about the author...
Among the clients Daniel has consulted are Clear Channel Radio Interactive, Wall Street Journal Radio, recording artists Jewel and Jim Brickman, Mental Floss Magazine, The White House Commission on Remembrance, International Publisher Glencoe-McGraw Hill, Clear Channel R&D, Jones-TM, and broadcasting groups in the USA, Canada, and Europe.In 2001, Daniel was named the '#1 Young Entrepreneur' by Youngbiz (Young Entrepreneur) Magazine.
Daniel's experience includes stints as General Manager, syndicated Program Director, and various on-air stops. Daniel is also on the Board of Directors for Radio Conclave, a 501C(3) serving to grow the radio industry.
by Daniel Anstandig
The Internet has radically changed all of our lives in recent years. Now, our individual “circles of social influence” are more accessible than ever. Our friends, family, and business associates are merely a keystroke away, and information on anything is only a quick “google” away. Instant messenger and blackberry devices offer instant contact (and constant distraction).
We are living in a wired world, and it is triggering radio listeners to change their entertainment consumption habits and expectations of our programming. Savvy consumers can now find anything and everything they want on the Internet in a matter of seconds.
The implications of this evolving “wired society” on our programming are immense. First and foremost, radio stations at large are used more as “time saving” devices. Listeners tune in for a feeling of connection with their community, as well as bite-sized pieces of information and entertainment available without the hurdle of “seeking it out themselves on google.” Radio still has an advantage as an easy access, constant stream of content that—unlike the Internet—requires no reciprocal contact to drive the listener’s experience.
A website affords you the opportunity to create a personal interactive experience for your listeners in an economic way.
In a world with the Internet, TiVo, and mp3s, listeners expect instant gratification in their search for a rich listening experience. That means that the stations that will attract repeat listeners are the ones that hit the mark on relatable and powerful content every time.
The radio stations that succeed and thrive through this new media revolution will be those that offer a personally relevant and memorable “entertainment experience.” As our world becomes more wired, listeners will continue to seek out entertainment and inform.
A website affords you the opportunity to create a personal interactive experience for your listeners in an economic way. A sharp website can serve any number of listeners, connect them in a personal way to your “brand community,” and it doesn’t necessarily require an extensive team of people relentlessly “feeding the Internet monster” to reap a ratings and revenue related reward.
The new rules:
Our core business is CONTENT. Radio must offer a lifestyle service, not just an audio stream or visual webpage. Now, every brand has many expressions.
The metrics of our success are now ratings, digital media performance, and mobile consumption.