Makes a difference

PPM is part of the problem Radio faces today.

That’s because PPM rewards hearing, rather than listening.

And the difference that difference makes is pivotal to the future success of Radio, whether streamed or implanted into your brain.

The definition of HEAR: “To be aware of sound through the ear.”

The definition of LISTEN: “To give attention with the ear; attend closely for the purpose of hearing.”

A generation of air talent has been coached by consultants whose basic goal is to remove potential tune-outs. For them, listening is dangerous because if you listen closely, you may hear something you don’t like, and tune out.

They much prefer listeners “hear” their stations, sort of a bland emotion-less buzz of familiar melodies, so below the consciousness of the listener that 9 or 10 spots in a row slip right by without notice.

IF Radio is to be relevant in the coming decades, if it is to be demanded on a new car’s dashboard entertainment options, if it is to be one of the most popular apps on mobile devices, we’ve got to train our talent to produce content between songs that inspires listening.

Screw bring heard as a background noise. We want to be listened to — listened for, the object of listening — between our songs.

And we won’t be safe until we are.