October 2004 RAP
October 2004 Highlights
Feature: Teacher, Teacher
By Craig Jackman
Rogers Media Inc. owns a string of radio stations (43 as of this writing,
but you know how fast these things can change) in Canada, some in large
markets like Toronto and Vancouver, some in smaller markets in Ontario,
Alberta and British Columbia, including Sudbury. Like any corporation,
Rogers like to maximize its assets. This includes sharing personnel and
expertise among all stations as the need arises. In my case, some of the
northern Ontario stations had just finished switching automation systems
from DCS to Scott Studios, and switching audio editing software from
TripleDAT to Adobe Audition, and were having a hard time getting things
working smoothly. Engineers ask each other for help; my name got dragged
into it.
Interview: Tim Miles, Soundbrands/Zimmer Radio,
Columbia, MO
By Jerry Vigil
This months RAP Interview checks in with yet another radio cluster
utilizing the "in-house agency" approach to take control of local direct
business. Surprisingly, this very successful creative department is in the
small market of Columbia, MO, but there's nothing small about how things are
being done at the Zimmer stations in Columbia. $100,000 in production fees
in the first eight months doesn't sound like small market numbers.
Soundbrands is the name of the in-house agency, and Tim Miles is the
creative mind at the helm. Tim takes us through the birth of Soundbrands and
gives us an inside look at how Soundbrands works, utilizing many of the
skills taught at the Roy Williams Wizard of Ads academy. Be sure to check
out the Soundbrands demo on the RAP CD. And by the way, apparently the
Zimmer people know a little about the programming side of radio as well;
they have the number one station in the market!
Test Drive: RME Fireface 800 Firewire Interface
By Steve Cunningham
As I write this, LA has just had another two-week period of 95-plus days,
with some well over 100 degrees. Along with that we've had our first two
stage-one power warnings that means were threatened with rolling blackouts.
Its at times like these that I look at the electronics in my production
room, and at the electric bill, and I wonder what can be done to simplify,
save a shekel, and lower the studio temp without buying another AC unit.
What about that big space heater, the mixing console? Were all mixing within
the computer now, so do we still need a mixer? Is it time to let it go?
Q It Up: The RAP Network Speaks - What idea bank do you
make the most withdrawals from?
RAP Forum: Give and Take; Live and Learn
By Albert Berkshire
A few years ago, the first article I wrote for Radio And Production was
called "The Producers." It talked about maintaining a healthy relationship
with your producers. Now, after a few years of working to maintain
relationships with members of every department in the radio station
(including Dot, my co-writer and Andrew, my producer), I find myself feeling
the need to express my opinion about how you should maintain a healthy
relationship with people outside your radio stations.
Radio Hed: Metaphor Bridges
By Jeffrey Hedquist
A commercials success is often dependent on how successfully you can
relate to what the listener already knows. What does your target listener
know? Each listener has certain knowledge, experience and memories. Want to
move them? Use the influence of the familiar. Connect what you say with what
they know and use metaphors to do it.
...And Make It Real Creative:
By Trent Rentsch
There's really nothing worse than making a bad impression, unless its
playing that bad impression over and over. I point this out because nothing
brings out the worst impressions like a political season. So far this month
I've heard 78 song parodies, 27 station sweepers, and 3,482 commercials all
containing voices that are supposedly President Bush and/or candidate John
Kerry. Of the combined total, I've counted 6 that nailed the voices. The
other 3,581 really must stop.
The Monday Morning Memo: Not Enough Customers?
By Roy H. Williams
Low store traffic is only a symptom, not the disease. And if advertising
could always cure the disease, then advertising would always increase
traffic. But advertising doesn't always work. The traditional excuse is, "We
must be reaching the wrong people." But I've never met any wrong people,
have you? Which brings us to that terrifying mirror so few business owners
are willing to look into: "Why aren't more customers coming to my store?" As
you look into that Mirror, Mirror, On the Wall, I've got some questions
about why those customers may be missing:
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