As you may know, I am a big fan of data, and I recently was reading some data about people listening to Audible, podcasts and audiobooks and thought to myself – hold on- we used to do this on radio with radio serials – Why did we stop? Should they return? Did they rate? Would people still listen to them? and so on, and so forth…
I even went back through my own archives to look at, and listened to some very simple radio serials I had written with clients being the sponsors.
One was called ‘Desperate House Wines’ and was sponsored by an alcohol retailer – it was a parody of Desperate Housewives during the first season on TV, and my serial ran for 10 episodes. It was a bit existential, weird and never really solved its mystery – but it was fun and listeners (and the client) loved it.
Another ‘The Radio Adventures of Pie-man’ which was sold to a bakery and ran for 20 episodes. It was about a baker who ate a very strange pie that gave him and his bakers apprentice superpowers – sort of!
Finally I wrote another parody of the tv series ‘Ghost Whisperer’ which I had planned for 50 episodes (it had a HUGE story arc), and called it the ‘Ghost Shouter’ about a medium (or less-than-average) who used their powers for their own gain – funny how that one never sold.
All 3 of these ran for 60 seconds and were in the style of the shows that they parodied or, in the ‘Pie-Man’ show – was similar in style to the old time radio serials and Dick Orkin’s beloved “Chickenman” series – although mine was distinctly Australian.
I still strongly feel that if they are sold right, and are well written, well acted, then clients will sponsor them, and listeners would look out for them – AND best of all – they become a commodity that a station could on-sell to other markets to make more money from them.
Listeners are there – looking for something different and a long form 60 second ‘commercial’ disguised as a radio play or serial would work.
So as I step up to the top of the soapbox – here are my 8 reasons why radio serials should make a comeback:
1. Engaging storytelling: Radio serials are an excellent platform for storytelling. They allow writers to engage listeners with long-form storytelling, giving them the opportunity to develop characters and plotlines in a way that is difficult in other mediums. Fast action is possible, amazing locations, incredible tales of daring do, too! It’s all part of the ‘theatre of the mind’, show the power of it off people!
2. Captivating performances: The art of voice acting is a unique skill that requires a lot of creativity and versatility. The radio serials allow voice actors to bring characters to life in a way that is both captivating and entertaining. You might even be surprised at how willing a local theatre group is to be involved, or even some of your own staff.
3. Cost-effective: Compared to other forms of entertainment such as television or movies, radio serials are very cost-effective. With minimal production costs, they offer a low-risk opportunity for broadcasters and content creators. Clients will love being involved with and sponsoring a show that can showcase their name and their support of something different.
4. Accessible to all: Radio serials can be listened to anywhere, anytime, making them an accessible form of entertainment to all demographics. They do not require any visual stimuli, which means they can be enjoyed while driving, cooking, or even while working. They can be played at different times of the day or night (to perhaps target different audiences).
5. Nostalgia factor: Many people have very fond memories of listening to radio serials with their families when they were growing up. The return of radio serials could invoke a sense of nostalgia and help people reconnect with a simpler time. Bring back old serials like “Chickenman” and the like, you’ll soon see that they are still popular.
6. Educational value: If you want to go this way, you can educate listeners on various topics and themes, making them a useful tool for learning. This could be particularly beneficial for children and young people who can learn important lessons while being entertained.
7. Cultural preservation: Radio serials have been an integral part of many cultures around the world for decades. By bringing them back, we can help preserve this important aspect of our cultural heritage for future generations to enjoy. I have particular fondness for a New Zealand series called Claybourne – it was fantastic!
8. They are FUN to Write: Yes my final reason for this is because they are a lot of fun to write. You can do so many different things in a radio serial that you can’t do if you are just writing straight commercials. Stretch that creative muscle and write something different. Enjoy it.
Let me give you an example – if you have a client that has a mascot that is used in their radio ads – pitch them a radio serial with the mascot as the centre of the action – give that mascot a voice, a back story and some type of action that they are trying to do (I highly recommend the book SAVE THE CAT by Blake Snyder) you will find that people will soon be suggesting ideas.
The chances are that the client will also, have never, ever – thought about it before – and now they have an opportunity to capture an audience with a story about their business mascot – why wouldn’t they love that?
By the way – Chickenman is still available to play – and last I saw all 275+ episodes were on itunes.
There are many other serials out there that have been produced – but why not – as a Copywriter – come up with one and pitch it to a client – something very different, very polished, and with their name already embedded in it – try it and let me know your results.
By the way – I still come up with random radio serial ideas and pitch them to clients all the time – you never know when one of them will say YES.
SATURDAY SOAPBOX will be an occasional series of posts about topics that don’t fit into our normal Monday to Friday schedule – but discussing topics that we think should be discussed within the industry.
