Radio Stays Alive

We've all been there -- we tune the radio, hoping for one of our favorite songs, and what we get instead is a deejay rambling on about some new contest or other radio station-sponsored event. But radio is supposed to be about music, not contests. Isn't it?\nRadio listenership programs, which are responsible for the listener-oriented rewards often talked about on the air, are crucial to keep radio stations going. And if you know how to work the programs, the payoff can be well worth listening.\nOut of the radio stations on the dial, the few that are the most often heard by IU students are WZPL 99.5, WTTS 92.3, WNOU 93.1 and WBWB 96.7. All four of these stations have some form of listenership programs geared toward rewarding the listeners through concert tickets, CDs, DVDs, complimentary meals or passes to various special events.\nWZPL 99.5, based in Indianapolis, has a very active program called Freeloaderz. Access to this program is free and available through the station's Web site, www.wzpl.com. The program is based on a point system, where points are given to listeners who participate in events both on and off the Web site. New participants are given 500 free points, which is put into the user's account to jumpstart their activities. When enough points are earned, users can log into the "Rewardz" page and trade in their points for things of interest, like gift certificates to restaurants (a $25 one to Arni's is available now for 45,000 points), posters and DVDs.\nBloomington and Indianapolis-based WTTS 92.3 also has an involved program. The V.I.P. Room, which can be accessed via the Web site www.wttsfm.com, offers special features to devoted listeners that casual listeners cannot access, like downloads, private concerts and special "Studio 92" performances. Everything about the special events is sent via e-mail to the registered V.I.P. user. \nWNOU 93.1, or RadioNow, has one of the more active programs, which includes two different parts: the first, Mess Heads, and the second, Club 93. Mess Heads, which is channeled through the "Morning Mess," features archived videos, photos and prank calls that can only be accessed by registered listeners. Also available is the "Aftershow Podcast" which downloads after the Morning Mess right to a listener's iPod or other mp3 player, as well as the RadioNow iPod page, which allows users to access archives, free music and other 93.1 programs for their iPod. \n"The Mess Heads program is directed toward the more hardcore listeners who are very passionate about WNOU," says George Economos, promotions director for WNOU. "They're comparable to Jimmy Buffett's 'Parrotheads,' and they're very active with the station. It's all about community." \nEconomos also offered information about the types of contests and prizes only available to Mess Heads, like the recent "Morning Mess Loft" contest that only Mess Heads could qualify for. The contest, which ended in September, gave away a loft and a private concert featuring the popular band Lifehouse to one lucky listener.\nWhen interested users sign up for Mess Heads, they are also invited to access Club 93, which offers different features than Mess Heads. Through Club 93, members can register to win concert tickets, meet-and-greet passes, CDs, DVDs and tickets to area events. \n"Club 93 is a way for listeners to stay in tune with the station," Economos says. Although not as intensely involved as the Mess Heads, Club 93 members still have chances to participate in contests, promotions and other opportunities. Available now through Club 93 are chances to win tickets to see Relient K, Fall Out Boy and the premiere of "Wallace and Gromit: The Curse of the Were-Rabbit." To qualify, all an interested listener has to do is log on to the Web site www.radionow931.com and sign up.\nAs far as why WNOU has Club 93 and Mess Heads, Economos simply says, "People want to experience cool things. Since Mess Heads specifically is such a big community, people want to associate with that."\nFinally, there is the popular Bloomington station WBWB 96.7, or B97, which broadcasts out of Bloomington. Although a more widely listened-to station than some of the others, B97 doesn't have a registered listenership program like WNOU's Mess Heads or WZPL's Freeloaderz. Promotions Director Pam Thrash gave a reason for this, saying that because WBWB broadcasts to a smaller market, there is less the station can do promotionally. Although listening to the station's broadcast is necessary to participate in any of the promotions, all contests held by the station can be viewed on the Web site (www.wbwb.com), no pre-registration required. \nSome of the featured contests that WBWB are featuring are "Lunch on Us," where listeners can win lunch at Bucceto's Smiling Teeth Pizza and Pasta, tickets to Gallagher or Blast! at the IU Auditorium, or the chance to go backstage at the American Music Awards (co-sponsored by BuffaLouie's). One of the main reasons Thrash gave as to why WBWB featured promotions and contests is to give listeners added incentive to listen. "There is so much competition out there with iPods and satellite radio ... We want to attract listeners and maybe they'll walk away with something cool."\nAvailable through most of the featured Web sites are calendars of events that are around the Bloomington or Indianapolis areas, and most of the events depicted on the Web sites are events sponsored by the respective Web site, like PetFest, which is featured on WZPL's Web site. If calendars aren't available, there are links that connect users to various activities around the community to keep listeners active in both the radio station's events and the community's events.\nThe main purpose for radio listenership programs is to keep listeners active in the happenings of the stations and the communities they broadcast to, not to mention pay them back for keeping the stations alive and prosperous. \nFor more information on these radio stations and their events, tune in any day of the week or log on to their Web sites.