The Rocket Science Guide

You've heard the phrase "It's not rocket science." Well, the art of radio programming is actually much more intense. Your stations are on the air all the time; every second has to be filled, and programming has to be desirable. Just like NASA has a plan for nearly everything that could go wrong (like a broken space toilet), your planning for the Fall ratings needs to cover every likely scenario ... and be flexible enough to adapt to new challenges. Getting higher ratings involves programming science; examples:

• Is your station identifiable for the listener, and does your brand jump off the supermarket shelf?
• Do your hot clocks present a balanced picture of your station in music type, tempo, key artists and content? We hear too many stations that sound unoccupied for part of the hour and then suddenly a DJ is present.
• When do your competitors run their commercials? "Stopset" your competition to beat them back to music.
• Do you schedule commercials to minimize flow disruptions? Place longer spots first, and bury obnoxious ones in the middle when possible. Finish your stopset with shorter spots. Make sure station promos are only long enough to be effective, not redundant or too drawn-out.
• Do you stretch audience listening in both time span and tune-ins per day? Does your morning show make an appointment for the next morning? The easiest way to grow ratings is to increase Time Spent Listening. Promoting true listener benefits will assist listeners in utilizing the station longer.
• Is your music list bulletproof? You want to play the best-researched music.

Great programming IS Rocket Science!