When content becomes the new billboard

Many radio stations have hired big personalities, expecting them to bring numbers. Anyone who understands the behind the scenes of radio production is adamant that a great personality is as good as the production team behind him or her.

Good content should always be determined by the accuracy, balance and authenticity of the story idea. This goes beyond repeating stories already dominating newspapers, thus radio is immediate so it should lead the agenda and national conversation, not the newspapers.

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Content becomes a new billboard when audience and listeners trust and rely on a certain presenter or show to deliver on what matters to them. This goes beyond the personality of the presenter. However, this does not mean personalities will not draw an audience, they will. But the success will be determined by how well they deliver the content.

Many times radio stations and TV programmes ignore beefing up the quality of production teams and focus on the presenter of the content. In many instances, these personalities damage their reputation when they do not deliver according to the required standard.

In addition, radio stations should also be requiring their on-air personalities to have presence on social media. Thus, radio has become more than what is delivered on air. Today content is not only delivered through the airwaves, social media has taken a new turn, which should be embraced. This goes beyond being present online, but is about that consistent interaction an hour before and after the show is done.

Online radio stations such as Unisa Radio, Cliff Central, Balls Radio, and Radio Junto have an unprecedented task of making sure that their content ticks. More needs to be done to attract audience to their online streams. For online streaming stations, attracting audiences depend on what they do within each and every 10 minutes when a potential listeners stream their shows.

Thus, the '15 minutes maintenance', which most FM stations have, is not the luxury which online radio stations have. People tune-in online for mostly 10 minutes max and stations will have to do their content best within 10 minutes, otherwise that potential listener will be lost forever.