Free music countdown

[johnsykes]

I picked up the following from the Montreal radio board....free???



The following appeared on Milkman Unlimited, as a paid advertisement, announcing a new weekly countdown show produced right here in Canada. The show is available free to seemingly any station that wants it. No idea if anyone in Montreal will be picking up on it. There is more info on the program on their website, listed below.

Sheldon

Canada's Hottest New Countdown Show Is Ready To Hit Canadian Airwaves Next Weekend

Beginning next weekend (September 12/13), Canada's Top 20 Countdown will launch on radio stations across the country … and we want to be on your station!

Join AJ Reynolds every weekend for the hottest Canadian and international hits, all the latest buzz from the music and entertainment world as well as interviews from the biggest stars in Canadian music.

Canada's Top 20 Countdown is the perfect antidote for stations needing an engaging, entertaining program along with a healthy dose of Canadian content in their weekend lineup … perfect for your CHR or Hot AC station.

Canada's Top 20 Countdown can be delivered to your station every week at a price anyone can afford … FREE!!!

To get Canada's Top 20 Countdown in your radio market, check out http://www.canadastop20.com or contact AJ or Kelly via e-mail for more details at info@canadastop20.com

[jon]

....free???

Years ago, I had a chance to talk to Dr. Demento, who had already been syndicating shows for more than a decade even then.

He said that the best way to syndicate a show is to have your own national sponsors and offer it free to stations. Obviously, the show also has to bring in the listeners and ratings.

[RandyLahey]

I picked up the following from the Montreal radio board....free???

I would be very suprised if the program was actually "free". I can't see anyone producing and syndicating a program out of the goodness of their hearts.

Now "barter" I can see. If the national commercials are inserted directly into the program or some other barter agreement (you get the program, but air 1 national daily etc) that is still not "free" as you are technically airing spots for "free" when you could be airing paid spots.

I know, I know, I'm just nitpicking, but just reminding you that nothing in this world is free...except the Roughrider hardhats that come in 24 packs of Pilsner...GO RIDERS!!! lol

Randy.

[jon]

In the late 1980s, Dr. Demento was talking about national ads embedded in the syndicated program, but still with breaks for local commercials added by the station. Theory was that these programs are normally aired during off hours when there is not a full spot load, so the program truly is free, in that the station is airing all the commercials it could sell during the program. These days, of course, with the removal of federal limits on number of commercials per hour, it even makes more sense.

Jeff Woods seemed to have evolved the concept even further with his Doors 40th Anniversary special a few years back. His program was technically an infomercial, but really didn't sound like it. Warners paid him to do the many mentions of the Doors 40th Anniversary CD heard in the special, as well as funding his trip to do the interviews for the show.

As I said, there are a lot more options now that limits on commercials per hour have been eliminated.

[Neumann Sennheiser]

...except the Roughrider hardhats that come in 24 packs of Pilsner.

Ironic dichotomy there; wearing skull protection while slaying the ol' braincells from the inside.
Kind of like piloting a suicide car packed with explosives and buckling up the seat belt.

Ahhh just yankin' yer chain there Randy. Cheers mate, have one on me!

[Worth It]

"Free" like Delilah... upft... Delilah.

Anyway, the station gets the show for no cash out of pocket in exchange for running certain spots. The only reason I know this is because I'm friends with the producer of it. Nailed it on the head when you said that it was designed for the weekend, or off hour "big sound" instead of vt'ing.

[jon]

"Free" like Delilah... upft... Delilah.

Anyway, the station gets the show for no cash out of pocket in exchange for running certain spots. The only reason I know this is because I'm friends with the producer of it. Nailed it on the head when you said that it was designed for the weekend, or off hour "big sound" instead of vt'ing.

Actually, the stations that I heard "before and after" Delilah were running jockless in the time period where Delilah ended up. Admittedly, in at least one case, she got moved to make way for John Tesh.