Connect Personally And Keep It Real

For the last few days I've been sharing info-graphics from "State of Listening in America" which haven't gotten press coverage and yet I believe impact you very directly much more than than "good news" headlines picked up by media the day after the New York data presentation.

1.  CONNECT PERSONALLY WITH LISTENERS

Listeners have deep affinities with DJs and value the time spent with them.

2.  DJs ARE CONSIDERED CELEBRITIES WHO KEEP IT REAL”

Listeners expect a lot from us.

How have you delivered on those hopes in the last few minutes on your air?

Radio Cornerstones Of Lasting Engagement

"State of Listening Today," according to Clear Channel CEO Bob Pittman, “Confirms that radio’s reach and appeal remain strong regardless of the platform, geography, ethnicity, or age group.  American listeners – particularly younger generations – feel a strong connection to their favorite on-air radio personalities – which is made stronger by social media – in a way that isn’t replicated by other media.”

The study also helps explain why:

It Was Actually More Than Just Great News For Radio

The trade press coverage of "State of Listening in America" in the last week has focused largely on the many positive aspects of radio in 2013 as a vehicle for advertisers.

Dr. Subramanyam also did something very clever at the conclusion of the presentation in New York that hasn't gotten the coverage that I feel it deserves.  Once the media buying targets were nodding "yes" to data about the reach, impact, target and power of radio, came this advice I want to underscore. 

IMPLICATIONS FOR MARKETERS 

These are the messages that I wish more of our trade media had covered and that all of us in radio need to share with our production departments, our talent and our clients.

Pass it on!

A Clever Trick

Good catch by Inside Radio last week:  Not streaming on iHeartRadio?  Search engine finds a suitable Clear Channel alternative. As Clear Channel builds what Cumulus CEO Lew Dickey calls “a giant cable system,” a destination where consumers go to find radio stations, it’s using a new search engine to direct iHeartRadio users to its own stations.

Search for a mainstream or rhythmic CHR that Clear Chanel doesn’t own or stream — Emmis Communications “Power 106” KPWR in Los Angeles, for example — and the search engine returns powerhouse Clear Channel CHRs “Z100” WHTZ, New York; KIIS-FM, L.A.;  and WKSC, Chicago.

Type in a non-participating urban station’s call letters and you’ll get CC’s “Power 105.1” WWPR, New York and its urban stations in Chicago: WGCI and “V103” WVAZ.   Looking for Entercom’s KOIT, San Francisco? How about  New York’s WLTW, L.A.’s KOST or Houston’s “Sunny 99.1” KODA instead?

If Clear Channel can’t stream every radio station in the nation, it hopes to fulfill user requests with a suitable alternative and keep them from straying elsewhere.  And it’s made possible by a new unified search engine that makes finding stations, artists and songs simple and speedy.  It even works for stations in markets as small as Albany, GA and Lafayette, LA.

Before you say "I am shocked, shocked" that they're doing this, you might want to go to a few of the most popular car washes in your town and see what radio station pre-set they put on car radios.

One of the oldest tricks in the book, bought with concert tickets and CD's.

That was the original "search engine optimization."