Learning from the mediaÕs best
storytellers
ÒFighting to
stay freeÓ
#174...May-June
2013
And
now, ladies and gentlemenÉ
Éwe find ourselves at a crucial crossroads. Is competing with
commercial-free, interruption-free, talk-free music-based Òoff radioÓ by doing
virtually the same thing except keeping the commercials a dependable long-term
strategy for radio?
If you answered ÒYesÓ -
really? Really? AhemÉREALLY?
It feels like anyone who
has spent some time in and has been able to write about radio believes itÕs not
on the right path. They believe itÕs not just about playing a lot of music but
also communicating, entertaining and connecting with listeners. In fact, given
everything out there vying for a listenerÕs attention, itÕs about all of those
more than itÕs ever been.
While IÕm certainly no
expert, I do feel thereÕs something to using the art of storytelling to make
radio stand out. Heck, thatÕs an idea that goes back to day 1 of radio. I know
I wasnÕt there, but I also know what made radio such a powerful medium was
having a Òbig voice.Ó Granted, that was easier to do when a radio was the
biggest thing - and the only electronic medium - in the house. But after nearly
a century of reinventing itself several times over, radio still excels when the
girl or guy inside the box can rise above all other elements and give a message
that wonÕt resonate via any other medium, one that doesnÕt need pictures,
video, files or anything else. A good story, joke, tip, opinion or just a
friendly voice stands by itself.
The beauty of this is, a
great sliver of live communication can happen and succeed, start to end, inside
of 20 seconds or less. ThatÕs clearly important if youÕre limited to talking
over the instrumental opening of a song (which these days is often a lot
shorter). Although most of the time these days, opportunities for great,
succinct communication on radio go wasted.
So itÕs striking when the
mediaÕs best storyteller inside of 20 seconds is a six years old. As in the
girl telling the story about being a werewolf in the AT&T television spot (http://youtu.be/l61LjTwME7w). And thatÕs
TV. How did things get so bad that a first grader can do on TV what a DJ can no
longer do on radio?
If youÕve seen the other
AT&T commercials set in the classroom, you know it gets even worse for
radio. Another kidÕs bit about a big screen TV in a tree house comes close to
rivaling the werewolf story. Yes, the expressions on these childrenÕs faces
does add something to these commercialsÕ effectiveness, but just the same, the
idea that these kids can tell a riveting story in such a short space should be
a lesson for radio.
One of the great things a
radio personality can do that canÕt be done as effectively on TV is tease a
story to keep listeners waiting for the payoff. One top 40 DJ who recognized
the value of that back when dinosaurs ruled the earth was Casey Kasem, who
before ÒAmerican Top 40Ó was born teased stories about upcoming artists at KRLA
et al. ThatÕs probably why AT40 came to be and what made it required listening
for so many. As a kid focused on the numbers and the songs, I admit I never
thought that much about the added value every time Casey said ÒComing upÉÓ but
even then I knew that AT40 was bigger-sounding and more feature-driven than any
local countdown.
So if radio wonÕt take a
lesson from the AT&T classroom kids, perhaps it can from Casey. Or, dare I
suggest it, another entertainment medium thatÕs displayed a mastery of the art
of both storytelling and the tease: the comics. Specifically, Prince Valiant. ThatÕs right. A medium
with no sound and pictures that donÕt move, thatÕs lower tech than radio,
excels in telling a story and teasing every Sunday strip. Proving perhaps how
simple it is to do this.
Drawn by
the artist drawing the Prince still known as Prince
WeÕve barely scratched the
surface, but hopefully the point has been made: regardless of format, radioÕs
edge over other media remains live communication that entertains, tells a story
in some shape or form and keeps the listener wanting more. Now letÕs get to
work.
ZE PLUGSÉ
* ÒThe CHRoniclerÓ in ThursdayÕs Billboard Top 40 Update (subscribe free
at http://www.billboard.biz/newsletters)
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