| As I progressed through my radio broadcasting career | | | | level as opposed at station level. They do not impact |
| I often wondered what made some radio stations | | | | on the audience as a whole and do not get them |
| sound really great and why other radio stations | | | | talking about your station. Promotions must run at |
| sounded very mundane and ordinary. It was only when | | | | station level and affect the audience across all time |
| I started to ask the questions of those who worked in | | | | segments and culminate in one big event on air to |
| those stations that it started to dawn on me that the | | | | have the required impact. |
| process of making the station sound great was a | | | | Sounding big |
| strategy undertaken and implemented by management | | | | I ran a promotion over a month that culminated in two |
| of those stations. The stations that weren't sounding | | | | big on air events in week two and week four of the |
| so good also had something in common. They had no | | | | promotion. It was called FLY TO WORK FRIDAY. The |
| strategy on how their station was perceived by their | | | | promotion was a station event and every programme |
| listeners and left the process to chance. | | | | was involved. Trails were made and ran ever hour |
| It is my view that radio is very special. It is intrusive, it is | | | | saying that instead of the usual drudge to work on |
| respected and it is valued. It is a medium that can be | | | | Friday, 102FM will get you to work in style... by |
| manipulated in ways that can really impact on those | | | | helicopter. There was also a script created for |
| who listen to it and can do so on many different levels. | | | | presenters who were instructed to talk about the |
| Let's look at radio from a listener point of view, | | | | event and mention the extras like picking the winner up |
| someone who is not interested in the inner workings of | | | | in a Ferrari and taking them to the airport via the local |
| a station, someone who is not interested in how radio | | | | racetrack and how they would be treated to a top |
| broadcasting is achieved but is only interested in the | | | | class breakfast before the flight. One winner was |
| result in terms of information and entertainment. This | | | | nominated each day of week. Each winner was |
| listener is the person who believes in what we | | | | picked by being first on the phone when they heard a |
| broadcasters call 'the magic of radio'. | | | | particular song that was related to flying played |
| The Movies | | | | sometime between 6am and 6pm. The culmination of |
| To understand 'the magic of radio' you need to | | | | the event happened on the breakfast show live when |
| understand that it is a creative process. So let's look at | | | | the Ferrari turned up at one listeners door. Each stage |
| another industry that uses a creative process to make | | | | then broadcast on the show throughout the morning. |
| a product that people buy into on a worldwide basis. | | | | As far as listeners to this show were concerned, it |
| The movie industry is built on simple theory. The | | | | was a two week promotion with one prize. It wasn't |
| success of the industry is based on the fact that | | | | until the Monday of week three that we ran trails says |
| people watch movies to be entertained, have a bit of | | | | that it was so much fun the first time, we are going to |
| fun, to get away from their real life, to forget about | | | | do it all... again. |
| their problems for a few hours. They enter a world | | | | This promotion sounded fantastic on air, listeners were |
| that is not real and they know is not real but they go | | | | talking about it and took part in their droves, presenters |
| anyway. Movie experts call this 'the willing suspension | | | | loved it and an advertiser paid to be associated with it. |
| of disbelief'. Movie goers willingly leave their ordinary, | | | | All of this was based on the fact that the station had |
| analytical, cynical minds behind and enter an unreal | | | | access to a company who had a helicopter and |
| world created by the moviemaker... why? They want | | | | arranged the two flights required and also was able to |
| to be entertained. | | | | have the use of a Ferrari and driver from a local |
| These movie goers are not interested in the | | | | enthusiast club. Now... before you say that you are a |
| multi-million pound process used to make the movie. | | | | small community station and can't do this sort of stuff, |
| They are only interested in the result of that process. | | | | this promotion ran on a small rural station in Ireland with |
| They are willing to believe the story the moviemaker is | | | | a one town broadcast area with a population of 21000. |
| telling them (willingly suspending their disbelief) while | | | | It was very successful in growing the stations goal of |
| they watch the movie... why? They want to be | | | | 'being small but sounding big' in the listeners mind. Feel |
| entertained. Is it a coincidence that the two biggest | | | | free to use this promotion concept because I know it |
| movies ever in terms of creativity, TITANIC and | | | | works. |
| AVATAR, were created by the same person...? | | | | Listener perception |
| James Cameron. | | | | The lesson for community radio in the UK is simple. |
| Create good radio | | | | While you might perceive yourself as a small station |
| Radio is a creative process too and the extent of that | | | | with a small geographical area to broadcast to using a |
| creativity affects the perception that listeners have of | | | | low wattage transmitter, your listener does not |
| your station. Listeners respond to radio in the same | | | | perceive you that way. The listener perception is |
| way as the respond to the movies. They want to be | | | | based entirely on what you broadcast. If your station |
| entertained and the vast majority of your listeners are | | | | sounds 'small' then that is what listeners will perceive. |
| willing to believe in what you do on air if you are | | | | That is your fault, not theirs. The fact is community |
| entertaining them. This belief does not only extend to | | | | radio does sounds 'small'. This manifests itself in many |
| the station but it extends to individual presenters too. | | | | ways. I understand that most operate as charities (that |
| So why do some stations sound great and others | | | | in itself promotes the 'small' perception) I don't think it is |
| don't? It is down to creativity, the magic you produce | | | | necessary to trade on that status when there are |
| on your station is the same magic that allows the | | | | better perceptions available for you to create. I believe |
| listener to feel good about what you do; enjoy what | | | | a perception of a 'not for profit community radio' being |
| you do for them and how special you make them feel. | | | | the catalyst for other local charities is a much better |
| I would like to explain the difference between a station | | | | position to achieve and would create a better listener |
| sounding great and a station sounding mundane. One | | | | perception of your station. |
| area where you can have a huge impact on listeners | | | | Create a good listener perception by thinking bigger, by |
| and make money is to give them something | | | | working on your image, by working on getting the best |
| extraordinary, something different, and something that | | | | possible promotional value from every aspect of your |
| will affect or change their lives for a short period of | | | | output. Manipulate 'the magic of radio' for your stations |
| time. Loads of radio stations run competitions on air, | | | | benefit.... And remember, regardless of the reasons |
| tickets for this, tickets for that, win this CD, win that CD | | | | they broadcast for, broadcasters create magic; it is not |
| and so on. These competitions and prizes are | | | | their job to believe in that magic. |
| mundane and boring and usually run at programme | | | | |