And with that, new boss Jimmy de Castro announced to the Chicago Sun Times that WGN is going to be satisfied with serving its natural target audience – no matter what anybody inside or outside the station says about it.
Here’s the actual quote – which is actually more provocative than this post’s headline:
“I don’t want a younger audience for ‘GN. I want 35-65 or 70 year-old people.”
In modern day radio, has anyone in power ever said anything like this? It’s one thing to edge a bit over “the cliff” and perhaps even talk about the value of a 35-64 year-old target. It’s another to utter anything about a septuagenarian – someone who is actually the “Big 7-0.”
But de Castro knows, that’s the true sweet spot of WGN – no matter what he and his team do to it. It’s an old-line, traditional AM radio station in Chicago – that’s what you’re going to get.
So you can imagine what the response might be if a salesperson or sales manager reminded him, “But Jimmy – almost all the avails are for 25-54 year-old demos. We can’t compete.”
I’m thinking de Castro responds with the reality that there are scores of radio stations targeting younger listeners in Chicagoland. And point to the door.
There are probably as many opinions about Jimmy as there are broadcasters willing to offer them up. But the one thing you can say is that he has always been an unabashed champion of radio, and the brands he has owned or managed. In his mind, there’s no place for PDs, talent, and salespeople who are not guzzling the station’s Kool-Aid.
In today’s radio environment, there are too many people inside the business throwing rocks at each other. Formats are losing value, stations cannibalize each other to get the buy, and bad FM stations are packaged in like remotes as “value added.” To believe in your brand is the foundation for success. And when it’s lacking conviction from those who work there, it’s time to get out the forks.
We have talked about how radio has this nasty habit of adapting its formats to suit the needs of advertisers – rather than aggressively seeking out new business, categories, new opportunities, and new dollars – whether they play Jethro Tull, Andy Williams, the Beach Boys, or they talk about the Ukrainian standoff.
Blindly playing the conventional wisdom game is part of what has gotten radio in trouble with its adherence to the so-called “PPM Rules.” It’s why 90% of stations in radio’s biggest markets play their commercials at the same time.
And it is part of the mindset that dictates that DJ talk and new music are risky.
Bad DJ talk and crappy new songs are risky.
Yet, radio continues to play it safe in a culture where conventional wisdom always suggests safety and conformity.
Whether you have an opinion or care about AM radio, WGN, Tribune, or Jimmy de Castro is neither here nor there.
What matters is whether he is able to whip up enthusiasm and excitement for a venerable radio brand that serves an audience that just about everyone else in Chicago radio doesn’t want.
It’s a great litmus test for the value of radio.
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In 2008, jacapps was launched - a mobile apps company that has designed and built more than 1,300 apps for both the Apple and Android platforms. In 2013, the DASH Conference was created - a mashup of radio and automotive, designed to foster better understanding of the "connected car" and its impact.
Along with providing the creative and intellectual direction for the company, Fred consults many of Jacobs Media's commercial and public radio clients, in addition to media brands looking to thrive in the rapidly changing tech environment.
Fred was inducted into the Radio Hall of Fame in 2018.
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For sure, Jimmy’s statement was the shot heard round the world or at least around this market. The reality is no one in the ad community thinks WGN is a 25-54 player anymore. Better to sell your strengths which, in this case include a demo with boatloads of spending power, a signal to die for, some great local Chicago air talent, a storied news organization and the potential to generate revenue in ways a music station can’t. He realizes what WGN’s strengths are and is focused on using them, not apologizing for them.
And as a Twitter comment earlier suggested, what choice does he have? But rather than run away from his demos, why not play to their strength? There are 55+ dollars to be had that are ending up on TV or print. Why not bring that revenue into radio. Thanks for the perspective, Jack.
I don’t have an opinion on the specifics – but I can’t help but find this level of honesty attractive.
Doesn’t it just cut through all the BS?
Immediately – everyone knows what that organization is about. The message isn’t some empty platitude – like “leaving the door open for younger blah blah blah” It’s unabashed.
And that’s refreshing for it’s outright rarity.
The last time I experienced that level of directness was when Lew Dickey referred to his company as the “nation’s premier consolidator”.
I didn’t have to like the message to appreciate and respect it’s clarity and honesty. I knew exactly what the organization stood for and because it was brutally honest I respected it.
Honestly like this saves everyone from wasted time and effort.
So kudos on the honesty.
Whether it will work or not, who knows.
But thankfully due to that honesty – I can decide not to make it my problem. 🙂
And it is NOT your problem, Jeff. I also admire the realization not to make the station try to artificially occupy a space it no longer can. And trying to convince staffers that the station is something it’s not – or worse, to try and hire to a demo rather than go with its strengths – is disingenuous and not workable anyway. Again, Jimmy may not have a choice, but to embrace the strengths of this brand is the only/best path to take. Thanks for commenting.
After way too many years as an AE, GSM, GM and now consulting radio stations, every sales staff seems to envy what their competitor has, while de-valuing what they have. If they’re at a male station, they want women. If their audience is young, they want old. Why? Because they wind up believing the pushback they get from media buyers without understanding that the media buyer’s job is to tell them they suck. So they buy in. And when they do, they need to find a new place to work.
In the case of the 50+ audience, there is so much data that show the continuing value of baby boomers. It remains the largest, wealthiest generation in history. They buy the most cars (including for their kids). They have disposable income. And they intend to work much longer than past generations.
Selling outside of the 25-54 demo is tough – just ask sellers at Alternative radio stations what it was like in the 90s. But the bottom line is that any radio station sales staff that focuses on the value of their audience instead of ratings or stereotype will be successful.
And for the sellers who whine, I’m sure there are other radio stations waiting to hire them.
As a guy who has made more sales calls and presentations on behalf of many different radio formats, you’ve seen and heard it all – the excuses, the wishful thinking, the conventional wisdom, and the fear of boldly supporting your station in all kinds of financial climates and conditions. That’s why the Jimmy’s quotes resonated with me. To be successful in this business, you have to believe in what you’re doing and convince others of your vision. And growth only comes from forging new paths toward new dollars, categories, and opportunities. Thanks for chiming in.
Some of us thought this 30 years ago but we’re too wimpy to say it. Here’s to Jimmy, Fred, and anyone else intelligent enough to support who they are not who they wish they were.
We’ve been wrestling with this 25-54 beast for a long time, Steve. And in the process, we’ve allowed it to limit radio’s reach and value. As “beautiful music,” MOR, and Oldies stations went away, broadcasters only created opportunity for satellite radio, pure-plays, and iPods. Thanks for reading our blog, and great to hear from you.
I also applaud Jimmy’s honesty and his “dance with who brung ya” strategy…we love to support the underdog and I’m sure there are anedotal 55+ success stories. But I also think that approach his its limits.
It couldn’t be more true that every salesperson wants what the other station has that they don’t – but that truth notwithstanding, the sellers for the stations that have the most 25-54 numbers almost always bill the most. Selling 55+ is a tough job – especially in a place like Chicago where most big advertisers are shrouded by a big ad agency staffed with young media buyers with no sense of or interest in WGN’s history or bonafides or their parents spending habits.
Sorry to be a killjoy, but 35-70 only works if a decent percentage of it is 35-54. A weather blogger I follow likes to dismiss computer model runs that suggest historic outcomes by saying “…how do I know that won’t happen? Because it never has!”
How do I know that attracting large sumes of ad dollars to WGN by selling the attributes of the 55+ demo and moving those dollars from TV and print won’t happen? Because it never has.
Jimmy has done some great things in radio and radio would be much better off IMO if he was at the helm of some company that started with a C. I wish him the best with WGN and would love to be wrong.
So what…GIVE EM HELL JIMMY!!
Hopefully, time has passed, the aging Boomers are big in numbers, and there are new business opportunities available for stations that have the vision to go after them. As someone pointed out earlier today, WGN has been out of the 25-54 sweepstakes for some time now. As Frank Zappa once said, “Necessity is the mother on invention.” (OK, maybe HE didn’t say that.) But you have to be true to what you are, champion your format, and go for it. Thanks for the comment, Bob.
You have no idea how much fun it is to work for Deacon. Innovative, out of the box, forward thinker, always encouraging and HAPPY every single day. Get ready for more b/c this is just the beginning with him.
Pete, thanks for the kind words – I know Jimmy will appreciate that.