Prepared for the

1
Essentials of Listener-Focused Web Sites and
Strategies

• Prepared for the
• Public Radio Program Directors ConferenceSeptembe
  r 30, 2004by

Mark Fuerst, Exec Director, IMA
Joe Matazzoni, Exec Producer, NPR Online
2
Aims and Means of this Presentation

• Help you understand some of the basic issues
  involved in using the web to expand service
• Cite recent research about station sites
• What do public radio listeners want from station
  sites?
• Hear how NPR has used a listener-focus to evolve
  NPR.org
• Review some specific sites to see how they have
  incorporated listener-focused features
• Provide specific recommendations on how you can
  improve your site

3
Information Sources

• Drawn from a mix of public and proprietary sources

• Research conducted by Edison Media Research and
  Arbitron, Inc.
• Research initiated by the Online Publishers
  Association.
• Usability/Best Practice Research conducted by
  Adaptive Path for PBS Online
• Research conducted by Adaptive Path for NPR
• Research conducted by the staff of the CBC
• Research among public radio listeners/website
  visitors conducted by FMR Associates for Public
  Radio International

4
Setting the stage

• Internet use is nearly universal and very
  important among your listeners (under 65)
• Streaming and downloading continue to increase.
• The web is the most widely used information
  medium the the at work audience.
• Your website is your station. It complements
  your on-air work, providing new access/functions.
• Revenue streams are emerging memberships,
  underwriting, and, on the horizon, paid content.
• You now have good examples and standards to
  followa big change from just a few years ago.

5
What Has to Change?
Begin a transition to a world of user choice

• Station Centered

User Centered
What I want, when I want it, how I want it.
What we offerwhen we offer it.
6
Media Aud by Daypart
Stewart
Stewart
7
TV, Internet Continue to View for User time.
Stewart
8
Nearly equal would give up radio
9
Functional vs Pleasing
Most Important Research of 2004Websites
Provides Functional Advantages

• Sites extend offline service. There is little
  evidence of cannibalization.
• Sites have complementary value.
• Sites offer functional advantages speed and
  ease of use (and control.)
• Legacy offline media provide more satisfaction
  and enjoyment.

Research on media websites conducted by Frank
Magid Associates for the Online Publishers
Association
Stewart
10
Who are the visitors and what do they want?

• Three sources of information
• A study conducted in summer 2000 of 33 commercial
  radio websites and 14,000 visitors by Edison
  Media Research/Arbitron.
• A study conducted in June 2004 of 2000 public
  radio listeners by FMR Associates for Public
  Radio International
• Continuing research and experience at NPR.org

11
Edison Cover
12
P1s are the audience
Core Listeners
13
Few Return every day
14
Streaming is related to loyalty
15
Median visit 20 mins
16
Top 10 Things Listeners Want from a Radio Station
Website

• 1 Ability to listen to the radio station
• 2 Information about local concerts
• Titles and artists of songs recently played
• 4 To enter contests
• 5 Listings of interesting places to visit in
  local community
• 6 Opportunity to vote on whether songs are good
  or not
• 7 Information on local weather
• 8 Schedule of programming
• 9 Information on and pictures of DJs
• 10 To contact or e-mail the DJs and
  personalities

Edison Media Research/Arbitron Web Site Content
Report, 2000
17
Features Listeners Want from a Music Radio
Station Website

• Listen to the station stream
• Learn What was that music? (Playlists)
• Concert/events calendar
• Schedule of programming
• Search
• Ways to interact, participate, talk back
• Inside information
• Secure, convenient way to contribute

18
Features Listeners Want from a News Radio Station
Website

• Listen to the station stream
• Search
• News and news related information
• Schedule of programming
• Calendar of community events
• Ways to interact, participate, talk back
• Inside information
• Secure, convenient way to contribute

19
FMR Cover
20
Schedules, Playlists, News, Events
Music stations should feature playlists,
schedules, concerts, pledge and personal
connection with staff.
News stations should featureschedules, news,
connections with national news shows, access to
archives, community events, pledge and inside
information on prominent personalities.
Unpublished Research conducted in June 2004 by FM
Associates for for PRI
21
High Interest in National News
Unpublished research conducted in June 2004 by FM
Associates for for PRI
22
Somewhat Less Interest in Local News
Unpublished Research conducted in June 2004 by FM
Associates for for PRI
23
Even Less Interest in

• Links to additional info on local issues and
  causes (44 not interested vs. 28 interested)
• Local volunteer opportunity information (52 not
  interested vs. 24 interested)
• Public notice for local town meetings/hearings(54
  not interested vs. 24 interested)
• On-line polls regarding local issues (60 not
  interested vs.17 interested)
• On-line chats with political candidates/officials
  (70 not interested vs. 14 interested)

Unpublished Research conducted in June 2004 by FM
Associates for for PRI
24
What has NPR learned?

• Information from the real experience of millions
  of visitors each month at NPR.org

Insert slides from Joe Matazzoni, Executive
Producer, NPR OnlineFormerly with WSJ.com and
ABC News Online
25
Lets Look at How Stations Meet these Needs

• KEXP alternative rock, public, Seattle
• WXRT alternative rock, commercial, Chicago
• KDFC Classical, San Francisco
• MPR State Network, News/Music
• Montana Public Radio, Missoula, MT
• KBAI Split format, Columbia, MO

26
KEXP.org

• Listen to the station stream
• Learn What was that music? (Playlists)
• Concert/events calendar
• Schedule of programming
• Search
• Ways to interact, participate, talk back (not
  much here)
• Inside information
• Secure, convenient way to contribute

27
WXRT

• Listen to the station stream
• Learn What was that music? (Playlists)
• Concert calendar and Events
• Schedule of programming
• Search
• Ways to interact, participate, talk back (not
  much here)
• Inside information
• Secure, convenient way to contribute

28
KDFC

• Listen to the station stream
• Learn What was that music? (Playlists)
• Concert/events calendar
• Schedule of programming
• Search
• Ways to interact, participate, talk back (not
  much here)
• Inside information
• Secure, convenient way to contribute

29
MPR.org

• Listen to the station stream
• Search
• News and news related information
• Schedule of programming
• Calendar of community events
• Ways to interact, participate, talk back
• Inside information
• Secure, convenient way to contribute

30
Montana.org

• Listen to the station stream
• Search
• News and news related information
• Schedule of programming
• Calendar of community events
• Ways to interact, participate, talk back
• Inside information
• Secure, convenient way to contribute

31
KBAI.org

• Listen to the station stream
• Search
• News and news related information
• Schedule of programming
• Calendar of community events
• Ways to interact, participate, talk back
• Inside information
• Secure, convenient way to contribute

32
Necessary Steps to Improvement

• Commitment at the GM level
• Make a financial commitment
• 10,000 for site development
• Appropriate level of staffing (at least 1 FTE)
• Involvement of the entire management teamGM, PD,
  Dev Dir, Chief Engineer
• Evaluate your site and redesign if needed Do not
  start from scratch. Use the best practice
  templates as a starting point

33
Steps to Improvementfor smaller stations

• For many stations, Public Interactive will be a
  good investment, providing tools, content and
  experience.
• In any case, get a content management system that
  allows each department to update the site.
• Focus on the seven key items identified earlier.
• Use NPR modules to provide a fresh content.
• Focus on content (topics) rather than programs.
• Involve your listeners Sign up for newsletter,
  web polls, encourage listener feedback
• Move to a 24/7 fund raising program.
• Have your underwriting staff learn to sell your
  website.

34
Selling the Change to Managers

• The site is the station. Our listeners expect us
  to have a good site.
• We are driving our listeners to other sites.
• We dont need to invent this.
• We dont have to do this by ourselves PI, IMA,
  NPR and others can assist us.
• Prices on software have fallen substantially we
  can get more for our dollar than ever before.
• We are leaving money on the tableespecially in
  membershipsby not having a 24/7 campaign.

35
Thank You

• To the people running our sites and
  working to improve our public service online.
• We hope these strategies and principles
  can help you achieve your goals.

36
Follow-up
These slides and all presentations and reports
fromthe IMA conference can be found at the iMa
website www.integratedmedia.org
IMA Public Broadcasting Internet ConferenceSan
Francisco, January 26-28 Contact Mark Fuerst
[phone] markfuerst_at_earthlink.net