Tag: advertisers

Industry Views

Pending Business: Baked-In?

By TALKERS | by TALKERS

By Steve Lapa
Lapcom Communications Corp
President

imIs that host read you are pitching “baked-in?”

No, I am not talking baked in the content, as in before the break with all the produced commercials. I am talking about “baked-in” the audio that will live on as long as that show is available.

Still confused? You should ask someone who has handled an actual audio podcast avail. Some advertisers and their ad agencies are shaping the future and “baked-in” is a fundamental element of the new-think that is pushing the needle on podcast CPM, while your team struggles to compete for low CPM based on old school models that are dropping like flies.

The good news is that host read is still the gold standard that moves the listener to action. The bad news is radio station sellers are hanging onto older strategies that have little room in a future filled with millions of audio podcasts that contain no music and feature comedy, news, talk, opinion, lifestyle, sports, politics, entertainment, financial, medical, legal, self-help, religion, even foreign language – as in nothing but the human voice and a little production.

Sound familiar? I call it the great sales equalizer: the host read.

So how can this magical host read have such a dramatic impact in this super-crowded environment, yet be so underappreciated on radio stations coast to coast? Let us look at the three legs of the sales stool that have never changed.

1. The seller. Most radio sellers are presenting the host read the same way they did since their first order. What is new, different, and exciting in the way you present your talent today?

2. The audience. Size matters, intimacy matters, performance matters. Can you demonstrate how your host-audience relationship fulfills those criteria and generates a response for your advertisers?

3. The inventory. Why do we still have the same number of host reads in every hour of a show? Anyone have the courage to vary the inventory or pricing throughout a show?

The podcast world is leading the way to a future filled with:

1. Baked-In host reads.
2. Pre-roll, mid-roll, and post-roll price differences.
3. Commercial inventory limits.
4. Impression delivery options that demonstrate clear accountability.

There is a bright future in audio sales that will look and feel different from what we take for granted today. Make sure you are on the right side of the wave and not stuck in the mud.

Steve Lapa is the president of Lapcom Communications Corp. based in Palm Beach Gardens, FL. Lapcom is a media sales, marketing, and development consultancy. Contact Steve Lapa via email at: Steve@Lapcomventures.com.

Industry Views

Monday Memo: The Local Radio Advantage

By TALKERS | by TALKERS

By Holland Cooke
Consultant

imIf you’re a news/talk station, don’t assume that you own “news radio” in your market. Imaging is important, but it merely talks-the-talk. You walk-the-walk with local news copy that delivers what solid commercial copy does: benefits. Just doing local news makes you special. But do listeners simply hear a station voice… reading something? Are you merely… accurate? Or do you deliver “take-home pay,” unwrapping the story to tell the listener something useful?

In many homes, there are now fewer radios than smart speakers. And nobody has ever said: “Alexa, please play six commercials.” But she can play millions of songs. So do streams and YouTube.

What can make a music station different from all those other audio choices is the way you help folks cope, how relevant and empathetic you are, how you sound like you have-their-back as day-to-day news has them wondering “What NEXT?”

And boosting tune-in exposes your advertisers better. So, Time Spent Listening is still the ballgame. Specifically, you need to add occasions of tune-in, and this week’s column begins a three-part series of news copy coaching tips that can help bring listeners back more often.

im

Simply rewriting source material can make a huge difference. Press releases torture the ear. They’re formal, and prone to jargon and spin (especially from politicians). When they’re from the police, they’re written in cop-speak. And most press releases are written inside-out, emphasizing a process, rather than the consequence to listeners.

Process example: “At Thursday’s work session of the Springfield City Council, a decision was made to move forward with Community Days this year. The annual Community Days celebration is scheduled for June 16 and 17th. Council members made sure the Community Days funds will be handled by an independent accountant. Councilwoman Sharon Grant said…”

Re-write to lead with consequence: “The annual Springfield Community Days celebration will be June 16th and 17th. After last year’s controversy, Council members made sure the Community Days funds will be handled by an independent accountant. At Thursday’s session, Councilwoman Sharon Grant said…”

That simple tweak is well-worth the minimal effort. Listeners are mentally busy. Remove “Styrofoam words.”  Example: “State Police say they are investigating a possible case of child endangerment after a seven-month-old child was treated for severe injuries.”

Simply delete “say they.”

Next week: Ripped from the headlines… 

Holland Cooke (HollandCooke.com) is a consultant working at the intersection of broadcasting and the Internet. He is the author of “The Local Radio Advantage: Your 4-Week Tune-In Tune-Up,” and “Close Like Crazy: Local Direct Leads, Pitches & Specs That Earned the Benjamins” and “Confidential: Negotiation Checklist for Weekend Talk Radio.” Follow HC on Twitter @HollandCooke and connect on LinkedIn

Industry News

Townsquare Promotes Mike Pettis to Market Manager for Sedalia, Missouri

By TALKERS | by TALKERS

Townsquare Media promotes Mike Pettis to market president/chief revenue officer for its Sedalia, Missouri media cluster that serves West Central Missouri. That office operates news/talk KSIS-AMim “News Talk 1050” and two music brands. Townsquare regional vice president Robert Wawrzyniec says, “Mike is the ideal executive to lead Townsquare’s broadcast and digital operations in West Central Missouri. Most important, he knows the Sedalia market and what resonates with its listeners and advertisers. His expertise in creating, developing and executing exceptional local multi-platform solutions for advertising and marketing clients, as well as driving new business opportunities and forging important community partnerships, has resulted in deep client relationships and a strong commitment to listeners. I am looking forward to working with him in his new role.”

Industry Views

Monday Memo: We Don’t Just Do Live Audio Anymore

By TALKERS | by TALKERS

By Holland Cooke
Consultant

What used to be “a radio station” is now the hub of live AND on-demand audio AND video AND text and graphics. As we populate all the platforms with which we share listeners’ attention (and advertisers’ do-re-mi), I’ve gathered tips from the pros:

im

Holland Cooke (HollandCooke.com) is a consultant working at the intersection of broadcasting and the Internet. He is the author of “Close Like Crazy: Local Direct Leads, Pitches & Specs That Earned the Benjamins” and “Confidential: Negotiation Checklist for Weekend Talk Radio.” Follow HC on Twitter @HollandCooke

Industry News

Salem Partners with Just The News for Podcasts

By TALKERS | by TALKERS

Salem Media Group announces a new partnership between the Salem Podcast Network and Just Theim News for its podcasts from John Solomon, Victor Davis Hanson, and “Bauer and Rose” on the SPN platform. The agreement allows Salem to market and sell the podcasts to its array of advertisers and provide additional promotional support. Salem SVP Phil Boyce says, “John Solomon and his team are a perfect fit for Salem and will provide an additional layer of news credibility to the stories he covers. When you add Victor Davis Hanson’s podcasts, and those of Bauer and Rose, it makes the partnership complete.” Solomon comments, “Salem Podcast Network has amassed one of the most formidable audiences and lineups in the industry. We are excited to be joining the team and introducing our news and analysis to a whole new audience.”

Industry Views

Pending Business: AI vs the Personal Connection

By TALKERS | by TALKERS

By Steve Lapa
Lapcom Communications Corp
President

imReady to go back to the future?

We may need more than Doc Brown and Marty McFly to understand this one: product reviews written by A.I., not humans.

It’s the subject of a debate happening between the mighty Gannett company, owner of Reviewed, and a group of writers and editors who work there. According to The New York Times, the writers and editors group claims several reviews were A.I. generated. The posted reviews in question were run through A.I. detection software and the results were a slim to none chance humans wrote the reviews in question. Gannett says, not so fast, the reviews in question were authored by real humans.

Now here is where we need a time machine to take us a few years into the future. Let’s look at the reviews on our favorite go-to shopping, restaurant or travel review websites. How do we know who really wrote those reviews? This could be a whole new level of truth and proper disclosure in advertising.

Consider the possibilities of A.I.-generated reviews. Is every consumer offering feedback comfortable sharing their name on a Google review when many businesses ask for a positive review? There is a simple alternative to the A.I.-generated product review debate, and it’s right in front of you.

The answer should be part of your daily talk radio local sales mission statement. Demonstrate to your advertisers and prospects the proven results your on-air talent delivers every day. Chances are you may be taking for granted how to bring to life the credibility and trust your local on-air talent earns with each show. Global events, roller coaster economies and shifting political dynamics are all part of the daily conversation on your talk radio station. As your air talent distills the issues for the audience, take a few calls and engage in an energetic dialogue, they develop a bond that is unique to talk radio.

So, imagine the difference in the mind of the consumer when they hear the review or referral from a trusted source versus wondering if the review or referral they read is from a human or A.I. generated.

Is that the DeLorean time machine I hear?

Steve Lapa is the president of Lapcom Communications Corp. based in Palm Beach Gardens, FL. Lapcom is a media sales, marketing, and development consultancy. Contact Steve Lapa via email at: Steve@Lapcomventures.com

Industry Views

Monday Memo: Beware the Banter

By TALKERS | by TALKERS

By Holland Cooke
Consultant

imRadio talkers: What is this hour about? How will listeners benefit from listening? And how long do you expect them to wait to hear that?

To quote Jerry Seinfeld…

“There is no such thing as an attention span. This whole idea of an attention span is, I think, a misnomer. People have an infinite attention span if you are entertaining them.”

Are they entertained hearing about your weekend? About your sidekick/board-op/screener’s weekend? By a long, self-amused, produced show intro? Or are they quickly engaged, by your invitation to weigh-in-on topic du jour? Or by your offering them Q+A access to a guest who can address their concerns?

What if they believe the promos?

 As each day’s news causes us all to wonder “What NEXT???” smart stations methodically invite on-hour listening appointments, for “stay close to the news… a quick update, throughout your busy day.” Whether that’s a network feed or a local newscast, whoever delivers it reckons what is relevant to the lives of the mentally busy, in-car listeners our advertisers want as customers. In consultant-speak, it’s “take-home pay” for tuning-in.

im

They may listen mostly to other stations that play music, but those stations aren’t as informative. So – as the weather forecast signals the end of that on-hour update – can you freeze the driver’s index finger in mid-air between the steering wheel and the button for “Kiss” or “Magic” or “Cat Country?”

 Does your A-block rock?

Most common miscalculation I hear? Extended banter before the first break. A-block ends with (finally) a specific, inviting call-in proposition or teases the guest coming up… after the break, when the show really begins.

Better: Tee-up what’s-up immediately as the hour begins. Try this: Make the very first thing you say a question which includes “you” and/or “your.” Then say hello, and swap takes on that topic with your sidekick/board-op/screener.

One warning: Sounding so-quickly-engaging may divert your screener. The phone’s already ringing.

Holland Cooke (HollandCooke.com) is a consultant working at the intersection of broadcasting and the Internet. He is the author of “Your Trusted Voice: How to Attract New Clients More Efficiently than Competitors Who Spend a Fortune on Advertising.” Follow HC on Twitter @HollandCooke

Industry Views

Monday Memo: Sell Yourself a Schedule

By Editor | by Editor

By Holland Cooke
Consultant

imI asked my pal, longtime radio seller, now retired: “How often were you asked, ‘How much would you charge for ONE commercial?’”

“Many times!” he guffawed. “I told ‘em ‘Keep your money! It won’t work!’” And he would explain to the prospect that repetition is the key to radio advertising.

Pitch like your happiest advertisers

Smart reps schedule commercial flights using the Radio Advertising Bureau’s Optimum Effective Scheduling formula (OES), because “message retention and recall begins after three exposures.”

Don’t stop there. I don’t know WHEN I’ll need to buy a tire, but when that next nail finds me, I know WHERE I will buy, because that retailer advertises enough to own “tires” in my mind. Purchasing a whole car is more foreseeable, and I’ve read that it takes many buyers 90 days to pull the trigger. So, if the copy is just right, always-on always works.

Programmers: Are you selling your station, on its own air, with the frequency we preach to clients? And – no matter how often you freshen your imaging – is the benefit statement as consistent as the many ways “Liberty-Liberty-Libbberty” assures us “you only pay for what you need?”

im

Sales 101: “Your best prospect is…”

Say it with me: “…an existing customer.”

To be clear: Nothing you say on-air will add cume, because the only people who hear your imaging are already listening.

Hey, who wouldn’t want a bigger budget for billboards over the Interstate? But it’s…the Interstate. Many who give it a glance (at most) don’t even live here. Some of those who do might give you a try. And whether they do or whether they don’t, there’s very little you can do to keep them sitting in a parked car, listening. So how can we invite them back more often?

Tip: On-hour news appointments, “a quick [name of network] update, throughout your busy day” as the world we live in has listeners wondering “What NEXT???” This is increasingly useful for music stations, with music now commoditized by non-broadcast competitors.

Rip me off

On-air promos accomplish three things:

— Defining the station, labeling your button in the listener’s mind.

— Asking for more occasions of listening, thus the newscast tip above.

— Listeners REMEMBER having-listened. Not just opportune in diary markets, where we want diarykeepers to round-up. 😉 In PPM markets, awareness drives use. So, in both cases, ratings are a memory test. And this matters even if you don’t subscribe to ratings, because advertisers need prospects to hear that tire commercial multiple times.

So, it’s worth your time to review all imaging and promos now airing. Of each piece, ask yourself: What does this accomplish? Does this convey why/when/how the listener should/can listen more often?

To hear 21 examples of imaging work I’ve done for client stations, click “DO listeners understand why to spend more time with you?” at HollandCooke.com

OK…ONE exception…

I asked my bud, who sold a lotta radio for a lotta years: “What if the request to buy ONE commercial was a pop-the-question surprise, to air when the hopeful groom knew she would be listening?”

“Ka-CHING!” he winked, “and I’d nick him good! You know what that ring cost?”

Holland Cooke (HollandCooke.com) is a consultant working at the intersection of broadcasting and the Internet. He is the author of “Spot-On: Commercial Copy Points That Earned The Benjamins,” a FREE download; and “Your Trusted Voice: How to Attract New Clients More Efficiently than Competitors Who Spend a Fortune on Advertising.” Follow HC on Twitter @HollandCooke

Industry News

iHeartMedia: Study Reveals Disconnect Between Consumer and Marketers

By TALKERS | by TALKERS

iHeartMedia and Malcolm Gladwell’s Pushkin Industries release the results of a study conducted by Morning Consult and Advertiser Perceptions that explores the growing disparity between consumer values and behaviors and marketing priorities in the U.S. They say that the report “underscores the increasing urgency for marketers to reset and realign their marketing and media plans with American consumers to ensure the success of campaigns in an increasingly polarized post-COVID economy.” iHeartMedia chairman and CEO Bob Pittman comments, “This research is a reminder of how different we marketers are from today’s consumers, especially post-pandemic. Based on these results, we need to challenge ourselves as we build marketing and media plans to be sure we use real consumer data and not just trust our instincts and personal experiences. These personal biases are too detached from the consumers most marketers are trying to engage, and which are often behind major marketing misfires. This study aims to level-set the conversation to benefit both our audiences and advertisers.” Some of the key findings from the report include: 1) While 40% of consumers report that they’ve never heard of NFTs, that number drops to 0% for marketers; 2) 62% of consumers have never heard of the TV show “Succession,” while less than 5% of marketers have never heard of “Succession”; and 3) Almost one-third of consumers have never heard of pickleball, while all marketers [surveyed] have heard of pickleball. The findings were presented by iHeartMedia’s Conal Byrne, CEO of iHeartMedia’s Digital Audio Group, and author and podcaster Malcolm Gladwell at iHeartMedia’s AudioCon 2023 on Wednesday (9/13).

Industry Views

Pending Business: Pulling the Rug Out from Under

By TALKERS | by TALKERS

By Steve Lapa
Lapcom Communications Corp
President

imWhen was the last time you went shopping for a quality living room rug? Not an oriental, because that is just too easy. We’re talking high quality living room rug that will blend in and stand the test of time… and the dog. Next to fighting with a credit card company, it’s the worst shopping experience ever.

Try this at home when you have nothing better to do. Chances are you want to find the rug of your dreams, so you check out the major department stores. Up the escalator, walk through home furnishings and an employee may or may not be available. Most likely not, so you head to an adjacent department, and someone sends someone who barely knows the product and selection.

This scenario is repeated at most major department stores today, so off we go to our favorite furniture store where rugs are an accessory, like belts in the men’s store. No go here. Time to head over to the carpet, tile, and rug store.

Employees here are a bit more available and knowledgeable, but the quality and selection are just not quite right. Time for the expensive specialty store where expertise and service are #1 and so is price. $10,000 for that!

Time for the online experience to take over with countless purchase options, reviews, and confusing virtual reality options. This is getting painful. The attempted purchase is frozen in frustration. What does this have to do with what we do? Live and learn.

— Are you always available for your advertisers? When business is soft you lob in a mandatory attempt and move on. When business is through the roof, are you quick to return a call or open a new door?

— Do you simply walk through the same motions, or reflect the energy and enthusiasm of an exciting program lineup? Think of the rug seller, flipping through those rugs. Boring!

— Do you earn the price or just blame the boss? Since day one, some sellers find it easier to blame the boss instead of earning the value proposition.

— Are your advertisers frozen in frustration? Feel free to use the phrase that pays. Defrost that frozen decision maker before your competitor does.

A great program director once told me, the best on-air talents observe life with a pad and pen. Their notes come to life when the mic goes on. The same is true for great sellers and managers. Every purchase experience can improve your next call.

Steve Lapa is the president of Lapcom Communications Corp. based in Palm Beach Gardens, FL. Lapcom is a media sales, marketing, and development consultancy. Contact Steve Lapa via email at: Steve@Lapcomventures.com.

Industry Views

Monday Memo: We Have a Winner

By TALKERS | by TALKERS

By Holland Cooke
Consultant

imTHE Best Bit I’ve Heard This Month was by Gene Valicenti, morning host, WPRO-AM/WEAN-FM, Providence.

Among advertisers he endorses: Pinnacle Discount Center, where TV prices are SO low ya wonder if the merch’ is hot. It was a hole-in-the-wall before Gene tripled its business… not a tough sell when every customer gets to “Spin the Wheel!” on the way out for even-deeper discounts or a FREE bonus TV.

“You’ve got an uncle in the TV business,” Gene says, and “Uncle Bill” gives him TVs to award listeners who chime-in on topic du jour each morning.

im

As Amazon Prime Days began, Gene spontaneously texted Uncle Bill – not a set-up, I’m told – challenging him to beat Amazon deals. ONE MINUTE later, Uncle Bill replied: “Yes! 15% less for any same-model TV Amazon is offering.” Even if nobody took him up on the offer, the gesture slam-dunks this retailer’s category ownership.

Even if you aren’t making a station advertiser a hero: How can YOU localize The Big Story?

Holland Cooke (HollandCooke.com) is a consultant working at the intersection of broadcasting and the Internet. He is the author of “Spot-On: Commercial Copy Points That Earned The Benjamins,” a FREE download; and the E-book and FREE on-air radio features “Inflation Hacks: Save Those Benjamins;“and Multiply Your Podcast Subscribers, Without Buying Clicks,” available from Talkers books. Follow HC on Twitter @HollandCooke

Industry News

Greenville’s News/Talk 98.9 WORD Adds Erick Erickson Show

By TALKERS | by TALKERS

Audacy announces that WYRD-FM, Greenville, South Carolina “News/Talk 98.9 WORD” adds the WSB, Atlanta-based, syndicated Erick Erickson show to the 12:00 noon to 3:00 pm time slot, effective tomorrow (6/21). Audacy Greenville-Spartanburg SVP and market manager Steve Sinicropi says, “With the arrival ofim Erick Erickson as the new afternoon talk show host on WYRD-FM, an unsurpassed team of talent will serve the Upstate, north Georgia and western North Carolina. Erick’s thought-provoking discussions, unyielding insight and captivating presence will be a welcomed addition to our listeners and partners. Erick will complete News/Talk 98.9 WORD’s incredible lineup, allowing us to provide unmatched content for listeners and the largest and most effective platform for advertisers.” Erickson is syndicated via Compass Media Networks.

Industry News

IAB: 2022 Podcast Revenue Rises 26%

By TALKERS | by TALKERS

At this year’s IAB Podcast Upfront, the IAB released the results of its U.S. Podcast Advertising 2022 Revenue & 2023-2025 Growth Projections study and concludes that “podcasting continues to be one of the fastest growing digital channels, growing two times faster than digital advertising overall.” The report, byim PricewaterhouseCoopers LLP, “quantifies annual podcast advertising revenues generated over the past year, analyzes revenue share by ad category and content genre, and forecasts future revenues through 2025.” The study says the top revenue-generating content genres are Sports (15%), Society & Culture (14%), and Comedy (14%) and have taken the lead from News and Political Opinion content (down from 19% to 12%). IAB VP, media center Eric John says, “In-person sports, lifestyle events, and in-store shopping have come back in a big way, taking the lead from news which held the top revenue genre spot since 2018. Podcasting revenue naturally reflects that shift in consumer behavior and it will be interesting to watch how the balance changes going forward.” He adds, “Both mass and niche advertisers like the audiences, targeting, and ROI along with the brand-safe and suitable environments that podcasting offers.” See the complete report here.

Industry News

iHeartMedia Expands Branded Podcast Studio

By TALKERS | by TALKERS

iHeartMedia announces that it is launching Ruby, the first dedicated team of its kind from a major media company committed entirely to the production, sales and marketing of branded podcasts. The company says it has “built one of the fastest-growing slate of branded podcasts globally with 30 original series from major brands such as T-Mobile, IBM, Intuit QuickBooks and Mattress Firm,” and that the “launch of Rubyim represents an expanded commitment to one of iHeartMedia’s most premium products allowing advertisers to engage audiences with creative, longform native content.” iHeartMedia goes on to say, “Ruby’s branded podcasts allow advertisers and their brand partners to spend upwards of 30-45 minutes with their target audience in a unique environment, with opportunities for storytelling that are not possible anywhere else in their media mix including social video. With distribution across the iHeartRadio app and all other major platforms, native podcasts from Ruby connect brands to audiences by translating brand messaging, products and services into original and engaging stories that audiences love.” See more about Ruby here.

Industry News

Audacy Releases Fourth State of Audio Guide

By TALKERS | by TALKERS

Audacy releases its latest “State of Audio” guide. This fourth installment of the company’s bi-annual e-book explores audio’s impact throughout the brand funnel, from awareness and intention to action. Highlighting case studies from today’s biggest brands, the guide gives advertisers a look into how they can use radio, podcastsim and streaming for everything from brand awareness to consumer purchase. Audacy chief marketing officer Paul Suchman says, “Audio holds the title as the undisputed leader of brand-building channels – working its magic with the one-two punch of massive reach and beloved and trusted personalities. But if you’re thinking of Audio as just a top-of-funnel play – good for sparking a conversation but not driving conversion – think again. The truth is the game has expanded in recent years and audio is now a truly multi-purpose platform. Thanks to precision targeting, authentic influencers whose listeners follow them across channels, and advanced measurement, marketers are uncovering the best-kept secret in media – audio’s ability to drive impact at every funnel stage.” See the “State of Audio” guide here.

Industry News

Bill Frady Named Late Morning Host at 106.3 WORD, Greenville

By TALKERS | by TALKERS

Audacy’s Greenville, South Carolina news/talk WYRD-FM “106.3 WORD” names Bill Frady host of the 10:00 am to 12:00 noon program. Frady has been with the station hosting the Sunday program “LockNLoad” and serving as a fill-in host. He now expands his role with the station to the new daily program, “Straight Talk with Bill Frady.” Audacy Greenville-Spartanburg SVP and market manager Steve Sinicropi states, “Bill Frady has provided great content doing swing shifts on ‘106.3 WORD’ for years. Bill is a native Greenvillian, a recognized firearms expert, and a tremendous conservative voice that will complement WYRD-FM’s incredible news and talk talent lineup. Adding Bill Frady to our full-time, on-air team will provide great content for listeners and new opportunities for advertisers. I look forward to hearing Bill on the air and on the station’s expanded 100,000-watt signal.” Previously, Audacy announced the plan to move WORD’s talk programming to the 98.9 frequency in which the station will be branded “News/Talk 98.9 WORD.”

Industry Views

Monday Memo: Who? When?

By TALKERS | by TALKERS

By Holland Cooke
Consultant

Does anybody really know what time it is? Does anybody really care? YES.

— Myth: Call letters are less important in PPM markets than in diary markets, where that diary is a memory test.

— Fact: Call letters and timechecks are MORE important in metered markets, because there aren’t enough meters. Every…single…one…matters a LOT. And awareness drives use.

Sure, listeners wear watches, and tote smartphones, and there’s a clock in the dashboard. We’re not timechecking because they don’t know.

— Timechecks help make the station habit-forming. They teach listeners what-we-do-when.

— Timechecks imply that busy people (the ones advertisers want as customers) will be on-time if they listen. “WINS News Time…” on New York’s iconic All-News station sets a tempo.

— And timechecks are local information. Syndicated hosts forced to say “[minutes] before the hour” remind us that they’re somewhere else.

Graphics - Logo

In its 1960s Top 40 heyday, WABC’s promos boasted that more people listened every week “than any other station in North America!” And shortly before his untimely death, retired PD Rick Sklar told me the simple secret of his success.

— He compared the Arbitron ratings diary to “that little blue book you got in school when there was a quiz. There are two questions on the quiz: What did you listen to? And when did you listen?”

— Back then, most stations used turntables, but WABC already played music on carts. And right there, at the end of the song, there was a WABC jingle, and an ear-splitting “DING!” because timechecks were “WABC Chime-Time.”

— So “we gave them the answers to the quiz,” by DJ-proofing the station. Even if the jock was going song-to-song, he had to jump-in and timecheck.

And you are…?

Holland Cooke (HollandCooke.com) is a consultant working at the intersection of broadcasting and the Internet. He is the author of the E-book and FREE on-air radio features “Inflation Hacks: Save Those Benjamins;” and “Spot-On: Commercial Copy Points That Earned The Benjamins,” a FREE download; and “Multiply Your Podcast Subscribers, Without Buying Clicks,” available from Talkers books.  Follow HC on Twitter @HollandCooke

Industry News

iHeartMedia Debuts Podcast Brand Safety Tool

By TALKERS | by TALKERS

iHeartMedia is launching new brand safety technology for podcast advertising powered by Sounder. iHeartMedia says it is the first to go live with Sounder’s AI and Machine Learning (ML) technology, giving brands episode-specific safety assurance, a level of precision previously unavailable in podcast inventory, at scale. Sounder says its technology is the first to help advertisers deem if a podcast episode is brand safe before an ad runs, enabling advertisers to plan and execute campaigns with confidence. iHeartMedia chief data officer Brian Kaminsky says, “Audio had been without a truly operative brand safety tool that gave advertisers the ability to run without risk at a national scale. The process was labor intensive, fragmented, and often failed to deliver the level of protection brands truly needed. We looked at every potential solution in the industry, and Sounder’s technology is far ahead when it comes to brand safety and suitability. This new tool changes the future and opens up endless possibilities. Brands are now able to opt out of content they deem unsafe and inappropriate. Our partnership with Sounder has set a new benchmark for transparency in audio advertising that has been long overdue.”

Industry Views

Maximizing Impact for Sponsors

By TALKERS | by TALKERS

By Michael Berry
Host, The Michael Berry Show
KTRH, Houston – iHeartRadio
Independent Syndication

Growing up in a small town, “word of mouth” was the most powerful form of advertising. It could make – or break – a business.  Malcolm Gladwell’s important Tipping Point book explained that movements, pandemics, and other things that “catch on” do so because of the influence of “connectors” – people who are asked for their opinion. Today, the media world likes to call them “influencers.”

For 17 years, I’ve entertained listeners on the radio and on podcast. Our show has built what many in the industry tell me is an impressive business model. Like Gladwell, I created our own vocabulary and I am strident in enforcing the use of it. Because words matter. I explain to companies that they are our “sponsors,” not “advertisers.” I explain that they put their name behind our show, just as I do for them. In a commercial break stop-set that will be several “commercials” for “advertisers,” but only a couple of my “endorsements.” I don’t speak for a company unless I believe in what they do and how they do it. Likewise, I encourage listeners to send me feedback on their experience with my show’s sponsors. I forward those to the sponsors, either with a request that they address the shortcoming in the service or an attaboy for a job well done.

Listeners tune in to radio, particularly talk radio, to hear the opinions of the host. The host’s opinion matters. If he shares his opinion on movies he likes, foods he enjoys, political candidates he supports, that opinion can affect what the audience does. It is also true that – if his recommendation is trusted by the listener – it can affect the choices the audience makes when they buy something or hire someone to perform a service. But it has to be an “endorsement.”

The radio industry, for many, many years, failed to recognize the value and power of an endorsement. Sellers would sell advertising to clients and get the on-air talent to read the copy points the client (or agency) wrote. Often listlessly, just reading. That is not an endorsement. It is not a host suggesting to his audience where he would personally buy a new door for his home, or take his wife for dinner. If, however, the “read” (a term that reflects that the host is simply reading words someone else wrote) were instead an endorsement, he wouldn’t need all those details. Instead, with just the name of the company, and the owner, and the phone number, as well as what category they are in, he would be able to speak for 30 seconds about why that business is special, why he would (and hopefully has already) use them.

An endorsement is a stamp of approval. It says you believe in someone or something. If an endorsement is really an endorsement, it doesn’t need new copy points to be “freshened up.” It doesn’t include discount offers, seasonal sales, “get in quick before they run out” scares, or other silly tricks Americans long ago learned to ignore. Using that language kills credibility. If I ask you where I should buy my car, and you have a dealer you believe in, you’ll refer me to them, and, if you really like them, call them yourself and ask them to take care of me. “Hook me up” as the kids say. I’m not going anywhere else after an endorsement like that.

Radio (and podcast) has a big future, because of the connection audiences have with hosts. Why abuse that connection? Why cheapen it? Sales reps should understand that and make it part of their pitch. My best sales reps literally dial up companies in industries I identify and start with the question, “Do you listen to The Michael Berry Show?” If the answer is no, I don’t want them as sponsors. I want folks who understand why I’m controversial, why my audience listeners, what my values are.

Radio and podcast’s future is dependent on a sound business model that understands what makes us special, unique, and better than other forms of media.

Here is my list of suggestions to sellers and hosts, in hopes of facilitating better results for show sponsors:

— Sellers should never pitch a client without asking the talent first.

— Talent should not endorse a company without researching and approving them.

— Talent should tell sellers what sorts of things they WANT to endorse. Guns, cigars, home improvement, cars, medical. The best endorsement is something the talent will use himself. An avid gun owner is going to present a very compelling (and effective/profitable) endorsement for a gun range he visits once a week. Look at how weight loss sponsors have profited when the host follows their program and endorses it on air.

— If a sponsor isn’t committed to a yearlong relationship, don’t do it.  It ruins credibility to change the endorsement inside the same category. Again, credibility is everything.

— Talent should develop personal relationships with sponsors. They can help listeners this way and the sponsors become show content.

— The value of talent to the station is far more than just ratings. Half my audience is 55+, so the 18-34 or 25-54 rating is less useful to me.  But when show sponsors stay on air for 10 or more years, it is a ringing endorsement that what we do works. They vote with their dollars. The whole point of ratings was to show agencies how many people listened, in hopes that that vast listening audience would respond to the commercials they hear, thus monetizing the show, right? Why not go straight to the “dollars in (from the sponsor), dollars out (listeners spending money with sponsors)” model?  Show sponsors who get tangible results from their partnership with talent don’t cancel their buy.

— Openly discuss how much money a talent brings into the station. The programming side of radio loves to talk about things that don’t generate dollars, while the sales side is often disconnected from the actual product they are selling.  Fix that.

Michael Berry is a longtime, high-ranking member of the TALKERS Heavy Hundred. He’s heard daily on KTRH, Houston and across the country on his own independent network.  Michael Berry can be emailed at michael@michaelberryshow.com.

Industry Views

Pending Business: How Are We Doing?

By TALKERS | by TALKERS

By Steve Lapa
Lapcom Communications Corp
President

Talkers Magazine - Talk radioHow might we better serve you in the future? How would you rate our service?

These are two common questions you will see on many restaurant info cards as you pay for your meal. After all, the restaurant business is fundamentally based on great food and great service at a reasonable price. Think about this: If either of those two basic components, food (product) and service are missing, you are outta there!

Our radio/audio sales business is based on the same thing: great product and great service at a reasonable price. Yet, why is it you will never find yourself or a manager asking those questions as a part of your regular follow-up or follow-through routine? Oh sure, there is the ever-present pre-sell, “How can we help?” as your advertiser mutters, “lower rates,” under their breath. But seriously, no one above or below your pay grade can process or properly evaluate the answers to the two service questions posed, let alone act intelligently on the response. Could it be we still think our sales and management roles are rooted in show business and if we put on a great show delivering great ratings the advertisers will follow?

Some advertisers will show up, others need to be sold. With Zoom, Teams, programmatic, AI and other initiatives gaining more and more traction, the service improvements in salesmanship is becoming a lost art.

Time to hit the pause button, step back and learn from our friends in one of the oldest business categories on planet earth: hospitality. Let’s learn.

— Ask for feedback as you “serve.” Since my first meeting, my mantra for sellers and sales management was and still is, “How are we doing?” Go back to your winning and losing sales calls. Even managers should review meetings that did or did not move sales and ask, “How can I better serve______?”

— One step at a time. If you could improve just one thing to better serve an advertiser, what would it be? What could it be? Do you even know?

— Do you care? Ouch! Now that is a hard core, in-your-face question. Comfort zones are just so easy to occupy, we rarely push forward.

My real-world experience happened years ago when I asked our advertisers what we could do better to serve them. Many host-read advertisers wanted times sent to them in advance so they could hear the talent in real time. Every one of those advertisers became longterm fans. Do you send your advertisers host-read times in advance? Sometimes, it’s the little improvements that win big dollars when it counts.

Steve Lapa is the president of Lapcom Communications Corp. based in Palm Beach Gardens, FL. Lapcom is a media sales, marketing, and development consultancy. Contact Steve Lapa via email at: Steve@Lapcomventures.com

Industry News

PodcastOne Partners with VersusGame for Gamification

By TALKERS | by TALKERS

LiveOne subsidiary PodcastOne is partnering with VersusGame to offer its listeners “a fun and innovative way to engage with PodcastOne’s network of award-winning and top-ranked podcast hosts through gamification. Powered by VersusGame, PodcastOne has launched MiniGames on their platform, enabling their listeners to watch and answer prediction and opinion-based questions to win rewards.” The company says, “This endeavor marks an exciting introduction into gamification and monetization for PodcastOne, its host talent, and advertisers allowing them to create or sponsor relevant and topical content for fans that will reside on PodcastOne.com. MiniGames created by PodcastOne show hosts will also be distributed across the vast VersusGame MiniGames Network which includes over 900 verified hosts.” PodcastOne president Kit Gray says, “Our partnership with VersusGame is another way for us to capitalize on fan engagement. It’s a wonderful opportunity for us and for our hosts to engage with fans in an interactive way.  Offering users the chance to win financially, while also generating internal revenue is a win for everyone. Bringing gamification into the PodcastOne world brings our listeners into our shows in a whole new way. Now they get to engage directly with show hosts and participate in the conversation. It elevates the listener’s experience like never before.”

Industry Views

Pending Business: Your Trial Balloon

By TALKERS | by TALKERS

By Steve Lapa
Lapcom Communications Corp
President

Talk radio - Talkers MagazineIf you float a trial balloon, expect it to be shot down.

And to make the story driving the news headlines a better metaphor for our sales world, it should be noted that gathering information is always part of our mission. Sellers and managers should be floating trial sales balloons all the time.

Consider how many times we talk to our best advertisers to float an idea, a package, picking up a known talent or play-by-play rights to a popular team. But here is where the news story and our sales world take different forks in the road. Although the woods are full of downed sales balloons, it’s a good thing. Because in our sales world downed trial balloons mean we’re trying new things, communicating with our advertisers and not rocking along in the comfort zone. It also means some of these trial balloons make it to reality and become innovative ideas and viable sales opportunities.

I have certainly floated my share. There is a strategy behind floating a trial sales balloon to help you get the result you need. How do you improve the odds of a trial balloon becoming a sales reality? Here are some field tested tips:

— Determine your goals before you start. It’s so important to know what you’re looking for. Pricing input? Viability? Excitement? Sometimes sellers are so excited they misread the advertiser’s enthusiasm level. The reverse is also true. Sellers can be lukewarm as they focus on the transaction ahead instead of the first stage advertiser input.

— Ask permission. This is very important yet most sellers and managers never think about the advertiser reaction. What if they just don’t want to be surveyed? Always ask first.

— Confirm the confidence. Be sure everyone in your loop understands the trust you show in seeking their input.

— Keep your “ask” simple. You are asking for input. The simpler the ask, the cleaner the input.

— No commitments. Be clear the conversation you are having is early-stage preliminary to test the waters only. You are not even close to asking for a commitment, just sharing ideas and looking for input.

— Who wants to know? Be ready with the right answer.

Sellers and managers have been in the trial balloon business since the first ad was sold. Be sure to review your pre-flight check list before launching that next trial balloon.

Steve Lapa is the president of Lapcom Communications Corp. based in Palm Beach Gardens, FL. Lapcom is a media sales, marketing, and development consultancy. Contact Steve Lapa via email at: Steve@Lapcomventures.com

Industry Views

Monday Memo: “Try this…”

By TALKERS | by TALKERS

By Holland Cooke
Consultant

Companies hire consultants to avoid experiments. We improve results by customizing and implementing Best Practices proven elsewhere. So, I’m about to break a rule, because advertisers in a super-opportune category have become a noisy blur.

Personal Injury: The gift that keeps-on-giving

Legal representation of purported victims of fender benders, slip-and-fall accidents, and other “injuries caused by the negligent, careless, or reckless actions of others” is an industry in which supply exceeds demand. Thus, all the outdoor and TV advertising. And too little radio.

In the Providence, RI TV market I watch at home, this category stands shoulder-to-shoulder with look-alike automotive spots in sheer dollars over-spent. And their message is the same on billboards:

— The attorney’s head shot (also a real estate agent cliché); and

— 6-figure settlements touted.

Because they’re all shouting the same thing, they resort to tactics:

— Attorney Rob Levine is “The Heavy Hitter,” and runs enough TV that viewers in Southern New England can sing the jingle: “The Heavy Hitter is the one for you. Call one-eight-hundred-law-one-two-two-two.” To his credit, it’s a different phone number than his web site offers, so he can track TV results.

— Easier to remember: Bottaro Law: 777-7777.

Watching local Las Vegas TV while at CES recently was a deep dive into Law advertising. The pitch from several I saw was we charge less, like a shameless radio competitor dropping-trou’ to get the entire buy.

If we don’t win, you don’t pay

 “What are your rights? What is your case worth?” Possibly a cash amount divisible-by-3, if that’s the attorney’s contingency.

Those expensive nationally syndicated TV spots (customized for the local firm) depict fearful insurance executives eager to settle. And the attorney may threaten that, “if they don’t, we’ll beat ‘em in court.” Baloney, that’s the last thing the lawyer wants. Too time-consuming and risking a losing verdict.

Like radio commercials, attorneys’ inventory is perishable

— We can’t sell yesterday’s empty spot avail; and lawyers’ closing opportunity is “B.I.S.,” Butts In Seats for that free, no-obligation consultation, in-person, where the seller goes for the close.

— If nobody was sitting in that chair today (“intake”), no sale.

— And that’s how attorneys are missing a bet not using radio.

“The lawyer is in, the meter is off”

 That’s the proposition when they field listener calls in brokered weekend talk radio shows.

— DONE RIGHT, these shows can run-rings-around TV and outdoor ROI.

— Forgive caps lock in that last sentence, but it’s a crying shame how – at too many stations – the audition for pay-for-play weekend talkers is the-check-didn’t-bounce. One of the things I do for client stations is coach-up weekend warriors — in hosting fundamentals that are second-nature to us — but not to non-career broadcasters. Results = renewals. Otherwise brokered hosts churn, a management distraction, and upsetting listening habits.

— Occasionally, in markets where I don’t even have a client station, I’m working with lawyers (and real estate agents, financial advisors, foodies, and other ask-the-expert hosts), because nobody at the station is doing airchecks with them.

— No billboard or tacky TV spot can humanize the attorney – and demonstrate the comforting counsel – like eavesdropping on a conversation with a caller’s relatable situation.

Think “sales funnel”


We know how to make the phone ring, specific dance steps. The more callers, the better.

— When lines are full, screeners can choose callers whose dilemma is in the attorney’s lane. If, for instance, the host specializes in Personal Injury (or “Family Law,” translation divorce; or another specialty), calls about real estate transactions are off-topic.

— Do this right, and – before the host can offer – callers will often ask “May I call you in the office on Monday?”

Admittedly, this is an experiment…

…because I am frustrated witnessing all this noisy me-too advertising.

Personal Injury cases are he-said-she-said. So try this, and tell me if it works.

— Sales 101: That first call is Needs Assessment, right? Know the prospect’s pain.

— Yet too many radio reps resemble Herb Tarlek, telling the station’s story. Amoeba-shaped coverage maps and ratings rankers and rate cards all look alike…like Law firm marketing.

— I’m telling any attorney willing to listen to make four words the centerpiece of the marketing message, and they’re the same four words that turn callers into clients for weekend talkers: “Tell me what happened.”

The Free Prize Inside: Podcasts

Lifting weekend calls to repurpose as on-demand audio is digital marketing value-added.

Holland Cooke (HollandCooke.com) is a consultant working at the intersection of broadcasting and the Internet. He is the author of “Multiply Your Podcast Subscribers, Without Buying Clicks,” available from Talkers books; and “Spot-On: Commercial Copy Points That Earned The Benjamins,” a FREE download; and the E-book and FREE on-air radio features “Inflation Hacks: Save Those Benjamins.” Follow HC on Twitter @HollandCooke

Industry News

Clyde Bass to Lead iHeartMedia’s New Texas/Arkansas Area

By TALKERS | by TALKERS

iHeartMedia names Clyde Bass area president for its newly formed Texas/Arkansas Area. The region consists of more than 48 stations across 10 markets. Bass is responsible for all operations in Beaumont, Waco, Bryan, McAllen and Corpus Christi, Texas and Fayetteville, Fort Smith and Little Rock, Arkansas, along with Wichita, Kansas and Springfield, Missouri. iHeartMedia division president Nick Gnau says, “I am so excited to add Clyde’s leadership to an already strong cluster of markets in Texas. Clyde’s passion for our industry, his knowledge of our products and the success he has shown through many roles with iHeartMedia make him the perfect fit to lead this newly formed Area. I look forward to seeing these areas continue to succeed as one.” Bass most recently led the Arkansas Area. He comments, “It’s been my honor to be involved for the last 10 years with some of the legendary stations that I grew up listening to here in Arkansas, and now to be reunited as area president with the team in Texas makes me even more energized over what iHeartMedia provides to advertisers and listeners.”

Industry News

Edison Research to Present Boomer and Gen Z Podcast Reports

By TALKERS | by TALKERS

The company announces that it will present two podcast studies in the first quarter of this year. “Hit Play, Boomer: Podcasting’s 55+ Opportunity” from NPR and Edison Research focuses on podcast listeners age 55 and older. The study explores what Edison terms “this oft-overlooked but highly influential demo” and their podcast listening behaviors. “The Gen Z Podcast Listening Report” from SXM Media and Edison Research “provides an in-depth look at the podcast habits and motivations of the elusive and much-desired Gen Z listener.” Edison vice president Megan Lazovick says, “Everything we do at Edison Research works to drive the audio space forward with the highest quality data. We believe these two studies will help advertisers understand the opportunities for audio to reach these two important generations and of course help the media companies who can deliver these audiences.”

Advice

Monday Memo: #NABShowNY

By Editor | by Editor

By Holland Cooke
Consultant

 

NEW YORK — Lots of long-time-no-see hugs among 9,500 of us at the Javits Center as the National Association of Broadcasters resumed its October event – like much of life, interrupted by COVID – and increasingly pertinent to radio.

Though long-timers long for the days when the exhibit hall was populated by jingle gypsies, Hiney Wine, and bumpersticker and T-shirt vendors, we now find the teleprompters and studio lighting and cloud software that are becoming tools of the trade for radio broadcasters who leverage their transmitter brand to take content (and advertisers) everywhere consumers consume us.

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Advice

Monday Memo: #NABShowNY

By Editor | by Editor

By Holland Cooke
Consultant

 

NEW YORK — Lots of long-time-no-see hugs among 9,500 of us at the Javits Center as the National Association of Broadcasters resumed its October event – like much of life, interrupted by COVID – and increasingly pertinent to radio.

Though long-timers long for the days when the exhibit hall was populated by jingle gypsies, Hiney Wine, and bumpersticker and T-shirt vendors, we now find the teleprompters and studio lighting and cloud software that are becoming tools of the trade for radio broadcasters who leverage their transmitter brand to take content (and advertisers) everywhere consumers consume us.

(more…)

Front Page News Industry News

Monday, August 22, 2022

By Editor | by Editor

Saga Communications CEO Ed Christian Passes. The company announces that its founder, chairman, president and CEO Ed Christian passed away on Friday (8/19) after a short illness. Warren Lada, a member of Saga Communications’ board of directors and former COO, has been appointed by the board to serve as the Interim CEO. “The Board is confident that Warren’s vast experience in the broadcast industry as a sales representative, sales manager, general manager, vice president of operations and ultimately as COO of the company will fill the void that Ed leaves as the company prepares for the next chapter in ‘Saga’s ongoing adventure.’” Saga says that Christian founded the company in 1986 and has fostered its growth to owning 79 FM radio stations, 35 AM radio stations and 80 translator stations in 27 markets. Under his leadership the company became a publicly traded company in 1992 and continues to be traded under the ticker symbol “SGA” on the Nasdaq stock exchange. The company adds, “The broadcast industry has lost a pioneer and giant. Saga expresses its heartfelt condolences to the Christian family and Ed’s friends and colleagues. Ed will be missed but not forgotten. He is and was a true radio broadcaster that never lost sight of his ‘true north’ in an industry he loved.”

Monday Memo: “Stay Safe.” “Because these are NOT normal times,” consultant Holland Cooke follows-up last week’s column about leveraging the news half of the news/talk format, with specific imaging copy points. Read it here.

 

Pending Business: This Is Urgent. Radio sales pro Steve Lapa writes in today’s column Apple’s announcement it will soon sell approved advertisers space on the “Today” page of the App Store is a super-sized version of radio’s call-to-action ads. He says copywriting 101 and radio sales 101 intersect at the call-to-action and he offers six points to prove its efficacy. Read it here.

 

KWAM Celebrates 75 Years of Service to Memphis. News/talk radio station KWAM-AM, Memphis “The Mighty 990” – owned by Starnes Media led by talk media industry personality and best-selling author Todd Starnes – threw a bash to celebrate its 75 years of service to the Memphis market. Pictured above at right are some of the 300 people who attended the event.

FBI Raid/Documents Investigation, Midterms/2024 Presidential Race, The Economy, Russia-Ukraine War, CDC/COVID/Monkey Pox, and Extreme Weather Among Top News/Talk Stories Over the Weekend. The aftermath of the FBI raid on former President Donald Trump’s residence at Mar-a-Lago and the documents investigation; the November midterm elections and speculation about the nominees for the 2024 presidential race; inflation, the financial markets and the Inflation Reduction Act; a car bomb kills Darya Dugina, the daughter of Alexander Dugin, the “spiritual guide” to Russia’s invasion of Ukraine; the CDC’s announced overhaul, the rate of COVID cases and the concerns over Monkey Pox; and the nationwide drought & the Texas floods were some of the most-talked-about stories on news/talk radio over the weekend, according to ongoing research from TALKERS magazine.

Advice

Monday Memo: News = Dog, Talk = Tail

By Editor | by Editor

By Holland Cooke
Consultant

 

BLOCK ISLAND, RI — This Civil War now so clearly unfolding around us was roiling long before it erupted on January 6. We’ve seen it coming on stilts. So – regardless of whether or how Donald Trump is held accountable in various predicaments now escalating – expect few minds to change.

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Sales

Pending Business: When Controversy Strikes

By Editor | by Editor

By Steve Lapa
Lapcom Communications Corp
President

 

PALM BEACH GARDENS, Fla. — Is someone out there in talk radio land ready to help us understand the new boundaries of controversy in talk radio?

A little help here, I’m getting lost.

Abortion laws will quickly become a leading topic again as states begin to weigh in on laws. Social media is already buzzing about Brittney Griner’s sentencing and what about her stance on honoring our National Anthem? The January 6 hearings continue to produce new fodder for talkers as the Russia-Ukraine-China-Taiwan storyline is on the radar — literally. Those topics don’t touch what’s happening in your neck of the woods. Somewhere along the way one of your local talent or nationally syndicated talent will say something that will offend listeners, sponsors, or both.

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Sales

Pending Business: Halftime

By Editor | by Editor

By Steve Lapa
Lapcom Communications Corp
President

 

PALM BEACH GARDENS, Fla. — Halftime is over.

July is here and Q3-Q4 is looking a little foggy. The crystal ball is clouded with recession, inflation and new competition.

The good news is by now you’ve met with your manager and second half adjustments are in place. You have agreed on the course correction expectations and the game plan that will help you power through the dynamics of a constantly changing business environment.

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Advice

Monday Memo: Inflation Hacks

By Editor | by Editor

By Holland Cooke
Consultant

 

BLOCK ISLAND, RI — If you’re old enough for Medicare,* you’ve seen this movie before. In the early 1970s, gasoline – adjusted for inflation – was more expensive; and in the 80s, interest rates hit 20%.

Younger? You feel like you’re witnessing history. Either way, Inflation is changing listeners,’ and advertisers,’ and OUR lives, in almost every way. Rather than joining the blame-game unison, I will be using this column for the entire month of July to offer solutions, dozens of ways you can share on-air, and use yourself.

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