Which Radio Opportunities Should Authors Pursue?

The number of commercial radio stations is virtually unchanged over the last decade. There are 11240 such stations. The question is: What kind of opportunity does this provide for authors? 

Not all stations offer opportunities for authors to promote their books. In fact, many do not, primarily because of their format. For instance, some stations are only broadcast in Spanish – some 900 of them. So, unless you speak Spanish or your book is available in that language, kiss those stations goodbye.  Additionally, there are 530 all-sports stations, so unless you wrote a book that speaks to sports enthusiasts, forget those as well. 

So, what kind of shows do authors want to be on? The one that says “Yes.” 

Sure, a nationally syndicated show beats a local show. A bigger city beats a smaller one. Being on during primetime vs. late-night is best, too. A targeted show that has listeners who may be potential book-buyers is a must-= regardless of size, time, or quality of show. 

Ideally, you want to focus on these:

1246 news talk stations – they are the talk backbone of America. 

But other formats, depending on your book’s subject, could be appropriate, from oldies and urban adult contemporary, to religion and country. 

Radio is terrestrial – AM stations, FM stations, and satellite (Sirius XM). Podcasts and online radio is another animal. Worthy, but far different. 

Nielsen Media Research reports that 83% of Americans ages 12 or older listen to terrestrial radio in a given week. 

In 2020, 50% of US adults said they got news on the radio often or sometimes. As of 2021, 41% of Americans 12 or older have listened to a podcast in the past month. 

“I have a friend I go to whenever I have a really tough problem to solve. After I explain it to him, invariably his first question is, "What rules can we break?" He knows that I have assimilated so many rules into my thinking that after a while they become blind assumptions. It's difficult to be innovative if you're following blind assumptions.“

—A Whack on the Side of the Head: How You Can Be More Creative, 25th Anniversary Edition by Roger von Oech

“Remember these two benefits of failure. First, if you do fail, you learn what doesn't work. Second, the failure gives you an opportunity to try a new approach.“

— A Whack on the Side of the Head: How You Can Be More Creative, 25th Anniversary Edition by Roger von Oech 

Need Book Marketing Help?

Brian Feinblum, the founder of this award-winning blog, can be reached at brianfeinblum@gmail.com  He is available to help authors promote their story, sell their book, and grow their brand. He has over 30 years of experience in successfully helping thousands of authors in all genres. Let him be your advocate, teacher, and motivator!

 

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About Brian Feinblum

Brian Feinblum should be followed on Twitter @theprexpert. This is copyrighted by BookMarketingBuzzBlog ©2023. Born and raised in Brooklyn, he now resides in Westchester with his wife, two kids, and Ferris, a black lab rescue dog. His writings are often featured in The Writer and IBPA’s The Independent.  This award-winning blog has generated over 3.3 million pageviews. With 4,400+ posts over the past dozen years, it was named one of the best book marketing blogs by BookBaby  http://blog.bookbaby.com/2013/09/the-best-book-marketing-blogs  and recognized by Feedspot in 2021 and 2018 as one of the top book marketing blogs. It was also named by www.WinningWriters.com as a "best resource.” For the past three decades, including 21 years as the head of marketing for the nation’s largest book publicity firm, and two jobs at two independent presses, Brian has worked with many first-time, self-published, authors of all genres, right along with best-selling authors and celebrities such as: Dr. Ruth, Mark Victor Hansen, Joseph Finder, Katherine Spurway, Neil Rackham, Harvey Mackay, Ken Blanchard, Stephen Covey, Warren Adler, Cindy Adams, Todd Duncan, Susan RoAne, John C. Maxwell, Jeff Foxworthy, Seth Godin, and Henry Winkler. He recently hosted a panel on book publicity for Book Expo America, and has spoken at ASJA, Independent Book Publishers Association Sarah Lawrence College, Nonfiction Writers Association, Cape Cod Writers Association, Willamette (Portland) Writers Association, APEX, and Connecticut Authors and Publishers Association. His letters-to-the-editor have been published in The Wall Street Journal, USA Today, New York Post, NY Daily News, Newsday, The Journal News (Westchester) and The Washington Post. He has been featured in The Sun Sentinel and Miami Herald. For more information, please consult: www.linkedin.com/in/brianfeinblum.