Journal Entry #5

5 Radio Stations:

My 99.5- This radio station is different than others that I listen to in that it has less commercial breaks, and it tells you the name of the song and who sings it after each song. This shows that this radio station understand its listeners. The target audience of this station is young people, 15-25. A lot of these listeners go to the radio for new music. When they hear a song they like, they want to know its name so they can download it.

This station is also very eclectic in its music selection, appealing to the tastes of all of its users.

Naturally, the advertising for this station is geared toward those who tune in. The ads are mainly for products that 15-25 year olds would buy. The Advertisers know that they can reach this segment of the audience through My 99.5.

101.5 The Eagle- This is one of my favorite radio stations. It is country, and it knows its place in the radio business. This station has a lot of competition in Utah with so many radio stations trying to be the leading country music station. The Eagle has managed to set itself apart by appealing to the more “pop-y” country music. K-Bull 93, plays some of this type of music but it still focuses a lot on the older “twangy” country.

The target audience for this station is the younger lover of country music that likes other types of music as well. If this station were too country, many of these people would not listen, but because it is in between, it attracts this audience.

The advertising on this station is interesting, it’s all about trucks, gyms, restaurants, and outdoor related products and activities.

1010- This is BBC radio in Utah. It is hosted by NPR, and is strictly informative. This station is successful, because it understands its audience so well. People who listen to this station are usually well informed, and are looking for news or to be intellectually stimulated.

The typical listener of BBC radio is older and more educated than most, they are also multi-taskers. They want news while the are driving to work, they don’t have time to pick up a paper or watch news on tv.

It’s public radio so advertising is minimal

96.3 A.K.A. “X96”- This is a classic radio station in Utah.  You can find it on the presets of everyone under 30 here.  This station has found its niche here, appealing to the edgier, younger Utahans.  X96 may be most famous for its morning talk show, “The Radio From Hell Show”. 

            The typical listener of this station is anyone who has a little rebelliousness in them, they like alternative music, and see themselves as different than the average Utahan.

            Advertising for this station appeals to the younger, more extreme crowd.  Ads about extreme sports, Mountain Dew, and local hot spots are among those frequently heard on this station. 

 

Radio Disney (AM 910)- This is a very successful station, because it keeps kids quiet.  Any mom would sacrifice having to listen to Hannah Montana and the Jonas Brothers for peace and quiet while they are driving.  Radio Disney plays the songs that the kids hear about on the Disney Channel, so it’s a kind of extension of the Disney Channel. 

            Obviously the target audience is pre-teens, and “tweeners”, and also anyone who drives in the car with this age group. 

 Advertising is a carbon copy of what appears on the Disney channel.  Geared towards kids and mothers of kids.  Advertisements about food, toys, and clothes are prevalent throughout the day.

The Most Personal Medium:

Radio is the most personal form of media because it is so specific to our tastes.  We can access a radio station  anytime that plays the type of music we want to hear, that has a talk show about issues we are interested in, or gives us news that we need to know. 

 

Why is music so important?

Even with all of the technological innovation in the music industry, the radio is still widely successful.  This is because the radio is a place where we go to find new music, a place where we are able to be surprised with variety and randomness.  People love that, they love the thrill that comes when the radio plays a song that they love.  Sometimes I am listening to the radio, and a song comes on that I have on a CD that is already in the player, but I still get excited, and listen to it. 

 

Why is talk radio so popular?

Talk radio is popular because it gives people something to think about while they are commuting to and from work.  It allows people to hear people like them express their opinions.  I also think conservative talk radio is so popular because television has turned so liberal, conservatives have turned to the radio to hear views that coincide with theirs.