Your Beacon for Radio Advertising

We’ve been working with WPGB Pittsburgh for quite some time now. Recently we asked Senior Account Executive Marcy Rigby some questions about her experience working in the radio industry.

Q: What station(s) do you represent?
A: 6 stations…. WPGB FM, WDVE FM, WWSW FM, WKST FM, WXDX FM, WBGG AM

Q: What market are you in and what is its rank?
A: Pittsburgh #22

Q: How long have you been at your stations?
A: 11 years

Q: What brought you to radio?
A: The magnetic forces of earths’ gravitational pole. Many years ago I worked at an area ski resort in marketing and events, which opened up many close working relationships with area media outlets. After years of building exciting programs for these media partners, the Radio Station recruited me. Radio has turned into an exciting and rewarding career.

Q: Are you the only person at the station that sells the ½ hour blocks?
A: No – however I do handle a good majority of it …. THANKS to Angela at 2 Lights Media, “my rock star agency”!!

Q: Do the other stations in your group offer block programming? If not, why not?
A: WPGB, WDVE, WWSW, and WBGG do block shows. WXDX & WKST do not currently as these are younger 18-34 formats.

Q: Has your station ever sold out of block time?
A: WE SELL OUT ALL THE TIME! In fact we have an extensive Waiting Listing for those wanting to get on. In addition to pre recorded programs, we host numerous local live block shows from area doctors to financial experts that renew annually!

Q: Have you found that more direct response companies are looking to buy more time right now?
A: Yes, I have seen increased demand for direct response in the past year.

Q: We hear all the time that ad revenue for all the major radio groups is falling. In what categories are you losing the most ad revenue?
A: Auto and mortgage are the main two. Thankfully for me, the Pittsburgh market has been stable with growth and renewal despite the national trend.

Q: Have you seen the long form and other direct response advertisers pulling back due to the recession?
A: No – In fact I’ve experience just the opposite. I’ve personally received a 14% increase over the last 5 months with DR and LF accounts.

Q: In your experience what has long form media brought to your station. Has it been positive or negative?
A: Very positive. Not only do these programs entertain while providing a service to the listener, it is a great revenue provider for the station. It’s a Win/Win all around.

Q: How do your listeners respond to this type of programming?
A: Book after book the ratings stay consistent. So people are loyal listeners to these programs.

Q: What makes your station stand out in your market?
A: It’s the only FM (not AM) News Talk Format!

Q: Do you find it easy to work with long form DR companies or are they more difficult?
A: Very very easy to work with. It’s very turnkey: Orders arrive in ample time, payments are made on time, and the shows are quality programs.

Q: Do you think your listeners would prefer to have a different show each week?
A: I believe mixing the shows up are better for listeners, so yes.

Q: How does your station calculate rates for half hour blocks?
A: Factors include the Day of week or weekend being sold, and time of show. The ratings are factored but basically it boils down to Supply and demand.

Q: Do you subscribe to Arbitron or something similar to track your listenership numbers?
A: Yes Arbitron.

Q: If stations don’t currently sell ½ hours to clients like 2 Lights Media would you recommend that they add this form of programming to their stations?
A: Yes, I most certainly would.

Thanks, Marcy! If you’d like to be featured on our blog and in our newsletter, drop us a line at info@2lightsmedia.com

Here at 2 Lights Media we are forming relationships with several stations across the US. Recently we asked Chip White, Senior Account Executive at WABC in New York a few questions about his experience with radio and block programming.

2 Lights Media Wants to Know…

Q: What station do you represent?
A: 77WABC NewsTalk Radio.

Q: What Market are you in and what is the rank of this market?
A: New York. Number 1.

Q: What brought you to radio?

A: I spent my first 10 years in Ad Agency Management. It took that long to realize I was sitting at the wrong side of the desk. I enjoyed listening to sales pitches and felt selling was my real calling. Bill Burton, a radio legend, hired me at Eastman Radio. Within two years I was a top seller.

Q: How long have you been with your station?

A: 3 years and 3 months. Before that I was 12 years with CBS Radio at both the station group and the Rep firm.

Q: Are you the only person at the station that sells the ½ hour blocks?
A: Anyone at the station can sell block, however, one other seller and I currently control most of the available inventory.

Q: Are there other stations in your group that offer ½ hour blocks? If so which ones and if not why?
A: Block programming is up to each stations programmer and management team. This includes when the block will air and whether or not there is synergy with existing programming. The Citadel Communications Radio Group operates 165 FM and 58 AM properties. Long form is usually associated with AMs, however, not all of our stations accommodate block.

Q: Has your station ever sold out of block time?
A: Every week. I don’t believe there has ever been an unsold block. The demand for time is huge. WABC is also a 50,000 watt clear channel so we are heard nationwide at night. That’s a lot of listeners who buy product.

Q: Have you found that more direct response companies are looking to buy more time right now?
A: Absolutely. Long form programming offers unlimited sales possibilities. We have clients who have been with block for years and would not think of leaving. Plus they won’t be able to get back on any time soon. Their slot would be sold right away. PI advertisers are also looking for 60 second spots. WABC carries a limited number of units per hour and demand is high. We simply don’t have the inventory to accommodate PI outside of block.

Q: We hear all the time that ad revenue for all the major radio groups is falling. In what categories are you losing the most ad revenue?
A: WABC is actually up in just about every category. We aren’t waiting for Madison Avenue to return. We are working with companies in every field to develop web and on air programs to help in their sales effort. This includes clients that have never used radio and who are now seeing great results. Our local and retail sales are up significantly.

Q: Have you seen the long form and other direct response advertisers pulling back due to the recession?
A: Not all products do well in block all the time. During a recession, it’s up to the advertiser to select which of their products is going to be impactful. The listener is still there. They just have to be motivated to buy.

Q: In your experience what has long form media brought to your station. Has it been positive or negative?
A: Block brings a good amount of revenue to the station so I have to say positive. We confine the block primarily to weekend evenings and overnights. During the week we have local and syndicated personality based programs that are in high demand with advertisers. The News Talk format is just that; news, information and stimulating talk.

Q: How do your listeners respond to this type of programming?
A: I can only base listener response on client sales from long form programming. If sales are up, the listener must be happy.

Q: If stations don’t currently sell ½ hours to clients like 2 Lights Media would you recommend that they add this form of programming to their stations?
A: That depends on the station and format. It works well for WABC.

Q: What makes your station stand out in your market?
A: WABC is the exclusive News Talk format in New York. We have the best and most listened to personalities in the country; IMUS, Joe Scarborough, Rush, Sean Hannity, Mark Levin and Curtis Sliwa. There is something for everyone. News Talk equates to long time spent listening. Commercials are part of the programming and are not lost in the clutter. We are News and Stimulating Talk. That make us unique.

Q: Do you find it easy to work with long form DR companies or are they more difficult?
A: As long as the copy arrives on time and the bills are paid promptly, everything flows smoothly. Rarely is there questionable copy and our current client list is a pleasure to work with. There is a synergy that blends nicely with our format.

Q: Do you think your listeners would prefer to have a different show each week?
A: Variety is always good but if there is a particular show that brings good results, clients tend to stick with what works best for them.

Q: How does your station calculate rates for half hour blocks?
A: Demand plays a big part in our rate structure, however, we do work with our long term clients when appropriate.

Q: Do you subscribe to Arbitron or something similar to track your listenership numbers?
A: Yes. Our ratings are generated by Arbitron’s Portable People Meter, or PPM, which tracks what consumers listen to on the radio. We can see who is listening and when.

Thanks, Chip!  If you’d like to tell us more about your station, send us an email!

For those of us who work in the radio industry, we all recognize Paul Harvey as a radio icon. And, we were all saddened by his recent passing at the age of 90.

Paul Harvey had a long and distinguished career in radio. He started working at KVOO in Tulsa, OK at the early age of 14. While attending the University of Tulsa, he continued working at KVOO, first as an announcer, and later as a program director.

Harvey’s big break came when he moved to Chicago in June of 1944 where he began broadcasting from the ABC affiliate WENR. He quickly became the most popular newscaster in Chicago. In 1945, he began hosting the postwar employment program Jobs for G.I. Joe on WENR. Harvey added The Rest of the Story as a tagline to in-depth feature stories in 1946. The spots became their own series in 1976. On April 1, 1951 the ABC Radio Network debuted Paul Harvey News and Comment “Commentary and analysis of Paul Harvey each weekday at 12 Noon”. Paul Harvey was also heard originally on Sundays; the first Sunday program was Harvey’s introduction. Later, the Sunday program would move to Saturdays. The program continued until his death.

On May 10, 1976, ABC Radio Networks premiered The Rest of the Story as a separate series which provided endless surprises as Harvey dug into stories behind the stories of famous events and people. Harvey’s son, a concert pianist, created and produced the series. He was the show’s only writer.

Harvey was known for catch phrases he used at the beginning of his programs, such as “Hello Americans, I’m Paul Harvey. You know what the news is, in a minute, you’re going to hear … the rest of the story.” He always ended, “Paul Harvey … Good day.” A story might be “This day’s news of most lasting significance.” At the end of a report about someone who had done something ridiculous or offensive, Harvey would say, “He would want us to mention his name,” followed by silence, then would start the next item. The last item of a broadcast, which was often a funny story, would usually be preceded by “For what it’s worth.”

Harvey died on February 28, 2009, at the age of 90 after being taken to a hospital in Phoenix. He died while surrounded by family and friends. His son, Paul Harvey Jr., said “millions have lost a friend” in response to his father’s death.

2 Lights Media is excited to announce the addition of new clients!

Stay tuned for more details in the April edition of the 2 Lights Navigator Newsletter!

2 Lights Media proudly welcomed Angela Cousens to our media buying team in November 2008.  Recently we sat down with Angela for a quick Q&A session about media buying.

Q: How long have you been buying long form radio?

A: I have been buying long form radio for almost nine years. I have worked at in house agencies as well as brokered time for long form radio agencies.

Q: What makes you continue to buy long form radio?

A: I enjoy both working with the clients to make their campaigns successful and building relationships with our media partners.

Q: What do you as a buyer look for when purchasing time for your clients?

A: When I first contact a station about purchasing time I inquire about who is currently running blocks on their station. If the regular long form suspects are airing on that station I know that it is a good station. I then like to see the AQH rating for the open avail as well as the cume audience. This helps me determine if the pricing on this time is in line with my clients needs.

Q: How do you know if the station has been a success for your client?

A: My clients measure success in two ways either MER (media efficiency ratio) or CPC (Cost per call). The clients that measure MER are looking to make back a specific amount based on the cost of the avail. For instance if a client is paying $100.00 for the half hour they may want to see a 2:1 ratio meaning they bring back $200.00 in revenue for the $100.00 buy. Other clients like to see 1.5:1 meaning for the $100.00 buy the need to see revenue of $150.00. The clients that measure success by CPC are looking to spend a certain amount for each call generated. An example of this would be a CPC of $20.00. To get this on a $100.00 avail the client would need to get 5 calls which work out to a $20.00 for each phone call received. We would say that the station is a success if it meets either MER or CPC depending on the client.

Q: What would you do if the station does not meet these requirements?

A: We always like to go back to the station and see what we can get for help for our clients. This could mean reducing the rate to meet the requirement or having the station bonus the client another half hour to try to generate more response. We always try to work with both the client and the station so that we can meet the needs of both. We understand both sides that the station needs a certain amount for the time and that the client needs certain response and we are the bridge that makes that come together.

Q: Where do you purchase half hours for your clients?

A: I place my clients on radio stations from Maine to California in all markets and on all station formats. My clients have very different products so there is no such thing as a uniform buy. We look at the time that is available to us and try to place the best client that will fit the format.

Q: How do you find open times for your stations?

A: I have been doing this for a long time so I know many stations that offer half hour programming but that only gets us so far. We then have to cold call stations to find out if they offer half hours or try find stations that we can work with to open up times for our clients. We like to look at all stations and times.

If your station has avails they are looking to fill, please don’t hesitate to give Angela a call at (207) 591-6079.