• by John Gaffney , June 6, 2002

New York Radio Riffs: Driving in to the Radio Mercury Awards in NYC yesterday, it struck me that the radio business doesn’t want me. Here’s why I feel left out: I’m on the young end of the 40-54 demographic. I don’t like talk radio because I find most of it so right wing that I get anxious about my personal safety. I pay particular attention to ads about media, entertainment, books, movies, music and financial services. Yet there is no station in the world’s biggest market that targets me. In fact, two of my favorite artists, Bruce Springsteen and James Taylor, are releasing new records this summer. It looks to me like the only station that might play them is WFUV, which is an NPR station. You can hit me with a sponsorship there, but not a commercial. NYC doesn’t have an adult album format station. Are there not enough boomers in the city to provide a solid audience? Can’t believe that. It seems to me that there’s an opportunity for a programmer, many advertisers and a missing link to be filled for media planners. And I get to hear some Bruce on the radio........

Radio Award Riffs: The buzz at the Radio Mercury Awards was energetic and positive yesterday. Most of the people I talked to felt confident about achieving their Q2 numbers. Most people were confident that the automotive and pharmaceutical categories will add to a solid 2002 performance. The hot spot, as it seems to be for all media, is in multiethnic marketing. Radio that hits ethnic niches are getting on more media plans, but not all media plans. By this time next year, I think most agencies will have fully accepted the necessity of multiethnic marketing. But you can’t afford to wait that long to get it right.......

Soccer Riffs: The World Cup needs to be marketed better in the US. If I was running FIFA, the organization responsible for marketing the event, I would make the US my centerpiece next trip. I would also work with some US sports networks on how to televise the sport, because until someone comes up with a better way to make soccer look good on TV, it’s going nowhere fast in the US.