February 10, 2010

I had a rather interesting debate with a programmer friend a while back about providing information and service elements to your listeners. As a point of reference, he programs a music station.

He was arguing that information like traffic, weather and news headlines only serve as a promo for the big News station in town.

I argued that the News station is so established that when time calls for it, people know where to go get emergency weather information or details on a major traffic tie-up. But, if you provide brief service elements that give people what they want to know -- "sunny today, high of 50" or "traffic is slow from I-91 to I-92, but the outer belt is moving well" -- you reduce that need to tune-out on the "5's" or "8's" or whatever they do.

And, last I checked, aren't we in the business of giving people what they need and want?