The 25-54 Adult Demo Continues to Leak Advertising Dollars 9-20-03!

There are many reasons why the adult 25-54 demo has been leaking advertising dollars. Fewer advertising dollars are caused by fewer 25-54 listeners overall. Why are the listeners leaving radio? Here are the reasons...

1) Too much emphasis on classic oldies. Radio has forgotten that this demographic wants to hear new music, not just old classics from their teenage years.

2) Radio concentrates on new music for mostly the 12-24 age demos. Older people are not interested in teen, hip hop and rap acts not aimed at them, so Top 40 radio of today isn't going to get them interested in today's idea of Top 40 CHR music.

3) Satellite radio in the cars. With the debut of XM and Sirius radio two years ago, this 25-54 demo with money can afford to spend $23 a month for 200 channels with two satellite radio services to enjoy new music where they can find new music aimed at them such as AAA, folk, country, jazz, classical, comedy, dance, adult R&B, and dozens more.

4) Internet radio. Thanks to broadband and DSL, it's easier to listen to Internet radio stations playing music broadcast radio is ignoring. Boomers and Gen Xers are bailing out of teen-driven currents on the broadcast outlets in favor of Satellite and Internet radio.

5) Lack of new music that's of the same genre as they enjoyed as teenagers or young aduts. Where's the new music in the genres of classic rock, disco, new wave, modern rock, 12 inch dance mixes of 80's songs, adult R&B, and fun hip hop on the radio dial, genres people now in their 30's and 40's would like to hear, but can't be found on the broadcast dial? Teenagers from the days of The Brady Bunch through Beverly Hills 90210 are being shut out in favor of teenagers of the days of Dawson's Creek.

6) Radio treats genres like period pieces. This isn't going to work anymore. Old school, classic rock, and even new age need constant infusions of new music from knowledgable music directors in order to keep the playlists fresh and interesting. All oldies formats won't bring in any new listeners.

7) Same old advertisers. Car ads every 15 minutes? How many people buy a car every year? Break the monopoly and get advertisers that have never used radio before as a medium to pitch their wares at a discount price to get them in, and to keep the listeners tuned in.

8) Lack of nighttime programming. Nothing on TV? 1000 channels and nothing on. Turn on the radio? Same old same old. Rent a DVD? Costs too much. Turn on Internet or Satellite radio for programming at night to entertain. Radio is losing out. 25-54 demos in the homes are a perfect audience to reach.

9) Lack of diverse music in the formats. Why play the same 2-3 subgenres in the music playlist? There's a lot of music to cull from. Don't restrict yourself, or you'll continue to lose listeners.

and 10) New formats are often same old music programming. Try a new format to bring in listeners featuring over 90 percent new music. What channels are very popular on satellite radio? Put them on a broadcast outlet. Stop reformatting stations into classics from the 60's-80's again and again as people have already heard them enough times in their lives. Put on fresh ideas that will get them curious enough to stay tuned.

Backwaves: The Readers Strike Back! 9-22-03

From Mark Pfeifer: Reason number 11 why the 25-54 adult demo continues to leak advertising dollars. Newspaper radio columnists who don't bother to show us what kinds of programming may interest us so we can tune in when it comes on. Do you remember Radio Guide? Your's on the web is well advanced, but you left out some stations (censorship) in the log. I guess some stations are better left unmentioned here.

From William Davis: Reason number eleven why 25 to 54 age bracket is leaving radio. Bad songs. Simple as that. You play songs that make you feel bad or ashamed you're tuning in, you lose listeners. Too many radio people just can't understand why they're losing listeners when some of them happen to be causing the listeners to leave in the first place by playing whatever flavor of the month is on MTV.