Fans are your customers, your marketers, your critics, and your boss all rolled into one.
What should fans do when they are abandoned by people they love? Usually they complain and never forget being abandoned. Great example are the Dodgers leaving Brooklyn for LA. There are Brooklyn fans that remember and tell the story and how losing the Dodgers impacted their lives today (the Dodgers played their last game in Brooklyn September 24, 1957). Not a sports fan? New Coke back in 1984 really upset Coke fans.
I believe you have to cater to your fans, treat them special. Change is necessary and sometimes inevitable. But fans should have an opportunity to learn of the change, maybe even help counter the need for a change. I believe people can accept change, but do not like being surprised by a change.
My wife, Liz and I have be fans and patrons of KGSR radio Austin, TX for 17 years. KGSR was a very unique radio station, it had the soul of Austin, Texas weaved into the play list. Listening to KGSR, you were educated and entertained by music. The radio personalities knew music – the industry, the artists, and music’s effect on the local society.
KGSR’s motto had been “where the music matters”. In December, 2009, KGSR (owned by Emmis Communications) made some changes that left fans (like us) wondering what happened. The format changed, the music line up included more oldie hits, at expense of lesser known songwriters and artists showcasing their talent. No explanation was provided.
I starting asking around why this happened. We (Liz and I) trusted KGSR and their involvement in Austin. If KGSR said to try out a new restaurant or check out a show, we would follow their recommendation and were rarely disappointed. We spent our money and time where KGSR suggested.
Here is what I found out (thanks to Jodi Bart for sharing an article from Austin Chronicle ). Next summer the radio ratings system will change to devices (PPMs or Portable People Meters) that measure every flip of the dial — instead of a diary system where people write down what stations they listen to throughout the day.
“On a station level, managers are wrestling with how to program for a PPM world. The meters tend to reward stations that play catchy, popular songs capable of grabbing the attention of a broad audience flipping through channels. In early PPM markets, the estimated audiences for oldies and generic all-hits music formats…”
In general, PPMs punish stations with more creative formats, as the meters diligently record every time a restless audience changes the channel. Early results show that long interviews or chatty talk hosts can drive away listeners.
So the goal is ratings and changing format will improve ratings. But in the process you risk your support base (fans). What is more valuable the thousands of long term listeners that support your sponsors or attracting transitional, short term listeners that will include your radio station as long as they like what they hear, but are poised to change the channel after every song?
So what could have Emmis Communications done better? Go Grassroots – Ask the fans for help with the declining listening base. Options: fans recruit more fans; fans frequent KGSR sponsors and tell them you support their business because of KGSR; fans put two KGSR bumper stickers on your car, instead of one.
Liz did contact Emmis Communications about her dissatisfaction (in an email). She got a reply, but sounds like Emmis expected to lose some fans. The question is how many fans can you afford to lose?
From: Chris Edge [mailto:CEdge@emmisaustin.com]
Sent: Wednesday, February 03, 2010 4:19 PM
Farewell my friend. We are sorry to have lost you. It was a difficult decision for us to make. Over the years fewer and fewer people were listening and we needed to make a change. Our hope was that we could keep great fans like you and find some new ones too. Many of them have stuck around, but you are not alone, others have said farewell. Sorry to have lost you, but I cannot thank you enough for the years of support you have given us. Maybe in a few months you can try us out again.
Thanks
Chris Edge
PD/KGSR
KGSR and Emmis Communications: if you are listening, New Coke did not last. Coke came back as Classic Coke. Your fans will take you back.