BuzzFlash Reader Contribution

CONTRIBUTOR ARCHIVES  

Stand, Fight and Win on Broadcast Radio

A How-To Guide for Progressive Issue Ads

A BUZZFLASH READER CONTRIBUTION
by Robert Millman

My name is Robert Millman and what follows is a successful strategy I used to air seven progressive Issue Ads on a right wing radio station in Albany, NY. A station that plays Limbaugh, Hannity and Savage every week day. It took spending some money and being persistent, but if I can do it, so can you.

The first and most important thing is to understand the premise of commercial radio-- They make their money from advertising. The premise for getting a progressive Issue Ad on a conservative radio station is free commerce. Do not confuse this with free speech. They are related but very separate issues. The FCC will side with the radio station every time on the free speech argument.

But-- A pillar of the radical right’s ideology is that business knows best. To make this acceptable, they espouse free enterprise and free commerce. Think in terms of free commerce and you can beat them with their own ideology.

1. Start with a well produced, fact based ad. I recommend making one point in each ad and keep it simple. You may use any of the seven Issue Ads available on BuzzFlash, or make up your own. Generally, issue ads must include the ad’s sponsor and contact information. The ads available here list BuzzFlash as the originator and contact for the ads. These ads have all been accepted by a conservative Clear Channel radio station.

2. Contact the radio station you choose, find out what ads cost. It all depends on the station and the time of day. Tell the advertising person you want to place an issue ad. If they ask, give them the topic of your ad. Keep it very simple—just the topic—The Deficit, Oil dependence, the right to vote, the Iraq War, whatever it is. State the topic but try not discuss the content of the ad or your political beliefs.

3. Tentatively place the ad with the station. Give the advertising representative your credit card information. Tell them you understand that the station must review the ad before it airs, but you want the air time blocked out. Believe me, the advertising representative wants your money, it is how they make a living.

4. E-mail the advertising person the audio files for the station to review. In this e-mail, re-state the agreed on air times, the amount already authorized to your credit card and attach the audio file. Most important of all--SAVE A COPY OF THIS E-MAIL—You now have a written record of your good will effort to spend money on their radio station and a record that the station has air time available for you.

Wait up to for a response-- They will either say yes or no. If they say yes, great, share your good news and be proud. If they say no, SAVE THE E_MAIL and forward it to ads@buzzflash.com. It’s time to go to work.

5. If rejected, politely e-mail the advertising person and ask why the ad is rejected. State that you want to be on this specific radio station and would consider changes to the ad if you knew why it was rejected. Ask who you should contact at the station. Don’t harass the advertising person, they are just trying to make a living and want to sell you the air time anyway. Move up the chain of authority at the radio station. SAVE A COPY OF ALL CORRESPONDENCE. My experience was two weeks of stone-walling before Clear Channel changed their minds.

If you continue, you are now in a public fight that is the only course you have. Broadcasters have the right to reject any ad. They don’t have to give you a reason, and the FCC backs them up on this. If you want to take this up with the FCC that’s up to you.

The way to win this is in the court of public opinion; make it into a news story that won’t go away. The argument is that you are entitled to free commerce like anyone else, and the station has a public responsibility. Consistently ask for a reason why your ads were rejected. Your money is as good as anyone’s. And always state in your correspondence that you are willing to alter the ad if you knew what it was they found objectionable. And don’t bluff, if they make a reasonable request do it.

Contact every news outlet you can, big, small, everything in-between. Anything in print, on-line or on the air about this embarrasses the station and helps you. And send your information to ads@buzzflash.com; we will do what we can. Your best chance is to start with something local, any news outlet, no matter how small, in the community where you and the station are located.

Encourage your friends and like minded people to write e-mails. Broadcasters are obligated to keep all complaints on file by the FCC. And those complaints must be reviewed by the FCC when the station renews their license to use public air waves. Contact whatever progressive organizations you can think of; try your local DFA (Dean For America), the Greens, anybody that might agree with you. Distribute the e-mail address of the station manager and the station owners, ask people to write. Go as far up the food chain as you can. Write to the CEO of the company that owns the radio station. There are other things as well, so if you get this far write me at ads@BuzzFlash.com.

--THE SECRET TO WINNING THIS ARGUMENT—

This is very important--Don’t let the radio station change the subject. This is not about a radio stations having the right to reject any ad. They have that right. This is about broadcasters having a public responsibility to articulate a reason why an issue ad should not be heard. It isn’t about law; it is about fair play and fair commerce. If you stay on that one point, are persistent (and lucky), you will win.

The radio station and reporters will suggest you try a different station. It’s your money and you can do that, but would it be alright if you could only shop in certain stores? Only eat at certain restaurants? That is the heart of your argument.

If you are persistent, you can win this. There is a public sense of fair play that is already on your side. A public sense that says radio stations must have a reason to reject a paid ad espousing a responsible point of view. If you use one of my ads and the station rejects the ad, what can they say? They don’t think it is appropriate to air commonly held views on deficit spending? or oil dependence? or the right to vote?

You get a radio station to say that on the record and you have a major newspaper article. One that is worth way more than the cost of the ads. And you won’t have to pay for it. So fight, you can win this. Get the radio station to either accept your ad or articulate a reason why they won’t.

Feel free to use any of my written material available at BuzzFlash for your arguments.

Good Luck,

Robert Millman
ads@buzzflash.com

A BUZZFLASH READER CONTRIBUTION

[BuzzFlash Note: Robert does not work for BuzzFlash. In the course of our efforts to promote his ads and get them on Clear Channel, we found it would be useful and efficient to create a centralized email address for issues our readers might have related to getting these ads on the air. The ads@buzzflash.com email address auto-forwards to Robert's personal account. If you have any questions specific to BuzzFlash's involvement with those ads, you can always email us at buzzflash@buzzflash.com. Thanks.]