Coronavirus (COVID-19) Ten Point Plan

Know that the way you react to this time in history is something that you will be remembered for, for a very long time. So, if you choose to fan the flames of fear, you will be remembered for that. If you choose to be a source of helpful information and provide encouragement and companionship you will be remembered for that.

Radio stations will see unprecedented listening growth, both Cumulative and TSL. More so than most any time in history. At-home listening will skyrocket. This will be prolonged for weeks and months to come.

This is a great opportunity to put a plan together for your business partners to inform them of this projected, dramatic increase in your station’s cume and TSL. They need to be invited to share in this opportunity to reinforce and even strengthen their brand in this time of adversity. So, when listeners begin to circulate in mass numbers your business partner’s brand will be top-of-mind. This will be a great service for them.

Your on-air content provision needs to be closely directed to various aspects of life during this pandemic. It should not be gloom and doom, but it should feature multiple camera-angles of this world-wide event. This content should feature listeners themselves talking about their lives and how they are dealing with this. This will create the compelling content you need.

Your on-air personalities should also feature content that creates Virtual-Social-Interaction [VSI]. The closing of social events and establishments is causing a great deal of anxiety and in some cases more than the virus itself. Here are some ideas:

• Neighbor to Neighbor help groups. (Through social media)
• Virtual Nights Out where you each have dinner at home but while each family is using Google Hangouts to interact.
• Pizza delivery could be 10 times higher than it has been. Now would be a good time to give free pizza certificates away via email or text.
• It would also be a good idea to invite listeners to send a message and or a song dedication to other co-workers who are working at home.
• Have a guest(s) on that give your audience tips on making meals at home. These people could be from various restaurants in your area.

Make sure all of your newscasts or other info packages keep things in perspective. Always avoid overly dramatic headlines or sentences. Your listeners have seen and heard enough of this. Right now, listeners primarily want to know:

• How many cases are there where I live & then regional & national.
• What is now closed or open.
• Travel restrictions or guidelines.
• When and where is testing
• Any word on a vaccine.

This is a great time to use your social media to accentuate your on-air communication to provide a deeper dive for those looking for it. Podcasts and videos from your trusted personalities can be very helpful.

You should be running a coronavirus update at least one time per hour. This is designed to be a helpful update with advice that is easy to understand and should be a pre-produced, stand alone feature.

We do not recommend that you stop your contesting. Remember, listeners have always looked to you as a way to escape to some degree. You will make your listeners feel good when they win something. You will want to make it so they receive something via email or text to go claim their prize.

Make sure you have a strong internal plan to keep your staff save and healthy. Make sure you have a plan for your on-air people to do their shows from home if need be.