The concept of withholding information in teases is, at best, outdated. News consumers have lots of options these days and they’re not waiting around for the evening broadcast to find out what’s happening. They’ve got their smartphones and ipads handy and their news apps working 24/7. If you tease them with a mystery, they’ll just go to their devices and find out what it’s about… that is if they even care enough to do so. We know from research and history that mysteries are usually just a turn-off and have been for years.
There are better, more effective ways to promote what you have to offer. It takes a new approach. Content is also more important than ever. Zeroing in on content that’s attractive to your lead-in audience is absolutely crucial. It’s why CJ&N is doing more research designed to provide action plans for every night of the week based on lead-in programming. And why we’re talking to clients about how to make topicals “Google-proof.”
Local television news is losing viewers and if we want to reverse that trend we can’t keep doing things the same old way. It’s time to update your topical strategy. Start by breaking the habit of holding back on your teases.
