A Word To The Radio-Wise…

Tuesday, May, 6, 2008 by Mel Phillips.

If I were back in radio today I would be looking for ways to build an audience any way I could.  If you think you have a good sounding radio station with a likeable on-air staff, good music and interesting promotions, then start looking elsewhere to build that audience.  Giving out gas money would be the first prize I’d be awarding these days and I’d be using coupons on my website too.  Yes, I said coupons…

Coupons.com  and RetailMeNot.com  have seen large traffic spikes in the past three months.  Consumers have been printing retail coupons in droves in this depressed economy.  The growth has risen to 35% in the first three months of 2008, compared with the prior quarter.  Using promotional code numbers you can also send coupons on cell phones.  I’d also use the Internet for concert coupons - really just about anything that would interest your listeners…

Nielsen has just issued a report showing that TV product placement has risen 6% on primetime programming on the network which shows that TV is  finding new ways to advertise.  It’s time for radio to wake up as well.  You can’t put a bottle of coke in front of your mic, but you can come up with some creativity of your own.  Coupons are one way to do it…

10 Timeline Memories:

1. 1835]  Start the presses:  James Gordon Bennett publishes the New York Herald for the first time…
2. 1851]  This is a lock:  Linus Yale  patents the clock-type lock and has the good sense to put his name on it…
3. 1915]  Bambino goes yard:  Babe Ruth  hits his first home run (as a Red Sox pitcher) against the Yankees.  Three years later on the same date, he hits one against the Yankees as a position (first base) player…
4. 1937]  Oh the humanities:  The hydrogen filled German dirigible Hindenburg crashes and burns in Lakehurst (NJ) killing 36 of the 97 people aboard in one of the most vivid scenes  ever captured on film…
5. 1954]  Run a mile in my shoes:  Roger Bannister becomes the first runner to finish a mile under 4 minutes.  His time:  3:59:59.4…
6. 1957]  Profiles of a Pulitzer:  John Fitzgerald Kennedy wins a Pulitzer Prize for his book “Profiles in Courage“…
7. 1960]  Wedding Bells:  Britain’s Princess Margaret walks stiffly and properly down the royal aisle with commoner Anthony Armstrong Jones.  They will stiffly and properly divorce in 1978…
8. 1978]  Last Triple Crown Winner:  Affirmed captures the Kentucky Derby and will become the last Triple Crown winner…2006]  Barbaro wins the Kentucky Derby, a first for jockey Edgar Prado.  Sadly, tragedy awaits Barbaro in a tumultuous year for the thoroughbred…
9. 1999]  The Long Island Lolita is free:  A parole board in New York votes to release Amy Fisher after 7 years for shooting her lover’s wife, Mary Jo Buttafuoco in the face…
10. 2004]  Friends no more:  An estimated 51.1 million watch the final first-run episode of “Friends” on NBC-TV…

Music Memories:

• 1972]  Released on this date:  “Rocket Man” - Elton John…
• 1973]  O Solo Mio:  After 18 singles and 7 albums together as Simon & Garfunkel, Paul Simon goes solo at one of my favorite theaters - The Music Hall in Boston…
• 1995]  Call them doctors of music:  James Taylor  and Natalie Cole  receive honorary degrees at Berklee College of Music’s 50th Anniversary Commencement…

Commentary:

From Norm N. Nite:  “Thanks for the kind words about the Hall of Fame.  I really appreciate it.  Sunday from the Hall in Cleveland, I did a live show on CBS-FM, 7-10PM, saluting the Hall’s 22nd anniversary.  I had recorded comments from Jann Wenner, Seymour Stein, Terry Stewart and Little Steven Van Zandt.  It was a great show and they all had great things to say, especially Jann, who said I was the main reason for the Hall being in Cleveland.  That was very rewarding for me after all these years.  Keep up the good work.  All the best and “Rock On!”  Norm N. Nite…

“Happy Birthday…happy birthday“:

Martin Brodeur (36), George Clooney (47), Roma Downey (48), Tom Bergeron (53), Tony Blair (55), Mary MacGregor (60) and Willie Mays (77)…

Timeline Countdown:  4 days until Mother’s Day, 20 days until Memorial Day and 40 days until Father’s Day…

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