by Angela Haarhoff (@ANGtheHOFF) If you were born prior to 1990, there’s a 50/50 chance that you may know who Malcom Gooding is. You may have spent many an hour of your own life listening to his voice float on the airwaves, or have heard your older siblings and parents reminisce about him and those like him. He and his peers had an 007-esque aura about them.
Going Gooding is a stage show, starring none other than the man himself, that takes you on a journey of South African radio history, getting everyone nodding in recognition of at least one of the ad or shows that Mr Gooding rebirths. Who can forget the After Action Satisfaction of a Lexington or the iconic tune of a Dunhill ad?
Making a connection
Granted, those born post-1990 may have some trouble recognising these skits and making a connection with most of the material, but none the less, the show is educational.
To add to this, the show highlights the real emotional connection that radio has had with audiences through the generations. It reminds us how radio formed such an integral part of our lives as a medium which brought people together. Seldom did you find a lone audience of one in those earlier days. Rather, there would be rooms filled with families huddled together to listen to a radio story or news announcement.
Fair enough, we are describing a time where there really wasn’t much else to do with one’s evenings and that certainly has changed, but the point is modern radio has to come to terms with the fact that those really strong emotional connections are no longer there or have changed so vastly that most of us don’t really know what we are dealing with.
Dirty research
Just to prove a point, we undertook some incredibly rough and unrepresentative dip-stick research, asking friends and colleagues to reminisce about their lives with radio and what it has meant to them and their families. In response, we received some of the most beautiful ‘deep-and-meaningfuls’ from a certain portion of the ‘respondents’ and then deathly silence or somewhat more watered-down versions from the rest. There was a definite age split – not race or gender.
1. Don’t touch me on my radio
Members of the older group, let’s say those from 28 and up, seem to have the fondest memories of radio. Their experience details specific programmes and shows they listened to, and who they listened with. They also mention their favourite DJs, from Martin Bailey and Alex Jay to Bob Mabena and Romeo Khumalo.
This group was also very attached to the actual device emitting the frequency. From mentions of “The Wireless” (and, no, we are not talking cutting-edge tech of 2014 here) to their own personal little radios, complete with stickers and batteries, they loved their radio. The relationship was solid and the memories have stood firm. They’re loyal and emotional when it comes to radio.
2. Radio? Oh, you mean music
This brings us to the younger group in our dirty research survey. Now, this was a hard one to call, as response rates were, well, dire. Of those that we did receive, there was just enough information available for us to deduce that, among this group, it’s not about radio or the DJs or the shows – it’s almost always about the music.
This generation has grown up on music available at the touch of a button. The immediacy with which they have been able to get their hands on a single or an album is a far cry from the months waited for a new record, tape or CD at your local music store. Their favourite singers and stars are closer than they ever were, and everyone wants their five minutes of fame. The world is their oyster and they go for it!
Their lives have had a soundtrack assigned almost as soon as they came out of the womb; their parents very possibly filmed their birth, assigned a soundtrack and posted it to YouTube.
Their radio and music has become more mobile, personal and accessible. It can go anywhere, at any time.
What we know
Dirty research aside, as media specialists, we do know that this younger generation does buy into radio shows and personalities as much as their older counterparts. The music is important, but without the pull of the personality and programming, there wouldn’t be much else to convince them to listen… and they ARE listening.
According to AMPS 2013, 35% of South Africa’s radio audience is between 15-27 years old – that’s over 12 million pairs of young ears. To add to that, 45% of this group listen to radio on their mobile phones. So, radio is still very much a part of their lives.
The difference is then, perhaps, that this generation buys into radio and all that it has to offer, as long as they can have interaction and engagement with their station. They are opinionated and in touch with the world. They don’t want to be spoken to; they want to be spoken with. They want to interact with the DJs they idolise, bringing fame into their realities and not merely left in their imaginations.
An indelible mark
For those of us who still hold on to those very fond memories of earlier radio in South Africa, we can only wish the same for the younger generations – that they, too, will be able to look back and say that radio left an indelible mark in their lives.
The importance of music remains a strong factor, however, as this generation dances along to their own soundtrack. Radio needs to be compelling and shareable enough for this ‘Generation Skip’ to keep listening.
Angela Haarhoff (@ANGtheHOFF) is an analytics and insights strategist at MEC Notabene Johannesburg. A Psychology and AAA Brand Management graduate, her background includes diverse years spent in strategic planning, marketing services and public relations. She contributes “Talking Radio”, a monthly analysis of South African radio listenership figures, to MarkLives.com. Follow @mecnotabene for regular media updates.
— MarkLives’ round-up of top ad and media industry news and opinion in your mailbox every three work days. Sign up here!