Is commercial radio really dying? It sure seems like it. I started talking about this a couple of months ago and was surprised by the response it received. Mostly from radio reps who feel the squeeze of the „alternate/new revenue streams“ attitude by the corporations that own big groups of stations in each market. The new revenue streams are a necessity to meet decreasing budgets and astronomical debt from the development of the big broadcast groups.
It’s no longer about selling your product, all the focus is on the bottom line… not that it hasn’t always been that… but it’s changed. Instead of fighting for their share of budget, their fighting for share plus „interactive“ dollars and non-spot dollars. Their sales quotas have become multi-layered financial forms with their income hinging on meeting every single criteria.
Remember the days when the big sales pitch and the sales product from radio stations was the „only 10 units per hour“? It wasn’t long before you were lucky if you heard 10 minutes of format! Times have changed. Now radio reps have multiple products to sell and their income is based on how much of each product they sell. Below is a sample of what you can buy on radio today.
Gone are the days where the reps kept you informed of market changes and how their station were right for the client. I don’t think they have time to care anymore. It’s all about selling the rate and delivering the bottom line to their bosses.
- News/Weather
- Traffic
- Station Event
- Web Banners
- Website Promos
- Mobile Apps
- Text Messaging
- Email Blasts
- Special Features
- Website Ads
- Ask the „Whatever“
- Non-Commercial Hours brought to you by… you guessed it „Commercials“!
- 30 second spots
- 60 second spots
- 15 Second Spots
- 10 Second Spots
- 5 Second Open/Close
- „Cause“ Sponsorships
- Studio Sponsorships
- Loyal Listener Clubs
- Station Vehicle Sponsorships
- Block Programming
- Concert Sponsorships
- Social Media
- Online Videos
- Streaming
The Radio Rep is DEAD… now we have „Multi-Media Specialists“. Gone are the reps who told you about the market and what was going on. Gone are the reps who told you about the local promotions or the accounts moving into the market. We barely see reps anymore, they don’t have the time… we do get emails filled with sales pitches, video presentations and graphic award winning slide shows. I miss the old days when radio was fun and still a business. I think everyone has fond memories, stories to tell about the good old days and mourns the loss what used to be. So, goodbye to the radio rep and real radio and say hello to the new „if you want it, we got it“ sales consultant on multi-media. I wish it was still the days when they sold commercial time and you bought the time to air the commercial.
Immobilienmakler Heidelberg Makler HeidelbergSource by Alice J Ross