Inside Music MediaJerry Del Colliano

What’s not to like about Jimmy Fallon?

He’s young, clean cut, respectful and funny.

He’s the digital age’s Johnny Carson.

Except, the 95 million Millennials in the digital age have no idea who Johnny Carson was and they aren’t going to turn on a television to see his desk, his studio or an imitation of his show.

Fallon had a big first night as producer Lorne Michaels predicted.  And he’ll have a big night tonight.

Interestingly, Fallon’s first show did not exceed Jay Leno’s last show for ratings clout and to be fair, the Olympics on NBC held up the start time of the show.

I chose to make a dent in House of Cards instead of seeing Fallon’s show live.

What don’t we get about the audience we must have – the next generation?

Radio folks are guilty of this, too.

We are romantically involved with the radio industry.  I left TV to return to radio with few regrets.  Radio people can’t think straight about the changes they are going to be forced to make – eventually.

So Jimmy Fallon will do fine, but he will have to appeal to older people because only older people watch broadcast TV.

Some Millennials prefer the edgier Jimmy Kimmel on ABC but not enough to stop everything and watch every night as Tonight Show viewers did in the past.  And Kimmel’s median audience is still over 50.

This handoff from Leno to Fallon is a big hit with baby boomers – especially the ones running NBC Universal.

But don’t try this at home. 

It misses the point.

The unthinkable has happened.

Even young people can live without TV – not smartphones and tablets – TV.

They binge watch and want to be the program director.

This standoff between baby boomer media executives and the Millennial audience will probably go on for a while.

Millennials will win.

I’m thinking we need to cooperate with the inevitable.

Don’t shut down your radio stations, but if you don’t have a plan B that takes you where Millennials will reside, you’re on the wrong path to survival.

And they’re not coming back to broadcasting.

One of the reasons this is a big topic at my media conference in March is that there are ways broadcast stations can do better on-air with available audiences and attract new audiences through on-demand and time shifted content.

In fact, I’m going to dazzle you with some ideas and I am sure you will hitchhike on them.

Watching NBC foul up its airwaves in the hopes of getting younger viewers is therapeutic. 

There are much better ways.

The conference is worth it.

The groups and stations doing great local content and starting a separate digital revenue stream are already in.  The big three already know everything so this is not for them.

I’ve got the content divided into 7 critical things we need to be working on:

1. Specific ways to disrupt radio and put an end to digital competitors interrupting your station’s revenue stream.
2. Methods to master digital as a second stream of revenue alongside broadcasting.  Things like replacing your website with something better, eliminating podcasts for a product that will actually attract big money advertisers and a cost-effective, easy way to put your brand on every smartphone in your market without having to stream your station.  Just to mention three.
3. The nuts and bolts of starting your own station’s social media network independent from Facebook, Twitter or some other flash in the pan alternative.  From there, how to grow your fan base.
4. A well-defined strategy to change the sound and on-air approach of your radio station at one coordinated time.  You won’t want this to get in the hands of a competitor, for sure.
5. What you need to know about starting your own radio station video business – one that will be unlike anything you’ve ever seen, 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 show video examples and reveal the winning game plans.
6. From my work as a USC professor in the area of generational media:  the critical Millennial checklist.  This is what I use as my new business bible. You’ll get it.  Four things that the next generation of listeners must have in order to listen to radio in the digital age.  What they want from you.  On-air content you are not giving them that they would love.  A never before aired “contest” that would enthrall them. 
7. Exactly how you can time shift radio and how not to.  Time shifting is the new broadcasting in an increasingly on-demand world.  Failure to embrace time shifting could prematurely make your stations extinct.  But you will have innovative key strategies to get started with.

Jerry Lee will be there to give you the edge in helping advertisers do better so they spend more with you like they do with him in Philly.  He’s even bringing valuable handouts that only you will receive. 

Sean Hannity will join us live not to talk politics but the opportunities ahead for radio with Millennial listeners.  He is doing some impressive work in this area you probably don’t know about. 

Michael Harrison is the most quoted radio person by the consumer press because he sees future trends before most.  Let’s ask him about the future of radio, digital, talk, news and music. 

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 26^th.

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

Reserve a seat

Inquire about group rates

Inquire about sponsorships

If you’d like to stay on-site at The Rittenhouse Hotel at special conference rates, mention you’ve registered for the “Media Solutions Conference”.  The hotel says there is only one room left at the special discounted rate.

Breakfast, lunch and all breaks included.  Starting time: 8am.  Ends 4pm.