Radio Raves: Best New Format

There was nothing theoretical on the fivepoint list suggesting ways to improve AM Talk stations All of the suggested actions have been in use by Sabo Media clients around the world some for decades But the perception is that any major change any new approach in programming will be rejected just because rather than embracedThe challenge has always been how to develop and air a new idea in American radio The usual process is1 Put new idea on the air2 Get bashed in the head by industry Pundits prove it won39t work3 Idea works4 Industry copies and everyone claims creditIn the early 198039s Jeff Smulyan put the first allsports station on the air WFAN New York I can name call me I39ll tell you the people who were certain could prove it wouldn39t work WFAN became the frequent No 1 biller in the No 1 city and is usually No 1 among men 2554 all day The pundits who predicted WFAN wouldn39t work are now rushing to put as many FM allsports stations on the air as possible and claiming creditLet39s get better at this Some thoughtsRadio does not offer a rich environment for experimentation and innovationamp160 Other industries institutionalize the creation of new ideas They have Research and Development Budgets and labs in other national industries test and test and test new ideas and improve the success rate before launch Television tests everything and its development budgets and staffs are formidable Movies conduct constant test screenings Even those cheesy painted plates for sale in the Sunday paper are tested in mall intercept studies ie quotDo you think the dog39s ribbon should be blue instead of redquotAt this moment of vital new competition most radio companies have eliminated research and rentabrains consultants Horrible timingamp160 A RampampD budget represents a commitment to a future It39s not a luxurySign your name Every TV show movie painting book magazine and newspaper gives credit by name to all of the staff Once a day radio stations should run a credit roll for their offair teams The credits can be funny They could be voiced by the air talent and used to make light of the staff or to celebrate fresh creationsThe NABRAB Radio Show Awards must start to include Best New Format Best New Marketing Strategy and Best New Technology I wondered exactly which format prize it could win when Press Broadcasting and Sabo Media launched WTKS Orlando Talk all week Music all weekend If there had been a Best New Format award the WTKS staff would have had a good shot a winning and being recognized for their innovative workTV copyrights formats amp8220Shark Tankamp8221 amp8220Who Wants to Be a Millionaireamp8221 and many other shows are built on formats that are legally protected from copying Copyright protection can be aggressively used in radio When radio programmers create rotations stop sets brand names and production they are creating protectable elements that can be owned and monetized It39s time to do thatWhen a new format hits the air please say what one of my mentors always said quotI hope it worksquotImage courtesy of Corbis The opinions and points of view expressed in this commentary are exclusively the views of the author and do not necessarily represent the views of MediaVillageMyersBizNet management or associated bloggers

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Radio Raves: Best New Format

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Walter Sabo

Empowering Women in Media: Insights from Industry Leaders (Video) - By E.B. Moss

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Radio Raves: Best New Format

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