Surprise--This is What's On Your Station!

The worst place to listen to a radio station is in a radio station. Too many distractions. As luck would have it, many Brand Managers and Program Directors are now at home, so let's take advantage of this opportunity to better our stations.

As PDs, we know what our stations need to be doing. But is it being executed the way we designed and envisioned? Now is the perfect time to put down our phones and close email to find out. Doesn't an artist paint on a canvas and then take five steps back to look at what he or she has created?

Pick a weekday in the next two weeks to do a listening day. If you're not already working from home, schedule a day to do it. Work ahead to clear your agenda so all you have to do is listen...but again, away from the distractions at the station. If your state doesn't have mandatory stay at home orders, listen as you walk your neighborhood or drive to a park. Listen both over-the-air and your stream. Hear your station's dayparts for a couple hours, then your competitors. Stop for lunch and dinner. Then pick up your listening again...mornings, middays, afternoons and nights. Type away on your computer. Chart positioning, content choices, length, music flow, production values, promos, stopsets, attitude, COVID-19 coverage. Is it working the way you thought it was? Are your competitors doing what you thought they were? Maybe. Maybe not. What do you like about your station? What don't you like? What needs to be done differently or fine-tuned? What are your competitors doing that you like and can incorporate?

Organize your to-do action list into As and Bs, then get working on it. Share your findings with your GM, VPP or OM. This will help make you accountable and will leave a positive impression!

Let's take full advantage of our current stay at home status and invest it into making our stations great. Then commit to doing this exercise on a regular basis. I guarantee you will love what it does for you and your station!