Commentary: Radio, New-media Promo Should Be On Same Track

There is a whole lot of shaking up going on in the radio and music industries. Let's make some changes where it counts: reorganizing promotion to prepare for success.

Music companies need to put radio promotion—currently in a state of flux and in need of redefinition—and new media under the same management. This would permit traditional radio promotion and digital marketing to reinforce one another.

New technologies are exploding, bringing online and satellite digital music and videos to computers, cell phones and cars everywhere. In some cases, music is selling through with the click of a button.

Consumers are finding new and exciting ways to hear music, and thus, reasons to be excited about new sounds. It appears that, at last, an expansion in music sales is on the horizon.

Lately, we have been working an independent project that brings back the fun for us. The music appeals to many audiences, features solid songs in many genres and lends itself to Internet marketing. We are distributing the artist's work through Apple's iTunes Music Store and CD Baby, and promoting it through Yahoo's Y Music, live365.com and myspace.com, among others.

Taken together, these companies provide online download and retail music sales, content distribution to myriad Internet radio stations, personalized online "radio stations" for music fans and heretofore unimagined online networking with and among the fan base.

Beyond the Internet, the Sirius/XM phenomenon offers yet another opportunity for music promotion.

"More consumers each day are finding that the variety they crave comes online or from a satellite," says Travis Storch, director of artist and label relations for live365.com. "The music industry needs to be onboard with the trend."

Many of the executives at these digital content companies are former radio people, thirsty for ways to marry the experience of the past with the prodigious technology of today. They tell us that many major record companies are not integrating their new-media activities with their broadcast radio promotion departments, missing the full impact possible.

It is safe to say that new-media outlets are dying to break new acts, to flex their muscles.

Online campaigns can include advertising, contests, giveaways, podcasts, video podcasts and music videos—all of which promote directly to fans. The response to such elements provides such new tools as online "airplay" reports that demonstrate when new music is "bubbling under." Such data can help create the buzz for a new artist. Just as tip sheets used to indicate hot new music, today Internet data offers radio new signposts. Even better, the digital services provide accurate statistics.

Because of heightened concerns about radio promotion practices, terrestrial radio has imposed new restrictions on promotional activities to the point of further stifling an already choking business. Labels' promo reps need to take on a whole new role, rebuilding radio promotion with new ideas. These include promoting and advertising new-media success stories and supporting concerts that connect broadcast radio with grass-roots music, from which radio can once again build content and attract listeners.

Let's coordinate the two worlds of promotion for maximum sales impact and to break new acts. Let's embrace new media with enthusiasm while regrouping radio promotion. ••••



Harold Childs is a marketing consultant who has held executive positions at A&M, Warner Bros. and PolyGram. Hilary Clay Hicks is a veteran publicist, marketing consultant, writer, producer and university professor.