VISIONING YOUR STATION IN A POST-COVID ERA Presented by Mike Henry July 16, 2020 www.paragonmediastrategies.com 14405 West Colfax Avenue #313, Lakewood, CO 80401 (303) 922-5600
T OPICS 1. How does business-as-usual change? 2. What posture should community radio stations take during and after the COVID-19 crisis? 3. How should stations adjust programming? 4. What strategies and issues should stations consider in their audience and donor relationships? 5. What are keys to marketing your station? 2
S TAY ON S TRATEGY … OR G ET O NE ! If you have a strategy, stick with it…to a degree. Times of crisis are when strategic plans pay off the most. Allow for obvious changes under changing conditions. If you don’t have a strategy, build one. 3
S HIFT O PERATING P ROCEDURES Radio is no different from other businesses that must adapt the way you do business 4
Be a leader in the community conversation and lean into local topics U NUSUAL T IMES Refer to the Local Radio Pandemic Checklist for easy do’s and don’ts: http://www.paragonmediastrategies.com/local-radio-pandemic-checklist R EQUIRE U NUSUAL M EASURES Your station has a voice and a platform to make important contributions 5
News and Information Stations Provide relevant and comprehensive coverage K NOW Y OUR S TATIONS R OLE More leadership and participation in local discussions Music Stations and Shows Utilize your most trusted voices to deliver updates News and information shows and Entertain and provide a release from the stations have different roles and daily stress and constant barrage of news More local updates, expectations from music shows more listener and community interaction and stations. Be trustworthy, Don’t turn music shows into news shows, but also credible and reliable reliable realize that music hosts play an important role in credible and delivering important local updates. Be trustworthy, 6
L OCAL C ORONAVIRUS U PDATES A RE I MPORTANT Studies show that approximately two-thirds of music station radio listeners want at least hourly COVID- 19 updates 7
U TILIZE T HE P OWER OF M USIC Don’t be afraid to play familiar, popular library/gold songs Create new features and special programming Music tastes have been affected People want to hear positive and uplifting songs • Get ideas from other stations from the COVID-19 Public Radio • They want more familiar, comfort music Music Station Collaboration Facebook page: https://www.facebook.com/groups/PRMSCOVID19/ 8
R EMAIN A UTHENTICALLY L OCAL Many hosts are now Jordan Lee of Radio Millwaukee doing his thing from his home studio broadcasting from home and shows can sound Embrace your reality. different than from a studio Let people know where you’re broadcasting from. If the dog barks tell the audience the dog’s name. If a family member interrupts you just go with the flow. 9
Be the broadcast and digital version of Waze for local changes and ask E NGAGE Y OUR listeners, politicians and business to inform you and your audience of A UDIENCE any changes. Air regular bulletins and post on socials about what is open or closed, new hours, new restrictions Those who interact with your station still want to be engaged If you’re able to take listener phone calls, do so and let listeners on air to talk about their situations. If you’re unable to take phone calls, then read comments (with permission granted) from your social platforms Provide local contests with giveaways that mean something, like having utility bills paid or a free tank of gas 10
P ROMOTE A LL THE W AYS TO L ISTEN Consider how listeners may be consuming your station differently Listening patterns are in flux Promote all listening platforms…on air, streaming, smart speakers and podcasts Many workers will continue working from home In-car listening is not as heavy 11
Fewer Ads S ELL Y OUR N ON - C OMMERCIAL P OSITION Sell your non-commercial status. “Listener powered and member supported.” People want to hear fewer commercials these days and more music Sell hour blocks or longer 12
H ELP L OCAL Without undermining underwriting efforts, promote local “Back to Business” re-openings and B USINESSES S URVIVE local business rules with live and/or recorded features Implement underwriting matching dollars to encourage their continued support and to also help them Local businesses need your support to survive the economic impact Build a microsite with discounts from local businesses that businesses pay to have included 13
Continue to conduct station fundraising to impress upon your listeners and community the necessity of their support for your survival D ON ’ T S HY A WAY F ROM F UNDRAISING Many public radio stations have exceeded their fundraising goals during the pandemic Some stations have raised in one day what it took 14 days to raise pre-pandemic Mike Henry at The Drop's new studios in Downtown Denver with Content Director, Nikki Swarn, helping out with their on air fund drive. 14
S TREAMING L IVE E VENTS IS M ORE I NCLUSIVE Live events are by nature exclusive and not inclusive Exclude people because of ticket prices, access, being comfortable in public, Always stream live events in the future…if possible availability, etc. 15
M ARKET Y OUR S TATION W HEN O THERS ARE L AYING L OW Commercial radio, media and other businesses are pulling back on advertising 16
R ESOURCES P ARAGON B LOGS • Local Radio Pandemic Checklist (March 12, 2020): http://www.paragonmediastrategies.com/local-radio-pandemic-checklist • The Digital Media Evolution Just Became a Revolution (March 17, 2020): http://www.paragonmediastrategies.com/the-digital-media- evolution-just-became-a-revolution • Crisis Innovations on the Fly – Part I (March 25, 2020): http://www.paragonmediastrategies.com/crisis-innovations-on-the-fly-part-i • Crisis Innovations on the Fly – Part II (March 26, 2020): http://www.paragonmediastrategies.com/crisis-innovations-on-the-fly-part-ii • Crisis Innovations on the Fly – Part III (March 29, 2020): http://www.paragonmediastrategies.com/crisis-innovations-on-the-fly-part-iii • Music Stations Form Collaborative to Serve Communities During Coronavirus: (April 9, 2020): http://www.paragonmediastrategies.com/music-stations-form-collaborative-to-serve-communities-during-coronavirus-pandemic • New Habits = New Content (April 19, 2020): http://www.paragonmediastrategies.com/new-habits-new-content • Pandemic 2020 Playlist (April 24, 2020): http://www.paragonmediastrategies.com/pandemic-2020-playlist • The Core Rises to the Top: (May 17, 2020): http://www.paragonmediastrategies.com/the-core-rises-to-the-top 17
R ESEARCH /A RTICLES R ESOURCES How to Connect With Your Audience in a Crisis (March 19, 2020): https://colemaninsights.com/tag/coleman-insights • How Radio Can Plan For A Post-COVID-19 Reality (May 1, 2020): http://www.insideradio.com/free/how-radio-can-plan-for-a- • post-covid-19-reality/article_da5c19fc-8b6d-11ea-ac5d-7b70f22b8386.html Radio and the COVID-19 Crisis (webinar recording, May 1, 2020): https://jacobsmedia.com/radio-the-covid-19-crisis-webinar- • recording/ How Will Lessons Learned from the Pandemic Change the Way Radio is Done? (May 12, 2020): • http://www.insideradio.com/free/how-will-lessons-learned-from-pandemic-change-the-way-radio-is-done/article_0f1c6baa- 9420-11ea-ab32-b3bb9192fd21.html Coronavirus Playbook: What Does Chapter 2 Look Like? (May 28, 2020): http://www.insideradio.com/free/coronavirus- • playbook-what-does-chapter-2-look-like/article_99c8b938-a0bf-11ea-9d1c-df51d4564358.html Opportunities and Challenges for Radio (May 28, 2020): https://rainnews.com/opportunities-and-challenges-for-radio-midia- • research/ Insights On Radio Listeners' Mindset During Pandemic (May 28, 2020): https://www.allaccess.com/net- • news/archive/story/196896/jacobs-media-s-second-covid-19-study-offers-insigh?ref=mail_net_news Remote Work, New Communications Will Outlast Pandemic (May 29, 2020): http://www.insideradio.com/free/survey- • remote-work-new-communication-modes-will-outlast-pandemic/article_d97198fe-a176-11ea-984d-a72412d3d6d7.html Coronavirus Updates Still Necessary (June 1, 2020): https://www.allaccess.com/nuvoodoo/archive/31672/coronavirus- • updates-still-necessary Growing Forward: Sales Recovery Toolbox (June 2, 2020): https://researchdirectorinc.com/wp- • content/uploads/2020/06/Growing-Forward-Research-Director-Incs-Recovery-Toolbox.pdf Tech Used During Work-From-Home Broadcasting Likely Here to Stay (June 29, 2020): • http://www.insideradio.com/free/tech-used-during-work-from-home-broadcasting-likely-here-to-stay/article_422cb7e4- b9d1-11ea-bf94-73cc2735e58e.html Pandemic Has Hastened NPR Audience Migration To Digital: http://www.insideradio.com/free/pandemic-has-hastened-npr- • audience-migration-to-digital/article_ad564922-c723-11ea-a59e-e3f2f9a82b50.html 18
VISIONING YOUR STATION IN A POST-COVID ERA Presented by Mike Henry July 16, 2020 www.paragonmediastrategies.com 14405 West Colfax Avenue #313, Lakewood, CO 80401 (303) 922-5600
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