A Little Salt and Pepper

My daughter and I cook all the time. We have similar tastes and when we cook, we could for the whole family and it, normally, is enjoyed by everyone at the table. Sometimes we even try modifying the recipes and see if anyone notices or has a comment.

Of course, we get excited when what we try is well received. Recently, my son, the finicky eater told me he though the meal was awesome! (Something I rarely hear, unless it's Pizza)

Then there are times, when we get a bit carried away in experimentation of what we are making. We add a little bit of this, a little bit of that and before you know it, my daughter and I are pleased with ourselves and we are ready to serve dinner to the other 2 members of the family...who aren't as experimental with their palates.

The results, as you would guess, are what you would expect: Thumbs down; too much pepper, too much spice, needs to be thicker. It isn't a criticism, it is a reflection of their world. They knew what we were having for dinner:: Chili, Chicken and Dumplings, Burritos, etc.

When you tell anyone what you are serving for dinner, there is an expectation that comes with that information. You KNOW what Chili tastes best to you. If you come from Texas, it's Wolf Brand Chili. If you come from Ohio, you may expect the broth to be a bit more creamy. If you come from Arizona, you know what you expect from a Burrito.

While my daughter may be a bit disappointed at the news that what she made wasn't everyone's favorite, there is something to be said for trying something new. But when add too may spices, or cut back too much from what the original recipe calls for, you can turn people off from eating that meal again real fast.

The same can be said for radio stations. There is nothing wrong with taking a calculated risk...occasionally. However, if you go too far, you could alienate the once loyal and unwavering audience you had.

Yes, I have done this myself, with exceptional results, when the changes were made to enhance the "flavors" that the audience craved most.

BUT...I have also seen (and have been part of ) disastrous results from an experimentation gone wrong.

Here is the good and the bad, when you have a station that people know and love.

The Good: When you make something that people like, the idea is to not experiment, but to make calculated risks that lean in the favor of what the audience craves most...IF you make any at all.

• One AC station plays Classic Hits from the 80's more often on one AC station, while another lends itself to more of a modern 2000's-now presentation

• One CHR is more down the middle and has a nice balance of Pop, Alternative, Rhythmic

• One Country Station is right down the middle Mainstream Country, another one inter-twines 90's material

• One Rock station leans more Classic Rock Gold, while another leans toward Alternative.

None of those examples are wrong. As a matter of fact, there are examples of success stories in all of those scenarios. It all depends on how well you read your audience and the market.

The Bad: Just as I stated there are examples of success stories where station made those calculated risks and had success, there are just as many who have made those same adjustments, but have seen horrific results. Those stations didn't read the market or their audience very well.

If you make an adjustment and it doesn't resonate, there is usually time to recover. You can always go back to what you were doing before (your middle position).

Where you can't recover, is when you are known for being the inconsistent station. Just as everyone starts to like you, you change.

Example:

I was hired in Phoenix to "Right the Ship" of KDKB in Phoenix a few years before it went Alternative. This station is a great lesson in being consistently inconsistent for over a long period of time (more than 10 years). To paraphrase Gilligan's Island "The Minnow was lost" before I (and later, Neanderpaul) even walked in the door. It was a valiant, but futile effort to fix what was broken.

You don't want to make change for the sake of making change. Just as in food, there are expectations.

Love 'em or hate 'em, McDonald's delivers on their expectation. You know what you are getting every time you go.

In radio, it isn't much different. When you go to a Classic Rock station, you expect, Classic Rock. When you go to a Country station, you expect Country. Same can be said for every other format: Sports, AC, Classic Hits, etc.

If you deviate too far from the audience expectations, chances are greatly stacked against you and you will lose.

#food #consistency