Category Archives: Frost Advisory

Frost Advisory #759 – How To Become A Market Leader, Part 3 Of 3

In the previous two Frost Advisories (here and here) I’ve shared key challenges of a station in our format becoming a market leader.

  1. Our format doesn’t inherently have the basic foundation for success that almost every other format does. Notably hits and stars.
  2. Most Christian music stations are nothing more than a commodity. While the words positive, encouraging, and uplifting are authentic benefits of the music they are inherent TO the format. In other words, any station that plays the music can be described with these words. A true brand must develop concepts that transcend the format, particularly in the markets where multiple stations play the same music.
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Frost Advisory #758 – How To Become A Market Leader, Part 2 of 3

On last week’s show I began with a lofty premise: “If you’re a new programmer or new to the format this maybe the most important Frost Advisory you’ll ever read.” (Do you have to use quotation marks if you’re quoting yourself?)

I went on to say that our CCM format doesn’t inherently have the basic foundation for success that almost every other format does. Notably 1) hits, and 2) stars. (I had a similar challenge when programming Smooth Jazz. We overcame that challenge to reach top 4 in Adults 25-54, thank you very much).

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Frost Advisory #755 – Dogs That Drool, And Other Things That Are Familiar

No one has ever walked into a restaurant and asked, “How many different menu items do you have?”

But every day a customer asks, “What do you like here?” Every day a waiter says, “It’s one of our favorites.”

If I really wanted to impress you I would talk about the reticular area of the brain. That’s the reason you can hear a song that you haven’t heard in years and sing along with every word.

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Frost Advisory #754 – How Will Your Station Be Remembered?

On last week’s show I shared what an exhausting emotional week it was for me and several dozen of my teammates. As you’ve heard, Salem sold its seven Contemporary Christian music stations to EMF in one fell swoop. A huge industry story for sure but very personal to me and my teammates impacted.

My relationship with Salem goes back 24 years when I was invited into the team to launch The Fish stations in Chicago, Cleveland, and Sacramento.

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Frost Advisory #753 – Honor The Exit

This has never happened to me before, I must confess.

For someone that has spent 5 decades plus doing this thing we love called radio I reckon’ that’s saying somethin’.

It’s been an exhaustingly emotional week for me and several dozen of my teammates. Our industry has been abuzz over the news that Salem was selling its seven Contemporary Christian music stations to EMF in one fell swoop. A huge industry story for sure but very personal to me and dozens of my teammates whose lives are impacted.

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Frost Advisory #751 – What We Can Learn From The Gulf Of America

Oh, the irony! In a format all about belief, few CCM stations ever declare what they believe.

As a result most stations are simply a commodity rather than a distinctive brand.

If your station is known simply for the characteristics inherent in the music you play, you don’t have a brand. Your station is not distinct from nor preferable to other stations that play the same music.

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