By Dave Charles in Canada
For the last year or more I’ve been hearing radio horror stories. Radio is dead.
If this is so then, its because we’ve allowed incompetent people to run radio stations with no real content development experience. Most of these people come from sales and accounting backgrounds and have cut radio operational budgets to the bone. There’s even a hand full of grifter media consultants who have the charm but not the brains to help radio grow and navigate in these choppy media waters. They helped to create Radio Ga Ga and are solely responsible for radio’s current decline. Ownership groups and boards often only see the ratings and revenue numbers and never delve into the real reasons for Radio’s downturn.
Moving away from Radio Ga Ga is not easy.
Let me be clear about what Ga Ga is. It’s radio that is boring, derivative, formulaic and soulless. It’s radio that lacks relevance, freshness and style because radio has lost too many great talents who were able to creatively deliver entertaining and compelling content. In addition many radio colleges are closing down due to lack of interest. Young media hopefuls are not looking at radio as they once did. There’s more action elsewhere such as Tik Tok, You Tube, Instagram and many other media platforms.
Whether it’s the U.S., Canada, Australia or Europe, radio is looking for a place in a very complex and niche media world.
One of the main reasons for radio’s decline is due to the lack of innovation and creativity. Format radio has become background noise and not foreground relevant any more. Stupid tactics such as long 8 minute plus commercial sets kill radio’s momentum. This thinking is flawed and needs to change according to what I’m seeing in the latest audience research reports. Brainstorming for new ideas has gone out the window due to excessive multi-skilling giving good talents no time to be creative anymore. We don’t have many great radio personalities left just format robots! AI voices are looming in the wings to replace LIVE announcers.
Podcasts are slowly eating radio’s lunch with stronger more in tune content, and better hosts. Tik Tok has captured the attention of the under 30 demo with fun and crazy content. Radio doesn’t break new music anymore. YouTube and Tik Tok does. Tik Tok just recently covered the entire Democratic Conference in Chicago.
Radio has allowed social media to not only flank but dominate its entertainment and local information space. For this to change, radio needs to develop better personalities and create moments that listeners can truly enjoy. As B.B. King said ‘The thrill is gone’. Most of what radio offers is ordinary. ‘Ordinary’ is not going to cut it in todays world of media over choice. Listeners are finding new personalities and they don’t all have radio style voices. They are REAL people with something to say.
Radio used to be the source of new information, new music and things that mattered in your world. Not anymore. Social media has taken that away from radio and continues to dominate with current information and entertainment that radio would struggle to find. This is largely due to lack of resources and talent to be able to curate new content that has real appeal. Radio has promoted and plugged social media. What has social media done for radio. Nothing!!! Google ads haven substantially eroded radio retail revenues.
Radio groups that are experiencing a decline and ratings should pay attention to this Radio Ga Ga alert. Radio Ga Ga is real. Only you can change this with a commitment to creating the best content. This requires R & D and financial commitments for talent and marketing. Radio still commands strong listenership in AM and PM drive slots. That’s a good place to start to make sure that your talent, music, features and interactions are worthy.
Contact me if you want to contribute some new ways and better days for radio. This is not a drill…this is a RED alert for Radio.
About the Author
Dave Charles, President Media RESULTS Inc. 
Mobile: +1 289 242 8313.
Email: [email protected]