Around The Dial...

69° - cloudy - at 1pm - more rain coming
left: an original "Mac" - way before Steve Jobs.

Good afternoon.

Uhh...who has a "dial" these days?

Getting local. I've hinted before that classic rock has an excellent opportunity to bond itself to the local musician community. There's lots of poor musicians out there looking for attention - many likely listen to your radio station - along with their fans.

One suggestion was to use unsold time - on a station's webstream - here - to highlight and promote local bands - especially, but not limited to those area favorite cover bands that play the same songs your radio station does. Its about building/extending a community.

Here's a station doing something similar: Clear Channel's Fox Rock Network - based in Ashland, OH (a three signal simulcast) has a local rock report on the air - and on their website. Too cool. And its sold!

Added: And in a very bold move, the station also plays local bands on the air during the weekends too - with excellent response according to Program Director Jeff Schendel.

See the webpage here. Scroll down on that page; the love they give - through promoting local music and musicians can only pay off in the future. PR money can't buy.

Do it for the troops. WRCK/Utica has a real neat promotion going on: "Tunes For Troops".

Listeners are encouraged to drop off new or used CDs - or iTune gift cards at select locations with the music to be distributed to the "men and women of the Armed Forces". Very excellent!

This sounds like something the listeners of almost any radio station could get behind. And it would appear there may be some NTR dollars in it too! More on their homepage.

Added: "O&A ain't making it". At least not in Chicago. If not Chicago - where outside of NYC? Certainly not nearby me in Grand Rapids. Dave Martin offers his take on the first phase numbers from Chicago - click here and scroll down.

And - from the "new to me" file: Lou Reed's take on "This Magic Moment". The classic Drifters tune - later done by Jay & The Americans. Wonderful. Heard over the close of TNT's new Saving Grace last night.

Listen here.