Social Media: What must radio stations do to

survive?Brett Spencer & Claire Wardle

http://www.flickr.com/photos/aloshbennett/1394564919/

The Tale of

two Radio Statio

ns

At this station the controller said: “I’ve got no interest in what the audience have to say”

But at this station the controller said: “what is the audience talking about today? Let’s work with them to make better content.

At this station staff spent their days making programmes like using newspapers, books, and their own contacts……

At this station staff spent their days interacting and collaborating with listeners, making the strongest and most relevant content imaginable

At this station the output was delivered in a one-way fashion, with features and content decided by staff who believed they knew best

This radio station understands that even though radio is about the sound, and will mirror TV with great streaming

video, extra digital content, and that niche will be the most important trend.

At this station, no-one had invested in technology so the producers couldn’t do their jobs properly.

At this station all staff had the technology to do their work at the station and out on the road

This station didn’t have a mobile or digital strategy

This station was constantly thinking about how listeners were accessing their output on different

platforms

This station thinks about its schedule purely in terms of shows and

presenters.

This station understands that increasing numbers of people want to listen to audio chunks: personalised playlists, podcasts, pop-

up stations

This radio station just thinks about its local listeners

This radio station understands its reach is

global

20

BBC Analogue Stations By Platform

Source: IPSOS/RAJAR 15+

54%

24%

28%

17%

19%

Percentage of listeners who DO NOT use BBC Online but do use social media

So what do I need to do?

Ensure Senior Management are using this technology. They need to be involved and

leading from the front.

1 Do not mix the professional and the personal in ways likely to bring the ABC into disrepute.

2 Do not undermine your effectiveness at work.3 Do not imply ABC endorsement of your personal views.4 Do not disclose confidential information obtained through

work.

Can you retweet an offensive job about the Occupy Protests?

Can you take photos of guests in the studio on your personal

facebook account?

Can you complain about how much money is wasted by your

station on sending people to conferences overseas?

Ensure you have clearly guidelines and all staff understand how they work in practice

Ensure all staff are inspired through the right kind of training

core services

programmes: if big or niche

personal individual accounts

‘talent’ accounts

Start using your accounts strategically

Embed digital in everything you’re doing

Fish where the fish are…

Where are the opportunities to properly collaborate with your listeners?

Think about providing added value to the audience listening live as well as those listening again

“Radio isn’t going away, it’s going everywhere” - Gary Knell, NPR

Adopt, adapt, improve

1. Ensure Senior Management are using this technology. They need to be involved and leading from the front.

2. Ensure you have clearly guidelines and all staff understand how they work in practice

3. Ensure all staff are inspired through the right kind of training4. Start using your accounts strategically

5. Embed digital in everything you’re doing

6. Fish where the fish are

7. Identify the opportunities to properly collaborate with your listeners

8. Think about providing added value to the audience listening live as well as those listening again

9. “Radio isn’t going away, it’s going everywhere” – how can you get your content out far and wide

10. Adopt, adapt, improve

Do radio stations have to use social media and if so why?

“Our relationship with our audience is made stronger by being up close & personal with them in their space on their terms”

Heather Davies, ProducerTrevor Dann Co.

@heatherrhian

Matt Deegan, Fun Kids

Folder Media

@matt

“No - not at all. Only use it if it has a purpose. Ideally a measurable one that delivers for your station”

“stations that do, engage with a different audience and promote content to listeners beyond their geographical boundaries”

Laura MillerProducerBBC London

@producerlaura

Ryan Egan, Radio Australia, Melbourne

@rynobi

Many tools will amplify, assist, streamline and provoke engagement with your audience. Social media is a powerful option. It makes it easier for true fans to love you harder”

Charles Ubaghs, Head of Social Media, Global Radio.

@cubaghs

“Social offers Radio an opportunity to extend its reach in ways that were previously impossible”

Eric Eberhardt, You Are Listening To Los

Angeles.

@idontlikewords

“they don't *have* to but should, because what is a radio station if not a community of like-minded individuals?”

Shell Zenner, Presenter, Bolton FM

@shellzenner

“Social Media works well for me, I can get up to 250 tweets from listeners per show”

Gideon Coe, Presenter, BBC 6 Music

@gidcoe

Not necessarily. Not everyone uses social media. And its still about communicating via radio with the listener.

Steve Bowbrick, Head of Interactive, BBC Radio 3

@bowbrick

“Radio stations don’t have to use social media. Just as they didn’t have to use magnetic tape, FM, stereo, digital and the web”

Michael Hill, MD, UK Radio Player

@radiomikehill

“Anyone who claims to know the answer is lying or insane. If it feels right, try it”

Brett SpencerHead of Digital BBC Radio 2, 6 Music & Asian Networkbrett.spencer@bbc.co.uk@brettsr

Claire WardleDirector of Development & Integration

Storyfulclaire.wardle@storyful.com

@cward1e