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Volume 6, Issue 1
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Internet Becomes Most Significant
Source of Information
by Martha Sharan
Since 1997, when News Generation
began conducting surveys about the importance of the
Internet in radio newsrooms across America, for the
first time in three years, news and talk show producers
and assignment editors admit with one, unified voice,
"The Internet has become the most significant source
of information, surpassing all other media, including
newspapers. It's the place we go to find things out!"
Specifically, we contacted 50 news,
news-talk and talk radio stations in top media markets
across the country, and found that producers and assignment
editors are online an average of seven hours a day -
nearly an entire workday. Only two percent say there
is any room for growth of surfing the net for story
ideas or scrolling through various publications online,
instead of leafing through their pages at the corner
newsstand or coffee shop on the way to work.
Another interesting note is that
newsroom Internet users seem to be spending less time
accessing online newspapers than ever before. Just last
year, ninety percent of all the radio stations we surveyed
reported their local newspaper website was the most
frequently visited site because it provided the most
credible, in-depth information. This year our survey
shows a dramatic 78% drop in visits to online newspaper
sites. The reason: immediacy. Such importance is placed
on immediacy that the most valuable and frequently visited
sites are those that can provide the most credible coverage
of breaking news.
For 54% of the stations we questioned,
breaking news is the number one reason producers and
assignment editors stay online all day. And, for the
other half, timeliness keeps producers glued to the
net: that, and finding the right spokespeople for on
air interviews after a story breaks or when an issue
mushrooms. For all the stations, the Internet is seen
as a huge Rolodex, filled with names and phone numbers,
stations can quickly access.
The Internet provides timely access
to wires, feeds, sound bites - all of which make up
a little more than a third of the content of today's
talk shows and newscasts. And what a prime promotional
tool the Internet has become, with more than 84% of
the stations surveyed streaming their news reports and
talk shows over the 'Net, building loyal fans throughout
the workday and in cases of crisis, offering important
up-to-the minute information to those tuning in on the
Worldwide Web.
Without question radio stations
have made friends with the Internet and, as we learned,
it's the place people, including producers, "Go to find
things out!"
How Technology Can Help Advance
PSA Messages
by Lynn Harris Medcalf
What if you or one of your clients
represent a nonprofit organization that has a great
issue and you want to tap into radio's potential to
advance your important call to action? What's the best
way to get your public service announcement (PSA) to
stations and track who is using it? Would you like more
than one third of the stations you send PSAs to use
it?
In the past to get a PSA on the
air, you had to provide a cassette or CD of the audio
to stations, and this was typically done by mailing
out unsolicited PSAs to at least 500 stations across
the country or in your specific target areas. Why 500?
Because often the duplication costs for PSAs were so
high that it didn't make financial sense to do fewer.
What this often meant was that organizations with more
limited budgets or smaller distribution lists didn't
get their PSAs out to stations. And even when they did,
usage could be a dismal 10% or less, because of inappropriate
targeting or sending stations PSAs in a format they
didn't use.
Technology to the rescue! Today,
stations often use audio in many different formats and
the quality of audio on the web rivals that of compact
discs and other forms of digital audio. So now organizations
can put a story up on a content site, like radionewssource.com,
alert stations via broadcast fax or email, and track
who pulls down the audio from the site, along with follow
up to a random sample of stations. If some radio outlets
still need a hard copy, don't fret. The cost of duplicating
the audio for a handful of stations needing CDs or cassettes
can be done in house and does not take nearly the resources
needed for large-scale duplication.
Thanks to advent of audio on the
web and feedback from stations using PSAs, we have changed
the way we send out PSAs, making it easier for stations
to access and more cost effective to our clients to
send out. Today, it no longer takes a large budget or
distribution list to get a message out to stations,
so just about anyone can use this new technology to
their organization's advantage.
Number of Radio Stations by State
by Susan J. Matthews
Many of our readers are surprised
by the sheer number of radio stations in the country,
which is now at 13,525 and growing. Broken down, that
is an average of 265 radio stations per state and the
District of Columbia.
While California has more stations
than any other state at 889, Delaware just beats out
Rhode Island with the least at 33, versus Rhode Island's
37. Washington, D.C. houses just 14 stations, but with
stations in surrounding Maryland and Virginia, there
are about 35 stations in the metropolitan area.
Curious about your state? Check
out the number of stations in your state or any other
by visiting:
http://www.newsgeneration.com/radio_resources/by_state.htm
AARP and News Generation Complete
a Triple Crown with Georgia PRSA, winning a Phoenix
Award for the Third Year in a Row
by Susan J. Matthews
On Thursday, November 14, 2002, News Generation and
AARP completed a triple crown - for the third year in
a row, the two companies were honored for their collaborative
media relations efforts focused on radio, winning their
third consecutive Phoenix Award from the Public Relations
Society of America, Georgia Chapter. The Phoenix is
Georgia PRSA's highest honor recognizing projects and
programs that demonstrate excellence the public relations
field.
News Generation and AARP were honored for "Predatory
Lending Awareness" in the Media Relations, Radio
Category. News Generation, Inc. and AARP received the
Phoenix award for their audio news release to raise
awareness about dishonest lenders in Georgia targeting
thousands of older homeowners with overpriced loans
that drain away their equity, leading too often to foreclosure
and financial ruin, and efforts across the state of
Georgia to pass a law to prohibit the abusive and deceptive
mortgage lending practices.
There was a 100% placement rate with 75 of 75 stations
and networks accepting the story in fax or audio form
and more than half (50.7%) of accepting stations and
networks verified airing story. The total reach of project
was 575,950 gross impressions with total of 209 airings
on 119 stations and network affiliates across the state.
The audio news release was part of extensive media coverage
across the state leading to passage of the bill on the
last day. The bill is considered by both consumer advocates
and industry (banking/mortgage brokers) experts as the
toughest bill in the nation.
Accepting the award were Bill Brown, director of communications
for AARP Georgia, and Lynn Harris Medcalf, executive
vice president of News Generation, Inc. Both AARP and
News Generation hopes to make it four in a row at the
Phoenix Awards this Fall.
Tuning In newsletter is produced and distibuted bi-annually. The goal of the newsletter is to educate clients on radio trends and industry tips, as well as highlight case studies and release survey information.
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