Entertainment Radio

Chuck Blore

The idea here, is an unfamiliar, seldom used approach to radio ... entertainment.

Radio as an entertainment medium ... pretty wild idea, huh?

Entertainment, not casually, specifically.  Not some of the time, all of the time. 

Radio today, AM, FM, HD or Satellite is some form of music and/or talk.  Radio as an entertainment medium is history.  Or, as presented here ... the future.

But, if it’s not specifically music or talk, what constitutes entertainment as it pertains to radio?  The answer is, not unlike USA Today, it is a concise presentation of things which are relevant to your life, stuff that matters to you. 

If it’s really interesting, if it makes you smile, or makes you laugh, or makes you curse, or nod your head, or if it makes you say, “I’ll be damned..” That, by this definition, is entertainment.

But this entertainment is not something that is be done part time. When a person tunes to the station they will hear the difference, the unique content, at once.  When they come back the next time, it will be there again, immediately, positively. 

So, who is the you it matters to?  The chosen few.  Our target audience. What matters to them is all that matters.  Everything we do is done from their point of view.  Everything is a constant, non-stop answer to their non-spoken question, “Why should I listen to this station?  What’s in it for me?”

Okay.  Good question.  Who are we talking to and why should they care?  Why should they give us their time?  What do they get out of it?

Entertainment Radio knows itself, knows its audience and knows its value to that audience.  We use that knowledge to create an overall attitude and style of presentation that says what we do has value, as opposed to what they do.   It’s a presentation that separates Entertainment Radio from any and all competition by creating unique content for and about the people we want most to reach.  It is distinctive, sharp, and aware, expressing in everything we do and say, a consistent connection with, affection for, and dedication to people in search of something better, presented at their convenience, in their language, on their playing field.

A station leaves its imprint on a person more because of the way the audience feels about it than because of the quality, good or bad, of its programming.  Our goal then must be to communicate a feeling, a good feeling about what Entertainment Radio provides, the people providing it and the manner in which it’s presented.  And we’ll make them like us by giving them stuff they like.  Stuff that seeks an emotional response rather than always a cerebral one.  The stuff the matters is that which creates an affirmative emotional response from the listener. A good feeling.  It’s what's fascinating, what’s compelling, what’s relevant, what’s interesting. Tight little circle, eh?

Okay, considering all of that …Consider this: ENTERTAINMENT  RADIO. On air personalities, are intelligent, charismatic people who are obviously in love with what they are a part of.  Everything we do is eventually presented to the audience, by the on air people.  What they do and say ... how they do and say it ... is essential to the success of this concept.  While most of what is unique about the radio station will be provided by the creative department and pre-produced, a great deal of it must be done live.  That which is done live can be our greatest strength if it measures up to the demands of being ‘fascinating’, compelling, relevant or amusing.  If it doesn’t measure up, even for a moment, it can be a huge weakness.  A weakness which can not be tolerated.   All of this requires an immense amount of preparation and hard work by the presenters but the rewards are inestimable.

Live or pre-produced the programming content is a consistent and non-stop answer to that, “What’s in it for me?” question.  It is based on the mentality, taste and acuity of one well qualified, intelligent individual who is the sole barometer of what goes on, and more importantly, what stays off.  The qualification is simple.  He or she is personally and specifically an accurate reflection of the audience we are trying to reach.  Therefore, he/she will be in tune with that group of people. It will be also be true that the audience we want most to reach will invariably be in sync with what we do.  Every minute.  Every day.  No research.  No charts.  No committees.   If it “feels right” to this person it is made a part of what have to offer.  If it doesn’t appeal to he/she, that’s all the reason needed to keep it off.  Period.

The KEY here is what “feels” right.  It should not be a cerebral decision unless what he/she thinks is complimented by what they feel.  Soon, those people with similar likes and dislikes will find the station and become a loyal audience.  Audience loyalty spells vigorous ratings.  And, it’s all based on trust .... every person contributing to the programming, on air and behind the scenes, will have three things in common: Trust the format.  Trust yourself.  Trust your gut. This is the heart of programming consistency and programming consistency is crucial to ratings success no matter what size the market.

How’s this for a positioning promise:   “It is our job to try, with all the resources at our command, to provide the basic news and information that intelligent individuals require to live here.  To provide a platform to ensure that perceptive people looking for information and entertainment that matters to them can have a source that will deliver it with consistency and with pleasure. Listen ... here.”

Chuck Blore

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