broadcaster into a social service worker, but I am telling you in a not so subtle way, that, reaching out to the listener is more important now, than ever. Maybe it's time to re-institute the founding days of radio. Local birthdays, community events, local news with a national spin, will draw the listener to your spot on the dial and keep them there.

I remember the days of listening to a program called "Night Beat" growing up. Back in the day, the local jock would take dedications and comments on the air, and just like the old game of telephone, Amy would call Becky who would call Page and everybody and their cousin would tune in to hear their friend/relative on the radio. The next night, listenership would be better than the last.

Advertising revenues are down by double digits. The time has come to create a new market. Thinking that worked for you 12 months ago, no longer applies. So, if you're management, or even if you're a lowly jock, dedicate your program to listener needs and watch your numbers increase. Now is a time to empathize with the person who's worried about buying home heating oil. Become their friend, keep them close and be genuine about it. Give them a chance to watch the minutes till the your show comes on the radio to find that comforting voice and attitude and they'll be there. You will win and so will they. And as we know, win/win is the only way to be a good winner.

 

[nhradiochild]

This is a pretty well-thought-out topic.

I'd like to expound upon something I think was brushed upon but maybe not put "front and center".

When people lose their jobs, they're going to have nothing BUT time to listen to the radio. And unless they're stealing cable, they aren't going to be able to keep that alive either (unless they have a nice savings account, which is almost unheard of for most of the clientele that radio has cozied up to).

AHEM, let me add a quick note before I get thrown against the proverbial wall for suggesting that radio's listener's are by and large unmarketable to. Folks will always have to spend money some way, whether they are employed or not. So you might bone up on grocery store advertisements and such like that. People will find ways of getting what they desire, it just won't be very often. So advertisers need fret not over if their advertising dollars will be wasted. It's just a matter of getting to know what their customers hold in the highest regard and extolling its virtues.

 

[merrymary]

Granted, you are right. And if the economy continues as such, car radios and batteries for transistor radios will be more important than ever. I don't dismiss power outages and ATM shutdowns. Who then, will they turn to?

 

[merrymary]

NH Radiochild, I have followed you for some time on these pages. You seem to have a very good grasp of the market. What is your experience?

 

[nhradiochild]

My passion for radio began at 10 years old. I used to help Ted Bilodeau (when the station wasn't looking : ;D) on some weekends. That grew into visiting a whole bunch of WHDQ-personalities, bordering on radio-groupie lol.

I hung out at arcades and got my second job installing security systems with Action Security in Goshen while I was still in high school. Through this job, I made my first legitimate radio contact with WNTK's Bob Vinikoor. He hired me as a part-timer during the summer months and worked there for quite a few years, alternating jobs between announcer work, graphic design for the Talk Radio Shopper, and a brief foray into syncing their first computer automation system with their traffic software. (No easy task, let me tell you!)

While there, I got my second radio lead from Chris Frey who was working mornings there, and suggested I apply at WFRD for vacation-interim work, which I did and got hired for. This I did sporadically whenever I could get up that way.

After leaving WNTK, I got hired at Radio Shack in Claremont, whilst also pursuing a position at WHDQ. It was awhile before I could convince them to hire me, but ironically, the thing that got me noticed (and hired) was the weekly publication graphic design work I did for WNTK, not the multiple airchecks I submitted.

That was short-lived, because I found a full-time gig at WPNH through someone I met at WHDQ, Lillian Afonso. She was hired away from there by the Q, so it was only fitting they give somebody in return. LOL

It was there that I really honed my skills, only to be cast aside due to my hiatus required by my enlistment into the NH National Guard. They didn't fire me, but they couldn't find the hours they were giving me before as they hired someone in my absence. So as the wallet depleted (like there was anything in there to begin with, lol), I came to realize the only way out of my situation was to go active duty, and here I've stayed for 10 or so years.

But I always followed NH and VT radio with great zeal (even after it was no longer important to) and continue to this day. I guess you can call me a junkie in that aspect. I just wanted to know everything about it, both historically and present day. The more I immersed myself in it, the more I continued to desire to learn, and it just kept flourishing until somehow I started to have a decent head on my shoulders about things, lol. (AKA: withdrew my bitterness over having been "let go" so to speak.)

Now, I have the potential opportunity to take what I've learned and apply it to military radio, and so far, my recommendations have been held in very high regard (well, when they deserve to be). I just hope that the folks far removed from the industry (my current military branch managers) can see the overall benefit in allowing me to transfer to the public affairs branch.

Didn't mean to talk your ear off, but it's always pleasant to hear when someone is interested in who I am or what I'm doing. Thanks for being one of those people, Mary.

 

[merrymary]

Passion is rare. Sorry to tell you, but you've been infected with the radio-bug. NO vaccine to date. Ask Gary James.