7/8/1994
I opened up this morning’s L.A. Times and was stunned. For the first time since the crime, there was nothing on the front page about O.J. Simpson. This was, of course, the Tuesday after a long 4th of July holiday. The Los Angeles press had written just about everything there was to right or wrong about anybody and everything connected. So I suppose the L.A. Times could be forgiven. They finally ran out of ink. If only for a day.
I feel confident that my O.J. jones will be fixed with the resumption of the hearing. I’m sure the L.A. Times will find headlines for the rest of this week’s editions. It is, after all, an editor’s dream. Not enough real news for the front page? Drop in some more O.J. Need filler for page 10? Drop in some O.J. Running short in the Sports Section? How about some pictures of O.J. in a football uniform?
And television? They can’t get enough O.J. You have every anchor at every channel doing a stand-up from the crime scene with their special “input†and spin. I drove by the Juice’s house this weekend. The police won’t let most civilians get near the gates. It’s not because they’re afraid of spoiling the crime scene. It’s because there is so much traffic from news reporters that other cars would cause gridlock. My fault. I forget to check the O.J. traffic reports on cable O.J.T.V.
And the captions sound like Hard Copy at its best. “Limo driver lives with mother.†(What a cad!) “Kato is an actor/writer who pays no rent.†(That’s a scoop in Hollywood?) “O.J. put his own bags in the trunk.†(Unbelievable.)
Between print and video, we’ve seen just about every stone turned. (Except Mick and the boys. Their new album isn’t due for another week!) Each medium regurgitates daily, hourly, even minute-by-minute accounts of the nothing that is sometimes happening. There’s even coverage on the coverage. Imagine, the reporting of the news is becoming a bigger story.
So what does a Contemporary Music radio station do when a story of this magnitude breaks?
Most of them take gas.
Years ago, some idiot read a piece of research upside down and became convinced that the audience of a Top 40 radio station was not interested in news. Under the guise of research, news was removed from most Top 40 stations. It remains an endangered species today.
It wasn’t research that killed news. It was budget cuts. Was this right? In a perfect world, no. Was it necessary? In most cases, yes.
It is a fact that the majority of listeners don’t want to hear a lot of news. (They also don’t want to hear commercials, but we manage to run the anyhow.) A case can be made for updating the listeners hourly…particularly in the morning and afternoon hours. Noon wouldn’t be a bad idea either.
Does anyone reading this believe your audience would tune out for a one-minute news update? Rephrase your research questions. Ask it again and get back to me.
Music radio does not operate in a vacuum. Our listeners are in touch with more than just music. We must be in touch with all things of interest to them.
It is important to have a semi-literate news person on your staff for several reasons. Three really stand out:
First, someone from your station must be in daily contact with news sources (police, fire, etc.) so when a big story breaks (and sooner or later, one always does), you will have someone familiar to the sources so your station can gain information. You won’t get anything from anyone if they aren’t already familiar with you.
Second, news should be a regular part of your programming so your audience will feel secure in the knowledge that if something does happen, they will hear about it on your station. Why give them a reason to tune out to get the latest news. Give it to them in 60 seconds. Like a quick dose of medicine. They know it’s good for them. Then they’ll feel safe knowing that if the world does come to an end, they’ll hear about it on your station right after the newest release by Pearl Jam.
Third, you’ll have someone to do those terrible public service interviews required by the FCC. (Hey, this is reason enough to hire a college graduate holding a broadcast degree with no hope of employment anywhere else!)
And when there is a breaking story, make your station a part of it…in news as well as promotions. A Top 40 radio station cannot connect with every breaking news story. But as a program director, you should be acutely aware of the stories that capture the attention of your listeners.
Right after Simpson’s judge revealed the mysterious evidence in a manila folder, your stations should have been giving away manila folders with something secret inside.
You should also have your air talent connecting with the drama. I’m not talking liners; I’m talking about being a part of it.
Having a morning talent like Rick Dees giving afternoon updates on the O.J. Simpson trial would be great theatre. It adds an element that no other station could match.
Making your morning talent part of the story (and conversely, your afternoon talent part of the morning updates) connects them with the listeners in a positive way. Your audience hears your air talent introducing and talking about songs and entertainment facts. Putting them in the middle of an important news event makes them sound more connected and knowledgeable. Your audience might even start to trust them. And believe them. And listen to them more.
It’s one thing to comment on the story as an interested observer, but it is important to actually be a part of it. By giving the audience information “from the scene†or from a source makes the audience think your talent is special.
“Did you hear what Rick Dees said about the trial?†is a lot more relatable than, “Did you hear what Channel 4 said?†If your talent is a part of the reporting, they also must become a part of the story.
There is another, more diabolical reason to have your morning talent (or any other jock that occasionally lets his ego get in the way) reporting some news stories. The next time he ticks you off, send him to the ghetto to cover those riots up close and personal.
And make sure he doesn’t forget the phrase that pays: “Don’t lose ’em, news ’em!â€