Walking into the Door

It's the old vaudeville routine come to life.

There's two guys on stage----the first guy, in front, pushes open a door which, of course, snaps back into its closed position after he's through. That leaves the second guy, the stooge right behind, to walk into it face first, and come away rubbing his nose. In essence, that's what happens dozens of times each week on your radio station, when a bad commercial plays in a stop set.

Let's be more literal. Say you own a shoe store and bought time. OK, a stop set opens with a national ad. That ad gets chased by a locally produced ad for Fred's Auto. In this spot, a 60, Fred and his wife sing off key for 25 seconds, then list everything they do for 25 seconds, then sing out for the remaining 10.

It's cringe worthy radio but yet--it airs. Why? Because no one at the station said it couldn't. The equation was----they bought the time, the check didn't bounce, ergo---they're a valued customer. THEY'RE the FIRST guy through the door.

Now, sitting behind them is---YOU. Your product. Your service. YOU did a good job of keeping your spot simple and it's also locally produced. And it's good. But guess what? Doesn't matter. Once Fred and his wife get done, the only people left listening will be a dozen or so shut-in's, the engineer, the board op and the program director (who HAS to listen). YOU'RE the stooge who comes away rubbing your nose.

Is that fair? Should a horrible commercial destroy other client's chances of being successful? This is a conundrum that has taxed radio minds for years.

Valid checks usually trump all. But salespeople CAN step in. This is not to say you're empowered to make decisions for your station. But you DO have experience, along with a responsibility to protect other clients from having to follow bad spots that could drive the audience away.

If you find yourself with a client who's creating a bad spot, alert your program director immediately. It's also a good idea to arrange a meeting featuring your production director. When you bring in an expert, someone who adds experience and creativity, you may steer the client from making an egregious mistake. We at BENMAR do this all the time, and there is a delicate art to telling someone their baby is ugly. But keep in mind, your other clients DESERVE someone standing up for THEM-- because they pay cash money too. They're NOT making egotistical mistakes--- they deserve to have you protect their interests. In truth, it's part of what they're paying for.

Your station's air sound should never be sacrificed for one check. The ripple effect could cost a lot more over time, long after Fred and his wife have disappeared. So if bad radio begins to gain a life with one of your clients, be the professional you are. Use the tools you have and the people who support you, to move your client to a better, and safer place---for everyone.