DON'T WAIT FOR FCC'S LOCALISM MANDATES

Tomorrow the FCC unwraps its latest “gift” to stations—proposed requirement for more local programming. But is this lump of coal really an early Christmas present?

Just in time for Christmas, FCC Chairman Kevin “Santa” Martin is poised to stuff broadcasters’ stockings with shiny new regulations requiring “a significant amount of locally-oriented programming.”  The proposed rulemaking is scheduled for tomorrow’s open meeting of the FCC, along with the usual invitation to comment.

I can just imagine those comments. In fact, I don’t have to. Last week, Martin offered the Senate Commerce Committee a sneak preview of the new regulations. Shortly thereafter, attorney David Oxenford told TVNEWSDAY, “What amazes me most is that the FCC did away with these kind of rules 25 years ago because it concluded that the marketplace would force broadcasters to address the needs in their community.  And today there is so much more competition.”

Spoken like a communications lawyer. But Oxenford barely attained low dudgeon compared to TVNEWSDAY Editor Harry Jessell. In his column last Friday, he accused Chairman Martin of pursuing a “vendetta against broadcasting… [possibly as] punishment because the networks didn’t completely roll over when he cracked down on indecency.”

I hate to scold the boss, but I must remind Harry that when he gets cynical about Kevin Martin, he’s poaching on my territory. (“Enhanced disclosure??” My ass-ertainment!) Even so, I’m not sure this proposed rulemaking is entirely a bad thing. From a marketing standpoint, stations and group owners might want to take a deep breath before filing those objections. Here’s why:

The marketplace has not, in fact, been friendly to local programming since the previous rules were relaxed. While local news has expanded into new dayparts (thanks partly to duopolies) locally-produced talk, magazine and entertainment shows have mostly disappeared.

Yes, local production means added costs, but very often for proportionally much less than it cost in the 1980s, thanks to new technology and other creative efficiencies.

Most stations are poised to launch additional digital channels, all of which crave fresh content, and provide a venue for multiple runs of each local show.

Perhaps the best of all, you own the shows you produce and you don’t have to share the inventory.

But what good is extra inventory if nobody watches the show? Oh, ye of little faith. Here are just a few ideas for show formats that can generate viewers and revenue.

The Sales-Driven Model. A perfectly legitimate local show can be produced in collaboration with local advertisers, so long as you fully disclose any commercial ties. Originate a talk show from a local mall or restaurant to guarantee a small studio audience. Audition local chefs for cooking segments, local merchants for gift and holiday advice, a regional hospital for health tips. Make the segments short and full of information and keep the commercials separate. The possibilities for segments and advertisers are plentiful.

Viewer Participation. Used sparingly, viewer-created content can be a compelling hook for traditional local formats. While highly-produced videos might be ideal, photos and voicemails are a more realistic goal. Use this technique to add immediacy to sports talk or other call-in shows, or to get viewers to nominate and vote on everything from “Best Holiday Decorations” to “Worst City Eyesore.”

Share the Wealth. As a PM Magazine veteran, I feel honor-bound to remind you that you don’t have to produce your entire local show by yourself.  You can share the burden with sister stations within your group or through creative partnerships you cook up yourself.  In Group W’s classic PM Program Cooperative, a national office supervised, collected and redistributed the best local content from around the country on a shared “national reel” that included full stories, short segments and a full complement of promos.

In a less bureaucratic model, Tribune’s KTLA Morning News shares Sam Rubin’s Hollywood-based entertainment reports with its Chicago flagship WGN among other stations. 

But my favorite example of a local success story is Acme Communications’ WBDT, Dayton Ohio’s CW, which was so successful in launching its weekday strip The Daily Buzz that Acme relocated production to Orlando, Fla., where it now plays on dozens of stations. Imagine such a show with a flexible "wheel" format that allows not only local news and weather cut-ins, but, say, a third of the show featuring local hosts.

And for station groups with deeper pockets, especially network O&Os, maybe it’s time to think even bigger. Instead of clearinghouses for your syndicated fare, it’s time to remember that those local stations make excellent farm teams. Why not incubate those game and reality show pilots in Boston or San Fransisco until they’re really ready for primetime?

And if fresh content and inventory aren’t enough incentive, I remind you that nothing reinforces your station’s image and brand identity like a successful local franchise.

What’s more, as Harry concluded last week about Kevin Martin’s latest outburst, “Whatever’s bothering Martin about broadcasting, the NAB needs to figure out it out and move to mollify him. And it needs to do it fast.”

What better way to fend off time-wasting regulations than for stations to proactively embrace a revival in local programming but on their own terms?

Market Share by Arthur Greenwald appears every Monday in TVNEWSDAY to highlight the latest in sales marketing and station promotion. We’re taking off the next two Mondays. But Arthur will be back on Monday, Jan. 7, to look back at the top local promotions of 2007. Want to make sure that yours is among the best of 2008? Write to Arthur about your campaign at greenwald@tvnewsday.com.