Once again, Mike Stern’s TV viewing time contributes some solid morning show philosophizing for JacoBLOG readers. Mike’s not talking about Game of Thrones or Mad Men. Nope, it’s about zombies and DJs. Read on. – FJ
The creators of AMC’s popular zombie franchise The Walking Dead were once asked if the survivors of the apocalypse would ever find a cure. Their answer? Absolutely not.
They explained that the driving force behind the show’s popularity was not the science of the situation; it’s the characters and seeing how they react under the constant pressure of trying to survive in an impossibly terrible situation.
As a big fan of the show, this makes perfect sense since the only time I struggle is when the show calms down and the group actually finds some comfort and security. An example was their time on a farm that was somehow safe from zombies or inside a prison with fences protecting them from the outside world. Boring!
I thought about the concept of constant pressure while watching another geeky pleasure, the first episode of the new Game of Thrones season. The debut was in such high demand that it crashed the HBO Go service, and it did not disappoint.
Yes, there was the expected violence and nudity but that isn’t what makes the show great. The thing that really keeps viewers coming back is the fact that any character can die at any time. The heroes don’t always live and the bad guys don’t always end up in jail (or with their head on a spike). Even a wedding isn’t necessarily safe. And like The Walking Dead, that constant pressure and unpredictability is what makes Game of Thrones so compelling.
Radio could learn a lot from these shows. We have to keep up the pressure every day to bring listeners back to our stations – that is, cume urgency. But instead, all too often, we focus on issues that aren’t going to inspire loyalty or daily tune-in from our fans. The reality is that perfect music rotations and the same benchmarks executed the same way at the same time aren’t creating any pressure – nor are they creating new occasions. Neither are stale positioning statements, production that hasn’t been freshened since 2011, or jocks reading scripted liner cards or live spots.
Meanwhile, all around us the pressure is being turned up. We saw in the results of Techsurvey10 how customized music streams, niche podcasts, and online video are just a few of the things encroaching on your listeners’ available time.
The zombies are behind us, and there are a lot of them. It’s time for radio to turn up the pressure.
That means hosts who share unique viewpoints on timely, topical subjects or lead the listeners on a journey of music discovery, curating a great listening experience that goes beyond the normal “playlist” in creative, controlled ways. It means interesting features, compelling contests with unique prizes and entertaining methodologies, great teasing and unique, ear-capturing production.
It also means thinking beyond our terrestrial signals. Talking Dead airs after each episode and examines what just happened. The show also has special webisodes and other features designed to bring viewers deeper inside the show. We need the equivalent of this additional layer of entertainment to be truly compelling.
Much to the chagrin of Game of Thrones author George R.R. Martin, you can’t use his model and kill off an airstaff member any time you want to turn up the dramas and get ratings. So instead, we need to encourage our shows to turn up the pressure, ensuring they are interesting and compelling every day.
Otherwise, we’ll turn them all into zombies.
Jacobs Media has consistently walked the walk in the digital space, providing insights and guidance through its well-read national Techsurveys.
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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I absolutely agree with everything you said above. That being said, most of the folks with the knowledge of how to create this kind of compelling radio have moved on (either forcibly or amicably) to greener pastures. I could go on and on with example after example, but I don’t have to convince you. (excuse the theft of a political slogan) In your heart, you know it’s true. So, PD’s… keep updating that twitter feed and taking cues from the corporate mother ship. Talent, keep reading those liner cards and checking your facebook page. There are a few left, but very few… just a voice crying in the wilderness while the moneylenders in the marconi temple stick their fingers in their ears and shout “la la la la.” So mutherfarkingsad.
Of course I don’t think it’s as dire as you do, John, because there are stations, personalities, and shows that prep and perform with all this in mind. I think it’s a mindset issue more than a talent issue. And by the way, that was a great slogan that still couldn’t save a candidacy. Thanks for chiming in.