What is it with live streaming?
When radio does it, hardly 3% of their total listeners access it and the stations still can’t find a way to monetize it.
When TV networks do it, they think they have discovered the next gold rush.
NBC Universal started a live stream but they still don’t get it – you have to be a cable customer to be able to view it on phones, computers and tablets. Maybe that’s because Comcast owns NBC U – just sayin’.
CBS made live streaming of its network available for digital devices but you don’t get football (its biggest attraction) and you have to wait 24 hours to see the primetime CBS shows that fewer people are watching on TV according to Nielsen.
How dumb is that?
HBO, which always got it – is going to disrupt everything by letting non-cable subscribers subscribe to HBO Go – unbundled. Hooray!
Disney got into live streaming of ABC a year earlier ahead of the pack.
NBC’s TV Everywhere is a joke.
Its motto is “Watch TV Without the TV” – they pay people to come up with this stuff.
When the real slogan ought to be “Watch TV With Your Cable Subscription” because no cable, no TV without the TV.
Did you see that NPR gets more financial contributions than the “Downton Abbey” network PBS?
This makes me enthusiastic about sharing pathways to revenue by creating content specifically designed for the medium in mind.
Where do we get off thinking listeners want to listen to radio online when so few do. I know, Bob Pittman, a lot of people have the iHeartRadio app. Hell, I have it too. I just use it and apparently I’m not alone.
So let’s think about the potential of radio – that’s right I said “potential” – if we stop feeling sorry for ourselves and start actually getting back to our real business – creating content.
The last 20 years were about consolidation – good, now it’s over.
Let’s get on with innovating our way into the future.
A morning show without mornings – that is less than 10 minutes long with no traffic and weather for my phone and built for where I live or work delivered right to me.
No, maybe ten shows like that. Or 20.
And what if we imagined a new way to use our radio signals – by creating compelling content.
Music formats that are unpredictable and exciting and curated by experts.
Spoken word formats that are not political talk or old men trying to do lifestyle talk for young people who cannot relate to them.
And I’m going to get to binge content.
Hell, Netflix does it – and audiences want to binge on that which we want.
Radio should be in this business and I am going to tantalize you so that you’ll rush back to your markets and get your content creators and marketers revved up.
We can do this.
At my upcoming media conference in Philly, we’re going to examine how to do the best radio we’ve ever done on-the-air and simultaneously create separate revenue streams based on new opportunities that we are currently ignoring.
We can make a real difference not by doing the same things, but also by drilling down with innovative thinking on these following ten problems that must be solved to have a positive outcome in 2015.
- Too Many Commercials – How spots are scheduled can make a difference. Also, the length of spots in each stop set. There is much that can be done. To proceed as is is not a solution.
- Unremarkable Programming For 70 Million Baby Boomers – All the focus is on young money demo Millennials. Baby boomers have been radio’s most loyal listeners but that’s changing now. Ignore baby boomers, target them or better yet discover what the two disparate groups have in common.
- Outdated Morning Shows – They like personalities but increasingly they don’t like much else about morning shows. Focus on three new features to replace traffic, time checks and weather. Yes, they don’t need them. But consider these three potent options to replace tired old staples of morning radio. (And you can sell them!)
- Music That Is Too Repetitive – Audiences have hated music repetition on radio for decades but they had few alternatives. Not so anymore. Two new strategies show promise. One adds more new music without watering down the hits. The better approach is to rip up the traditional playlist and present the music differently.
- No Compelling Reason To Listen Longer – Radio TSL has been down every year since the early 90’s. Under 30’s don’t even listen to any song all the way through even though music radio is built on the assumption that if you play the right songs, the audience will stay tuned in. Now, there is a way to keep listeners from straying and it isn’t longer music sweeps.
- Don’t Like the Way Stations Talk To Them – Sounds dated, insincere. Too much bragging and hype. It all sounds like radio is out of touch. Talking down to listeners whether we mean to or not. Surprising words that turn off young audiences when used on the air, in promos, sweepers, imaging and commercials. Learn them and overcome this objection.
- Radio Is Not Authentic – Demographers have discovered 5 things that Millennials crave. Do these 5 things every hour of every day and radio becomes more relevant to the 95 million members of this age group. One of the 5 things they crave is more authenticity. Learn the fastest way to master being truly authentic to Millennials but also the four other expectations that radio is currently not meeting. They are screaming this out for you to hear.
- Lack of Music Variety and Customization – Spotify, Pandora and YouTube are killing radio when it comes to variety and customization. There may be no way to compete with that, but audiences are beginning to tell us what these streaming services are lacking presenting a great opportunity for responsive radio stations to do what streaming services cannot do.
- Outdated News and Talk – Two staple radio formats are seeing audiences erode or attracting unsellable aging demographics. News stations don’t just sound like their father’s radio station – they sound like their grandfathers radio station. Droning on and on with sleepy features designed for station sales managers not for listeners to crave. Conservative talk is also over because audiences want compromise not red meat. And Progressive talk radio never really worked. It’s a no-win. But spoken word is something young Millennials like, really like – here is the spoken word station of the future (bring an open mind).
- Don’t Know Where the AM Band Is – Think about it. There’s nothing for audiences under 60 on AM. So you may be thinking that younger money demos won’t listen to an AM station, right? True, unless … well, I’ll show you a number of things you could do on two tin cans hooked together with a string that Millennials would eat up. Will you take that challenge? Because I’m going to do it and you’re going to want to brainstorm on it. Forget the FCC. AM needs to disrupt FM the way FM disrupted AM.
PLUS, What Audiences REALLY Want In Digital Content …
There is nothing worse than doing something well that doesn’t need to be done at all. Some stations are doing impressive digital initiatives that audiences simply don’t care about.
Instead, drill down on what listeners really want in digital and get a better return on your investment in time and money:
- Storytelling Instead of Podcasting
- Short-Form Video Revenue Stream
- Non-hyped Social Media Beyond Facebook and Twitter
- Content Audiences Can Binge on Just Like They Do Netflix
- Apps Not Websites (and That Includes Radio)
This is a day worth your time and investment.
A clearly defined agenda, creative and innovative solutions to apply and a forum to discuss and hitchhike on new ideas that you hear.
Independent broadcasters and digital entrepreneurs are invited to the 6th annual Media Solutions Seminar at the Hub Conference Center March 18th in Philadelphia, walking distance from Amtrak’s 30th Street Station and 20 minutes from Philadelphia International Airport.
Buffet breakfast, lunch and all breaks prepared by James Beard award-winning chef Jean-Marie Lacroix, former executive chef at The Four Seasons included.
Less than 2 months from today until the Media Solutions Conference.
Contact Jerry about the conference and group rates here.
