“There is little you can do. Or is there?”
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The Christmas Music Tidal Wave is days away for radio. So far, two different columns on Christmas Music for Adult Music Brands and best practices for the holiday season have appeared on Barrett Media.
First, we profiled WHEN to launch your Christmas Music Playlist with veteran, successful Adult Contemporary programmers. The second, we called on expert panelists for their take on Christmas Music Playlist Curation.
The Christmas Music ratings onslaught affects all formats, not simply music brands. A cume vacuum is felt across the entire market and the Holiday Book suppresses everyone on the radio dial.
You’re a programmer reading this and you have a big Adult Contemporary station across town who has already built their seasonal holiday programming. They’re ready to launch their holiday ballistic missile as early as November 1st. There is little you can do.
Or is there?
We coach stations that flip to all Christmas Music sometime in November while other clients opt not to flip the all Christmas switch. Every format should be open to staying relevant through the holiday season. Done correctly, your non-Christmas brands can stay connected to the Christmas seasons and you just might make a few bucks along the way.
Christmas stations are traditionally sold out late in the 4th quarter of the year. You, traditionally are not.
First, a few programming tactics for your consideration to kick-start your holiday counter-programming:
Yes, we are serious and your counter-programming against All-Christmas should be too. Holidays are not a time to break new music. Record companies slow or stop new releases until January. There are only about 30 Christmas Hits with various versions in a well-curated Christmas Music List.
If your crosstown Christmas Music competitor has a loose list or the local programming team wants to introduce new Christmas music, take advantage of this poor tactic. Unfamiliar Christmas Music product will scatter their huge cume. Use it to your favor by only airing monster hits of your format during the season.
Add seasonal holiday imaging in the front, middle and end of the blocks. Sell opening and closing sponsors for the Blocks. Sponsors love this feature. Ice Blocks put their product on an ‘audio island’ free from the typical stop set.
Promote throughout the week that Sundays during the holidays are commercial free. Without running actual spots, have each hour “brought to you uninterrupted by (sponsor)”.
Whatever your Christmas decision, dress up your imaging with Christmas sounds inside your music sweeps. Like a store that doesn’t sell all Christmas decorations, retailers do not ignore the season. Make your non-Christmas Music product sound like the season with holiday sounds. The listener is still in the Christmas mood even if they don’t want all Christmas Music.
In August we published a piece on all-things 4th quarter for adult formats to include the beginning of fall through Christmas Day. Consider adding the following promotional opportunities to your Christmas promotional arsenal.
Add the following to your list of seasonal promotional tools to keep your programming relevant:
As the competition is surging through the season, creating atmospherics for your non-Christmas Music brand is critical to attaching you to the season.
It’s Christmas. Wrap your brand in it.
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Kevin Robinson is a passionate award-winning programmer, consultant and coach – with multi-formats success all over the country. He has advised numerous companies including Audacy (formerly Entercom Communications), Beasley Broadcast Group, Westwood One, Midwest Communications, Townsquare Media, Midwest Family Broadcasting Group, EG Media Group, Federated Media, Kensington Media, mediaBrew Communications, Starved Rock Media, and more. He specializes in strategic radio cluster alignment, building lean-forward tactics and talent coaching – legacy and entry-level – personalities.
Known largely as a trusted talent coach, Kevin is the only personality mentor who’s coached three different morning shows on three different brands in the same major market to the #1 position. His efforts have been recognized by The World Wide Radio Summit, Radio & Records, NAB’s Marconi, and he has coached CMA, ACM and Marconi Award-winning talent. He is also in The Zionsville High School Hall of Fame as part of the 2008 inaugural class. Kevin is an Indiana native – living near Zionsville with his wife of 39 years, Monica and can be reached at kevin@robinsonmedia.fm.
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Counter-Programming the All-Christmas Music Station – Barrett Media
