Changes Younger Demos Want Your Station To Make

I heard a report on NPR last week that young children who have become used to playing with mobile devices and getting instant gratification are throwing fits when their parents “force” them to watch commercial television.

In fact, these young kids can’t stand the commercials and want them to stop.  Can you imagine?

I can.

Because our radio audiences are a lot older and they are wondering why we think they would want to listen to what passes for radio these days.

For the past ten years I have made it my business to study the patterns of generational media thanks to the time I spent as a professor at The University of Southern California.

I can tell you that the 95 million Millennials coming of age – some as old as 30 and in our money demo – are lost to radio unless we adapt and change.

Baby boomers cannot make radio a growth business again and Gen X, they are a much smaller generation in terms of numbers and, well -- they coined the phrase “radio sucks” – remember that gem?

Younger demos want us to change if we expect them to add radio to their many digital options for entertainment and information.

Bear with me here.

Say you had this idea before radio was ever invented and pitched it to investors of that era.

“We have this technology that can put audio programs into people’s homes and offer music, entertainment, news and local information.  And we can monetize it by running two 9 minute clusters crammed with unlistenable advertisements every hour”.

No one would buy that business model.

And take away the music, entertainment, news and local information as the big consolidators have and what are we offering again?

But I am more than confident that I know the way to reengage this critical audience.

  • A way to offer commercials in a more listenable form.
  • The one way younger demos would actually like to hear commercials (from my student labs at USC).  That’s right, they would listen and not tune out.  I can promise you, we’re not doing this – yet.
  • They want music discovery and we want to prune the playlist to the same repetitive songs over and over.  Bland, no discovery.  But I am going to tell those of you who are in Philly March 26th for my meeting how to do both from the mouths of this essential audience.  And they will love it.   If you’re in a disrupting mood, this is worth the price alone.
  • A contest so compelling to younger demos that they will actually carry your station around and listen live if you’ll give them this one thing that is an answer to their dreams.  Forget the other garbage that means nothing to them.  I’m going to ask you to do just this one thing really well – and I’ll answer all your questions on how to carry it off.

Our conference is only one month away.

It’s about solutions.

My mission is to be in the room with radio people and digital entrepreneurs who are of the mind to innovate.

In addition to the above, there are 7 key areas that I will offer solutions for that will reignite our ability to not just compete but to lead.

  1. Disrupting radio -- Specific ways to disrupt radio and put an end to digital competitors interrupting your station’s revenue stream.  Pandora radio is already killing Clear Channel’s sales in the first quarter of the year in major markets that are off 5% -- ignoring digital competitors will not make this stop.  Disrupt them.
  2. Master digital -- as a second stream of free cash flow alongside a reinvigorated air product.  Even Facebook is changing its bet from mass social networking to smaller, more personalized group connection as witnessed by its recent $19 billion purchase of WhatsApp.  Master solutions to transform both your radio and digital power into something that will attract big money advertisers.
  3. Starting your own social media -- The first step to starting your stations own social media network independent from Facebook, Twitter, SnapChat or whatever else comes next.  A more sure footed way to grow your fan base.
  4. Adapting radio to the digital age -- Solutions to giving younger money demo listeners the radio that they want – a morning show that will take their breath away because no one is currently doing it.  Finally, an answer to how to fill their need for music discovery and your station’s need to gain ratings through repetition of the hits at the same time.  The only contest that will make their dreams come true and it’s not a trip, contest or tickets to a concert.  I’m going to reveal it so you can do it.
  5. Getting into video -- The best route to starting your own radio station video business – one that will not need salespeople to unlock the revenue potential and that will more than make up for any on-air advertising shortfalls you may run into this year.  I’ll play video examples and reveal the winning game plans.
  6. Attracting younger audiences -- From my work as a USC professor in the area of generational media:  the four critical things Millennials expect of media.  This checklist is so valuable, I am using it right here, right now – can you tell?
  7. Solving time shifted radio -- Time shifting is the new broadcasting in an increasingly on-demand world.  It’s not just repurposing your morning show.  It’s grade A content that is irresistible and most in-demand by advertisers.

This event will not be available by stream or video – only live and in person. 

I can’t wait to share my enthusiasm and knowledge with you in Philly March 26th

Join the radio executives and digital entrepreneurs who have already reserved their seats.

Reserve a seat

Inquire about group rates

If you’d like to stay on-site at The Rittenhouse Hotel, mention you’ve registered for the “Media Solutions Conference”.