Posted by Eric Margolis on July 21, 2009 at 22:02:25:
In Reply to: Re: Re: 92.3 Now: The First Example of How FM Music Radio Is In Trouble posted by Marty Brooks on July 21, 2009 at 20:57:50:
>>Is it?<<
Yes, it is.
>>Maybe in the suburbs, but in New York City, the vast majority of potential listeners take public transportation to work in the morning. For those people, the morning show is not really relevant, even if they listen for a few minutes while getting dressed.<<
Hmmm...I guess that Z100 is wasting a lot of money on Elvis Duran and crew.
Not.
>>Back in the WNEW-FM days, I only started listening to Dave Herman in the mornings when my company moved to New Jersey and I had to drive. But when I was commuting by subway and not listening to the morning show, that didn't stop me from listening to the night time and weekend jocks.<<
A radio morning show is never designed to be listened to ALL MORNING. It is (as I said before) the face of the station, and for the most part the assigned personality of the station as well. Without it, you have an iPod - and an iPod can't garner loyalty...only occasional listening when the competition plays the wrong song.
Your personal past listening habits may be indicative of some small percentage of the population, but this is a huge market. Even a marginally successful morning show has a huge audience worth marketing the rest of your station to.
Ask any experienced programmer, and they will tell you - a truly successful morning show is the greatest stimulant for the rest of the station.
That is why stations are willing to pay great morning talent - great sums of money.