Significance

Significant: important; of consequence.

Very simply, there is only so much room in a person's life. We prioritize. Usually measured by just how significant something is. From relationships to radio stations, we have room for only so many in our minds and our lives. In a given day I drink coffee, diet soda and water. It is rare I consume anything else. Television? I don't go a day without CNN, ESPN and Comedy Central. (For the Dailey Show and The Colbert Report) Lately I've been slipping in Turner Movie Classics . That's just about it. Websites? All Access, My AOL account and OhioState.Rivals.com. (I've just started reading some radio based blogs)

These are the things that are significant to me. These products and services speak to me, meet a need, keep me informed. There are other news outlets, other sports shows and an infinite number of beverages. They are not significant to me and it will be very hard for any of them to break through. They can, if what they deliver is or becomes significant. They won't get me (or you) without a lot of work and a great product or service. I don't have surplus energy, money or time to waste on insignificance.

My question is...how significant is your radio station? The music, especially if it is well done, goes a long way toward attracting the partisans of a given format. But what happens when there are several stations playing the same or similar music? How about all the internet music streams? (I program the Disco Channel at Slacker.com where you can skip songs you don't want to hear or even eliminate certain artists in case you never want to hear the chimpanzee screams of Barry Gibb ever again!) My son spends hours listening to music...from the TV!!! Yep, all those music channels at the end of your cable/satellite television is where my son is exploring all the various music genres. Daniel is not looking for a lot of significance at 14 years old. (too bad there are not any stations even TRYING to attract him! Can you say lost generation?) Your adult listener has well defined areas of interests and needs. Does your station reflect her? Do you know her? SHE needs to be SIGNIFICANT to YOU (and your organization) before you've got any chance of being in her top three...even if you are playing music that should appeal to her.

Are your personalities significant? While I was on the beach...I listened to a lot of radio station streams. I'm embarrassed by how INsignificant most of these personalities sound. No connection. No content. No SIGNIFICANCE!. While programming WKWK/Wheeling, WVAF/Charleston and WGFB/Rockford, I always used morning air personalities in my other dayparts. I wanted my staff to CONNECT. To MATTER. To be significant. Whether talking about the community, American Idol or themselves, they were encouraged to make a connection. STAND OUT. As a program director you should be seeking ways to make your station significant to the community it serves, the issues that are of concern (there are more than you may be aware of---ask around). Your best insurance policy against a downturn in the quality of the music you program, is being significant. As the new OM/PD/AM Show host at Mix 105.3 in Tri-Cities, Washington, I've spent a lot of time asking the locals about what matters to them. Some themes are universal, some are a little more interesting to those who call eastern Washington home.(Heat, Wind, Immigration, Irrigation, and Nuclear Energy)

Be SIGNIFICANT. Listeners need to come to your station to quench their thirst for it.

Sharefully,

~Doug Daniels