Media Personality Marc Clarke Says Focus on Listeners 45+ Because Young People Don't Give a Damn About Radio

Veteran media personality Marc Clarke believes radio needs to stop chasing younger audiences and instead focus on listeners aged 45 and older, who remain loyal to radio. He also argues that the industry is responsible for its own decline and demise, saying radio allowed consultants to make decisions that hurt the business and in particular Black / Urban Radio. Clarke's comments add to the ongoing conversation about how radio can rebuild its future.

Couldn't agree more with Clarke's comments. They come at a time, following iHeartMedia's massive talent reductions last week at the beginning of the new fiscal year. It's not just iHeart, media companies overall continue to expand their podcast portfolio, a strategy that reflects on an evolving business model that focuses on financial performance. Of course it looks good on paper to have multiple podcasts where ads can be strategically placed at the beginning, middle, and at the end of podcasts. A digital place where listeners can find their own particular niche or interest. Let's say media companies are allowing listeners to find the “personality” that appeals to them the most through a podcast. But isn't that what they traditionally want listeners to do through radio?  

It raises broader industry questions about the balance between investing in new digital initiatives and supporting traditional radio talent.

Sucking personality out of radio, but hoping listeners gravitate towards podcasts is not a winning formula. These are shows at the end of the day. Radio can't be made better with a tighter playlist and less personality. Is radio going to let their infrastructure (radio stations) just fall by the wayside? 

Allow the air staff to put on a “show.” Allow them to take calls outside of the obligatory winning concert tickets or money grabs contest. Allow them to interact with their audiences in real time throughout every daypart. It's the one thing that podcasts can't do. It's the one thing social media posts can't do other than through a texted comment. Radio broadcasting with the proliferation of voice tracking and 60 second breaks makes it all feel like no one is in building. At least locally. “More Music, Less Talk” was a failure. 

Check out Marc Clarke's YouTube video below where he spells it all out.

 
Dr. Jockenstein, a legendary East St. Louis disc jockey famous for "operating on your mind!" Here is the Instagram interview with Dr. Jockenstein and George Clinton. 

Here's the DaMizza post (the young man Clarke was referring to...) and his thoughts on new technology available to radio that can tract the effectiveness of advertising campaigns. He's building quite a community on Instagram. 

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A post shared by Damion “Damizza” Young (@damizza)

Check out >> Why Performance Marketers Are Taking Another Look at Radio

By Audacy Insights Team.

 

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