Clock Structure

Long music sweeps sound like a great idea, and there’s evidence that the tactic works to manipulate ratings, at least based on detailed studies of meter carriers. The theory is to clear the off-ramps...

"Okay, let's build perfect music clocks" is enough to drive any programming pro mad. It's one of the most frustrating and difficult programming tasks imaginable. Most end up compromising the sound of the station,...

Most programmers follow traditional programming thinking when setting up format clocks. They play The Ratings Game by stacking commercials in most advantageous positions (the Bow-Tie theory) and clear out certain quarter-hours when the most...

Listeners constantly form opinions and make decisions on whether or not it’s worthwhile to stay tuned. They often switch stations after stopping for just a few seconds. This creates a unique challenge for radio...

Many radio stations build a strategy around being "the most music", but that claim doesn't hold up when listeners compare stations against other forms of entertainment. Even commercial-free tactics don't hold up against streamers...

Finding the right combination of music and talk is a non-scientific task. Break length and music count are issues nearly every programmer wrestles with. How long talk breaks should be is among the most...

R

Many radio stations strive for success by manipulating stop sets to allow for longer commercial-free sweeps in the market's most listened-to quarter hours. Does it work? Well, there are pros and cons. But this...

The battle over who plays the most music rages on, though today's competition from streamers makes many radio station tactics irrelevant. Still, in a direct format, head-to-head competition, how would you like to find...

Every programmer knows what the strongest songs are. Or at least they should. Turn-it-up songs guarantee a win in a button-punch comparison battle between two stations. But not every song is a mega-hit. Good...