It’s a question we don’t ask enough.  Why do people tune in?  What expectations do they have?  What need are we meeting?

Or as my friend Mark Ramsey likes to ask, “What are people hiring you for?”

If you don’t know, ask them.  If you think it’s not important enough to research at least put your ear to the ground and listen for the rumblings.  It’s likely that you’ll hear some reoccurring themes.

A promo for a well-known morning show recently featured clips of listeners reminiscing about childhood toys that no longer exist.  It’s not a stretch to say that no one tunes to their station for that.  And things that no longer exist cannot be “now,” the largest common reference point any station can have.  (A future Frost Advisory, no doubt).

If trivia, celebrity birthdays, obituaries, newscasts about drug busts and armed robberies, children’s radio theatre, and the Southern Gospel hour aren’t why people hire your station, you likely have a problem.

The more you do what people hire you for the more successful you’ll be.

Or we can just head down to the fillin’ station and get some wine and a chainsaw!

*Thanks to my friend Mike Prendergast for the photo!