For Whom The Bell Tolls

(By John Shomby) A few weeks back, major Canadian radio broadcast company Bell Media announced it was selling 45 of its 103 radio stations. A spokesperson said radio is “not a viable business anymore.”

On the same day, analytics platform Chartmetrics issued a report that emphasized radio’s impact on an artist’s streaming success worldwide. They concluded that “this data challenges common misconceptions about radio being outdated.”

Quite a contrast, don’t you think? 

Yes, both entities have different goals – Bell’s is profits and Chartmetrics deals with radio’s cultural impact, BUT – is viability really the issue here? It’s clear to me that radio has, to start, a PR issue and has had one for quite some time. I do realize that factors vary from market to market, but I think what we BELIEVE and what is actually happening are two very different things.

Bottom line: radio – and I mean ALL of radio – needs to close ranks and change these long-standing misconceptions. iHeart, Cumulus, Audacy, etc. can’t hide in the bushes. This is an “all hands on deck” proposition. To start, we must all clearly communicate the value proposition of the medium to investors, labels, artists, clients (including agencies!), and listeners. We cannot look at this as some form of a ratings battle.

Our competitors are not other radio companies or stations in our market. They are the streaming services, digital providers, and other viral mediums.

Why can we not develop an extensive across-the-board campaign made for TV, our stations and streams, our socials, etc. that spells out the unique benefits of radio, and there are plenty. Apparently, music discovery is still there (see above) plus, judging from various holiday charity promotions and radio-sponsored concerts, so are the listeners. 

The fact that radio is subscription-free is a huge selling point, especially if we drill home the multi-platform delivery of our content which must be on point – terrestrial, streaming, podcasts, apps, and socials. Why not show how much it costs for all of that elsewhere and show the zero cost at the radio level? Right now, the average consumer is getting frustrated by the increasing amount of monthly streaming subscriptions. We should capitalize on that.

Show what else radio brings to the table that makes us unique:

1. Immediacy – We have the capability, at any time, to inform our listeners about important events as they are happening.
2. Local Focus – We are involved in our local markets whether it be events, breaking news, or local businesses. 
3. Personality-Driven Content – Now more than ever, with the heightened concentration on talent development, radio’s entertainment level has so much more to offer.

Usually, when a company or individual determines there is a PR problem, detailed marketing and promotion plans become second nature. 

This would have to stretch to, at least, a year, maybe more. 

Finally, we need to look inside for the final issues, and, without a doubt, those are audience measurement and commercial pricing. 

TOGETHER, we must demand a more accurate, affordable audience measurement system. If streaming services can get detailed accurate information about their users, why can’t we, and why does it have to be with the same company? Maybe it’s time to explore a new relationship or create our own through our own digital metrics. Hello, rest of the world!

One more very important task for the industry to handle together is how we price our product. Must we continue to play this game of “how low can you go” in every market as continue to undervalue our programming and reinforce what is getting Bell Media out of it? Band together and stop treating your own medium as if it’s a discount outlet. Be proud of what you are and value it accordingly but do it as a market not as a station. 

This task is not for the faint of heart. This is no one-time, two-week campaign. Nor is it rocket science. Radio’s benefits are plainly in front of us. We just have to decide now that it has been and always will be a viable business before the Bell tolls for us.

Based in Nashville, TN, John Shomby is the owner and CEO of Country’s Radio Coach. He is focused on coaching and mentoring artists, radio programmers, and on-air talent to help them grow and develop inside the radio station and the industry. Reach John at [email protected] and 757-323-1460. Read John’s Radio Ink archives here.