Talking Radio: Paul Chantler
- Published: 07 October 2008 18:51
- Last Updated: 07 October 2008 18:52
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Advertisers in the US pay a premium to be associated with "do good" programming. Could it catch on in the UK, asks United Radio Consultants' Paul Chantler.
A radio station in Austin, Texas is at the forefront of what some say is a new community-oriented revolution among US commercial stations. It is beginning to generate additional airtime revenue and could take off in the UK too.
Many UK stations already undertake annual charity appeals for worthy local causes. For example, there was Radio Forth's recent Radiothon raising money for Cash for Kids, and some breakfast shows do "rescue" features where listeners help people who have fallen on hard times. However, there is rarely direct commercial support for these ventures.
In the States, socially significant features are now being sought by clients and advertising agencies wanting to place commercials with broadcasters who have community values and "stand for something".
In Texas, The JB and Sandy Morning Show on Mix 94.7 runs a simple feature called Fixing Austin. It takes calls from listeners reporting things that are broken and other listeners who ring in offering to fix them.
Speaking at the NAB/R&R Radio Convention in Austin, former Yahoo chief solutions officer and author Tim Sanders told delegates that research shows advertising agencies are prepared to pay premium prices for output linking them with a local cause.
"Making a difference is the new difference," he said. "Morning shows should be placing the funny stuff alongside significant stuff. This means local personalities become important figures in the community. We must build credibility, and ad dollars will follow."
The fix-up initiative helped Mix increase audience share over the last year and made it Austin's second highest-billing station for revenue. Other examples include the Gene and Julie show on KVIL in Dallas, where a feature reuniting long-lost lovers turned into a crusade highlighting the plight of the city's homeless.
On KZOK in Seattle, DJ Bob Rivers encouraged his listeners to adopt children in an African village. Over four years, the money raised built a school and fixed the water supply.
"Do-good" initiatives like these, says Yahoo's Sanders, tie into the agenda of today's ethically aware brands such as Coca-Cola, which seek social synergy and want their radio ads next to something positive to garner respect from consumers.
"It's good for business to make a difference," he said. "This type of thing could save local radio."
His comments came as the rest of the convention highlighted the gradual return to local programming from widespread national syndication. This is in contrast to what is happening in the UK with groups such as Global, Bauer and GMG introducing more networking. Many US stations are having new life and soul infused into them as the industry emerges from an era of bland "cookie cutter" formats.
The negativity surrounding radio in the US in the recent past is starting to disappear, with reminders from the convention's speakers about its strengths: it's free, portable and everywhere.
Delegates were reminded that a station such as Lite FM in New York has more people listening than the combined readership of the city's newspapers. US radio seems poised to tap into the dollars of advertisers keen to reach a new ethically and community aware generation of listeners. The question is whether that approach will chime with the big UK groups.
