Country Imaging?

[Deleted User 15408]

Is there some kind of rule that the imaging on K100 Toledo, K105 Fort Wayne, 97.5 Y Country in Benton Harbor, Michigan all have to use the same sweeper package?

I drove from Perrysburg to Iowa this past week, and all three stations sound exactly the same imaging wise. But, I'm a little confused as they are all owned by different companies. I mean I'd get it if all three were cumulus, then I'd just think they were doing their production at the corporate level.

Is this like a service or something? Because if it is, it's lazy.

[audiophile]

Why does it matter? Different markets.

[Deleted User 15408]

Station imaging should match the radio market, target audience, strategic positioning and brand values. If you are going to a service and downloading a generic shell that is used everywhere, how are you matching your market? This is just laziness.

[audiophile]

You could always add local to it,but I'm sure their is a large subset that could be in common by certain demographics or formats.

[CurlyHoward]

Station imaging should match the radio market, target audience, strategic positioning and brand values. If you are going to a service and downloading a generic shell that is used everywhere, how are you matching your market? This is just laziness.

are...are you saying corporate radio in smaller, poorer markets is cookie cutter and lazily done????

[audiophile]

I consult an AAA college station, the PD there is just uses callsign and frequency as imaging because she wants to get far away from the "corporate sound".

[Deleted User 15408]

are...are you saying corporate radio in smaller, poorer markets is cookie cutter and lazily done????

Cookie Cutter, yes. Lazily, maybe. What I'm saying is if your argument that you do not have time, do not have money for an imaging person, or if you think going to a service and using a reproduced shell is ok. Maybe you should rethink your approach.

Lack of Money, Lack of time are just barriers. These excuses make radio sound cookie cutter. I understand that everyone is busy, but when it's effecting what is on the air on your station. Maybe redirect some of that energy from somewhere else into the imaging.

Using pre-produced shells is uninspired and lazy.

[MWmetalhead]

I'm confused what is meant by "same sweeper package."

Are the VO artists the same? Are the jingle instrumentals / singers the same? Or is the content of each "read" exactly the same?

[Deleted User 15408]

They have purchased a service where the sweepers/promos are pre produced. Then they take their vo guy and plugged in their call letters.

It’s extremely vanilla. It’s the same sweeper. Same copy. But different voice. I understand why a small station would do this, but K100 should do better.

[Mark Elliott]

They have purchased a service where the sweepers/promos are pre produced. Then they take their vo guy and plugged in their call letters.

It’s extremely vanilla. It’s the same sweeper. Same copy. But different voice. I understand why a small station would do this, but K100 should do better.

Cumulus has a strong connection to Benztown, the company that provides this "cookie cutter" imaging. K100 - like many of the company O&O's - have very little choice over the matter.

[Deleted User 15408]

Benztown provides the stations with the plug in play shells, yes. But, that service also provides them with all the work parts to do creative imaging on their own. I understand that K100 may not have the facilities to make the zips and zaps, but they can create their own imaging elements without using the shells with the Benztown service.

Who ever is doing the production doesn't have to use the examples Benztown provides. But they do, and it makes them sound to the trained ear, lazy. Now, I know that an average listener may not pick up on that. But a passionate listener who is traveling out of their home area will notice.

[Mark Elliott]

Benztown provides the stations with the plug in play shells, yes. But, that service also provides them with all the work parts to do creative imaging on their own. I understand that K100 may not have the facilities to make the zips and zaps, but they can create their own imaging elements without using the shells with the Benztown service.

Who ever is doing the production doesn't have to use the examples Benztown provides. But they do, and it makes them sound to the trained ear, lazy. Now, I know that an average listener may not pick up on that. But a passionate listener who is traveling out of their home area will notice.

While in theory, I agree with your premise there are two things in this post I need to address:

1) When as a cluster prod director, you're charged with final production of EVERY commercial, along with imaging production, or a program director who is scheduling music for 2 or 3 stations, holding down an airshift and maybe also doing a Westwood One format... you're not being lazy using the shells. You're barely getting it done.

2) Radio listeners do NOT have trained ears. As my mentor in this business said.. "I don't know why we call them listeners because they don't"

[Deleted User 15408]

When as a cluster prod director, you're charged with final production of EVERY commercial, along with imaging production, or a program director who is scheduling music for 2 or 3 stations, holding down an airshift and maybe also doing a Westwood One format... you're not being lazy using the shells. You're barely getting it done.

I agree with this 100% but, in the case of Toledo K100 has a full air staff compared to someone who is working in Benton Harbor. While they have a single person doing commercial production etc for their entire cluster. Some of these other duties can be delegated to the other members on the TEAM. Outside of the morning show they have two other air talent who only do a show, and maybe voicetrack a shift on another station in the market.

If the K100 PD is doing everything and not trusting his TEAM to be apart of the creative process. There is a bigger problem on Arlington Avenue.

Radio listeners do NOT have trained ears. As my mentor in this business said.. "I don't know why we call them listeners because they don't"

This is correct. Radio listeners do not listen. They half listen, which is fine. Not everyone is as passionate about the radio like someone who would post on the buzzboard. The difference is that the person working at the radio station should love what they do. They should trust their staff to be apart of the station. They should want to make their station sound as best as they possibly can, by not using the shells provided by benztown. Saying that you are to busy to make it sound as best as possible is a horrible excuse. Especially, when you are locked in your office doing all the work and you have capable people in the office who can help you.

[FakeAndyStuart]

Mr/Ms Processor - I love to see the passion of someone like you... I would have loved to work you to death when they let me run the stations.. into the ground.

While they have a single person doing commercial production etc for their entire cluster. Some of these other duties can be delegated to the other members on the TEAM. Outside of the morning show they have two other air talent who only do a show, and maybe voicetrack a shift on another station in the market.

If the K100 PD is doing everything and not trusting his TEAM to be apart of the creative process. There is a bigger problem on Arlington Avenue. .... The difference is that the person working at the radio station should love what they do. They should trust their staff to be apart of the station. They should want to make their station sound as best as they possibly can, by not using the shells provided by benztown.

. Just because they are an air talent, does NOT mean they have the skills to produce quality imaging.
And many of the shells don't sound bad.. in fact, they sound pretty good. While I haven't listened to K100 in a while (I hold a grudge for a long time) I think much of the Benztown (and Reelworld and Splat) imaging shells are more than adequate for any station in Toledo. Now, if they aren't producing them to the level of what Benztown provides, that's a different story.

Saying that you are to busy to make it sound as best as possible is a horrible excuse. Especially, when you are locked in your office doing all the work and you have capable people in the office who can help you.

You are my kind of guy/gal/undefined. Work them til the tips of their fingers bleed. That's always been my philosophy - the floggings will continue until morale improves.

[Deleted User 15408]

Just because they are an air talent, does NOT mean they have the skills to produce quality imaging.

In an era of cutbacks when it comes to radio, you would think the air talent would be jumping at the chance to improve their skills to do more. You know, to keep their jobs. To learn. To make the station sound better.

Oh, wait. I have to stop and pause. The talent in Toledo have such big heads they can barely get in through the front door. I hardly see Mookie or anyone else at K100 wanting to lift a finger to do something other than four and the door.

And many of the shells don't sound bad.. in fact, they sound pretty good. While I haven't listened to K100 in a while (I hold a grudge for a long time) I think much of the Benztown (and Reelworld and Splat) imaging shells are more than adequate for any station in Toledo.

The shells are made in such a way to showcase what a station can do with Benztown. If you get over your beef with K100 for about 20 mins and listen, you will notice that many of the Benztown shells are longer than what an average piece of imaging should be.

Another example would be to listen to WRQN for a music promo. Some of them that they have on the air are pure shells and longer than a minute.

By the way, why would a music promo selling music go on the air right before spots? Let's get your listeners hyped up for some awesome music then play a 60 for the Appliance Center. Makes total sense.

the floggings will continue until morale improves.

Perhaps we should flog the person who made that decision.