TV TEACHES US STUFF

Many programmers have said that radio could learn a thing or two from television. True, but what we ending up learning most is that tv spends a lot more money on almost everything. Of course, tv is working with a network mentality and radio has been a local medium. Networks have budgets such that they can produce promos for a sports broadcast that run only twice. Hours are spent making a 30 sec piece that runs only in pre-game to create some additional hype on top of what the commentators are doing. Good lesson there. Possibly two lessons. One, all promos don't have to be repeated ad nauseum to be effective. Two, promos can be done in a way where they seem like part of the programming instead of a commercial interrpution.

Perhaps these two lessons are related. When a promo is repeated frequently, it may take on the feel of a spot. Naturally, if it's also driven by sponsor copy points, it may be hard for it to be perceived any other way.

In the sports hype promo mentioned earlier, it's important to know that the promo uses video that looks like programming. If the Giants are playing the Eagles, clips from past Giants/Eagles games are chopped up over a familiar music bed to frontsell the action. In between hits, passes and touchdown grand standing are shots of rabid fans with bare, painted chests that prove beer makes one impervious to January temps. Production that's fun and exciting? Promos that exist for the sole purpose of entertaining the audience? Yes, it's true and radio can certainly learn something from that part of television.

Radio can do this kind of production quickly and cheaply. No FOX network budget is necessary nor is a team of producers lead by an expensive director. If you have a personality driven morning show, why not ditch the standard clip promo occaisonally and do it up NFL style?

Making production an integral part of programming does take more thought and creativity but that has always been what it takes to make a station stand out. Enteraining content wins and imaging can be a major part of it. Just ask KROQ or Z100 or WEBN or ALICE or Howard Stern. A new convert is FOX sports radio. They have hundreds of affiliates and have gone mad with the imaging.

So television (a.k.a the boob tube or idot box) actually has something to teach us. Hang out and watch the promos instead of running to the kitchen and plowing through a bag of chips like Megan Fox is at the bottom.