Greetings!

After more than four decades in radio programming and consulting, I've learned that some of the things programmers worry about most are things listeners rarely think about at all.

A good example is the language we use.

Radio people often create terminology that makes sense to us but not necessarily to the audience.

The Missing Decimal Point

This one has always fascinated me.

Nielsen asks diary respondents to record their listening by station name, call letters, or exact frequency. In fact, it's been reported that more than 85% of diary keepers record the exact frequency. Yet some programmers insist on promoting their station as "98-5" instead of "98.5." Ask listeners what station they listen to. Most don't say "Ninety-Eight Five." They say "Ninety-Eight Point Five." That's how people naturally identify radio stations. And when listeners are in their cars, the dashboard display doesn't say "98-5." It says 98.5. The listener sees 98.5. The listener says 98.5. The diary keeper writes 98.5.

Now, on a personal note, I'll admit that "Ninety-Eight Five" often sings better than "Ninety-Eight Point Five" in a jingle. As someone who has spent a career around great jingles, I completely understand that argument. But jingles aren't diaries. They're not dashboard displays. And they're not how most listeners naturally identify a station.



So if Nielsen asks for exact frequencies, listeners identify stations as 98.5, and car radios display 98.5, why would we remove the decimal point from our branding?

Classic Hits vs. Oldies

Programmers can spend hours discussing whether a station is Classic Hits or Oldies.

Listeners don't. Most listeners know what Oldies means. Ask them what Classic Hits means and you'll likely get a blank stare. In fact, many listeners still refer to Classic Hits stations as Oldies stations. The audience never attended a format seminar. They simply know the station that plays the songs they grew up with.

Greatest Hits vs. Classic Hits

While we're on the subject of format names, here's another one. Many programmers love the term "Classic Hits." Listeners don't use it. What listeners do understand is "Greatest Hits." the word "greatest" is universal. Everyone knows what it means. Greatest Hits tells listeners exactly what they're getting. Classic Hits is a format name. Greatest Hits is a listener benefit. Once again, radio programmers are often speaking the language of the industry while listeners are speaking the language of consumers.

Format Names

Radio programmers know the difference between AC, Hot AC, Mainstream AC, Adult Hits, Variety Hits, Classic Hits, and a dozen other industry terms. Most listeners don't. To them, stations are usually grouped into a handful of categories:



• Country

• Rock

• Oldies

• Soft Music

• Hit Music

Everything else is radio industry language. The lesson? The best branding is often the language listeners already use, not the language radio programmers invent. Listeners don't attend format meetings. Programmers do.

Next week: I've sat through more meetings than I can count where someone suggested fixing the ratings by changing the logo, getting new jingles, or hiring a new voice talent. We'll talk about why those ideas almost never move the needle.