Inside Music MediaJerry Del Colliano

Millennials are famous for embracing authenticity.

But radio is the least authentic sounding thing to them – hype, promos, 8 minutes of commercials with meaningless gibberish every 30 minutes and features that make no sense (like traffic when they can get it live on their phones).

When jocks talk it is often only every 15 minutes and well, they say nothing.

Few people on radio sound like the audience that now represents 86 million 18-34 year olds.

By and large radio sounds the same way it sounded in the 60’s and 70’s.

There hasn’t been one significant new radio format innovated in many decades even though audience tastes have changed.

Djs sound like they were all descendants from Cousin Brucie.

The only thing that has changed about the way we engage radio audiences is that the audience has left us and turned to their own devices – digital devices.

So top priority to remain relevant is to change how we engage audiences.

This is not going to be easy but it is a must.

How to do news that’s more compelling then Twitter.

And music that makes listeners forget about streaming services.

How to remove hype that 18-34’s hate so much they won’t even tune in.

To replace the sweepers we are addicted to that scream “this station is not for you”.

In fact, we will need to train our air talent to be as interesting as they are on their Twitter pages.

On radio they are dumbed down, but at my upcoming conference in Philadelphia, I’m going to show you how to train your on-air talent to be as compelling as they are on Twitter.

Training on-air people to sound like the audiences they are targeting (and as I will show you this doesn’t mean they all have to be 24 years old).

Our goal is for you to return to your market and have enough things you can do to push your station into the present in as painless a way as possible. But it’s going to require an open mind.

I am so proud that we have numerous independent local radio groups not only attending this training but bringing their people so that change will begin at this conference for them organically when they return home.

 Let’s start with a big problem.

Changing the way we engage audiences.

Here are the 9 critical issues on deck for the April 6^th meeting:

1. Change the way we talk to audiences. Radio dates itself every time the mic is open, but audiences want authenticity, no hype and at least three other things that most radio stations do not have. Training to teach on-air people to sound the way the audience sounds. How to get away from: “this station is not for me” to a new affinity.  Sweepers, positioners – how are they testing with Millennials?
2. Making money from digital. Enough, already. What most stations are doing is not generating very significant digital revenue. Here’s what they are missing that can work for you.
3. Getting Millennials to listen. After we change the way we talk to 18-34 year old audiences, what is so compelling that they will have to listen. How about three things that have never been done that I think you will agree will make radio a destination again even in the digital age.
4. Reinvigorating the morning show. See where I’m going with all this so far. We can’t blow up everything but there are changes we can make like the way we talk to audiences, the things we do to make radio relevant to them, improving digital and this one – redesigning outdated morning shows that 18-34’s are not relating to. Then generate 50-60% of your total station’s revenue from the more relevant morning show alone.
5. Outpacing radio’s declining revenue trend.  Every financial analyst is calling for a negative year -- off anywhere from 1% to over 5%. And yes, price gouging by major consolidators is helping radio’s race to the bottom. Let’s cut to the chase. What can be done to outperform this negative trend? Fighting rate cuts, over-bonusing, short-term flights, unwillingness to pay a premium plus adding revenue from subscriptions (don’t knock it), product placement and digital so foreign to radio you will likely be the first in your market doing it.
6. A Millennial Station Makeover – leave with a long list of things you can do to make the rest of your station sound cool to critical 18-34 while also meeting with the approval of your older audiences.
7. What to do about podcasting, which doesn’t monetize well but intrigues Gen X and baby boomer audiences.
8. Standing up to a rigged ratings system.  Harker Research and Sean Hannity will share research that shows the type of listening talk and music stations are losing with PPM ratings and how to fight back and reclaim the listening you’ve earned.
9. Eliminating listener’s biggest objections. At least start with this and tear down some barriers to increased listening.

A day of information and inspiration where we work together. This is an interactive format so you can participate to the fullest extent.

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

I can’t wait to bring our collective enthusiasm together using this blueprint to make a real difference in doing great radio.

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