Most broadcasters will tell you: The money’s in new media. Web sites, social networking and live streaming opportunities oftentimes equate to a stronger brand, a more cohesive listening community and increased ad revenue for a station. If you’re not presenting these opportunities to your listeners, what are you waiting for?
The NAB Radio Show’s presentations on new media show you what you’re missing. Topics include Web site creation and revenue, podcasting and mobile platforms and ways to draw attention to your station.
A PERFECT MATCH
So what’s all this hype about new media? Mark Weidel is the general manager of DBC Interactive at Delmarva Broadcasting, and a panelist for Thursday’s session “Local Web Sales Success Stories,” 9 a.m.
Weidel says the Web is a perfect compliment for a radio station, “for both a brand extension that can maintain and grow the connection between the station and the audience, and to increase the options available to clients to market their products.”
“Radio spots are the perfect ‘drivers’ to get listeners over to a Web site,” he continued, “be it our own sites or clients’ where they can provide those listeners with more information about their products and services than we can in a 30- or 60-second spot.
“Radio and Web is a classic case of 1+1=3.”
Weidel says DBCi, the interactive division of Delmarva, is showing the greatest proportionate growth within the group.
“Were it a radio station, it would fall in the middle of our stations’ revenue ranking,” said Weidel.
DBCi works with and for each of Delmarva’s radio stations.
“We create, program, promote and sell all the radio station Web sites for our 11 radio stations,” explained Weidel, “as well as some non-radio sites such as DelmarvaJobs.com, a classified job board, and [we] work for some of our client sites and area non-profits too.”
Weidel says streaming sponsorships have been its consistently best performers, with database marketing — e-mails to registered listener club members at some of its stations — coming in a close second.
‘CITY-CENTRIC’ CONCEPT
Music’s just not enough anymore. One way for a station to connect with its audience is by embracing something they’re both interested in: their city. Keep your listeners informed about their town and what’s going on around them, and remind them why they should come to your station for the scoop.
Jen Danker, Bonneville St. Louis Radio Group, says Bonneville developed ToastedRav.com as a city-centric new media concept and model for new business development and revenue growth in a challenging economy and media industry.
“A small group from Bonneville St. Louis including the market manager, marketing manager, new media sales manager, myself and a few others started brainstorming in late 2007,” said Danker. “We thoroughly researched the local new media offerings and discovered the entertainment niche was underserved in St. Louis.
“We wanted to unveil the fun, quirky side of St. Louis and market it toward adults 25+. We launched ToastedRav within a few short months on Jan. 31, 2008.”
The Web site is about, for and by St. Louisans, said Danker.
“By combining the strengths of our current FM radio content with the Web site’s new elements, ToastedRav.com tells the stories of St. Louis through its original articles, produced audio and video, as well as audience interaction.”
Danker says the goal is to entertain St. Louis with engaging video, stories and opinions about its people, places, events and history while providing a forum to contribute opinions, views and information.
IN THE NEWS
Other sessions on new media happening Thursday and Friday include:
“Podcasting: It’s an On-Demand Audio World,” Thursday, 2–3:15 p.m., moderated by Michelle Matthews, Clear Channel Omaha, and featuring panelists Chris MacDonald, Association of Downloadable Media; Bryan Moffitt of NPR; and Tom Webster, Edison Media Research; “60 Digital Ideas in 60 Minutes,” Friday, 9–10:15 a.m., presented by Fred Jacobs, Jacobs Media; and lastly, “Making Money with Video on Your Web Site,” Friday, 1:45–3 p.m., presented by John Potter, Radio Training Academy, RAB, Dallas.
©NAB
