IS “EDGY” RADIO PROGRAMMING NECESSARY FOR MALE LISTENERS?

A Loyal Reader Writes:

I program the only rock station in a nine-station market of 450,000 people. There are no strong competing signals from other markets, so that gives us a monopoly on the format. We target the “family reunion” of 25 – 54, skewing male and, particularly at night, take a large 18 – 24 spillover.

So it’s a pretty wide swath we’re programming to…a mix of classic and new rock. As we see demographics shifting, we’ve made adjustments leaning toward playing more new music.

I’ve encouraged our jocks to relate to our male target demo in the way they’d relate to any guy they know, keeping in mind that these are men who are listening as part of their recreational “experience” — even if they’re in the office, we’re a part of their own internal “rebellion.”

We’re talking to guys who’ve grown up with Saturday Night Live, risqué stand-up routines and late night talk shows, and even prime time sitcoms where no subject is taboo anymore. Not to mention the weirdness they see online every day.

So when the jocks’ material gets “blue” or “edgy,” I’m not usually upset by it. I ask myself, “Would I be embarrassed if my kids were listening?” and encourage the air staff to use that litmus test as well. So, most of the material is more double entendre-based than truly overt and smutty.

My ultimate test for material is, “Is it funny?” And if it happens to be edgy too, that’s fine. We know that the most successful rock radio personality shows are based on some pretty bawdy humor. But “intelligent” and “clever” are also encouraged!

However, I’ve had a lot of trouble convincing our sales team that the “edgy” approach isn’t harmful. This city is notoriously “conservative,” and I feel we do a lot of navel-gazing based on that.

My assertion is that it’s not OUR listener who’s conservative. Yes, we’ll get complaints from some people, but the majority need something compelling beyond the music to make us their medium and station of choice day after day. That to reach this demo, you need to cut through the Same Old Same Old and grab them and slap ’em around a little from time to time, “rattle the cage.”

The feedback from Sales seems to be that few clients are willing to get on board promotions that involve smart-mouthed promos or concepts that push the envelope. As I have no appreciable Promotions budget beyond what we can sell, I’ve been forced to dilute promos and content to keep the sponsors happy.

And I feel as a result that our promotions wind up with less of the cocky swagger than our programming has. Many of our contests and promotions sound less adventurous and devil-may-care than the rest of our morning or afternoon drive programs.

I’m not happy with the inconsistency. Our Creative Director has written some great stuff that gets nixed by clients and is starting to play it “safe.” And we’re talking station promos, not client product sells!

So, a few questions:

1) Is edgy humor useful and effective in relating to male demos?

2) Is it even necessary?

3) Should the emphasis be on tailoring our approach to the tastes of the clients or on educating our clients to how our approach will be effective in targeting their customer?

4) How concerned should a radio station targeting males 25 – 54 be about offending listeners outside of that target?

5) Can an approach that works well for 18 – 34 year olds backfire on the 35+ age group?

I suppose we don’t go “whole hog” on attitude because we feel our 35 – 54s wouldn’t be quite as tolerant as the younger listeners.

Also, it’s important to note that there are some clients — invariably, males in our target who listen to and love the station — who understand what we do and don’t fear a conservative backlash in buying into a station promotion. I feel if the Sales staff were more confident in how our approach can work for their clients, they’d do a better job of selling us to their prospects.

Any ideas on how to build their confidence on this issue?

My Reply:

1. It can be. But “male demos” is far too broad. What is edgy to young adult males can be offensive — or boring — to older male demos.

You’ve got a monopoly on the format and you’re aiming for a very broad target. You’d be foolish to needlessly sacrifice adult male segments for the sake of “edginess.”

Instead of edginess, focus on relevance to your listeners’ lifestyles.

2. Is it even necessary?

Certainly not in the circumstances you described. “Edginess” is used to differentiate a product within a crowded market. But you have a market monopoly; you’re the only game in town.

If you are the only rock signal in your market, then your music should be the “something compelling” that drives listenership. Music first, presentation second.

Yes, all your programming elements — music, jocks, production, imaging, news — should be top notch. But if you’ve got the only hamburger stand in town, you’re not likely to lose much sleep deciding what brand of ketchup to use.

3. Clients should have absolutely no input whatever regarding your station imaging. If you program to please your clients, you will lose your listeners. And when you lose your listeners, you will lose your clients.

You do, however, need to make sure you’re airing promos, liners and promotions that serve your station’s overall programming strategy and not simply airing stuff that entertains you, your staff, and your Creative Director. Most station imaging is terrible, and most of the terrible stuff is terrible because it’s aired for no good reason.

Your liners, promos, and contests all should reflect and enhance your station’s programming. If they do, then clients who don’t object to your regular programming won’t object to your imaging and promotions, either.

If your promos really do need to be “edgy” for anyone to pay attention to them, that can only be because what you’re saying isn’t worth listening to.

You don’t believe me?

Then try this: Once per hour, have whoever is on the air open the mic and say — without any sarcasm or dramatic overtone or music or effects — “We will give $1,000 to each person who comes to this station during the next 30 minutes.”

See if that message gets noticed.

Yeah, sure, you say. Offering a thousand bucks just for coming to the station will work. But the stuff we promote isn’t anywhere as exciting as that.

Exactly. $1,000 just for coming to the station is a compelling message. The more compelling the message, the less you need to rely on edginess and/or production tricks.

4. Not at all.

But, again, 25 – 54 is a very broad target. And what’s appropriately “edgy” for one end might well be inappropriate (or ineffective) for the other end.

5. Absolutely.

“The feedback from Sales seems to be that few clients are willing to get on board promotions that involve smart-mouthed promos or concepts that push the envelope.”

Advertisers certainly have the right not to associate themselves with promotions that they find offensive (or whose presentation they find offensive). But if they are not offended by your programming….And your promotions are congruent with your programming….Then they won’t be offended by your promotions.

If they love your promotions but are insulted by your promos, then your promos don’t accurately represent your promotions.

I’m disturbed by what seems to be a concentration on the style of your on-air promos at the expense of the substance of the promotions themselves. The more you focus on creating promotions that will thrill and delight your listeners, the less you need to worry about getting your listeners’ attention with outrageous, naughty or shocking promos.

Every radio market in the world is “conservative.” You don’t measure success by the number of criticisms your programming and promotions generate. You measure success by the number of people (the “right” people: your target audience) who respond favorably.