(By Mike McVay) Election season has begun. A week doesn’t go by when I am not talking to friends and colleagues who are on both sides of the political aisle and are divided in their opinions and beliefs. There is the optimist who believes that “next year will be better than this year.” There are those who think it will never be the same … ever again. They say, “That ship has sailed.” There will be passionate debates and arguments in every corner of our nation about the Presidential candidates, the future of America, values, lifestyle, and about media’s coverage of the upcoming elections. “My side’s right and your side’s wrong” is the mantra of many.
Pick a topic, any topic, and those that are most vocal on-air (keyword “most”) are extreme to one side or the other. The majority of Americans are not extreme left or right, but are somewhere in the middle. Research has validated this for years. We all want a better, safer world, and a better nation within which we live and raise our children. That’s what the majority of listeners want regardless of political party.
Diversity of opinion isn’t necessarily what the talk audience is looking for and they don’t want someone to change their opinion. It’s to endorse it. For the most part, commercial talk radio is on the conservative side. Non-commercial talk radio is on the liberal side. There are a few outliers. Not many. The bottom line is that it doesn’t matter which side you’re on: political talk radio is an echo chamber. This is where the national shows live. Their central purpose is to provide an opinion and deliver the biggest topics of interest to the largest group.
Talk radio will see a rating rise through 2024. If what we’ve seen in the past mirrors the future, the format will see consistent rating growth through Q1 of 2025. Unfortunately, history has also shown that there will be a deep listening slide after the inauguration. The audience is often burned out by the time an election year concludes. The audience needs a break. Cume leaves the format. Some will depart all radio looking for relief elsewhere.
The question is “What will talk radio do differently this year to hold an audience after the inauguration?” How do you promote and market to the audience that grows your cume during the run-up to the election, all in an effort to keep them listening longer than in the past? When is your cume at its daily peak? This is when you should be promoting those things that validate the choice the audience has made to listen to your station. It is also when you should be promoting features that are based in a benefit and will remain on your station after the inauguration.
Don’t lose sight of the fact that many listeners, regardless of why they choose your station, still care more about those things that directly impact their lives, families, and communities over politics. National issues are important but should be prioritized as to what matters most to the audience. The stories to magnify are the ones that strike home in a community. The bridge being out between here and there is an example of a story that has a direct impact on a listener’s life. Disruption to one’s daily or weekly life habits is unsettling.
The radio station that informs and assists with avoiding disruption is the one that creates a dependency on that station for information. Being able to depend on a radio station builds day-to-day tune-in. That builds ratings that should extend beyond election season. Local talent need to focus on that which is important to a local community and they should connect national stories of high interest to their market.
Tips for Building an Audience Beyond Election Season:
- Know your audience and your community.
- Connect National stories to the local community when and wherever possible.
- Promote and cross-promote your features and benefits during peak listening hours.
- Be service-oriented. Services build day-to-day tun-in and that builds ratings.
- Serve your community.
Mike McVay is President of McVay Media and can be reached at [email protected]. Read Mike’s Radio Ink archives here.
