In the previous two Frost Advisories (here and here) I’ve shared key challenges of a station in our format becoming a market leader.
- Our format doesn’t inherently have the basic foundation for success that almost every other format does. Notably hits and stars.
- 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.
On this part 3 of 3 I’m focusing on a third challenge to becoming a market leader; our format’s sameness in sound. There is less dynamic range than many formats and a narrower spectrum of topics that are part of the conversation.
If not managed effectively the format can easily become what I call “nice Christian people saying nice Christian things to nice Christian people.” While that is nice it rarely results in compelling radio, much less one that leads the market.
Because of those factors a program director must create systems that address these challenges while allowing the format’s strengths to be fully evident.
One technique is what I refer to as “high fives and little hugs.”
…which forces the dynamic range from celebration (high fives) to the tenderness of emotion (little hugs). When this broad emotional range is designed into a typical hour or show there is greater contrast in mood and tone thus creating a more compelling listen.
In fact, like a song.
Fast to slow, laughter to tears, serious to funny. Designing change into your station will make something good even better.