November 1999 RAP
November 1999 Highlights
Feature: Before You Write, You Have to Understand Who
Buys
By Shawn Kelly
...consumers change with each passing decade, and here we are about to go
into another. Our problem as copywriters, Production Directors, creative and
sales, is that we have not caught up with the changing consumer. We are
close to 20 years behind. We continue to fast-talk consumers into buying the
product that our clients are attempting to sell.
I did a case study that lasted two months. I contacted 300 homes, chosen
randomly out of the phone book, and asked them 7 questions. The results will
help you understand what exactly consumers are wanting out of radio
commercials.
Interview: Steve Kelly, Bill Young Productions
By Jerry Vigil
If you love production, its still difficult to thread up a Bill Young
Productions concert spot without cranking the monitors. You know youre going
to hear some great production, the kind that sends a chill or two up your
spine. Steve Kelly has been part of the Bill Young team and sound for the
past fifteen years. When Bill saw the need to expand his concert spot
business, Steve Kelly came in with production skills and a voice that cloned
Bill Youngs so closely, even regular clients could not tell the difference.
Together, Bill and Steve have taken Bill Young Productions to another level,
delivering entertainment spots by the thousands from seven state-of-the-art
audio suites. And over the years, Bill Young Productions has expanded even
further with departments delivering print, video, web design and
maintenance, corporate services, and more, making Bill Young Productions the
leading supplier of radio, television, print, and new media materials for
the entertainment industry.
Test Drive: The Gold Channel From TC Electronic
By Steve Cunningham
The current crop of high-end voice processors are mostly analog units
that combine a microphone preamp, a compressor, some EQ, and perhaps a de-esser.
But when Danish audio manufacturer TC Electronic decided to design a voice
processor, they took a completely different approach. After all, TC is known
for their hardware Digital Signal Processing products, and for software
plug-ins that mimic their hardware products. All of these perform their
magic using ones and zeros, so why not build a voice processor that also
uses ones and zeros? The result is the Gold Channel Digitally Enhanced Mic
Preamp.
RAP Forum: Radio Quicksand
By Mr. Mel
With record revenues and no end in sight, with consolidation producing
mega-companies that swallow mega-companies, and with profits at an all-time
high, we would seem to be at the brink of radio euphoria. Actually, the
future of radio may have more to do with quicksand. Perhaps you should hold
off on those Caribbean reservations.
Problem number one is a combination of corporate greed and a disrespect for
listeners. It is most glaringly evident in a commercial load that threatens
to overtake programming in its quantity. What were once eight minute spot
loads have often become eighteen. Combine that with promos, sweepers, jock
talk, and endless sponsor tie-ins, and you might get 35 minutes of music an
hour if you're lucky.
Q It Up: The RAP Network Speaks - Your Favorite Plug-ins
By Jerry Vigil
Plug-ins--the software version of those high-dollar processing and
effects boxes at a fraction of the cost. As more production studios opt for
software-based DAWs, their choices for processing and effects are both very
numerous and very affordable. This month's Q It Up takes a look at who's
using what.
Q It Up: If you use a digital workstation that supports
plug-ins, which ones do you use most? Do you have a favorite plug-in? What
plug-ins are on your wish list? Feel free to add any comments you might have
about your plug-ins or plug-ins in general.
Radio HED: Hold the Phone
By Jeffrey Hedquist
When was the last time you wrote down a phone number you heard on a radio
commercial? I thought so. Do you really expect any other listener to do it,
especially if theyre driving? Millions of dollars in radio time are wasted
each year on phone numbers no one responds to, and yet clients keep asking
to have their numbers put in radio commercials, thinking that radio works
like print. It doesn't.
...And Make It Real Creative
By Andy Capp
It starts earlier every year. In fact, considering that by the time youre
reading this the holiday season will have you so wrapped up in production
that giving up a life in radio for that Santa gig at the mall will be
starting to look good, Im not going to nag about being creative with your
commercials. Nope, not at all. Im not going to tell you that you should try
to find music that really fits the words youre saying, rather than slapping
the first thing that resembles a Christmas carol under your next spot. Im
not going to remind you that, other than St. Nick, there are many other
characters to draw from for holiday commercials, i.e., reindeer, snowmen,
fir trees, bells, the party punch bowl full of eggnog, the last minute
shopper at the convenience store on Xmas Eve, or the last second shopper who
finds all the stores closed and wraps up anything he/she can find in the
home. And this would be the last column where you would find the writer
scolding you for pounding out that Christmas cookie cutter copy that, other
than the business name, could be used for a toy or tire store. Nope. "Tis
the season to crank out Prod; who has time to think about the other "C
word?"
Feature: The Virgin's Guide to Consolidation - Part 3
By Craig Jackman
Well, 2 months go by and look what happened! In the 8 weeks that have
passed since The Virgins Guide Part 2, my world has turned in a most
unexpected way. First, to recap, my little station group CHEZ-FM INC. was
bought in September 98 by Rogers Broadcasting Ltd., a much larger group that
is part of a HUGE national corporation here in Canada. The government
regulators finally granted approval in early August this year. Quite quickly
they made the expected changes in management by replacing the GM, VP of
Sales, and Sales Manager with their current market manager, and moving the
current PD of CHEZ-FM to another station in the market. My station (Classic
Rock) was to share the PD of the other local Rogers FM (Young Country) until
a permanent PD was named.
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