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

2. 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!

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

4. 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

5. 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

6. 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

7. 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?

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

9. 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

10. 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

11. 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

12. 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

13. 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

14. What Was Wrong?
Bad Writing
Bad Processing
Bad Mixing

15. What Was Wrong?
Good writing
Bad VO Processing
Bad Mix

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

32. Good Examples – Listener Lunch Promo
Fun feature
Well written
Funny

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

40. 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

41. 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?

42. Steve Hunter – Operations Manager
Imaging Questions
Steve Hunter – Operations Manager
Scripps Media Tulsa