Capture Returning Cume

Now that the cume is slowly returning to morning drive, don’t let them leave! We’ve experienced constant change during Covid, and listeners are unlikely to make another change and switch stations. Your best success now is to focus on core/P1 listeners and expanding time-spent-listening (TSL).

TSL is generated by creating sticky content and teasing the hell out of it!

Sticky, A-level Content

• Humor is what listeners want most in morning
• Stories (personal and external) attract and maintain audience attention
• Drama and conflict are at the heart of all entertainment
• Relationship content includes couples, parenting, family, friends, coworkers, and neighbors contains all of the above key elements.

Memorable B-level Content

• Interactive games listeners can play along with
• Highly appealing features like good news stories
• Relevant listener interactive topics

Effective Teasing

• The human brain is wired to crave resolution. Set up a mystery or arouse curiosity with a question that will be revealed in the next segment. Give listeners 80% of the story in the tease without giving away the resolution.


• The end of content segments going into commercials is a high tune-out point. Execute a tease for the next content segment that will compel the audience to continue listening before traffic and spots.


• It’s awkward to tease when a segment ends with a punchline. In this situation, hit a brief “branding bumper” that highlights the station and show name. Then tease the next segment.


• When there’s a long period of time between the tease and next content segment, tease it twice or even three times to accommodate new cume.


• Tag the end of popular benchmarks with the run times (“Good Vibes” weekday mornings at 8 and 9:40).

Take Care of the Core

• Core/P1 listeners are engaged by captivating storylines from the cast of established shows. They are an effective tactic to induce return listening. For example, a popular cast member will reveal the sex of their baby the next morning “at this same time.”


• Highlight your fans. Bill and Deanna at Reno’s Alice 96.5 refer to their P1’s as BFF’s. 93.3 WMMR Philadelphia's Preston and Steve’s longtime listeners greet them with “gadzooks,” and they repeat it back to callers.


• “P1 Profile” promos are another effective way to highlight your core. For instance, “Hi, I’m P1 Angela in Bethesda. I work for Fed-X, I love running and Asian food."


• Stay connected with your core listeners with virtual interactions such as happy hours and fitness groups.


• Remote work will continue to be a vulnerability for morning cume even after the pandemic. It will vary by format, demographic and market. Heavily promote how to listen to your station and show on phones, computers, and smart speakers.