Talk show hosts seek ways to attract listeners, revenue
Date: 6/14/2011
June 15, 2011By G. Michael Dobbs
Managing Editor
NEW YORK CITY, N.Y. The hundreds of talk radio executives and hosts gathered for the 14th annual New Media Seminar presented by Talkers Magazine had a lot of concerns, including the switch to a new way to determine ratings that has caused problems for some venerable personalities and a proposed system to renew station's licenses through a board comprised of community members.
In the age of the Internet, though, many audience members paid close attention to how hosts could make additional money from the content they create and reach new audiences who can't hear their shows when originally broadcast.
Talkers Magazine, published by Longmeadow resident Michael Harrison, is the bible for the talk radio industry. With Michael Baxendale and John O'Brien of Rock 102's "Bax and O'Brien Show" and David Pakman, the nationally syndicated host who produces his show in Northampton as presenters on panels, Western Massachusetts was well represented at the national conclave.
Radio consultant Holland Cooke an East Longmeadow native said in a presentation at the conference that in 2010 advertising revenue in newspapers was topped by the advertising on the Internet. Internet revenues had overtaken the revenues from radio advertising in 2008.
One panel addressed the trouble many hosts face in repackaging their shows for an Internet audience.
WPRO talk host Dan Yorke who was a fixture on local radio and television before he moved to Providence, R.I. said that he often viewed what talk show hosts create as "vapor." Entertainment attorney Matthew Harrison confirmed the hours of programming created by hosts is like "vapor" unless they have a means to sell the content to those who missed it the first time.
Harrison said hosts must work with station management to establish at least partial ownership of a program.
For syndicated hosts such as Stephanie Miller, heard locally on WHMP, re-selling content is relatively easy by establishing podcast subscriptions because Miller and her producer Ron Hartenbaum own the show. Hartenbaum explained that another show he produces with Thom Hartmann, also heard over WHMP, puts its programming over several platforms that can attract ad sales, including the syndicated radio show, podcasts, a video simulcast of the show, an iPhone application and an e-newsletter.
Doug Stephan, who has two successful syndicated shows, noted, though, "There are no cookie cutter solutions."
Rusty Humphries, a talk show host who has a local show in Atlanta, Ga., and a nationally syndicated show, took a unique approach to making extra cash from his show. He decided to produce a product his own beef jerky that he could plug on the program and would only be sold in stores that advertise with him. The sales benefit Humphries and his advertisers, but not the station. He has followed up his success with the beef jerky with his own barbeque sauce.
Pakman has 135 affiliates carrying his show. Some people see a video version of his program on television outlets, while others listen on traditional commercial and non-commercial radio stations. The most "traction" his show receives, he explained, is through the Internet in the form of subscription podcasts and YouTube videos.
He added that just because a talk show appears on a non-commercial station doesn't mean it can't earn money from the station. Instead of ads, underwriting messages provide revenue.
Baxendale and O'Brien recently launched their own podcast subscription service at
www.baxandobrien.rock102.com.
Baxendale explained to
Reminder Publications the new site replaces the Bax and O'Brien page on Rock102's site and features a lot of free content.
It also gives the show's fans the opportunity to subscribe to the site at $5.99 a month or $25 for six months and have access to commercial free podcasts of the show as well as videos and other features.
Baxendale said the site benefits him, O'Brien and the station and has been several years in the making.
The site is a groundbreaker as Baxendale explained he and O'Brien are the first local radio personalities to have such a site.
John Parikhal, a media consultant, said, "Engagement is the most important thing in the 21st Century." He said that audiences want to feel part of something and desire to be closer to a media personality through a dialogue. The Internet can extend that connection hosts make during a program.
Paul Vandenburgh, the president of Talk1300 in Albany, N.Y., said the bottom line is still "to put out a product that people want to listen to."