“Stationality” — a station’s overall style, feel and attitude — is becoming an crucial issue for in radio. Just as people gravitate to other individuals whose personalities they find appealing, listeners gravitate to stations with Stationalities that satisfy their personal and emotional needs.

A classic example was the brilliant launch of WHTZ in New York 20+ years ago. CHR music made Z-100 successful, but Z-100’s “renegade” attitude made it a super-success.

A current example is the “Jack” stations. Their irreverent, challenge-the-rules attitude is a huge aspect of what success they’ve had.

Stationality is more important now than ever because subtle differences in music mix or presentation are not competitive advantages! When format competitors play basically the same researched music, and other sources (like satellite radio and iPods) delivers a lot of it with little (if any) personality, the right Stationality can give radio stations a crucial edge

This might not sound like a “research guy” talking. After all, we’re the ones who pinpoint subtle programming differences and research the music! But like those “nuts and bolts,” Stationality is researchable too…

IN FOCUS GROUPS: We literally ask panelists how they perceive a station as a person. For example, would WXXX be a man or a woman? How old would “Mr. WXXX” be? Is he married, single, divorced? Any children? What would he be dressed like? Where would he live? What kind of car would he drive? What of person is Mr. WXXX? How would he act at a party? What is Mr. WXXX’s relationship to you — Father? Brother? Neighbor? Acquaintance? Total Stranger? And so on.

IN SURVEY RESEARCH: We most often focus on “big picture” strategic issues — formats, music mixes, morning shows, etc. — leaving little or no room for Stationality. But sometimes we dig deeper — probing listeners’ “ideal station” style, feel and attitude versus their perceptions of client stations on key image dimensions.
Most recently, we’ve used online research to focus on stations’ core listeners….not only the Stationality they seek, but also their psychographics — self-image, lifestyle and motivations. The results of these PSi(tm) studies help clients bond with their P1’s on both programming and emotional levels.

All of this information begs the question: What can you do with it? When research reveals the Stationality you have and the Stationality you need to have, how do you get there? We’ve found a number of controllable factors can impact Stationality…

Production Elements. The substance and style of promos, sweepers and jingles all affect Stationality. Is a station big and bold? Easygoing? Whimsical? Zany? Production can be the difference between the Stationalities of competitors playing exactly the same music.

Personalities. Is a station’s talent upbeat? Funny? Dull? Their on-air style can affect their station’s Stationality, even define it.

Community Involvement. Station activities can reinforce the right Stationality (or the wrong one). That’s why it is important to be selective…involving in causes and events that fit the ideal style, feel and attitude of your station.

Advertising. It can communicate more than music positioning and dial position. Even the design of a billboard or logo can impact Station Personality. TV commercials can have the greatest impact. A truly funny TV campaign can make Stationality funnier, a provocative campaign can make Stationality hipper, a warm campaign can make Stationality friendlier, etc.

Do you know your Stationality? Do you know what it should be?

I’ve got to admit it: I’m not a country music fan…as a listener. But as a radio researcher and strategist, I do admire the Country format.

I was reminded of Country’s strength by a blurb in this morning’s Inside Radio email: “From the new edition of the 2006-2007 Radio Book - for Country, the most-programmed format at U.S. commercial radio, this is literally the first time Inside Radio shows a year-to-year gain since the early 1990s. Country grows from 2019 stations to 2035.”

Then there’s Arbitron’s Format Trends Report. From Fall 2000 to Fall 2005 across the U.S., Rock formats lost 10% of their average quarter-hour persons nationwide. A/C’s lost 9%. CHR’s lost 5%. Country is down just 2%.

And check out Albright & O’Malley’s Country 2006 report: “For most programmers, the old adage ‘25-54 isn’t a target demo, it’s a family reunion’ is true. But for Country, the fact is that 18 to 75+ is indeed our target demo and at least to this point the format continues to resist fragmentation.”

They’re so right. Country has broad demographic appeal. In strong country markets, the Country station can be #1 in every cell from 18 to 64. And Country hasn’t suffered the fragmentation that splits other formats. Going back to the Fall ‘05 ARB, 94% of the format’s AQH Persons are simply credited to “Country.” Only 5% are credited to “Classic Country” and a mere 1% to “New Country.”

Why does country have such broad appeal? How has it avoided fragmentation? Because OLDER COUNTRY LISTENERS LIKE TODAY’S COUNTRY!

This is in stark contrast to other formats. For example, the typical 45-54 rock fan thinks today’s rock flat-out sucks! That’s why he’s listening to a Classic Rock station that plays no new rock at all, and spending little or no time with AOR.

Older Country fans are more than happy to listen to Rascal Flatts, Sara Evans, Brad Paisley and other new artists. As are younger Country fans. That’s how a station can dominate “18 to whatever.”

And because older country fans like the “new stuff,” they have less motivation to prefer stations that specialize in the “old stuff.” So gold-based Country — while a viable niche in some markets — isn’t as big as Oldies, Classic Rock, Jack and other gold-based pop and rock formats. Country just doesn’t fragment that way.

Country did fragment on the young end in the early ’90s, because younger Country fans do not like the “old stuff.” Some of those Young Country stations became the dominant Country stations, then broadened their appeal. And heritage Country stations often moved younger as a response to Young Country. Either way, the vast majority ended up as simply “Country.”

Many further broadened their appeal with strong information, community involvement and personalities. As a result, they have become the “Full Service” stations for their markets. These stations are tough to challenge because it’s hard to find a powerful music flank against them, and service credentials take years to build.

Big appeal, broad appeal, and (in many cases) little vulnerability. That’s why I admire Country.

Our research on consumers’ awareness and ideas about HD Radio has both good, not-so-good and outright bad news for the industry.

The Good: Awareness of HD Radio is 38% among 18-64’s. Of course, that’s not where we want it to be, ultimately! Still, at this early stage in the rollout of HD, I find it encouraging.

The Not-So-Good: Many of those have only heard of HD Radio and don’t know what it is. Sure, 27% of 18-64’s say it is “high definition radio,” but they include 6% who only know that and nothing else about it. (And face it: “high definition radio” isn’t tough to figure if you know what HDTV means.)

The Bad: Only 1% say that HD Radio provides more channels and programming choices. More choice is an essential benefit for HD Radio in radio’s ongoing battle with Sirius and XM, because it is one of satellite radio’s key benefits. Another problem is that hardly any consumers volunteer that HD Radio is “free radio,” unlike satellite, while more — 3% — think HD Radio is satellite radio!

HD Radio needs a consistent message that communicates three key points — BETTER SOUND, MORE CHOICES and HD IS FREE. Thus far, the “better quality” benefit is the only one that has gained some traction…17% say HD Radio means better, clearer, CD-sound (etc.) quality.

I’m not talking about a major TV campaign here. There aren’t enough HD radios available to justify that kind of investment (yet). I do think that radio should use its own airtime, plus the power of public relations to communicate all three benefits consistently and coherently.

The HD Radio Alliance is on the right track. Viewing hdradio.com, the message is “A Revolution in Sound,” “A Revolution in Choice,” “A Revolution in Radio.” But stations aren’t consistently communicating the message. Most are simply using throwaway liners like: “Now broadcasting in high-definition,” ignoring the reality that their audience isn’t listening that way.

Our research reveals that radio needs to explain HD Radio and its benefits for listeners. As one of our clients (someone very involved with HD) has said:“This thing is still in a diaper.”

It’s time for some “potty training.”