PPM and Music Stations

There's an interesting article in Radio Intelligence by Sam Zniber and Emmanuel Legrand. In it they caution stations, "Get prepared for PPM, it’s going to change your business." Among the points they make is to be consistent with your programming, including your music selection.

• Learning #1: Check all your loose ends – everything matters!  If you have a weak morning show, it will affect your whole day; if your music programming lacks clarity and consistency, you will lose pockets of listeners; if your hosts fail to catch the public’s attention, you will pay the price instantly.
• Learning #2: Morning shows still lead - a great morning show will drive the entire day. To avoid losing listeners, programmers should allow specific times for specific features.  With PPM, setting appointment times for specific features is vital as it gives a compelling motive for listeners to tune-in on a daily basis.
• Learning #3: It’s (still) about the music - While PPM may give you some indications about the songs that work and those that don’t, what matters is consistency and clarity in your music output. You cannot tempt listeners with one format and deliver the wrong music.
• Learning #4: Success is in the package - This goes back to point 1. It’s all in the execution. And it has to be perfect. In a world of PPM and digital music streaming available for free, smart radio programmers understand that the assembly of the product is what makes music radio unique and exciting.

The difference between growing your audience and watching it slide away is in the details.