Listener Audio

Where can I get some canned listener audio? Testimonials?

A number of imaging packages have those available from a slew of Premiere products to Cumulus Media (formerly Citadel, formerly ABC Radio Networks).

Great way to accomplish this is to have the jocks ask listeners that call in, what they like about the station, music, contest etc... I personally do this for both stations I'm on while doing Our all Christmas format and play them during my shift over intros and into breaks.

my two cents!

If you have the time. Take a recorder to the mall at it's least busiest (minimize noise) but yet there's enough people to sample. Have a list of questions geared to get the responses you seek. This way you can get custom audio with your call letters, air talent, etc.

Wear station attire and even give some swag to each person. You can have each cut 10 or so lines and cut up later to intersperse as needed.

Might be good idea to clear with mall management - they sometimes get a little touchy about such activities.

True. Most stations have a good rep with their local mall. Some even have kiosks set up. Years ago in CLE we had one for our group of stations.

Years ago there was a site called Big Fish that I use to subscribe to that had listener drops galore, but it went bust with much of the Big Fish production library got merged with TM's Imaging Arsenal division.

Dave Dworkin's Radio-Mall has a the FutureFX library which has some limited listener drops on the first two volumes of the series.

I know I had been looking for a pre-canned library as well but hadn't found much. I know that the Premiere and ABC libraries have quite a selection but the budget would probably break smaller stations (as well as being unavailable if others in the market have them).

@Bill... the Premiere and Cumulus (ABC) libraries are all barter. No "cost" to a station. Just an issue of availability and qualifying for barter.

The key to listener audio is to make sure that it's focused, local, and relatable. I've written some tips on the subject recently about how to get people to give you honest, real-sounding answers to your questions. Here's the link: http://drakedonovan.com/index.php/blog/item/5-mining-for-digital-goldhow-i-capture-meaningful-listener-audio

Or just have the sales people, interns and office workers record the drops for you.

ProducerGuy said:

Or just have the sales people, interns and office workers record the drops for you.

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Unless they are REALLY good actors, they sound staged. For lack of a better word, 'organic' audio works best. It's more time consuming to obtain and produce but in my opinion far more effective. Drake is also correct that it has to be focused, local and relatable. When our stations are at a bar night, I send the event team out with a recorder to gather audio. While I have certain lines I need they also are able to get listeners saying random stuff that works, too.