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Radio Airplay 101:
Specialty / Mixshow Radio
by Bryan Farrish - January 2001
Back to Radio Promotion 101
Our last issue looked at the starting point of radio...college radio,
and it's associated charting magazine...CMJ. We now look at the next step up the radio ladder... specialty and
mixshow airplay on commercial stations.
A specialty show or a mixshow is a one or two hour show on a commercial station, usually late at night, and many
times on the weekends, and it plays music which the station normally does not play. A disadvantage of these shows
is that you get only one or two spins per week on any particular station (which is even less than some college
stations give you.) The advantage of these shows, however, are:
(1) The number of listeners to these commercial stations is much higher than with college stations, since commercial
stations have promotional budgets which they use to attract listeners (billboards, vans, bus benches, TV ads, etc.)
(2) Commercial stations have a steady listenership level year round (compared to college,) although listenership
does peak somewhat in the spring and summer because of increased outdoor activities. Interestingly, with many more
people tuning into radio via the web, commercial radio may just get increased listening during other parts of the
year too.
(3) A song's prominence on commercial stations is higher, due to most commercial stations' higher visibility.
(4) One more often-overlooked asset of specialty/mixshows on commercial radio is the fact that the folks who host
these shows, many times, also sit in on the music meetings with the station's music director and program director.
So if your long term goal is to be in regular rotation on these stations, the specialty/mixshow route is a great
preliminary step. Ask your promoter about this.
Speaking of long term goals on commercial radio, if you envision any type of radio advertising/promotion for your
band, then starting out with the specialty/mixshow circuit (on these same stations) might be a good idea.
The specialty and mixshow circuit is about as far as you can expect to get without getting into some heavy commercial
promotions. With college radio, heavy promotion is not required, but since specialty and mixshow shows are on commercial
stations, you should start looking into this area.
Specialty/mixshows are generally alternative, rock, techno, dance, urban, jazz or blues, and there are charts for
each of these (your promoter should direct you to the proper chart.) Relative to college radio, specialty/mixshows
are fewer in number (usualy less than 100,) but are more difficult to obtain. Relative to regular rotation on commercial
stations, specialty/mixshows are far less costly to work.
Regarding your CD type, specialty/mixshows require fully-manufactured CDs (with lithographed graphics)...not the
computer-printed CDRs. Fortunately, however, CDRs can still be used for college radio.
How do you choose between promoting to specialty/mixshows and college radio? Well first of all, larger labels would
do both, and possibly commercial regular rotation on top of this. But most of you will need to choose between specialty
and college. Here's how (genre permitting)...
Have limited CDs? Go with specialty...the most you'll need will be 100.
Have only CDRs? Go with college...they'll take almost anything.
Hate commercialism? Go with college.
Wanna sign with a label? Go with college...you'll generate more "paper" chart results to put in your
press kit.
Wanna build your label, sell records in stores, and add other artists long-term? Go specialty...it will prepare
you for commercial regular rotation...which is what sells the most records.
Wanna do some regional appearances? Do college, because there are many more stations to pick from in any particular
region. But if you are going to eventually try commercial regular rotation, then go ahead and choose specialty
now.
These are, of course, just rough guidelines, but the most important aspect to any radio campaign is whatever you
choose, stick with it and see it through to the end. Stopping a 10 week campaign at 5 weeks (or a 6 week campaign
at 3 weeks) will guarantee that you will get almost zero results.
Next issue:
What is required of the CD and songs themselves..
Bryan Farrish
is an independent radio airplay promoter. He can be reached at 818-905-8038 or airplay@radio-media.com |
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