The New Normal: Programming & Personality In A Once-In-A-Lifetime Crisis.

Story by Inside Radio

Webinar: https://event.webinarjam.com/replay/7/rv9r4s2axbrbyln

The way listeners are using radio has shifted dramatically over the past few weeks, talent coach Tracy Johnson says. With that in mind, Johnson and Benztown President Dave “Chachi” Denes and P1 Media Group Partner Ken Benson provide some insights, tools and support for radio programmers and talent to navigate “The New Normal.”

“Your apps, your streaming and your smart speaker listening is going up,” Johnson told attendees of the webinar, “The New Normal: Programming & Personality In A Once-In-A-Lifetime Crisis.” He suggests switching to Total Line Reporting. “If you’re not doing Total Line Reporting you’re leaving some shares on the table,” he said.

In addition to managing and putting more focus on the digital delivery of your product, more attention should be paid to what’s coming out of the smart speakers at this time.

Music stations should step up their news content, Johnson says. “Step it up a notch from wherever you are now, but don’t turn that dial from one to ten,” he explains. “If you’re not used as a news outlet in your market, don’t suddenly try to become one.” Some suggestions for topical content include “good news” and “hometown heroes” features.

“We’re here to play music and have fun, but now is also a time to inform and educate the audience,” Benson adds. “That is an important piece in what we do today that was different just a short time ago.”

While the public needs to be informed of state and local guidelines on social distancing and how the current school year will play out, Johnson reminded attendees that listeners are coming to music stations looking for relief from the doom and gloom and the hard news they’re getting elsewhere.

“From a programming standpoint I think this is a time to be more comfortable and more familiar than we’ve been before. Listeners are stressed, there’s a lot of anxiety,” he offers. When the listener is highly-stressed, “you want to take a little bit of the edge off,” he says. “I would play less new music and I would take a little bit of an edge off the music. I wouldn’t slow the tempo of the station down, but I would make it more familiar, more comfortable, and probably play more recurrents and more gold.”

Adjust, Don’t Change

Imaging on your station should also be adjusted. “We are seeing a great deal of that,” Denes says. Demand for new and updated imaging at Benztown has increased. “A lot of that is stations reacting and making sure that they are sounding as authentic as possible.”

Adjust, don’t change, was the underlying theme of the webinar attended by more than 700 industry professionals. This also goes for personality-driven shows. Many of the same points made for programming during this unprecedented time mirror what personalities should be doing on-air. “Be who you, don’t change who you are,” Johnson says. “Listening is already disrupted, don’t make it worse by sounding different or being something you’re not.” Some show features may have to be dropped or adjusted during these times, especially those that require listener interaction. Johnson believes it’s a good time to play back some of the “best-of” moments.

Even though every staff member is caught up in the challenges this new normal brings, plans should be made for when life, as we used to know it, returns. “Plan for the parade,” Johnson implores. “When it’s over, be ready.”

The webinar also provided examples of how some radio stations have adjusted to the new normal. Some of these were culled from the new Facebook group “Coronavirus Radio Ideas,” created by P1 Media Group and Benztown, where radio stations and personalities from around the world are exchanging ideas. The group has more than 2,000 members and is loaded with ideas from fellow broadcasters.

A playback of the webinar “The New Normal: Programming & Personality In A Once-In-A-Lifetime Crisis” is available HERE: https://event.webinarjam.com/replay/7/rv9r4s2axbrbyln