Radio loves two words more than any others: live and local. It’s on the website. It’s in the sales deck. And it’s the crutch of CEOs in press releases and on banker calls.
But the second the live and local community actually talks back about something they disagree with, many stations disappear (granted, they disappear live and locally).
Listener outrage used to live in phone calls, emails, and faxes. Now the listener talks back publicly on social media. And with too many C-suite seat fillers who don’t even have a profile photo, or follow their own stations, there’s a dangerous illusion that very little negative feedback exists.
Meanwhile, they are missing the love letters the airstaff sees every time a station posts, “excited to bring you something new.”
Common comments look like this:
“You ruined this station.”
“Bring back the old format.”
“This new show sucks.”
“I’ve listened for 20 years. I’m done.”
“I’m listening to your competitor from now on.”
“I’ve removed you from my presets.”
“Thank God I have Apple Music and Spotify.”
Every complaint now lives in public. Every non-response also lives in public. And every defensive reply lives in public. Every station says it exists to serve the public. But do they?
Program directors were trained to schedule clocks, come up with promotions that rhyme, and plaster their logos everywhere, a strategy I have never fully agreed with. They were not trained to manage conflict in front of an audience.
Market managers were trained to protect revenue, negotiate vehicle trades for the DOS, and hope the DJs do not find out. They were not trained in public diplomacy.
So the local market freezes and hopes corporate will handle it. Corporate stays quiet because they do not understand the nuance of the change. Now, both the local station and the company look indifferent.
You cannot celebrate the community in the studio and then ignore them on social media. Listeners see it instantly. And part of what makes radio uncomfortable is this: the audience now has its own media. But that is a Barrett column for another day.
Silence Is a Bad Strategy. Let Me Help.
The first day after a major change is announced is not the time to hide. It’s the time to monitor, assess tone, and make a statement. Something simple works:
“We hear you. Change is never easy. We appreciate everyone who has been part of this station’s story, and we are excited about what’s ahead.”
Handled correctly, negative feedback can deepen loyalty. When listeners see thoughtful responses, even critics soften. Most negative comments are not asking for blood. They’re asking for acknowledgment.
When someone writes, “I hate this format change,” they’re not filing a lawsuit. That’s more of a Cumulus or Nielsen situation. They’re grieving familiarity. And when someone says, “you don’t listen to your audience,” what they really mean is, “I don’t feel heard.”
Having made changes at hundreds of stations, across dozens of formats, in multiple countries, I have found one approach that works almost every time.
Use the acronym L.A.S.T.
- Listen.
- Ask.
- Solve.
- Thank.
It is simple, human, and easy to remember. Kind of like “Free Ticket Friday.”
What Gets a Response and What Does Not
Not everything deserves your attention. Personal attacks, profanity, and obvious trolling can sit untouched.
But high-visibility posts should be managed in the first 24 hours. That does not mean replying to every comment.
If five or more comments raise the same concern, respond publicly once. Not individually. One visible acknowledgment shows enough awareness without turning into a debate.
Training Day. No Denzel.
Most radio managers were trained to protect ratings and revenue. They were not trained for public conflict in front of an audience.
Yet every format flip, personality exit, or controversial segment now triggers a public trial in the comments section. And the station shows up unarmed. No guidelines. No tone strategy.
You would never put a new morning show on air without coaching. You would never launch a sales rep without training. But we routinely allow managers to represent the brand publicly with zero preparation.
Training should include:
- How to acknowledge frustration without admitting fault.
- How to separate trolls from longtime listeners, although depending on how long they have been listening, they may look like trolls.
- And how to escalate real issues internally before they become external narratives.
Remember once a defensive reply is posted, it lives forever. Once a sarcastic tone slips through, it becomes a screenshot, it becomes a story.
Every station should appoint someone responsible for digital community management. Not an intern. Not the promotions assistant juggling remotes. Someone trained in tone, someone who writes well, and someone who knows what to acknowledge, what to ignore, and what to never type.
If You Cannot Handle the Comments, You Cannot Handle the Job
Ignoring comments does not make them disappear. It turns them into Reddit threads. It turns them into revenue risks.
Always remember: clients also read the comments.
A local advertiser sees, “you ruined this station,” followed by, “why won’t anyone respond?”; then that client calls the sales rep, “what’s going on over there?” The rep has no script. The manager has no statement. The station has no plan. All of a sudden, both ratings and revenue are at risk.
If you are going to say live and local, you have to be live in the local conversation at every touchpoint. The lobby. The front desk. The comments.
Community does not only exist when the mic is on. It continues when you hit reply.
Say something.
If that fails, go with shrugging emoji.
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