Here are just a few noble and notable radio experiments that crashed and burned, or at least made emergency landings and never left the ground again:

New Age

Chill

Thunder Country (rock and country hybrid)

Jelli for radio

Top 40 that only played supershort versions of hits (Canada; record labels put a fast stop to that)

“Never More than 2 commercials in a row” (Nova-FM, Australia – great launch, eventually consolidated stopsets)

The Gen X format (90s-based. Worked for a time in several markets)

The people who thought them up should be thanked for trying something new, for without experimentation there is no innovation.  Without experimentation, we wouldn’t have formats like Sports (thank Emmis’ WFAN for that) or Spanish language stations. In fact, we wouldn’t have any of the big formats that work so well today without someone saying “why don’t we try…..” There was no Top 40 until Gordon McLendon and Todd Storz tried it. Oldies, now Classic Hits, germinated as Million Dollar Weekends on Top 40 stations in the ‘60s, and later became successful lunchtime and weekend features on AC. Finally, someone tried something crazy and made it a 24-hour format.  I’m serious: Oldies was a leap. I once had a banker tell me he wouldn’t fund an oldies station because it was just too….risky. Can you imagine oldies as edgy?

There’s no innovation without experimentation, and no experimentation without the ability to withstand possible failure.  Ability and appetite for experimentation are in short supply in radio. There’s too much at stake, too many companies buried in debt. Thus, what passes for “new” lately are just shades on existing concepts.

Thank goodness, therefore, for Translators and HD Radio. With more sticks/frequencies that need programming, and owners who don’t want to cannibalize their primary stations, a few folks are looking for something new. I haven’t heard a really bold idea lately (if you have, please let me know), but sooner or later someone will try something really different. And fail. Someone else will try a different idea and succeed.  Both should be respected for trying.

In our research with women we see growing agreement with a statement that begins “Radio is kind of old…”  That is literally true: compared to digital technology, radio is ancient. But for many people, it’s true figuratively as well. This culture, especially our younger members, are fascinated by what’s new – and there’s a lot of “new” out there. Just not in radio.

I’ve noticed a difference between Americans in radio and those in other countries. If you propose a new idea, most radio people will immediately ask “who else is doing it?”  Americans tend to shy away from the idea if the answer is “no one.”  But in Australia, most of Europe, and many other areas, the response to “no one” is “Great! We can be first!”

Please understand that I’m not at all knocking being “safe,” if that is defined as “continue to do what continues to work.” I do that and recommend my clients do, as well. But when things stop working, it’s time to start innovating.

If you have a wild and crazy – or even sane – idea that you’d like to see nurtured, I’d like to hear about it. Alan@BurnsRadio.com.  And to the folks who thought up and tried ideas like those at the top of this post, thank you. Keep it up.