KZN breakfast show joins blogosphere

“East Coast Radio is known for its fun innovation and this highly interactive new feature is no different. By embracing new media formats, East Coast radio is achieving positive results and fostering social interaction in KwaZulu-Natal in a novel way,” comments Trish Taylor, MD, East Coast Radio.

http://blog.ecr.co.za/breakfast/ was started as a means of extending the breakfast show into a new social domain. “The Big Breakfast Blog presented an excellent opportunity to create a dynamic synergy between audio and visual, linking the radio show with the blog in a unique manner,” says Daryl Ilbury, presenter of the Bokomo BIG Breakfast show.

In essence, the blog recreates what is done on air, but is available 24 hours a day.

According to the radio station, the interactive new initiative has been well-received and should prove to be highly successful, having already received over 55 000 blog visitors in its first three weeks (it launched in February 2007).

Returning visitors

More importantly, it has created a strong base of returning visitors. “It clearly resonates with our audience because they can identify with the content, tone and philosophy of the show in the blog,” adds Ilbury.

The blog is promoted on-air using teasers to get listeners interested and wanting more and is especially effective in the last 45 minutes before 8pm when people are getting to the office and logging on, as seen in the spike in blog traffic at this time, reports the station.

The daily Comic Caption feature is proving to be very popular. “I post a weird picture and ask people to suggest a caption, with the best one being reposted the next day,” explains Ilbury. “The blog also receives quality feedback on current issues, illustrating its wide appeal in terms of content.”

The general East Coast Radio website has also benefited from the blog, increasing the overall number of unique visitors to the website per month.