How to Ruin a Radio Station’s Audience

In community and small commercial radio stations, programming is often freely carried out by the hosts, who are usually much more connected to the music scene than the general population. This means they know Scorpions, A-ha, U2, Engenheiros do Hawaii, Bon Jovi, Adele, Dua Lipa... the so-called “good music.”

Personally, I don’t like this expression “good music” because it simply makes no sense. Musical taste is subjective, and treating it as if there were a universal standard of quality is the same as saying: “my taste is better than yours.” For each individual, there is an idea of good music, and that must be respected. For many people, good music is Calypso, and within the universe of their emotions and experiences, no one can say they’re wrong for liking it.

Playing everything doesn’t work

Yes, almost everyone likes several different genres. But a station’s musical profile is more important than the host’s attempt to “teach” what good music is. When I want to hear forró and sertanejo, two genres that go well together, I know I’ll find that without fail on 82 FM. When I want pop and rock, I go straight to 84 FM. And if the vibe is MPB and international love songs, 86 FM serves me perfectly.

What doesn’t work is for 82 FM to try to play everything. That scares away its main audience. I’m an exception because I like all those styles, but even I wouldn’t want to find that kind of “salad” on 82 FM. I want a clear idea of what to expect when I tune in. If it becomes a mess, I stop knowing when to look for it.

You can be sure: while Zezé Di Camargo is playing, Mrs. Zefinha will be listening to 82 FM. But if Britney Spears plays right after, she’ll immediately say, “what on earth is this,” then change the dial and probably never come back. And the opposite is also true: someone who likes Britney tuned in when Zezé was playing and didn’t stay. The station lost Mrs. Zefinha and didn’t gain Kelly as a listener. And even if Kelly hears Britney by chance, she’ll know it was just a stroke of luck—the programming is so random it’s not worth waiting for a repeat.

Playing “B-sides” doesn’t work either

You pick some unknown track 8 from a famous artist’s album… only you know it. You chose the hardest path, the non-obvious one, and honestly, it doesn’t work. Radio is a place to relive musical emotions, not to rescue “old novelties.” If a 2005 song never became a hit, it’s because it never won the public over.

Find the track that was a success and that people still request. And don’t be afraid of being repetitive. There are thousands of popular artists, so you won’t actually be that repetitive. What you will inevitably play are the songs of the moment. For community radios and small-town FMs, the focus must be the popular audience, not a musical niche within a population that is already small.

A great programming show, but an audio disaster

There are cheap things that cannot be ignored. Having an audio processor and delivering high-quality sound is essential. The competition today is YouTube, Spotify, and personal music files—all with flawless quality, no static, no distortion, no overloads.

I, personally, wouldn’t advertise on a small-town station that doesn’t focus on popular programming and doesn’t offer quality audio. For less than two thousand reais, you can find an APEL-07X audio processor that does a much better job than models costing five thousand. Finding this rarity isn’t easy, but many stations have one because they knew how to search and negotiate. With patience, you can even get it cheaper.

Don’t blame the advertiser

The advertiser is your most critical listener. They notice, almost like a professional, when the sound is bad or when the programming doesn’t connect with the audience. From the moment they consider putting money into your station, they start listening with different ears: looking for flaws they never noticed before. Remember: the advertiser is the most demanding listener your station will ever have.

Other audience killers

1. Uninterested or overly amateurish announcing

   • Problem: Many programs are run by volunteers who aren’t prepared to communicate with the audience: monotonous voices, robotic reading, serious grammar mistakes, empty improvisation, and overuse of filler words (“like,” “you know,” “right?”).

   • Solution: Invest in at least some basic training in announcing and communication. You don’t need Globo-level professionals, but you need enthusiasm, clarity, and empathy with the listener. A good announcer keeps the audience even with repeated songs.

2. Messy programming schedule

   • Problem: The listener doesn’t know what to expect from one hour to the next. A forró show is followed by a religious debate, which then turns into electronic music.

   • Solution: Have well-defined blocks by time and style, with fixed, recognizable programs. Even for a community station, predictability builds loyalty. The logic is: “I turn it on at 9 a.m. and I know this will be on.”

3. Lack of regularity

   • Problem: Shows disappear, change times without warning, or only go on air “when possible.”

   • Solution: Stick to the schedule with commitment and consistency. The audience gets used to the presence of the announcer and the program. If it’s not possible to go live, consider reruns or well-produced automation to avoid “vanishing.”

4. Too much talking and too little music

   • Problem: Hosts talk too much, constantly interrupt the music, or have long internal conversations irrelevant to the listener.

   • Solution: Train announcers to be brief, engaging, and listener-focused. On music stations, less is more. The music should be the star. If it’s a talk or content program, then yes, the focus shifts—but it needs to be clear.

5. Neglecting jingles and sonic identity

   • Problem: Lack of well-made jingles, outdated background tracks, or “raw” audio between songs.

   • Solution: A strong sonic identity makes the station sound bigger, more professional, and gives pride to the community. Well-produced jingles with a pleasant voice and appropriate tracks greatly improve the listener experience.

6. Ignoring the audience on social media

   • Problem: Today, radio blends with WhatsApp, Instagram, Facebook. Ignoring this means failing to follow the audience where they are.

   • Solution: Keep an active WhatsApp number for participation, post program clips, polls, behind-the-scenes moments. This reinforces community and even attracts people who don’t have the radio on.

7. Not listening to the listener

   • Problem: Hosts who don’t read requests, don’t note complaints, or stick only to their own music taste.

   • Solution: Create real listening channels, note down requests, thank interactions on air, run polls about programming, give voice to the community. The audience needs to feel part of the station, not just a consumer.

“Want your radio station to grow? Be predictable in your musical proposal, consistent in your sound, and close to the people who listen to you. Only then does the community become an audience, and the audience becomes results.”