Our world has changed. Perhaps you’ve noticed.

People are anxious. Many are fearful. There is a new normal and we’re not quite sure what it is.

Our vocabulary is filled with concepts unfamiliar just a few months ago. Social distancing. COVID-19. N95 masks. Even the mention of places in the world like Wuhan.

During this pandemic I’m sure your radio station is doing some good stuff. Many stations are doing lots of good stuff. But the more important question is… are you fulfilling a promise?

I’ve been a part of many standing ovations, but I’ve never started even one.

The powerful influence of the behavior of the tribe can be seen from the seriousness of school shootings (police immediately go on alert for the copy cats) to the funny behavior of those on a crowded elevator depicted in this classic Candid Camera episode.

The bleaker the news headlines the more your listeners will be eager to celebrate the good news and the heroes! It’s like gasping for fresh air. It’s why the flight attendants say to put on your oxygen mask before helping others. We need oxygen to be able to help others, and your station can be that for your community.

Tommy Kramer, my brilliant friend of more than 40 years, puts it this way…

“The Coronavirus isn’t the subject of every single break (you still want to be entertaining, too), but the virus IS the ‘backdrop’ of everything.

If a large portion of the content is people sharing about what the virus means in their lives, then remember that it’s not just their sweet stories, but also their concerns, and what that means in terms of being a good wife/husband/neighbor.”

Sports stations will never have fans that aren’t also sports fans.

Country stations will never have fans that aren’t also country music fans.

Christian stations will never have fans that aren’t also devout Christians…

…unless…

It’s the new normal. We’ve adapted to working remotely, conference calls on Zoom that look like we’re on the Brady Bunch, and to dealing with social separation at the grocery store and Home Depot.

Let’s hope it won’t last much longer.

Patrick Lecione shares interesting insight on leadership during such a time as this on a recent podcast with Andy Stanley. While his concepts are focused on organizational leadership I believe you’ll see valuable lessons that can be applied to a station’s relationship with its listeners, advertisers, and donors.

He shares…

We’re living it. Right now.

The bad news is at our fingertips, on our TV screens, and evident in the streets where we live. Everyone is talking about it. There’s no doubt we’re living in unusual times, but our stations have a different role to play than CNN or FOX News. Certainly there is bad news. But all the news isn’t bad news.

Since 1963, the University of Delaware’s Disaster Research Center has conducted nearly 700 field studies on floods and earthquakes, and on-site research reveals the same results every time: the vast majority of people stay calm and help each other.

“Whatever the extent of the looting, it always pales in significance to the widespread altruism that leads to free and massive giving and sharing of goods and services.”

“I don’t know what you’re seeing,” a psychiatrist tweeted, “but I’m seeing people wanting to help all over the place. By following official recommendations, or something practical like doing someone’s grocery shopping…”

Imagine this. Your radio station goes away. Protests flood social media. People start petitions to get your station back. And get this; the people who start this movement are people who DON’T even listen to your station.

In the book “Deep and Wide,” Andy Stanley shares his hope that the church’s presence be good for the community, even viewed that way by those who don’t attend. He shares his desire that the church is seen as such a good neighbor that people would miss it if wasn’t there.

There is no better time than this current coronavirus pandemic for Christian radio to be a good neighbor.

In his book “Know What You’re For,” Jeff Henderson shares that most businesses see their customers as fans in the stands rooting for the business. His suggestion is transformative. Imagine your customers are on the field and you’re rooting for them.

We’re really good at talking about ourselves, how “real” we are, and what we want from our listeners (“help keep us on the air”), but frankly, we often fall short in demonstrating what our listeners and our local community mean to us.

I’ve heard some remarkable radio this past week.

I’ve heard stories of the helpers, whether those in hospitals and research labs, or those restocking grocery shelves late at night, or those knocking on a neighbor’s door to see if they are okay. (Our neighbor’s daughter is quarantined because she flew in from London).

I’ve heard radio stations stop what they usually do to put their “flag in the ground” and share faith in inspiring and practical ways.

“When the story of COVID-19 is just a story we tell let’s make sure our stories are stories worth telling.”

Andy Stanley

I’ve heard fresh perspectives in contrast to what is heard from mainstream media, perspectives that can actually be helpful to people.

When I was growing up there was a television station in Dallas that kicked off the 10 o’clock news with, “It’s ten o’clock. Do you know where your children are?”

Despite being an ABC affiliate, which was the third place network in those days, Channel 8 always dominated the news ratings. Many of their news anchors were on Channel 8 for decades!

Trust.

Trust is not impulsive. Trust can only be built over time. Trust is built with a mindset of a farmer, not that of a hunter. Plant, tend, plow, fertilize, weed, repeat. Build relationships and be there when they need you.

What is your station’s role while the Coronavirus is in the headlines and impacting your listeners’ daily lives?

Consider three things:

It’s simple. There are only two things in the design of a music radio station. There’s the music, and then there is everything that isn’t music. 💡

In the design of a successful station the music serves one purpose. The “everything but music” is designed for another purpose.

💡!

How a program director designs each will have a transformative impact on the station’s success.

Let’s talk about the everything else.

So, what did you do with your extra time on the extra day?

“How did it get so late so soon?
It’s night before it’s afternoon.
December is here before it’s June.
My goodness how the time has flewn.
How did it get so late so soon?”

Dr. Seuss

In our business time IS what we do. We sell time, we fill time, we announce the time. Whether our vernacular is “time spent listening” or “average weekly time exposed” we are in the business of time.