CPR Promotional Check-Up - Jul 28, 2014

"Content"

This came up over and over and over at a "thing" I was at. Either as a way to generate revenue (more and more agencies see traditional spots as added-value; they want hits) or as one of our continuing strengths (iPods and all the new technologies are regurgitators of content; we're still creators of it).

So if you as a PD or morning show or Promo Person can continually bring new content to the air and website, then you will have a job. But again there's a balance. You don't want to emasculate the on-air sound by pulling the contesting. Research is showing that younger listeners, even if they don't play contests, like them because they add personality to the station.

So, here are some thoughts on stuff you could be doing courtesy of Coors Lite and "Revenge Of The Pink Panther" on BBC America.

Formatted Topic Podcasts Jerry Delicano did a whole segment at a Conclave on how to market podcasts to agencies. His suggestion was to find 8, 10, 20 people (airstaff DEFINITELY) with passions, like golf or travel or Janel Moloney, and have them do regular 'casts on them that will eventually grow an audience of similarly rabid and passionate devotees.

Off Air Dave Ryan at KDWB has had a podcast on the station website of stuff that they deem "too over the top for the air". It's got a large and regular audience and is really just a blooper reel and behind the scenes clip show.

Unsolved Mysteries I remember hearing my first radio station psychic. It was great. But 26 years later, most stations are stuck in the same rut of questions that are inane and boring and repetitive. We're in show business. Solve a mystery. Bring in a psychic. Day One's video is the rehashing of the crime or story. Day Two is meeting the Principals. Day Three is visiting the key sites. Day Four is the psychic investigation and Day Five are the conclusions they reached. It's a five series TV show on the air that will then be recapped on the website.

Ouija Or Not Ouija You know those Magic 8 Ball things? Should I get up and go work out or should I laze around in my underwear all afternoon visiting Naturist websites? Create a resident Station Ghost. Name them. And conclude every show with a listener who has a question. Should I quit my job? Is my roommate stealing my makeup? Ask the board and post the video.

I Spy, From Up On High I won't over-state the obvious: we're a society of voyeurs. And people obsessed with celebrity. So, here's what you do. Go to any of the websites that have celebrity addresses. Punch them into Google Earth. Get satellite shots of mansions and beach homes. Have a game on the website where you match the star to the yard.

The Office Dave Ryan and a couple of the other stations did straight-to-the-website shows that are spins on "The Office". Offering a POV tour of the station is something I haven't seen anyone do. Remember of course that this is Show Biz so dress it up a bit, ie: "This is Mark's office. He's the GM. Let's see him hard at work..." and there he is with his head down on his desk and a spilled bottle of tequila next to him.

Dirtiest Jobs Big TV show. What if you, weekly or monthly, went and did a Dirty Job for a listener. With either a hat cam or a crew to cover. Video would be great and it could also be sponsored by a temp agency...because if YOU hate YOUR dirty job...

Dancing Listeners We play music. We're at clubs. It only makes sense that doing something where listeners dance and submit video, would be large. As witnessed by "Dancing With Cars" that Hot 89.9 did in Ottawa. Maybe the biggest car contest of a few years ago.

Listener Movie Reviews Movies are a Universal. (And Universal Pictures makes movies) Just about everyone likes going to movies. And we all do screenings. So what if you picked a ticket winner to do a podcast review the next day? No one's done it. And it's so simple. The erudite critic in the paper panned it? Let's see what Michele from Folsom, who joined us at Century Cinema last night, had to say. Go to www...