Moneyball: Ca$h is King, but Fun is Infectious

• Last week we wrote about lower-cost options for contesting. Keeping in tune with Nielsen’s practices would draw stations in diary markets to fulfill contest prizes online — or, even better, in-app. As noted, some listeners may resist coming to a station location for a lower-value prize – but the instant gratification available with online fulfillment can elevate the perceived value of a prize.

We’ll stop short of saying “make radio fun again,” but we know it’s tougher and tougher to find the time to put great creative spin on everything that comes across your desk (to say nothing of finding the personnel to make it happen). Particularly in diary markets, radio lives and dies on being memorable and nothing enhances memorability as much as making listeners feel good. Their feelings can be connected to a laugh or a smile or just a connection with something they love. As it pertains to contesting, it’s about optimizing their entertainment value. As one client put it, “Cash is king, but fun is infectious.”

Here’s an ICYMI item: Carolyn [Gilbert] and I, along with Justin Chase from Beasley, and Clay Hunnicutt, chair of the CRS research committee, hosted the first CRS360 session of 2025. CRS Executive Director, RJ Curtis has moved these online sessions to on-demand. The session in which we dive into the 400-title Country music test conducted for CRS this year (along with access to the ranker) are available on the CRS360 page on their website. It’s a wonderful gift to Country radio from CRS.

While on the topic, if you weren’t in Nashville for CRS you can watch the deeper presentation that Carolyn and I presented to a packed room, also on the CRS 2025 Session Videos page (just scroll down past Eric Church & Jelly Roll). In that presentation we talked about the value of Country personalities in building and maintaining audiences. And we’re at work on an even deeper dive into the topic to be presented on another CRS360 session later this month.

Finally, it’s always great listening to client stations, putting us in closer touch with the brilliant work they do and the challenges they face. Streaming is (almost) always a blessing — though it does put us in the same position as those listeners who are unable to replace a conventional radio at some place in their lives and are trying to “tune in” via the stream.

We understand trying to balance the costs involved, but it’s disappointing any time we’re forced to listen to a commercial before the stream begins. We’re motivated to spend time with the station, so we endure the spot. But, what about a listener? They just wanted to hear the rest of a song they were listening to in the car or to see if they could catch the contest or interview mentioned earlier.

The future is now! The Spring Book is underway. Whether it’s a last-minute music test or a tightly targeted digital marketing campaign, NuVoodoo would love to help your stations stay ahead of the competition. An email to tellmemore@nuvoodoo.com will get quick attention from the right member of our team.

Additionally, NuVoodoo marketing guru Mike O’Connor is publishing important marketing insights from our latest general study, NuVoodoo Media and Marketing Study 25, twice every week at nuvoodoo.com/articles. — Leigh Jacobs