Client called to ask about radio buys. Now that's somethng I have no experience in (I've done local TV buys). As Gary states, the number of reps is about what I'm dealing with.

Since there are so many radio stations and they're not linked to a single providers, like cable, It seems like a mountain of work.

With Cable, a single provider (and its rep) covers a region and covers the choice of many major cable networks and offers to cover the entire region or a targeted area. All this in a single region with a single rep.

I'm not sure how it works with radio. The thought of having to contact scores of individual radio station reps around the state seems prohibitive given the speed at which this will have to be done.

Can someone explain any efficient way to do radio buys?

Your Welcome.
Gary

Gary

I need to fill 8 30 second commercial spots, find a show sponsor, place segment sponsors (those who would sponsor one of the for segments, and billboards (5 second spots). It is a full 28:30 show, that has yet to be approved by any of the channels it was submitted to. The question is, I guess

1) Do I continue to pursue sponsors myself or find an agency
2) If an agency, do I wait for approval from the channel(s) or start looking for the agency now.
3) And last but not least how does one find an agency to begin with?

For general information

Show Sponsor $20,000 per quarter
30 second spot $12,000 per quarter
Segment Sponsor $1,800 per quarter
Billboard $1,500 per quarter

Thanks

Jim Montgomery

Ok Jim, as the producer of the 30 minute show you are in fact the owner. That means you can offer advertising within your produced show. In essence you have become a media outlet. Let me give you an example.

There is a local comedy club that has a live show every Tuesday night, you video it and produce it into a 30 minute show to be aired on leased access or Cable's LOC (Local origination channel) on Cable TV in 4 cable systems.

You then can sell advertising within your show to local advertisers. You might have different advertisers in each cable system or they may want to be more than one system. Each 30 second slot has a price assigned to it.

The reason I'm giving you this example is to answer your original question and that is you will have to approach it like the Radio Stations, Newspapers and Billboard Companys. You will have to sell it yourself by approaching local customers and/or their advertising agency as a advertising product.

If you sell your production, you no longer have the ability to do this, the new owner will want to make the advertising money.
Gary

Craig,
Radio is not a difficult as you imagine. The first thing you have to determine is what is your clients target audience. Let's say it's women 25 to 54 years old that are homeowners, because your client sells kitchen cabinets.

With Cable TV a good choice would be HGTV. In this state buy your talking about (I don't know what state your in) let's say there are 30 cable systems, they will all carry HGTV. That's why you will need to contact all of the systems with all of their reps.

Radio is quite different. Each Radio Station has it's own personality. A rock station may target men 25 to 49 years old. An Oldies station might be too old. At any rate the listener on these stations are not your client's target audience.

Within one state there aren't many radio stations to pick from and very few would be the right choice for your client. Even if your client's trading areas is the NY Metro area.

Of course homework will be needed to find what station and coverage area is right.

If I stay on this board much longer, I'm going to have to fire myself.
Gary

So this is what happened
 

Cable companies around the state immediately accepted me as an agency since I was bringing a client.

They all included 15% agency discount.

The client had no problem issueing two checks (one for cable companies and one for my company) and I gave them a further discount for that.

I'm already talking to my next potential client.

Just to clarify, I did not produce these spots. I suspect there are many small production companies that produce lower budget spots and leave it to the client to figure out the buy.

Now you're Golden.
Gary

I can only say that radio has become just about as homogenized these days. Check with the major media groups and they can put you in touch with or give you demographics and market info for the stations they own.

I'm talking about folks such as ClearChannel, Infinity Broadcasting, etc. The days of locally O&O are rapidly vanishing (to me it's a shame.. JMO).

-gb-

I'm finding that out too. Whether it's AirAmerica or "Jack" it's a chain.