It’s simple, really. *

In a short burst of clarity and creativity I’ve come up with The World’s Simplest Checklist for a really swell radio station. (Believe me they only come to me in short bursts).

Grab your pen and count up your points!

When real people tune to my station for the very first time they hear something that sounds familiar and makes them feel at home. (True-25 points: False-zero)

When real people tune to my station for the very first time they hear something relevant to their life. (True-25 points: False-zero).

When real people tune to my station for the very first time they hear something compelling. To them, not to us. (True-25 points: False-zero).

When real people tune to my station for the very first time they hear something they love. (True-25 points: False-zero).

Now total up your points.

0 points put your station in good company. The vast majority of Christian music radio stations in America are here. Most, for some reason, are content to be here. Maybe it’s easier. Great radio is hard work, I’m told.

25-50 points: You’re ahead of most. Unfortunately you’re still underperforming most of the stations in your market and probably struggling to meet your operational goals.

50-75 points: You’re in the elite. People seem to really want to love your station. You win awards and people say nice things about you.
100 points. You’re a market leader. Period. Funny thing about our little format. When a station is ABOUT what people care ABOUT the most, they inevitably become a leader in their market. Translation: Reach more people for Christ. The harvest is plentiful but the workers are few.

* No it’s not. I lied. I was desperate and needed a real snazzy headline. There are 178 previous programming tips that can help you understand how difficult it is to have a really swell radio station. But maybe this checklist is a good place to start.