Values-Driven Classic Hits
Written Feb. 10, 2009 by Sean Ross in Content + Terrestrial Radio with 1 Comment
During bad times, it's not unusual for somebody to go after the "good news" franchise, as Classic Hits KJR-FM Seattle did yesterday, with its promise to eliminate bad news from .its morning newscasts. Good times, great Oldies, and a boost in morale are certainly among the things that radio can provide now -- particularly a Classic Hits station.
But there's more to it than that, as became apparent when I heard KJR-FM PD Jay Kelly end a station promo for the "good news"-cast by encouraging listeners to "start your day on a positive note with uplifting Classic Hits and only good news." The promo also solicited listener stories via its "good news line."
Hearing "positive," "uplifting," and "good news" together sounded a lot like the positioning of a Contemporary Christian station. So my next stop was the Website of Christian AC KCMS (Spirit 105.3), which, as it turned out, is already offering a "good news story of the day." (A sample story: a listener lost her voice, which caused her to stop lecturing her daughter and listen more. Now they're much closer.)
KCMS is one of Christian AC's best, most successful stations. They would naturally be on the radar of KJR-FM (or any station that cares about adult women). It's easy to imagine them becoming even more successful in times like these. And smart adult stations are already cognizant of Christian AC's inroads over the last five years. But it's still unusual and interesting when a secular station and a Christian AC end up going after the same images.
As for KJR's good news, I heard this morning's 8:36 report. (The station is jockless in mornings; service elements seem to start after 8 a.m.). The stories covered were:
* The economic stimulus package -- the good news was that it was making progress; Wall Street's vote of no confidence hadn't yet materialized;
* A report that you could save money on multivitamins (by improving your diet);
* A report that you could avoid the flu by keeping a teakettle running for moister air;
It will be interesting to revisit KJR's newscasts in a few weeks--or to hear how this speads.
Reader Comments
Your 2¢, in chronological order — add your comment below.
Sounds like the John Tesh approach to radio. That's not my particular area of interest, but if it draws in listeners then that's what matters. It will be interesting to see how it works out for KJR.
As an aside, it's debatable if the bailout is really "good news" (see Ron Paul on that), but the idea of positive stories vs. doom and gloom might be a welcomed change for some.