Personalities vs. The Playlist

Question: I’m on a music station, and it’s like the songs repeat day after day. It’s just not interesting enough to be excited about or interact with. It’s painful for me and has to be the same for listeners. If I’m going to work to come up with fresh ideas, shouldn’t the PD programming the music also keep things moving with the playlist? How can I hold an audience when the music is boring? I want to take this up with the PD and Consultant without creating a problem, so how can I approach it? I challenged the PD about music a few years ago, and it got nasty.

Tracy’s Answer: It’s easy to fall into a rut, and this is a common concern from personalities. Sometimes, the music is not on target but could also be your perspective.

You don’t listen to the radio like a typical listener. You’re listening four or five hours a day, every day. That’s 20 to 25 hours a week, not counting the times you tune in when you’re not on the air. How much do your best listeners hear you? Maybe 90 minutes a week, if you’re lucky. And that’s the superfans. Non-P1s tune in a couple of times for five minutes or less.

Plus, you pay far more attention than the average listener. They’re usually listening in the background while doing something else, so they’re not hearing the repetition like you do.

Tighter playlists are the way to go if the station is dialed in and songs are rotated properly. It could be that the math isn’t right, so Beyoncé’s Single Ladies plays between 7 and 8 am four times this week. If that’s the case, it needs to be addressed because the station may be limiting the perceived variety of music.

But here’s the thing. Your show will be much more popular by playing the biggest hits, which I assume are the songs you are complaining about. Playing even one of your favorite songs hundreds or thousands of times takes the excitement out for you, but not for the audience. They love their favorite songs.

Every station’s ratings improve by trimming the playlist, not expanding it. By the way, the same is true for your content. Performing great content more often instead of including some “filler” segments would be a better listener experience, too.

When you have the conversation with your PD and consultant, ask questions and try to get some understanding of why the music is constructed as it is. It may help you perform better. But whatever the outcome, your job is to be a pro and make every song sound great as if it’s the first time you have played it and can’t wait to share it with your audience.

Think of it as your responsibility the way an actor in a hit play performs the same lines day after day for years. The content is the same, but the audience is different. Remember, the music library isn’t built for the personalities. It’s constructed for the listener. Your job is to give the listener an experience.

Link to Original Source

The post Personalities vs. The Playlist first appeared on CMB.

The post Personalities vs. The Playlist appeared first on CMB.

Open breaks are segments with nothing prescheduled, leaving it “open” to create original content. On the other hand, a segment that includes a pre-defined, scheduled element is a “closed” break. New content is created for a feature, game, information element, contest, or other element as a content container.

Don’t be offended. This has nothing to do with your ability to generate amazing entertainment and everything to do with the ability to invest time to create consistently amazing segments in open breaks. Some personalities take it personally and think open breaks allow more time to demonstrate personality than shows with scheduled features. That is, of course, incorrect. I mean, James Corden didn’t treat Carpool Karaoke like an annoyance.

Evolving The Show Over Time

When a show is relatively new, inexperienced, or unfamiliar to an audience, it’s common to impose stricter limits on the length of talk breaks. This is good programming, especially for shows in Stage 1 or 2 of the Personality Success Path. This is also the best time to develop at least one primary feature that attracts attention and allows the audience to get to know the personalities in a consistent, defined, promotable structure.

As the show matures and the relationship with the audience (hopefully) grows, listeners should become attracted because of the personalities. That’s a normal evolution in the development process (Stages 4 and 5 of the Personality Success Path) of a winning show.

As this happens, programmers and talent often assume that more open breaks are a good idea. After all, open breaks are what the “big boys” do and the show is working, so let’s “turn them loose.” This may be a good idea, but it is risky.

The Risk of Open Breaks

Open talk breaks are riskier than features that showcase personality. Features provide context and familiarity, which is a primary ingredient of creating brain-craving content that leads to success. Best of all, features attract new listeners. Even dominant, well-established personalities attract less than 50% of a station’s cume to their show. Every show should constantly seek to recruit new listeners.

The key is balance. Overloading a show with too many features is paralyzing. That would be like a diet consisting of only Deep-Dish Sausage Pizza. That doesn’t sound like a bad idea, but it’s probably not healthy. Delicious, yes. Healthy? No. Sadly.

Adding open breaks means creating more original content, which is not a bad thing because there are plenty of things to talk about. But creating “A” material is hard. What percentage of a show is really, truly great? 20%? 25%? Maybe.

Assume a show has four personality-oriented breaks in an hour. Two of those are anchored with a strong feature. Replacing one feature performed each hour with organic content results in an extra break that almost always will be weaker than the feature it would replace.

Think about it:

If there are 8 open breaks per show (two per hour x four hours), adding one new open break per hour (4 in all) increases original content by 50%. That is a lot of new material.

Wouldn’t it be better to increase the “A” features and program fewer open breaks?

Also, consider this: What happens when open breaks are added? Does preparation time increase by 50%? Probably not. The same amount of time spent preparing is now spread over more open breaks causing the quality of each segment is compromised.

This is seeming like anther good reason for the One Hour Radio Show.

Finding A Balance

Here’s how to find the sweet spot:

Analyze: Identify the strongest daily, appointment feature that is anchor for the show. Is it perfect? If not, try to improve it. Then schedule it a lot. Like every hour.

Add: If a primary feature is well established, develop a second one. Perfect it. Then program it more often.

Prune: If there are weak or merely average regular features, get rid them.

Increase Frequency: Program key features at least twice per day and promote them aggressively.

Information Features: Add information features, if any. If you are doing it, program one every hour. Seriously.

Add Open Breaks: Count the remaining breaks. Most shows have four breaks per hour. In a four-hour show, that’s 16 segments.

Balance The Clocks: Now spread the defined segments and open breaks equally so the show is consistent and balanced.

Conclusion

There’s nothing wrong with open breaks. Personal stories and organic content are how listeners will fall in love with radio personalities. But be careful what you wish for. Too many open breaks can ruin a show by compromising quality for quantity.

Use every break as an opportunity to shine, whether designated an open break or not.

Link to Original Source

The post The Danger of Too Many Open Breaks first appeared on CMB.

The post The Danger of Too Many Open Breaks appeared first on CMB.

First impressions are just like a cup of coffee at a new cafe—they must be invigorating and comforting, or customers might head to their regular coffee shop next time. Your character brand is no different.  So avoid the common mistakes new shows and podcasters make!

Top Mistakes New Shows & Podcasts Make

Here are the most common mistakes new shows, podcasters, and video streamers make. The good news is all can be avoided. The better news is that if you have already made these mistakes, it’s not a lost cause. You can recover.

Mistake #1: Coming On Too Strong

Everyone wants to make a meaningful impact quickly. You have a million ideas and are ready to start dominating, right? Whoa! Slow down.

But, just as Rome wasn’t built in a day, the audience’s love for your brand won’t happen overnight. In most instances, you’re a mystery at the beginning.

The process of becoming a beloved personality necessitates you first to be known and then liked. This journey is what I label as the ‘Personality Success Path, which is a five-step climb from Introduction to Familiarity, then Growth, Like, and finally Love. Every brand crosses these steps in that order.

Attempting to leapfrog from Introduction to Love is like to trying to run before learning to crawl. Rushing into things at the Introduction stage might repel the audience, making it challenging to progress to Stage 2 (Familiarity) and beyond.

Begin with a Character Brand Profile that outlines who you are and how you blend into the lives of your target audience. You’ll learn to demonstrate your personality in colorful, exciting ways without pushing the audience away.

Embrace The Audience’s World

Winning the audience’s heart is much like winning over a friend—discover their passions and show them that you share them. Once the audience feels you understand them, a bond starts forming.

Kickstart the process by respecting and focusing on the audience’s experiences. Identify what they care about and design topic angles around their interests.

In today’s fast-paced world, audiences crave instant gratification. They consume content much like one flips through TV channels—making rapid decisions and swift tune-outs.

Don’t presume that your audience finds your content indispensable. How frequently do you switch radio stations or abandon a podcast during a typical 15-30 minute commute? Those fleeting moments of tune-in might be your only opportunity to leave an impression.

Level Up With Better Preparation

Here, preparation isn’t merely gathering content. It implies prepping to attract your fanbase. So, before you flip the microphone switch, arm yourself with a comprehensive plan that includes the following:

• A Character Brand Profile: This is a crucial first step in creating a new show. You can’t reach your zenith unless you find your unique voice and a compelling reason to exist.
• Know Your Target: A thorough audience understanding includes knowing their interests, values, and lifestyle.
• A Brand Vision: Establish what you stand for and what you’re against.

A Reason To Exist

Everyone wants to lead a large, loyal fan base, but that can’t happen until you first attract attention. Your audience first responds to what you do before they fall head over heels for who you are (your character). However, they will never get to know you without a compelling reason to exist.

What would cause someone to explore your content, want to revisit it, and remember you for it? You need to provide a reason to exist, which often manifests as a fusion-force feature, much like how James Corden rose to fame with Carpool Karaoke. What will make your audience care about you?

Next Steps

1. Evaluate your current brand and position. Are you connecting with the audience? Is your unique voice coming through loud and clear? Do you have a strong understanding of your character’s voice?
2. Seek feedback: Encourage feedback to refine your character brand profile and identify opportunities that could be the primary thing for which you are known.
3. Plan for the future: Create a plan to improve your brand. Remember to prepare a vision for your brand, identify your audience’s interests, and define your brand’s standpoints.

Conclusion

Are you making some of the common mistakes new shows, podcasters, and streaming video creators make? Don’t worry. It’s not unusual. It’s never too late to fix the problems, accelerate growth, and improve results. But it would be best to have a plan, starting with a Character Brand profile. There are more opportunities for talented performers than ever, but building a solid brand is more challenging because there’s so much competition.

Take a week or two to build a game plan with a clear strategy that will put you in a position to grow. In the long run, this is much faster than rushing to generate new content or continuing the same old methods.

Link to Original Source

The post The Top 4 Mistakes New Shows Make first appeared on CMB.

The post The Top 4 Mistakes New Shows Make appeared first on CMB.

Over the years, some radio personalities have become legendary and loved by millions of listeners all over the world. What makes these people so special? What traits do they possess that have helped them achieve such great success?

Personality Traits Of Winning Radio Shows

Six common traits are evident in the most successful radio personalities of this generation. These personality traits apply to all formats and styles from the most conservative hosts on a Christian format to the edgiest shock jock.

Study winners like Elvis Duran and The Bert Show and you’ll find they share each of these traits. Let’s explore the most valuable personality traits of successful radio personalities and explore why they are so important.

Charisma

Charisma is an essential trait for all successful radio personalities. Great personalities have magnetic personalities that draw listeners in and just cause others to want to be around them.

What is it about Tom Hanks, Jimmy Kimmel, and Oprah Winfrey that makes audiences feel good watching and listening to them? It’s a likable good nature. Great air personalities change a room when they enter with their natural, comfortable charisma.

For example, Oprah is one of the most charismatic personalities of all time. Her warmth, humor, and empathy have made her one of the most beloved figures in the world. She has a unique ability to connect with her audience on a personal level whether or not the audience agrees with her point of view.

Charismatic people are generally upbeat, positive, and full of energy. This trait comes naturally for some, while others must work hard at it. But it can be learned. Go here for tips on how to develop this trait.

Adaptability

Adaptability is another important trait of successful radio personalities. Radio is a fast-paced and constantly evolving medium, especially in the last decade. Adaptable hosts are able to change with the times and keep their content fresh and relevant.

To remain relevant, be a learner. The bottom of the rating heap is littered with legacy shows that were successful for decades, but are no longer relevant. In many cases, research indicates the audience still likes, and maybe even loves, the personality. But listener behavior (listening) doesn’t match the perception because the show has not adapted to changing tastes.

The show that won in the past will not win in the future, no matter how well it is executed. The pursuit of excellence starts with a desire to constantly evolve and respond to the changing needs and interests of their audience.

Passion

Passion is a crucial trait of successful radio personalities. Delivering a great show for several hours per day every day is a grind. It’s easy to lose energy and enthusiasm, but passion drives radio personalities to strive for excellence in every segment.

Radio personalities who are passionate about their work are more likely to put in the work required to succeed. Most everyone in the radio business works hard, but great performers do it with boundless enthusiasm and energy without excuses.

One of the team shows I work with is in the process of launching a new daily feature. Everyone loves the concept and they’re working through how it will sound on the air when it debuts. But recently, one of the personalities asked, How are we going to get the content for that feature? Who’s going to do that work?

Really? Prepping a signature feature is going to be a barrier to success? Every job has obstacles. Knock them down and invest whatever it takes to win. Passion turns into enthusiasm, an essential ingredient for a successful radio show.

Authenticity

The most successful radio personalities are genuine and authentic, or true to themselves and the audience. They never try to be someone they are not, but always project a larger-than-life version of themselves. Authenticity is key to building a strong connection with listeners, as people are more likely to trust and relate to someone who is real and honest.

Howard Stern is one of the most successful radio personalities of all time, and he is known for his unapologetic and often controversial approach. He has never tried to hide his opinions or his quirky flaws and listeners love him for it. They know that when they tune in to his show, they are going to get an unfiltered look at the world from his unique perspective.

Great radio shows project their honest, real-life personality into their presentation. A standup comic can play a role for a 20-minute set, performing the same routine night after night. An actor can make you believe the character for a short time. In radio, a personality creates over 240 shows a year, about 1,000 hours of original material each year. Some can fake their way through it for a while, but to sustain success over the long haul, you have to be genuine.

Get details on how to be an authentic radio host here.

A Sense Of Humor

Humor is another important trait of successful radio personalities. Very few (as in almost none) listeners tune into a radio show to be sad, angry, or stressed. They listen to escape the pressures of everyday life and get away from their problems.

Making listeners laugh (or at least smile) is the single most important thing listeners crave from hosts. Humor creates a connection with the audience and acts as a bridge to address difficult topics in an entertaining way.

Notice how many top-rated shows are built around being funny. Chances are the best shows in your market are described by fans as “funny”.

Of course, not everyone is naturally funny but everyone can learn to be funnier and create funny situations. A good sense of humor also allows radio personalities to diffuse tense situations and create a relaxed and enjoyable atmosphere for their listeners.

Confident Humility

Finally, great personalities are humble, yet confident.

Humility causes them to obsess about winning the audience’s loyalty every single day. Each segment is a contest to attract and hold attention, and the best personalities never take it for granted because they know how quickly success can vanish. They compete for listener approval each day. This drives them to outwork everyone else and be more prepared than competitors.

As a result, they go into every show with the confidence that being properly prepared brings. Confidence allows radio personalities to be themselves and perform loose. They’re able to take calculated, bold risks and stretch the boundaries that prevent others from achieving higher levels of success.

Conclusion

Great talents share a combination of personality traits that sets them apart from the pack. By mastering these traits, radio personalities are able to thrive in any media environment. The good news is that every trait on this list can be improved with a commitment of time, effort, and intelligence.

How many of these personality traits do you have?

Link to Original Source

The post 6 Personality Traits Of Winning Radio Shows first appeared on CMB.

The post 6 Personality Traits Of Winning Radio Shows appeared first on CMB.