Rich or Famous?

Lots of us would probably answer "both". If you're interested in being syndicated, that's an important question. We've already established that only a very small number of broadcasters make it into the stratosphere of syndication. That doesn't mean you should give up on your dreams, which brings me to the question: Rich or Famous?

A number of years ago I helped launch a medical vignette program that was hosted by a holistic physician. When he approached me about the project, I told him the truth: The syndication business can be financially and professionally very rewarding; and it can also be very competitive and difficult.

His answer to me was that he wasn't in it for the money. His hospital was willing to invest in the costs of the project in order to forward his name--and theirs by extension--and help beef up the physician's C.V. (that's doctor talk for "make his resume look better). They felt that the syndicated radio route was unique enough and interesting enough that it would help the doctor stand out among his peers. We distributed his show for quite some time to a small number of stations, but both the doctor and his hospital were pleased with the outcome and the positive impact that it had on the reputation of both. He didn't get rich, and he's not famous in the sense of his becoming a household word, but he did accomplish his goals.

For most who are interested in being syndicated, it's all about being BOTH rich and famous. Syndication is a good business and even if you never make it to the very top, there's lots of money to be made. Sometimes, though, there's even a win in small-scale syndication.

300 Affiliates and Growing!

I always find it interesting when I see ads or hear from people that a particular show is on "300 affiliates and growing". I'm going to date myself here, but it reminds me of the old Elvis album with a map of the US and images of Elvis all over it: "5 Million Fans Can't be Wrong".

There's no question that those kind of affiliate numbers are incredible. But no one gets paid on raw affiliate count. We make money by delivering audience effectively for advertisers. That's the beauty of network radio for national advertisers like Geico, Sears, Home Depot and the like: Lots of coverage for a very reasonable price.

If you are new to network radio, here's how it works: Virtually every syndicated or network program or product is provided to stations on a "barter" basis. That means the station broadcasts your program in exchange for commercial time. There are some exceptions, and some variations to this, but in general that's the arrangement. It's then up to the network or syndicator to take those commercials and sell them to an advertiser. Advertisers typically pay a negotiated price based upon the audience your program delivers. And that is entirely based upon the quality of the stations with which your program is affiliated. While being on 300 stations is better than being on 75 stations, at the end of the day, you will get paid on the audience delivery of that affiliate base whether it's one station or one thousand stations. Look for more specifics about this in a subsequent post.

Something to keep in mind next time to see an ad proclaiming 300 Affiliates and Growing.