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FMQB Thinking Ahead!

Wednesday, June 19, 2013

June 1, 2012

How I Learned To Stop Listening To (U.S.) Radio & To Love The Internet
By Brad Savage

Brad Savage

Radio is magical. It’s a true theater-of-the-mind, one-on-one, immediate and personal delivery platform. Sure, the basic idea of one broadcast for many listeners over terrestrial airwaves goes back a century. Today, it could be said that with customized internet stations and programming offerings geared at just one listener, some of the warmth, wide audience reach and theater/magic from these new platforms has gone away.
And I don’t need to tell you about programming research, limited duration of talk segments, liner jocks, PPM, lowest common denominator programming, familiarity, short attention spans, and $$$. There’s always money at stake. Radio can be a mixture of commercial viability and art. But don’t say “art” in a for-profit entity. It tends to make people nervous. In some cases even some non-commercial/public-service broadcasters care more about mass appeal than cultural identity and service to the public. I believe there can be a balance between commerce and art in broadcasting. But it’s often easier to play the safe route; “cowboys” and trailblazers are not encouraged.
Still, I happen to love radio. I love the way a broadcast operation can program music, voice, news, talk, and hosts to influence thought and feelings among an audience in the direct area they serve. And now, of course, that means world wide, too. A broadcaster’s reach on a global scale is only going to increase as technology continues to evolve. How will your brand stand out among more than 20,000 listening outlets on the dashboard of your vehicle? How do you stand out today? Are you thinking about being “purple” (thanks: Seth Godin) today or in the future? Is it too late already?

A World Away
It is interesting that when a current U.S. programmer is listening for new ideas or new patterns in a radio broadcast, one place they can turn to is the wealth of international streaming radio options available online. Many U.S. stations sound like one another. Many radio formats follow a “school of fish” programming mentality, letting a precious few lead and then choosing to follow the pack. Regional hits or local color are rare. Some stations could be interchanged with programming outlets in other cities with little notice among listeners. Being a trailblazer is often risky, and it makes sense why a safe programming tactic is chosen when lots of audience and revenue are at stake. It isn’t often the best strategy to expose new music or expand the artistic enlightenment or cultural knowledge base of your audience when the real goal is often audience share or revenue share… or both.
          So what’s the best way to re-invigorate radio programming for the future? How can we remain innovative and exciting, and remain a necessary gadget/listening device, when our basic technology goes back 100 years? What’s new under the sun? Will younger listeners ever come back, or love the concept of radio broadcasting like we hear stories about from respected industry veterans from a simpler time?
          I’ve found that many radio stations in foreign countries are exciting and fun, focused on their coverage areas, and have a unique and different sound. Many throw out the rules of what we’re doing today in U.S. broadcasting, or they just emulate a sound that we may identify with from years (or decades) ago here in America. There’s a vibrant sense of life and a central point of information alive in many of these stations. They’re community hubs. They’re exciting. They’re a companion for listeners to identify with and welcome into their lives.
          I’m very interested in English language broadcasting in distant countries. I’ve found excellent stations in Nigeria, Belize, UAE, Oman, UK, Australia, New Zealand, Ireland, Sri Lanka, etc. With new apps and aggregators like TuneInRadio or Wunderground Radio, it is simple to scan the dial in these countries until something strikes your fancy (or sounds geared to a Western audience or Western-style delivery).    Some stations play mostly English language music but are broadcast and imaged in other languages, and these stations can be really interesting because you can hear the style, tempo, and attitude but not understand exactly what’s being said. In other words, you might be listening like a listener (with half an ear, focused on many other tasks going on you in your busy daily life).
          My international radio streaming went up exponentially when I bought an iPad almost two years ago. That led to purchases of Wireless Internet Radios, which are fascinating devices. I love my bright-red Logitech Squeezebox radio. I can set as many presets as I want, download apps, post what songs I am hearing to Facebook, and even stream my own audio library from a nearby computer or server. I also own two wireless tabletop devices from Grace Digital Audio. I can store presets and access the same stations on multiple radios, plus through their Reciva Radio app on my iPhone and iPad. With my phone, which I never use for talking or making phone calls, I can sit at a gate on a connection at Dulles International Airport while listening to Catboy & Georgiebird’s Morning Show from Dubai 92 on my headphones, over a 3G phone connection. It is a brave new world.

Here are some stations I particularly enjoy…

Station Format Location Website

Bandit Rock 106.3         Rock/wide Active Rock & attitude               Sweden               www.bandit.se
MR-2 Petofi                   Eclectic current hits/Indie                           Hungary               www.mr2.hu
Eldo Radio                    Chart Hits + 80s/Chill/Alt formats                Luxembourg          www.eldoradio.lu
Flux-FM                        Indie/Alt Rock in Berlin                               Germany              www.fluxfm.de
Phantom 105.2            “Dublin’s Indie Rock”                                  Ireland                  www.phantom1052.ie
Oui-FM                       Chart Pop + Indie/Classic Rock formats       France                 www.ouifm.fr
Radio Pirata                Eclectic Rock/Roots format in Spanish!       Nicaragua             www.pirata.biz
Radio Roks                 Amazing Russian Hard Rock format            Russia                  www.radioroks.com.ua
TNL Radio                   Chart hits/Indie/youth culture                      Sri Lanka              www.tnlrocks.com
Rock Max                   Eclectic, wide Rock & Metal format             Czech Republic     www.rockmax.cz
Dubai 92                     Hot AC, but not like we think of it                Dubai, UAE           www.dubai92.com
Hi-FM 95.9                  Top 40 & Chart Hits (UK charts)                  Muscat, Oman      www.hifmradio.com
Merge 104.8                Merging Traditional & Modern                     Muscat, Oman      www.radiomerge.fm

Bringing The World Home
It is amazing to think that what we do every day (playing music and selling air-time for ads) is a groundbreaking cultural experience in many places across the globe. Some regions have only recently started allowing independent radio broadcast licenses. Of all the stations I’ve found, Muscat, Oman’s “Merge 104.8” is to me the most significant for creating change in a cultural aspect. I urge you to read “About Us”, under “The Merge Way” on their website.
          It’s also exciting to watch the charts of current songs in other countries to get an idea of songs that may work with audiences back home. After all, we know these songs are hits somewhere – and listeners in the U.K. or Denmark or Australia are people too! At WCNR, we’ve found success with some artists discovered via international radio like Kate Miller Heidke, Milow, Brooke Fraser, Ben Howard, Ed Sheeran and Manic Street Preachers.
          While you can argue that international radio may seem more innovative, more inclusive, or feature a wider range/wider depth of music, I’ve found one common favorite element about its music programming. It’s not so “precious” on era, sound, or mass appeal like we are in the U.S. Top 40 can go back and play Depeche Mode. Rock stations might play The Who into The Runaways next to Bryan Adams into Disturbed. Stations don’t stop playing well-known artists once they’re big; in fact they try to reach as many listeners as possible by playing big names. DUH!
          If you’re living in a world of charts and airplay monitors in the U.S. only, I’d challenge you to turn off your competitors (locally and nationally). Tune out the noise around us. Forget new technology. Consider avoiding charts, research, airplay figures, and “alphabet soup” of many stations.   Create your format (radio signal or streaming-only outlet, or any delivery platform!) so that it sounds fun, engaging, local, and innovative. What characteristics can it exhibit that could only define your brand? How does it connect emotionally or intellectually with its audience? I can already choose from hundreds of thousands of stations or streams to listen to while in my car (or at home, at my desk, etc)… so what is it that makes me choose yours?

Brad Savage serves as PD for Saga Communications’ Triple A WCNR/Charlottesville, VA. He previously programmed Clear Channel Triple A WQKL/Ann Arbor, MI and Modern Rock WMAD/Madison, WI. He is also an avid music fanatic and collector with a collection of 15,000 CD’s. Brad can be reached at radiobradsavage@gmail.com or (434)220-2300