Monday Memo: Improving Results from Endorsement Spots. “Radio – stations and personalities – can make big money with the personal pitch that cuts through listeners’ mental clutter. BUT…” in this week’s column, consultant Holland Cooke warns against common technique faux pas. Read it here.
Pending Business: Comfortably Numb. Radio sales pro Steve Lapa says that radio sales proposals missing the answer to the “Why Buy?” question are missing the chance to tell your station’s unique story. If your station has personalities that connect with listeners and get thousands of them to act when it comes to charity giving and live appearances, sellers should tell those stories. “Move on from empty ‘reach’ numbers. Facebook, YouTube, Twitter, Instagram, Tik-Tok and geo-targeted others will win the numbers game. But when it comes to showing results, radio is still a primary medium.” Read more here.
Starnes Media Group Partners with Hibbard Group for Affiliate Relations. The Starnes Media Group announces that it is engaging The Hibbard Group as its agency of record for affiliate relations and acquisition for “The Todd Starnes Show” and “The
Todd Starnes Commentary.” Todd Starnes’ daily talk radio program airs live from 12:00 noon to 3:00 pm ET and Starnes Media produces three separate 90-second daily commentaries by Todd Starnes that are heard on more than 650 stations nationwide. The Hibbard Group president Jack Hibbard says, “I am excited to be working with Todd Starnes. Todd’s high standard of journalistic integrity is rare these days. We believe that, combined with his unique style of communication, he has created a show that any radio station would be proud to air.” Starnes says the partnership is “an important step for us. We believe they have the experience to assist us in growing our affiliate base and serving our stations well.”
Radio One Partners with Charlotte FC for Radio Broadcasts. As part of a partnership between Major League Soccer club Charlotte FC and Radio One, sports talk WFNZ-
AM/W273DA, Charlotte will serve as the club’s flagship radio station. Radio One says it will broadcast most matches on WFNZ, while the remaining matches will be carried on sister news/talk station WBT-AM/FM. Radio One regional vice president Marsha Landess says, “Our team at Radio One Charlotte is thrilled to bring the passion of Charlotte FC to “Sports Radio” WFNZ. With the growing excitement of professional soccer that’s evident in Charlotte, we look forward to a long successful partnership and are glad that we are a part of this historic time in Charlotte sports.”
COVID-19, Ukraine Tensions, Biden Approval Ratings/Midterm Elections, Inflation & Supply Chain, Boris Johnson Troubles, Beijing Olympics, and NFL Playoffs Among Top News/Talk Stories Over the Weekend. The COVID mandates protest in Washington, DC and the rate of Omicron cases in the U.S. and abroad; the tensions over Russia’s military build-up at the Ukraine border; President Joe Biden’s low approval ratings and the battle for control of Congress in the midterm elections; high retail and oil prices and the ongoing supply chain woes; UK Prime Minister Boris Johnson’s political troubles; the politics and health policies at the Beijing Winter Olympics; and the NFL Playoffs were some of the most-talked-about stories on news/talk radio over the weekend, according to ongoing research from TALKERS magazine.