About requesting songs on your local radio station

Before you call your local radio station to request Petra's music, you should arm yourself with some information. First, make sure you know which song is the official single to request (click here for details). Then check out this information:

This is the message from Arnie Clawson, who works for a radio conglomerate in Ohio. Prior to this he worked for WPFF, a 100,000 watt CCM station. He and Sue D. did concerts together, including Petra. She explained what we want to do (help promote the new CD), and this is what he replied:

I'm not sure your question has an easy one size fits all answer. There are several things you could try, but each station may react differently to each. Here are some initial thoughts on the matter:
1. If [the record label] isn't releasing it to radio stations, you may have to provide the stations with a copy of the album (cause [the record label] probably isn't going to send them copies). Program directors get funny about playing stuff that isn't released from a major label. The labels and reporting groups urge stations not to play stuff until it is released. The reasoning for this is that the companies release songs in a particular order and typically have long term marketing and strategy plans in place for each album. If stations get the album and begin playing stuff before it's released, it messes up the whole flow of things. If stations regularly play non-released songs, they can loose their status as a reporting station. [NOTE FROM GTP: inpop has done a GREAT job of getting the single out to radio stations, so I don't think this is a problem.]
2. Program directors can be bought. They like candy, pizza, cool toys, new cars, etc... It may not get the song on the air, but it can help.
3. Ask and ye shall receive... A personal phone call to each program director may also help. If you explain your story, that an internet chat group is lobbying to get a song on the air... they may pick it up and run with it. This could also be done by mail, but it is too easy to toss mail in the trash. It is much harder to say NO to a live person who is excited about what they're doing. What you're doing is kind of a unique concept, and would be interesting to the listeners. I remember a similar campaign conducted by Mark Lowrey on one of his parody songs. They sent copies to all the PD's and explained they wanted to break a record on the charts for the quickest rise and fall of a song. They asked that the song be added to the playlist of all stations for only a one week period, and then pulled and never played again. Since it was so unique and off the wall, stations agreed to the request, and explained the whole thing on the air.
4. Make up the news... Submit an article to the CCM update that stations are breaking the traditional rules and giving airplay to Petra based on demand from internet users. It's not lying if you can get a couple stations to help you out. They can even be in on the whole thing, just find a couple stations that are fed up with the system and are ready to rebel. You may be able to create a self fulfilling prophecy. Send copies of the article with the CD's you send to the stations. Make the stations think they are missing out on something.
This is it for now.... Arnie

This message was written to me by radio program director of a pretty large Christian radio station (he asked to have his name withheld) in response to the above letter:

I saw your web site encouraging people to e-mail radio stations and call them about Petra...and I have a few things you might want to know before you do it.
1. This isn't a new idea. Many indie artists right now are doing similar campaigns of having people call radio stations and send e-mails "requesting" these artists. Most program directors know the ISPs of their service area as well as people who e-mail requests regularly. If an e-mail comes in from a place other than the coverage area of the radio station (or a phone call as well) then it will most likely count as a strike against the artist they're calling in for. I know that's not fair, but radio people are very busy (I work at least 10 hours a day) and can't spend time talking to people making requests for airplay when they can't even hear the station.
Bottom line: it'll make requests from people in the listening area or people who really just called for Petra (or any artist) look like part of the campaign and their request will be most likely dismissed.
2. Most programmers can't be bought. I saw the post from another radio person saying some programmers can be bought. That may be true...I can't say it doesn't happen. But I know if someone came into my station with the intent on bribing me to play any song I'd throw them out and that artist would never be played. Again, not fair to the artist but that's my policy.
3. Petra's not viewed as being totally current in their sound. Again, not fair at all because I've met the guys and worked with them and love 'em. John Schlitt is one of the most Godly men I've ever met so this is nothing personal against them. Right now, the atmosphere in Christian radio is trying to find the most current sound and Petra has a stigma attached to them (unfairly) which is going to hurt them.
I wish you all the best with your campaign, I just wanted to give you a few warning flags so you don't end up causing more harm than good. Sometimes the best intentions can cause the worst results and I don't want you all to put in a ton of effort and feel like people have blown you off.
One thing as a radio programmer I've had to deal with is people complaining we're blowing off their opinions because we don't play a particular song they're demanding we play. We do research of listeners, focus groups... all kinds of things to find out what audiences want to hear and just because we don't do what you'd like us to do doesn't mean we don't care about you or the artist you're asking us to play.
Believe me... it's not easy doing a job where you know every decision you make on a song helps or hurts someone's ministry...

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