It's the Most Wonderful Time of the Year

Or at least I hope your listeners think that when they hear your station.

It's that time of year. When teachers get excited about not seeing their kids for a week, Black Friday shoppers hurt one another in race for the hottest item on sale and radio programmers want to become deaf as they have to listen to Burl Ives for hours non-stop.

Ah, the holidays.

I understand why radio goes all Christmas. For some it's to beat the mainstream AC station in town. For some it's to reach out to new listeners that don't normally listen to your station and pray they stay after the New Year.

Whatever your reason, make sure you are getting feedback from your audience on what THEY like. Despite what you think, it's not all about you. The sooner we realize that, the sooner we start programming better radio stations who reach new listeners because you're doing what they want to hear.

Do yourself a favor and set up a Christmas music online forum. Make sure your listeners have a voice outside your regular music testing times. Be sure they feel a part of your music, even when it comes to (sometimes) no-thinking-needed Christmas music decisions.