Adding Sizzle and Stationality to Your Station Steve Hunter E.W. Scripps Company

Needs to Cut Through the Noise Lots of competition We all can play the same songs You need to stand out from the rest Radio Imaging sonically brands the radio station!

What are you famous for? Best Music? New Music? Most Music? News, Weather, or Traffic? Morning Show? Great Personalities? Content?

A Great Station Can Be Set Apart From the Competition Imaging On-air presentation Great writing Excellent production value Memorable production Great Personalities Benchmarks Features Specialty Programming Themed Weekends

What We Learned from PPM vs. Diary What we thought when PPM first started What was the reality? Comes down to great programming and recall People still control the radio dial

What Has PPM Taught Us? How people really use the radio How long do they really stay with us What makes them tune in What makes them tune out When they are actually using the radio Set appointments to listen

In the Diary World of Nielsen Is your product compelling? Is your product memorable? They don’t carry their diaries with them It comes down to what they think they were listening to Will they remember what to write down?

It still comes down to having a compelling, entertaining, and memorable product!

Breaking Down Your Imaging What does it say about your radio station? Does it sell the KEY benefits of your radio station? Is it memorable? Is it based on fact? Is it truthful? Does it set you apart from your competitors? Put a value on the air-time that you use to sell your station

Writing Your Imaging Write the headline What is the message trying to sell? Is it written in the language for the target audience? Identify the most creative writers in your building Make it a team effort Play it for people in the target before it airs Have a calendar of upcoming events

Types of Imaging Quick Breaks/Shotguns – Keeps forward momentum of station Sweepers – Sells image of station, features or artists Promos – Contesting, events and station image Stager –Weather, traffic, breaking news intro Music stagers – Always best when using listeners or artists Jingles Very important to balance them on your clock

Choosing the Right Imaging Voice Do they fit your station? Do they cut through? Do they have different reads? What is their availability and turn-around time? Do they define your brand? Be prepared to stick with them The answer isn’t to always change the imaging voice

Starting With Bad Examples Not Creative Doesn’t grab your attention Can’t hear the station name Waste of a valuable position on your clock

What Was Wrong? Bad Writing Bad Processing Bad Mixing

What Was Wrong? Good writing Bad VO Processing Bad Mix

What Was Wrong? Good writing Choosing the wrong music for the target demo

Good Examples – Concert Promo Good writing Big Concert Promo Hits the core demo of the station

Good Examples – Christmas Wish Promo Good writing – Makes the listener feel good Touches Listeners Hits the core demo

Good Examples – Station Image Sweeper Good writing Memorable Patriotic Creates Emotional Bond

Good Examples – Party Station Artist Sweep Good use of energy Straight to the point Use of CORE artists

Good Examples – Concert Giveaway Promo Big concert promo Grabs attention Keeps them listening

Good Examples – Friday Night Live Sweep Quick and to the point Doesn’t waste time Great energy

Good Examples – Localizer Quick Break Sells the position and name of the station Local Good station voices

Good Examples – Image Definer Sweeper Defines and sells the image of the radio station Good use of song hooks Well produced

Good Examples – Artist Setup Sweeper Power intro Sells new music Short and to the point Uses the artist to sell their song

Good Examples – Artist Promos Sells the music Centered around your artists Well produced Sells the station image

Good Examples – Artist Promos Sells the music Centered around your artists Well produced Sells the station image

Good Examples – Artist Promos New Music Sells the music Centered around your artists Well produced Sells the station new music image

Good Examples – Specialty Weekend Promo Sells your music image Fun image Well written

Good Examples – Listen At-Work Promo Sells your at-work image Reflects stationality Uses music hooks to sell image

Good Examples – Hurricane Update Stager Attention grabbing Very topical Urgency in the writing Urgency in the read Something important is about to happen

Good Examples – Listener Lunch Promo Fun feature Well written Funny

Good Examples – T.S.O. Christmas Promo Well written Funny Promotes the website

Good Examples – Jingle Ball Teaser Sweeper Creates excitement Well written Uses artists Topical for fall

Good Examples – At-Work Sweeper Funny Sells at-work Memorable Short

Good Examples – Cash Contest Promo Very PPM friendly “after this” Well produced Well written Short and to the point

Good Examples – Artist Sweeper Uses the artists to sell your station Well themed Short in length

Good Examples – Listener Quick Break Uses listener audio Sells new hit music image Really quick

Good Examples – Listener Sweeper Uses listener audio Sells your music image Really quick

Resources to Help Imaging resources Writing Mix Group Digital Sound and Video Benztown Reelworld Production Vault Mediabase Tuned-In Share resources in your company Staff brainstorming Mini-focus groups

Monitoring Your Station Are you selling the key benefits of your station in every quarter- hour? Is your clock well balanced (sweepers, quick breaks, promos)? When someone tunes in – do they know what makes your station special and unique? Will they remember what station they were listening to? Are you giving your listeners a good experience?

Steve Hunter – Operations Manager Imaging Questions Steve Hunter – Operations Manager Scripps Media Tulsa Steve.Hunter@scripps.com