The National Football League is a “copycat” league. If a team succeeds by throwing 50 passes a game, the next year, every team looks for its Peyton Manning or Tom Brady.
If a mobile quarterback wins a bunch of games, everyone starts drafting a quarterback who can run in addition to pass. (I’m not talking about Tim Tebow. Note the “and PASS” part. The only target Tebow can hit consistently is the ground.)
Radio’s like that, too. For a while, it seemed like every break ended with the jock giving their website address – often with no real purpose. “I’ve just told you everything about this that’s interesting, but if you’d like to read what I just said, go to the morning show page at 94.7thefart.com.”
The one getting copied the most now is the podcast. “Hear the full interview on our podcast” has become the mobile quarterback of the radio world – but that term is outdated.
In the real world, “On Demand” is the term that works, and here’s why: “On Demand” isn’t about the radio station; it’s about me – the listener – and how I use it. “Podcast” and “webcast” are left-brain analytical words that don’t have anything to do with me.
We’ve got to make things more about the listener than about the radio station. Go there, and stay there. That’s why social media is so hot right now – it’s about the USER.
