The Fear of New and Different

It’s clear that most in legacy media are afraid to try something new and different. If that fear wasn’t there, we’d see more experimenting in radio. True; there are examples of limited experimentation, but little that one can point to as a heralded, unique approach that’s being embraced universally by radio.

KDKA/Pittsburgh airs Next Take, an overnight program hosted by four students from Pitt College. There are Comedy Radio stations, although that format is mostly on streaming platforms. There are a number of stations targeting the 50+ audience, but not so many that it’s a movement. Podcast Radio US, patterned after parent Podcast Radio UK, is another that’s trying to get a foothold. 

A couple of years ago, a trend that looked promising was born in Edmonton and Calgary, featuring high-profile personalities across all dayparts. The approach makes sense, provided the talent are truly entertaining and the competitive situation in the market allows for such an offering. It was examined for the US, but never developed into a syndicated or companywide format.

What we have seen is more personality-driven afternoon shows turning up on stations as a bookend to personality-driven morning shows. 

Obviously, the risk/reward analysis has to be done before taking any risk; otherwise, you’re relying on luck, which isn’t very reliable. It doesn’t matter how big the risk or how big the reward, there is a certain personality type that never wants to roll the dice, and another personality type who thrives on rolling the dice. The most correct answer, if there is such a thing, comes down to having a solid plan to execute a well-thought-out strategy. You need that and ice water in your veins to be patient and see the strategy through. 

Some of the most innovative programming I’m seeing is coming in the sports format arena. The recent Major League Baseball All-Star Game had players mic’ed up, allowed batters to challenge the call on pitches, and interviewed coaches during the game. Not between innings, but while the game was on.

Side note: players have been mic’ed up during Sunday Night Baseball before, but we saw All-Star Pitcher Clayton Kershaw wearing a microphone and speaking to the booth while pitching. That was different. 

In 2021, ESPN2 started airing an alternate broadcast during Monday Night Football. The Manningcast with the Manning Brothers, Peyton and Eli, are watching the MNF game on ESPN, and commenting on it, as it plays out. It’s what people who watch games with friends do during a game, except on steroids, as the two Super-Bowl-winning quarterbacks offer insightful commentary, invite famous guests to join in, and have fun being disrespectful. They pick on each other as only siblings can do… in a good-natured way.

The critics seem to like it, and more importantly, football fans are checking it out. It returns this year for its fifth season with a new deal through 2034. 

What’s brilliant about this tactic is that ESPN wasn’t afraid to detract an audience from the mothership.  They took advantage of an under-viewed situation given that ESPN2 usually runs something that doesn’t compete with football opposite of MNF. They milked the tactic for publicity, which is earned marketing. They’re promoting it on social media, through the press, and using their own online and broadcast platforms to build an audience for ESPN2. This is a smart way to make the once wise-cracking, collegial style of reporting, which they were known for, new again. It freshened the ESPN brand.

Let’s face it – in a world where many people get their sports news on their phone or via YouTube, this is a brilliant way to reignite a product.

Unknown to many is that there is a similar program that takes place in the United Kingdom, Germany, and other European nations. During the European version of football (aka Soccer), they have several former footballers who will sit and discuss the match. The difference there versus here is that ESPN owns the rights to Monday Night Football. Which makes it all the more significant in that they’ve attacked themselves. It also legitimizes the longtime practice of stealing what works and making it your own. 

For young football fans, the NFL offers several options on TV and online. Nickelodeon has a special NFL broadcast with kid-friendly elements like slime and Nickelodeon characters. There’s also NFL Slimetime, a weekly show on Nickelodeon and Paramount Plus that recaps the week’s NFL highlights with a focus on fun and the network’s trademark slime. This magnification of being everywhere is what’s made the NFL America’s sport. Trying something new and different doesn’t have to be 100% unique. It can be a different view for a segment of the audience that’s “adjacent” to your target.

When one of my clients was about to lose an NFL team to a competitor, we discussed creating an extension of the game, but without violating trademarks. What the client station did has been effective by continuing their Pre-Game and Post-Game broadcasts using experts as the hosts. It’s a smart tactic because those who have video available to them will watch the game, and those who are at the game are likely not listening to radio during the game. Thus, capturing an audience in and out of the sports arena is a real opportunity. If you can make the show fun, informative, and create a listener habit, you’ll have success. 

There was another time in the not-too-recent past where the radio property I was working with, based on research, decided that we couldn’t easily beat the morning show across the street. Their rock show was dominant and showed few weaknesses. Ideation led us to wave the white flag on mornings and create a midday team show that was as entertaining as a morning show, but airing 10:00am-2:00pm. Wake & Bake was born; a show designed for those who wake up late and… well… get baked.

The show concept isn’t the point. The reason for ideating is to trial new and different content creation.

I’m consulting a nationally syndicated morning talk show that features a male anchor with three female co-hosts. The program’s unique approach is to show all sides of those topics that are in the news and people are talking about, whether controversial, entertaining, or based on what’s trending. It’s not about whose side is right and whose side is wrong. In this case, it’s about a discussion that the audience gets to eavesdrop on. There’s value to creating a voyeuristic atmosphere. I liken it to a moth being attracted to a flame. 

Almost every cluster has at least one station in a market where “something” can be tried. Podcasting and HD2 give you another canvas on which to trial a program or a format. Many in our business opine that there’s nothing new in media. When something new is attempted, it’s often ridiculed and made fun of, written about negatively, and often given up on before it has time to show growth. If it becomes successful, prepare to be copied.

In the words of President John F. Kennedy: “Success has many fathers. Failure is an orphan.”