VARIETY… IS IT ALWAYS THE SPICE OF LIFE? - Part 1 Greg Diamond A common question is, “How big should a music universe be to provide the listener with the variety they tell us they want?”
The answer to that question often raises eyebrows and to fully examine it requires a deeper discussion than simply library size.
Variety as a word can be very misleading. Ask any radio listener whether they value variety as a station benefit and the answer will almost always be a resounding “yes”. That should come as no surprise given the positive connotations attached to the word itself. Besides, common sense should dictate that over the past 30 or 40 years there have been thousands of songs that could be considered truly outstanding. However, there’s absolutely nothing common about common sense.
Adding variety to a radio station playlist by increasing the number of titles illustrates how the endeavour is actually self-defeating. It’s here that we come to the conclusion that “variety” is not what the average listener craves after all. They are much more interested in “the hits” and above all else, “familiarity.”
Countless auditorium tests have clearly shown there are far fewer “great” songs than one might suspect. It’s the ability to play these hit records on a consistent basis that is fundamental to a station’s success. A larger library invariably means a greater duration between these most effective songs with the result being a lowering of the station’s overall music quality. This is why airing more selections doesn’t result in the intended goal – greater TSL. In fact, the outcome is completely opposite. By playing more music of lesser appeal, the listener is presented with a greater number of reasons to punch to another station… hardly a prescription for lengthening listening time.
Combining a perception of variety with the familiarity that is essential to a successful station then becomes a much more difficult task…..but not an impossible one. In ensuing articles we will examine ways to achieve this while addressing other common arguments against smaller universes, such as listener complaints about repetition and the apparent success of the “Jack” phenomenon. |