Commercial Free Radio from Clear Channel

[genlock]

NYT article:

Facing increasing competition from satellite radio and iPods, Clear Channel Communications is trying something radically different at a commercial radio station in Texas: getting rid of the commercials.

As of today, KZPS in Dallas — on the dial at 92.5 FM or online at lonestar925.com — will no longer run traditional 30- or 60-second advertisements. Instead, advertisers sponsor an hour of programming, during which a D.J. will promote its product conversationally in what the company calls integration.

For example, the D.J. will identify Southwest Airlines, one of the station’s first advertisers, as the sponsor at the beginning of the program. In a prototype provided by the station, the D.J. later discusses the South by Southwest music festival, a popular annual event held in Austin, and concludes, “You know, the best way to get down to Austin for South by Southwest is Southwest Airlines. They have tons of flights. It’s the way I travel.â€

[Bob Loblaw]

The upside: I've been waiting for this day to happen. Always believed that commercials were an outdated way of thinking and that product integration was the natural next step.

The downside: I'm out of a job.

[Zak Tyler]

The downside: I'm out of a job.

brush up on your on air skillz.... i know bitches trying to put a morning show together

[SPIKE NESMITH!]

[quote="genlock"] the D.J. later discusses the South by Southwest music festival, a popular annual event held in Austin, and concludes, “You know, the best way to get down to Austin for South by Southwest is Southwest Airlines. They have tons of flights. It’s the way I travel.â€

[Zak Tyler]

I'll endorse ANYTHING!

i hear femstat and summer's eve are looking for endorsers. oh, and the manufacturers of over the counter IBS meds too...

[SPIKE NESMITH!]

I'll do it!

"i know when I'm having a particularly heavy day, regular towels just won't do. That's why I trust Summer's Eve. Because I know, whether it's a drop or a gush, I can't stop what I'm doing to change my pants."

[Dave Allen]

That having been said, what products could you HONESTLY endorse? I mean if you were to be honest (there's a concept) and truly stand behind or use the products and services what would they be? My list..

Budweiser Select
Fat Jack's BBQ (Which I DO endorse. Next time you're in Logan go to Fat Jack's and try the Dave Allen Special)
Any Coffee
Diet Coke
Hustler Magazine
Toyota Cars and Trucks
Sketchers
Kroger Brand Peanut Butter (The BEST, period)
Hooters (The place, not the objects..I know nothing about those)

[The-Hammer]

That having been said, what products could you HONESTLY endorse? I mean if you were to be honest (there's a concept) and truly stand behind or use the products and services what would they be?

Lipton "Extra Sweet" Iced Tea.

[lastone]

Everything old is new again...I guess. This is 30's, early 40's radio. Which evolved into programs which would be called infomercials today. As for personal endorsements....watch out! For example, if that jock has never actually flown the airline, he could be on the hook for misrepresentation of a product or service. In the 60's/70's many a jock was fired for ""freebees" and most were the morning men/head salesman.

[Zak Tyler]

i'm doing one for purina one dog food right now... yes, it does really taste like shit. ok, you got me, no i've never tasted it.

so far this has been my weirdest endorsement i've done. until this one, it was cremesavers.

i'm sure there's some great endorsement stories....

passing the talking stick

[Arp2]

[quote]For example, the D.J. will identify Southwest Airlines, one of the station’s first advertisers, as the sponsor at the beginning of the program. In a prototype provided by the station, the D.J. later discusses the South by Southwest music festival, a popular annual event held in Austin, and concludes, “You know, the best way to get down to Austin for South by Southwest is Southwest Airlines. They have tons of flights. It’s the way I travel.â€

[Arp2]

i'm sure there's some great endorsement stories....

passing the talking stick

How 'bout sorta the reverse...? One client used to force implied endorsements on us.

A big client that sold things all of us needed....many of us wound up going there for those and were given winking "hey, you're our pals!" discounts and service...later, on-mic during a live remote, manager said, "...as you, Fred, Barney, and Wilma from the station all know, having all been very satisfied customers here yourselves,...."

Hey!

Okay....didn't like that, but, hey, big client, live remote, didn't know it was coming.....okay, fine......

Next time................did it again.

Okay, gotta talk to the AE.......

AE: "Well, you all do buy there...I don't think it's a big deal. I wouldn't want to ruffle any feathers...might get dropped or bought around...."

(Pause to the point of uncomfortable silence....) Ok.......but, next time it happens, if I'm there, I'm sayin' something.

It happened again. The very next time. Okay, these definitely aren't accidents.

End live break joking around about stuff....immediately after break's end, continue chuckling about stuff and throw in, "...should I just send the special invoice to so-and-so with the regular one?"

"Huh? Whassat?"

"Well, you know...mentioning our names....we get paid for that. Yeah, like $50 each person for every mention. It's an 'endorsement fee'...that was like a couple hundred right there...it's something the company just sends invoices for on our behalf whenever they hear it. Yeah, we have these things called "loggers"...they record everything that goes out on the station. People in the office play 'em back on Mondays to check to see if all your commercials ran, for example, or to verify co-op or to see that our weekend air talents didn't sneak in any spots or live mentions of anybody...you know, plugola/payola prevention and stuff for corporate and the corporate attorneys, too. Anyway, when they hear it, they think there must have been some deal that the AE didn't tell 'em about or something and just invoice at each talent's rate. Usually gets the AE in trouble and stuff, too. Hey, if somebody catches it this time and brings it up next week or something, I'll just say we get along really well and were just goofing and joking around...see if I can get 'em to let it slide. They might not catch it, though....eh, no, probably will, actually....they're good. But I'll see to it nothing gets sent this time. (AE) can set it up if you want to do it all the time, though...each talent would have to agree, too, but it's rare anybody turns down endorsements 'cause the money adds up really fast! So-and-so took his whole family to Disney World and Epcot and that animal park for a week last year from one deal!"

That solved it.