You don't think Drive is the moneyball?
or
You don't think JMV does a good job?
Please fill us in.
Okay, I'll fill you in... To start with, your first sentence...
"The mid-day slot is a throw away, it doesn't really matter."... shows me you've never spent a single day in broadcast sales or advertising.
In my nearly 40 years in Radio & TV sales management and production that has never been further from the truth. A little over 15 of those year were dedicated to being the GSM at a few of the top stations & radio sports network in Central Indiana...
I'd have to write a book to give you every reason why you're wrong so here are the highlights....
First, not ALL stations and markets are exactly alike... target audience, formats, etc.
Yes, more people listen during AM Drive and PM Drive, in most markets, giving every station a larger available audience, but the difference between size of the mid-day audience versus either AM or PM drive is still usually within 10%-15%.
The difference is Mid-day listeners... especially with talk radio.... are usually very loyal and listen for longer periods... While the Cume audience is smaller for mid-days, the highly sought after Averge Quarter Hour Ratings (AQH) can be very strong with listeners at home and at work having a single station on for hours at a time. It varies with each market, but using Indianapolis as the example, the AM and PM drive time listener might only be on for a short period because their commute probably takes no more than 40 minutes maximum... Media buying strategies differ from product to product but one principle that applies to all products and services is that.... REPETITION works best. That's why Mid-Days from 10a-3p with strong AQH from a format that naturallly lends itself to longer listening periods is vital for Talk Radio formats.
If there's a M-F 6a-Mid daypart that's a "throw away" ... (and there really isn't)..... it's Evenings from 7a-12Mid... that is unless you're a hit radio format and your audience is teens.....
So, to answer your 2nd question.... "Is Drive the moneyball".... My answer is, sometimes and certainly not not necessarily with Talk Radio which is what we're talking about
Your 3rd question,... "You don't think JMV does a good job?"...... I think he's okay but not great.
He started his career trying to copy Jim Rome's start-stop style of talking (for dramatic effect) and there's nothing worse in a GM or Programmers eyes... ears... than an on-air person who tries to be something he's not. He wasn't original at all. He's grown out of that but he still has a tendency to repeat a profound thought that some other nationally known talking heads might have already said and then he tries to make it sound like it's his orginal thought.... he's never sold me that he's an expert on much of anything. He should stick with having guests.... and finally, he should stop using "I" at the beginning of every sentence... it's not really about him.
Ok... that's it. Want more? Thanks.
