Category: Business

By Jason Kidd
Programmer, Talent, President/CEO

Jimmy Kimmel just got benched. ABC suspended Jimmy Kimmel Live! after his monologue about the killing of Charlie Kirk sparked outrage and political pressure. Whether you loved or hated what Kimmel said, here’s the bigger story: we’ve become a society where if you don’t like what someone says, you get them pulled off the air.

And that’s not new. Bill Maher lived through this in July 2002, when ABC canceled Politically Incorrect after his post-9/11 comments drew advertiser backlash. Howard Stern built a career out of pushing the limits — and paid for it with massive FCC fines, which CBS fought for years. Stern even released a book and cassette series called Crucified by the FCC that documented his battles, literally turning his violations into a collector’s item.

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Broadcast Always Had Rules — and Consequences

When I signed my deal at WXYV in Baltimore, back when CBS owned the station, they handed me something I’ll never forget: a massive 300-page binder. Not HR paperwork. Not an employee handbook. This thing was filled with word-for-word transcripts of every single FCC violation CBS Radio had ever been hit with, plus the fines and rulings attached to each one.

CBS was in the middle of a firestorm at the time — advertisers threatening to pull, religious groups protesting outside affiliates in the Bible Belt, politicians calling for heads to roll. But CBS didn’t fold. They stood by their talent, fought the good fights, and gave us the roadmap:

“Here are the lines. You decide how close you want to get. But if you cross them, know what happens next.”

That’s what real accountability looks like — not censorship, not chaos, but clarity.

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Cable News & Social Media: Free Passes?

Here’s where things get weird: cable TV is still exempt from most FCC content rules. That’s why you can flip between cable news networks and hear language and rhetoric you’d never get away with on a broadcast station at 8 PM. There’s no “safe harbor,” no fines for indecency, no requirement to serve the public interest.

And now, we have social media platforms that are the media for most of the planet. TikTok, YouTube, Instagram Live, X — these are today’s transmitters. The signal isn’t coming from a tower anymore — it’s coming over Wi-Fi. Instead of a program director choosing what airs, algorithms are deciding what content gets amplified, monetized, and pushed into millions of feeds.

Yet when harmful content goes viral, the platforms shrug: “We’re just the platform.” Section 230 of the Communications Decency Act — written in 1996, when we were all on AOL dial-up — gives them that shield.

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We Need a 2025 Playbook

If Jimmy Kimmel can be suspended, if Maher can be canceled, if Howard Stern can be fined half a million dollars for a bit, if Janet Jackson can trigger a whole new era of FCC enforcement over a wardrobe malfunction — why should cable and social media get a free pass?

If we truly believe the Internet is the new broadcast band, then let’s stop running it on 1996’s laws. Here’s what we need:

• Modernized Section 230: Platforms that knowingly amplify harmful content should be accountable.
• Public-Interest Standards for Big Platforms: If you reach millions, you carry responsibility — just like broadcast license holders do.
• Algorithm Transparency: Show us how content gets promoted, and open those systems up to independent audits.
• Scaled Rules: Don’t bury small creators, but hold the giants to a higher standard.
• Digital “Safe Harbor” Zones: Content warnings, age gates, and responsible timing — a digital version of broadcast’s family-hour protections.

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Closing Thought

We’re no longer in the Wild West. The Internet is the main stage. Wi-Fi is just the new over-the-air signal. It’s time to stop pretending that streaming platforms, cable networks, and social feeds are just neutral pipes.

As someone who has lived through FCC battles, advertiser firestorms, and real-world consequences, I know this: standards and accountability make for a better media landscape — not a worse one. The question is whether we’re willing to bring that same clarity and courage to the new broadcast band.

By Jason Kidd
Programmer, Talent, President/CEO

In some markets—including my own home base—turning on the radio at times can feel like stepping into a time machine. On stations that are supposed to represent the cutting edge of pop culture, we’re suddenly back in 1996, hearing Mark Morrison’s “Return of the Mack” in regular rotation. In fact, this summer I’ve heard that song more on CHR stations than I remember hearing it when it was new!

It’s not just that one track. I’ve heard Nelly, Eminem, and other 20-year-old songs creeping back into Top 40 playlists. For a format that’s supposed to live in thenow, it’s a troubling trend.

Don’t get me wrong—theme weekends around holidays like Memorial Day, the Fourth of July, or Labor Day are a different story. Fire up a few throwbacks then, especially if your station has the heritage to pull it off, and it can be fun. I’ve done it myself throughout my programming career—whether at WPGC, KQBT, WKST, WWMX, or others. But even then, I always kept things current around those weekends. That’s Branding 101: know your lane.

CHR stations simply don’t have the wiggle room that Spotify, YouTube, or TikTok have. Those platforms are built to showcase a little bit of everything—sort of like a Jack FM station in the digital world. CHR, on the other hand, has always been about one thing: today’s hits from today’s stars. When a CHR veers away from that core identity, it confuses listeners and risks damaging its brand.

In many cases, stations leaning hard into older music are chasing a quick “oh wow” moment. And sure, they sometimes get it—for a minute. But that moment quickly turns into an “oh no.” Too often these stations don’t have a morning or afternoon show that’s entertaining and funny enough to carry the station, so they look for the easy fix. But let’s be honest: old music is not the fix.

It reminds me of companies like Golden Corral, TGI Fridays and recently, Cracker Barrel. They’ve struggled for years to attract young customers, and their “solution” has often been more of the same nostalgia—menu items, branding, and experiences designed for an aging base. The problem? It doesn’t bring in young people, and it doesn’t truly satisfy older customers either. Instead, it reinforces the sense that the brand is stuck in the past.

Radio is doing the same thing when CHR stations lean on old songs to fill holes. The thinking seems to be:“Young people aren’t here anymore, so let’s play something familiar for the people who are.” But this is a fundamental misread.

• Young listeners still want new music. They’re just finding it first on Spotify, TikTok, and YouTube.
• Older listeners who tune into CHR aren’t looking for a throwback—they have Classic Hits, AC, and even Classic Hip-Hop stations for that.

The net effect is that CHR ends up not super-servinganyone.

And let’s be clear: this isn’t about saying an old song cannever come back. There are legitimate moments where a song resurges in a massive way. But just because a two-decade-old track trends online for a couple of weeks doesn’t mean it belongs in regular CHR rotation.

When WOGL in Philadelphia or The Drive in DC (a former station I was a part of) are playing the same Eminem and Nelly tracks as today’s CHR stations, you know the lines are blurring in all the wrong ways. Those formats own that era of music. CHR does not

The brand promise of CHR has always been simple: today’s hits, today’s stars. The second we compromise that, we confuse the audience and weaken the format. Listeners will go elsewhere—streaming, YouTube, or to a station that knows who it is.

CHR can’t afford to become a time machine. It has to be the format that knows what’s next, not one that relies on what used to be.

By Jason Kidd
Programmer, Talent, President/CEO

For decades, Cracker Barrel was a staple of the American road trip. The brand was built on tradition: rocking chairs out front, a country store filled with kitschy Americana, biscuits and gravy served hot on every table. It wasn’t just a restaurant — it was an experience.

But over the past few years, cracks have appeared. Sales have struggled since 2019. Younger diners never became regulars. Older loyalists began to fade away. Leadership attempted a series of rebrands — tinkering with menus, marketing, and even its visual identity. None of it has recaptured the magic.

What went wrong? Cracker Barrel stopped listening to its core audience.

And if you work in radio, this story might feel uncomfortably familiar.

Aging Audiences, Missed Opportunities

Cracker Barrel’s challenge is straightforward: it has an aging customer base. Families who made the chain part of their road trips in the ’80s and ’90s are now grandparents. Their children — and certainly their grandchildren — never picked up the habit.

Radio faces the same demographic squeeze. Boomers and Gen X listeners have been loyal for decades. But younger audiences migrated to Spotify, YouTube, TikTok, and podcasts. Radio, once a daily ritual, became background noise — and the industry’s response was too little, too late.

Instead of doubling down on what made radio unique (local connection, live personalities, a sense of community), too many companies cut staff, leaned into syndication, and focused on cost savings over creativity.

The Climb Up the Ladder

Inside radio, we’ve all seen the pattern. Great programmers and personalities — the ones with their finger on the audience’s pulse — either left the industry or climbed the corporate ladder. Once they were high enough, the daily connection to listeners was replaced by meetings, numbers, and consultants.

There’s nothing inherently wrong with research or strategy. But when decisions are driven entirely by spreadsheets instead of instincts, the art disappears. Radio becomes predictable. Risk-averse. Bland.

Cracker Barrel made the same mistake. Instead of leaning harder into the authenticity of its brand, it tried to chase trends that didn’t fit. Vegan sausage patties, awkward rebrands, investor-friendly moves — all while ignoring what its diners actually valued: tradition, consistency, and a sense of home.

Authenticity Can’t Be Mass-Produced

Here’s the heart of the issue: authenticity cannot be scaled.

Cracker Barrel thought it could modernize its way back into cultural relevance. Radio thought it could consolidate and syndicate its way forward. Both forgot that the secret sauce was never efficiency — it was connection.

Radio was at its best when it felt local. When jocks referenced the high school football game, the local parade, or even just the weather outside your window. Cracker Barrel was at its best when it leaned unapologetically into Americana, not when it tried to be something for everyone.

The Takeaway for Radio

Radio doesn’t need another playlist tweak or another round of national syndication. It doesn’t need to reinvent itself into a podcast network or streaming clone.

What it needs is the same thing Cracker Barrel needs: to listen again.

Listen to the loyalists who are still tuning in. Listen to the communities that still rely on radio during storms, traffic, and emergencies. Listen to the advertisers who want local connection, not just national reach.

Because when your core walks away, you don’t just lose ratings or revenue. You lose culture. You lose the role you played in people’s daily lives.

Cracker Barrel is fighting to win back relevance in a world that’s passed it by. Radio doesn’t have to wait for that moment. The industry can course-correct now — but only if it gets back to doing the one thing it once did better than anyone else: listening.

Need a pro? Contact us.

Believe it or not, we have been using AI for several decades. So, what changed to speed up the technology? Computer drive space was a big part of it. We’ve gone from the 90s using early search engines like Yahoo and Bing to creating streaming services like Netflix and YouTube. social media like FB, IG, etc. Retail it’s apps like Amazon. Retail apps like Amazon. AI is also being developed for Finance, Marketing and Advertising, Healthcare, Energy, Transportation and so on. Soon we will be able to have a fluid conversation, in two different languages, while being translated in real-time. The possibilities are truly endless! 

When it comes to broadcast radio, Virtual Jock.com‘s parent company, New Generation Radio has been involved with AI from day one using one of our top talents, Ashley Z at Top 40/CHR KBFF/Portland. 

Our goal with AI isn’t to do full shows using the technology, but to enhance our already strong products. With all of the benefits of AI, it still will not be able to tell the audience what happened to you on the way to work, over the weekend, etc., that’s why we must continue to use REAL Talent for storytelling, quick wit, and comedy/entertainment.

Where AI CAN be beneficial is when it comes to enhancing our overall talent shows for REAL-TIME content. For instance, when one of our talents records a show, and late-breaking news occurs, AI will throw out the next break and showcase whatever that story is, in the talent’s voice. 

EXAMPLE: “The 5 has been shut down in both directions at the Marquam Bridge, the Trail Blazers just beat the Charlotte Hornets.” The possibilities are endless. 

The Radio/TV model of 2005 where we used live jocks throughout the day and night can no longer be sustained due to dramatic changes in revenue. However, AI can benefit many stations as well as talent— ‘IF used properly.’

For radio stations seeking to thrive in today’s competitive market, it is crucial to adopt a strategic approach that drives growth and optimizes revenue generation, ultimately ensuring the long-term success and sustainability of your station. Virtual Jock specializes in providing your radio station with comprehensive solutions, ranging from talent, formats, imaging, and consulting services, all aimed at positioning your station for success in terms of both ratings and revenue. In this blog post, we will explore various ways in which your radio station can leverage Virtual Jock’s expertise to capitalize on revenue opportunities, streamline your operations, and create a successful and profitable business.

With our five-star roster of major market talent offering a breadth of formats and over a decade of experience, Virtual Jock can help revolutionize your radio station’s sound without sacrificing its live and local essence. Our professionals are proven ratings and revenue winners, ensuring that your station can effectively attract and retain a loyal audience while maximizing lucrative advertising and sponsorship deals.

In the subsequent sections, we will delve into essential revenue-driving strategies, such as optimizing ad placements, finding the right sponsorships, engaging in partnerships, and harnessing the power of digital media for additional income avenues. Equipped with these strategies, your radio station can significantly boost its revenue potential.

Stay tuned as we uncover the potential of Virtual Jock’s services in boosting your radio station’s revenue, positioning it for long-lasting success and prosperity in the ever-evolving media landscape.

Optimizing Ad Placements: The Key to Maximizing Ad Revenue

Effectively managing your radio station’s advertising inventory is crucial for capitalizing on revenue generation opportunities. By strategically scheduling and placing ads throughout your programming, you can maximize your station’s appeal to advertisers and ensure the highest return on their investment. Virtual Jock’s team of professionals can assist your radio station in developing efficient ad placement strategies essential for driving revenue growth and maximizing ad sales potential.

Careful consideration of factors such as audience preferences, listening habits, ad frequency, and competitive market dynamics can help your radio station find the perfect balance between maintaining listener engagement and generating ad revenue. With Virtual Jock’s expertise, your station can create a high-value advertising platform that attracts a wide range of advertisers.

Sponsorships: Building Mutually Beneficial Partnerships

Sponsorships are another vital aspect of a radio station’s revenue-generation strategy. They provide an effective alternative to traditional advertising by developing long-term partnerships between your station and businesses, ultimately benefiting both parties. Virtual Jock can guide your radio station in identifying and securing valuable sponsorship opportunities that align with your programming and audience demographics.

By engaging in sponsorships, your radio station can develop mutually beneficial relationships that drive revenue while adding value to your listeners’ experience. Through our network of contacts and years of experience, Virtual Jock can help foster strong partnerships that result in sustained revenue growth for your radio station.

Collaborations and Partnerships: Expanding Your Revenue Streams

In addition to traditional advertising and sponsorships, radio stations can explore various collaborations and partnerships to expand their revenue streams further. By teaming up with other media outlets, local businesses, and complementary organizations, your station can create unique revenue-driving opportunities that extend beyond on-air ad placements.

Virtual Jock’s consulting services can provide valuable insights for developing strategic partnerships that align with your radio station’s brand and audience preferences. We can ensure that your collaborations not only boost your station’s revenue but also enhance its overall image and listener experience.

Capitalizing on Digital Media: Unlocking Additional Income Avenues

As the popularity of digital media continues to grow, radio stations must adapt and capitalize on the emerging opportunities it presents. Utilizing digital platforms like podcasts, online streaming, and social media advertising can provide your radio station with additional sources of income while expanding its reach and audience engagement.

Virtual Jock’s expertise in both radio and digital media can help your station develop and implement a comprehensive strategy that integrates online platforms to optimize its content and revenue generation potential. By embracing digital media, your station can tap into an increasingly popular and lucrative market, maximizing its revenue streams and opportunities for growth.

Drive Revenue and Growth with Virtual Jock’s Expertise

Boosting your radio station’s revenue is a fundamental aspect of ensuring long-term success and sustainability in a competitive media landscape. By partnering with Virtual Jock and leveraging our extensive expertise in talent selection, format development, imaging, and consulting, your radio station can effectively optimize its revenue potential and growth opportunities.

Through strategic ad placements, sponsorships, collaborations, and capitalizing on digital media, your radio station can transform itself into a thriving and lucrative media venture. Choose Virtual Jock to maximize your radio station’s revenue potential and set the stage for a successful and profitable future in the ever-evolving world of broadcasting.

In the competitive world of radio, crafting a distinct and memorable brand identity for your station is crucial for attracting and retaining your target audience and securing advertising and sponsorship deals. A strong brand identity helps you stand out from the competition and establishes an emotional connection with your listeners, fostering loyalty and long-term engagement. As radio stations grapple with the challenges posed by an ever-evolving media landscape, focusing on brand-building strategies and sharpening your station’s unique identity is essential for sustained success.

This blog post will list the key strategies to strengthen your radio station’s brand identity, from developing a clear and consistent brand message to creating a cohesive on-air and digital presence that resonates with your target audience. We will also discuss the role of brand ambassadors and the importance of integrating community engagement initiatives into your overall brand-building strategy. By following these best practices, your station can cultivate a powerful and lasting brand identity that helps propel its growth and solidifies its position within the radio industry.

Read on and fortify your radio station’s brand identity and market position with industry-leading consulting services and expert advice.

Developing a Clear and Consistent Brand Message

A well-defined brand message helps to create a strong, consistent image of your radio station in the minds of your audience. To develop an effective brand message, consider the following steps:

1. Identifying Your Unique Selling Proposition (USP): Determine what sets your radio station apart from competitors and focus on those differentiators within your brand message.

2. Understanding Your Target Audience: Gain insights into your target audience’s preferences, values, and listening habits to craft a brand message that resonates with them.

3. Defining Your Tone and Voice: Establish a consistent tone and voice for your radio station that reflects its personality and values, ensuring it remains consistent across all touchpoints with your audience.

4. Ensuring Message Consistency: Ensure your brand message remains consistent across all platforms, including on-air programming, digital media, advertising, and other communications.

Creating a Cohesive On-Air and Digital Presence

Fostering a seamless brand experience for your audience across both on-air and digital channels is essential for building brand recognition and loyalty. Here are some tips for achieving this:

1. Consistent Brand Elements: Incorporate consistent brand elements, such as taglines, logos, color schemes, and typography, across all platforms, ensuring instant recognizability and familiarity.

2. Aligning Content Strategy: Strive to align your on-air and digital content strategies, reinforcing your brand message and creating a unified experience for your audience, regardless of the platform they are engaging with.

3. Cross-Promotion: Cross-promote your on-air and digital content, encouraging your audience to engage with your brand on multiple platforms and experience a cohesive brand presence.

4. Integrating Social Media: Utilize social media platforms as extensions of your radio station’s brand, providing relevant, engaging content and fostering direct interactions with your audience.

Leveraging Brand Ambassadors: On-Air Talent and Influencers

Your station’s on-air talent and influential personalities play a crucial role in shaping and promoting your brand identity. Leverage their reach and influence with these tactics:

1. Brand Alignment: Ensure your on-air talent and influencers understand and embody your radio station’s brand message, tone, and values, enabling them to effectively represent and promote your brand.

2. Nurturing Relationships: Cultivate strong, long-lasting relationships with your on-air talent and influencers, providing them with the support and resources they need to thrive and act as compelling brand ambassadors.

3. Collaborative Content Creation: Collaborate with your on-air talent and influencers in creating engaging content, leveraging their unique perspectives and expertise to enhance your programming and reinforce your brand identity.

4. Generating Buzz: Encourage your brand ambassadors to generate buzz for your station by representing your brand at industry events, engaging with your audience and community on social media, and participating in promotional campaigns.

Engaging with Your Community: Events and Initiatives

Integrating community engagement initiatives into your brand-building strategy can help establish your radio station as a valued and trusted local resource. Consider these approaches to community engagement:

1. Hosting and Sponsoring Events: Host or sponsor local events to showcase your station’s commitment to the community, forging relationships with local businesses, organizations, and residents.

2. Spotlighting Local Issues: Address local issues relevant to your listeners’ lives, demonstrating your station’s involvement in the community and fostering a sense of belonging among your audience.

3. Giving Back through Charitable Initiatives: Support local charities, nonprofits, or community projects to strengthen your relationship with community members and demonstrate your station’s goodwill and social responsibility.

4. Encouraging Listener Participation: Engage your audience in community initiatives or events by inviting their input, feedback, or involvement, fostering a sense of connection to your radio station and its local community.

Solidify Your Radio Station’s Success with Effective Brand Building Strategies

In the radio industry, developing a distinct and memorable brand identity can be crucial to your station’s long-term success. By focusing on developing a clear and consistent brand message, creating a cohesive on-air and digital presence, leveraging your on-air talent and influencers, and engaging with your local community, you can craft a powerful, lasting brand identity that propels your station to new heights of listener growth, engagement, and overall success.

Partner with Virtual Jock’s industry-leading consulting services to strengthen your radio station’s brand identity and secure its position in the competitive radio market. With our expert advice and support, your station can develop a compelling and effective brand-building strategy that drives long-term success, audience loyalty, and growth within the constantly evolving radio landscape.

It’s one thing to get a little nostalgic from time to time. We all do it. Listening to old airchecks on how things “used to be.” It’s fun to reminisce. It was an era that inspired me to wanna do radio as a career. It was an incredible time. However, to think things can still be like that, you are not being very honest with yourself. Change is inevitable. It scares the shit out of some people. I get it, to a point. I’ve never been wired like that personally. To really be successful in this industry or really any other for that matter, you have to embrace change. In my mind, change is exciting and keeps things new. It’s the key to success. Things simply can’t stay the same, nor should they. 

As time evolves, so does the technology and so does the consumer. Unfortunately in some cases, the business model did not.. So big box retail giants like Sears and Kmart became Amazon.  Airline’s business models evolved from serving full meals on domestic flights to now charging for bags or to be first on board. The ones that didn’t like Eastern and TWA were gone. TV newscasts we’re full of big entertaining personalities, not about looks or who favors what political party. If a young Larry King or Oprah came through today, they most likely would not get hired. Many local TV newscasts now look like Vogue meets GQ. Many TV reporters now go on assignments by themselves and work their own camera. 

And then we have radio.. once live and local across every day part, even overnights. Monster promotions budgets. I once had a staff of 52 people who would report to me as Program Director only 10 years ago. If that didn’t change by now, the company would’ve been long gone years ago.

Things began to change in the 2000’s, corporations going public and constantly having to meet stockholders demands, meant cutting more and more of the product. Before the cutting, places like Washington DC, 1999… WPGC and WJFK-FM would bill $98 million together. Today those #’s have been cut by over 60%. Radio revenue has been almost on a constant decline since 2008. Veteran news anchors, big morning and afternoon shows have been victim. The promotions and marketing was cut in most cases and would allow new forms of competition to spawn. 

Tablets now playing everything from Netflix and YouTube to TikTok and podcasts. This is the new form of TV and Radio. Of course it is for now.. as you have seen, nothing is permanent. The only thing constant in life is change. For radio.. it’s been Live & Local, Syndication, Satellite, Automation, VoiceTracking and now.. AI.. 

AI, If used properly AS A TOOL for a certain percentage/ratio of a living, breathing, talent’s voice-tracked show, has the ability to localize instantly without a talent having to redo a track. Track a night show earlier in the day and the local team just won a playoff game? You just gave out the sports score and celebrated the win for your local team without having to record a new track. Riots breaking out downtown? You, the talent.. just went on the air within seconds to talk about what’s going on. I-95 in Philly just collapsed on an early Sunday morning and everyone is voice tracked? You are on the air with non stop coverage. 

Here’s why if you are really that good, you shouldn’t be worried as a talent. It can’t do life experiences. That’s where you come in and do your magic.. Not AI. It can’t. AI can put talent back on in day parts where there has been no talent on air for years, even overnights. AI can make a talent sound more plugged in than ever, again if it is used properly. There are many live talents that like being local. This can be extremely beneficial. 

Moving forward.. AI will affect every aspect of our life in all shapes and forms, in all industries. It ain’t going away. You can either embrace it or you can push back like many did during the voice tracking phase 20 years ago and were shown the door. If you are a talent who talks for 6 seconds and relies on the music to carry you, your lifespan in a changing world will be short. If you are a 5 star pro and are entertaining, funny, share life experiences by telling stories and sharing your life, you will connect and be very successful. 

Things are evolving fast. New technologies like AI will be a “part” of many future business models in and outside of radio. Its vital to radio’s survival moving forward, otherwise radio will be the next Sears and Kmart.

Metal music has always been a genre that has struggled to gain mainstream acceptance. With its aggressive sound, explicit lyrics, and often controversial themes, it has been difficult for metal bands to secure regular airplay on mainstream radio stations. 

However, with the rise of dedicated metal radio programming services, there are now more opportunities than ever for metal bands to get their music heard on the airwaves.

Challenges

One of the biggest challenges facing metal bands in radio play is the perception that their music is too aggressive or controversial for mainstream audiences. Program Directors and Operations managers may be reluctant to play metal music for fear of offending listeners or losing sponsors. Additionally, metal music often features explicit lyrics, making securing airplay during daytime hours when children may be listening difficult.

Another challenge facing metal bands is the sheer volume of competition. With so many bands vying for radio play, it can be challenging to differentiate oneself from the crowd. Program directors and operations managers are bombarded with new music every day, and it can be challenging for a metal band to get their music noticed.

Opportunities

Despite the challenges, there are also many openings for metal bands to get their music played on the radio. With the rise of dedicated metal radio programming services, there are now more outlets than ever for metal music. These services cater specifically to metal fans; their listeners are often highly engaged and passionate about the genre.

Radio programming services can be a valuable tool for metal bands looking to get their music played on the airwaves. These services often have established relationships with Program Directors and Operations managers at radio stations and can help to promote new music and secure airplay for up-and-coming bands.

Additionally, social media can be a potent tool for metal bands looking to build a following and get their music played on the radio. By engaging with fans on platforms like Twitter and Instagram, bands can build a dedicated fan base passionate about their music. This can boost the band’s presence and increase their chances of getting airplay on mainstream radio stations.

Tips for Radio DJs

For Radio DJs, playing metal music can be a great way to engage with listeners and grow a loyal fan base. However, it is important to approach metal music with sensitivity and respect. Here are some tips for Radio DJs looking to play metal music on the air:

1. Be Aware of the Time of Day – Metal music often features explicit lyrics, so it is important to be intentional when playing this type of music. Playing metal music during nighttime hours may be more appropriate when children are less likely to be listening.

2. Be Sensitive to Controversial Themes – Metal music often deals with controversial themes like violence, sex, and drug use. It is important to be discerning of these themes and to avoid playing music that could be considered offensive or inappropriate.

3. Engage with Listeners – Metal music fans are often highly engaged and passionate about the genre. By engaging with listeners on social media or during on-air segments, Radio DJs can build a loyal fan base that is passionate about their show.

Conclusion

While metal music can present some challenges in radio play, there are also many opportunities for metal bands to hear their music on the airwaves. By working with dedicated metal radio programming services, building a following on social media, and approaching metal music with sensitivity and respect, metal bands and Radio DJs can build a loyal fan base and connect with listeners passionate about the genre.

Attention DJs and Program Directors! Are you struggling to find the right metal music for your audience? Look no further than Virtual Jocks! Our expert radio programming services will help you discover new metal bands and connect with passionate listeners. Don’t miss out on the opportunity to build a loyal fan base and take your metal programming to the next level. Contact us today to learn more!

While radio still reaches a large number of Americans every week, many listeners are choosing to get their audio entertainment elsewhere these days. Podcasts have exploded in the internet age, becoming something of a cultural phenomenon, and an opportunity for content creators to give their audiences even more of what they love. A recent study found that nearly 51% of American adults listen to podcasts, so it’s a great opportunity to take advantage of a fast-growing platform! There’s definitely a market for podcasts by radio hosts.

Radio shows are quite different from podcasts, but radio show hosts can still engage with audiences and increase their listener base by creating a podcast. It’s not necessarily as simple as converting an unedited radio show to an online format, however. Podcasts can run into licensing issues by playing copyrighted music, but savvy radio hosts can find plenty of topics to utilize in a podcast.

Here are a couple of our top ideas for topics for podcasts by radio hosts!

1. Artist Interview

If you have a specific genre or quite the following as a radio host already, you may have some music industry connections that you can utilize for an online podcast segment. Reach out to artists, producers, and other music industry personalities and ask to conduct an interview for an episode of your podcast!

Most podcasts tend to draw more engagement with more than one person speaking, so interviews with special guests are a popular format for the solo podcast host. Ask the artist guest questions about their upcoming projects, about their history in the industry, or ask them to speak on a special topic for the episode. Whatever you decide, the sky is the limit!

2. Top Track Roundup

Another idea you can use for a podcast topic is a roundup of your top favorite tracks of the week. You can theme your list around any topic you want, but here are some of our favorite ideas:

• Top recently released tracks
• Top tracks in a particular genre of all time
• The WORST tracks in your genre
• Top tracks by decade
• Top tracks by one artist
• Top tracks that use a particular technique or style

Make sure you check the licensing requirements and “fair use” laws if you’re going to play clips of the tracks in your roundup. But even if you don’t play clips, you can still create an engaging podcast based on your top music picks.

3. Music Industry News/Topics

Many popular podcasts have a narrow niche, unlike most radio programs that try to appeal to a broader audience. An easy podcast topic for a radio host to deliver is an episode about the latest news or topics in the music industry. You can talk about artists’ personal lives, tours, controversies, scandals with record labels, and more! Grab a co-host or a guest for an engaging back-and-forth dialogue about the topic at hand and let your personality and opinions shine. Your audience wants to hear what you think, so be honest!

4. Edited Versions of Prior Radio Shows

Something else you can do to pad out your online content and keep your listeners engaged is to record your live shows and cut it down to a podcast format to post online later. Many radio shows often have interviews, or include the hosts talking about relevant topics, which would be fantastic podcast material. Take some time to modify your previous shows in post-production and upload the edited version to your podcast platform. This is a great strategy to increase engagement and keep your podcast schedule on track if you don’t have new content to upload.

5. Whatever You’re Passionate About!

Finally, podcast audiences love unique content that the hosts are passionate about, so don’t be afraid to get creative! Talk about your experiences in the music industry, pet peeves about recording, your honest opinions about instruments, musical styles, genres, whatever! The sky is the limit, and even if you think a topic might be too narrow, it might be a good idea to talk about it anyway. Podcasts don’t have to be very long, many are around 15-30 minutes in length, so you don’t necessarily need a ton of material to create an engaging episode. Think about what your ideal audience would like to listen to you talk about and use them as your guide.

Podcasts Vs. Radio Shows – Things to Keep in Mind

Now that you have your topics for podcasts by radio hosts, there are a few things you should keep in mind about the different formats.

1. While radio shows are live, podcasts are pre-recorded. You can take some time to make sure your voiceover is perfect, and the narrative of your script flows together in a way that makes sense.  You can cut audio clips and move them around, add transitions between topics, and more.
2. Podcasts are an on-demand format, meaning that your listeners will be accessing them at different times, and be able to come back to them again and again. Radio shows are usually broadcast in a predetermined time slot, and if someone misses it, they miss it, unless it’s uploaded online later. Your audience can discover you at any time and go back through your catalog, as well, which can increase your overall visibility as a host.
3. Podcasts aren’t as heavily regulated by the government, unlike most radio shows, so you’re freer to speak your mind and choose topics you may have to steer away from for broadcast radio. You can also run a podcast for as long as you want, or as short as you want, instead of having to stick to predetermined time blocks.

Choose Virtual Jock for Radio Hosts for Podcasts

If you’re looking for a podcast co-host or just some killer on-air talent for your radio show, Virtual Jock is where you can find hundreds of talented on-air DJs for your show. We also can help you with finding radio topics, broadcasting techniques, and a whole lot more. Get in touch with us today if you have questions!

If a tree falls in the forest but there’s nobody there to hear it… does it make a sound? In the same vein, if a radio station is producing top-quality programming but has no listeners… at the end of the day what’s it all for? When you’ve got content you’re proud of it’s natural to want to share it with the world.

Amazingly, 92% of Americans still listen to the radio each week, so you’ve got a huge pool of potential listeners to work with. It’s just a matter of reaching them. That’s where radio marketing comes in. 

If you want to learn the fundamentals of radio station promotion you’ve come to the right place. Read on for everything you need to know.

1. Define Your Branding Identity

The first step in any sort of marketing strategy will be to define the image you’re looking to project. You can’t market yourself if you’re confused about your identity. If you haven’t done this already, it’s time to think about the type of radio station you want to be.

What’s your mission statement? what are you setting out to achieve with your station? Do you want to entertain the masses, dispense advice, or share new and exciting music?

Once you know who you are and what you’re about you’ll have a much easier time communicating this to everyone else and capturing the attention of your target audience.

2. Work With Exciting Guests

One of the things you can do to gain listeners for your station and its programs is to invite exciting guests to appear on your shows. It can be helpful if these guests are well-known in their own right but really any guest with a compelling story to tell will be a boon.

Personal stories resonate with people so speaking with guests always makes for good listening. You can then promote these programs with the hopes of reaching specific audiences. Your guests will also be able to tell their own audiences about their appearance which will allow you to reach an entirely new and untapped group.

3. Get Your Socials Sorted Out

No radio marketing strategy would be complete without an element of promotion on social media. Platforms such as Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram are the perfect place to build a following and promote the content you’ve got on offer.

You can let listeners know when you’ve got new episodes coming out and tie in a social media campaign with a show or series. This is also a great way to connect directly with your listeners to listen to their comments, answer their questions, and take their suggestions on board.

Radio Marketing 101

The elements of a great radio marketing strategy aren’t all that different than that of a traditional marketing strategy. You need to produce quality content, know your niche, and take advantage of modern tools like social media to build up a following.

If you’re in need of help with boosting your station’s profile we’d be happy to help. Check out our complete list of services now to see what we can do for you.