(By Andrew Curran) Radio is driven by employed listeners who commute to work – making Labor Day, radio’s unofficial holiday.
Even radio’s best listeners spend 95% of their lives with the radio off. As the audio landscape continues to fragment, the off-air strategies stations leverage to maintain and grow top of mind awareness with their best listeners are critically important to their ratings and revenue.”
To borrow a phrase, “foreplay starts outside of the bedroom.” Therapists describe it as “being the person your spouse deserves” and ensuring they feel loved and supported throughout the day. In a similar way for radio, winning the next occasion starts with the radio off – typically as your audience is running out the door to start their commute.
One particularly important demographic for radio is working moms, specifically W18-49 and W25-54. Yet, where is the overwhelming and irrefutable evidence that their favorite radio station has had their back during this pandemic, the same way radio celebrated healthcare heroes early on?
Moms are describing working through COVID by saying, “it feels like I’m juggling seven chainsaws, and oops, now they’re all on fire and I’ve been doing it for 18 months.” This pandemic has caused 8 million women to pull back at work, which impacts their available listening occasions along with millions more at their breaking point as COVID rolls on. The crisis isn’t as obvious as power outages or flooding after a hurricane, but it’s there just below the surface.
This pandemic is a moment for local stations to stand with your listeners by providing empathy and leadership on a set of issues such as childcare and mental health, which matter deeply to employees and employers alike.
Radio is at its best when the audience needs us the most. COVID-19 will continue to be no exception.
Andrew Curren is President and COO of DMR Interactive and can be reached by e-mail at [email protected]
