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ElmerHilderbrandonCommunityRadio
LocalradioisthelifebloodofmanyofCanada’ssmallcommunities,especiallyinWestern
Canada.
Withoutlocalradio,manysmallcommunitiesgetlittleornocoverageofareanews.Atbest,
thereisaweeklynewspaper.Therestofresidents‘service’comesfromdistant,oftenmetromarket,radiostations.
Metromarketstationsbroadcastonlymajornewseventsfromsmall-markets–fires,accidents
orthelike.Bycontrast,smallmarketradiostationsgetinvolvedineveryaspectoftheir
community–fromreportingonlocalconcerts,schoolandcommunityactivitiesandinitiatives,
sportsevents,churchandcharitableorganizations.
On-airradiopersonalitiesinsmall-marketCanadaareconnected.Theygenerallyknowmost
membersofthecommunity,takinglistenerloyaltytoanewlevel!Theyactivelyhelpoutin
theirhomecommunitybywayofpromotion,emceeingcommunityevents,andcreating
positivetalkandinterestaboutallthat’sgoingon.
Inmyexperience,theflavouroflocalradioistruly“likeafriend”–down-home,personal,
accessibleandtherewhenyouneedit.Doesthatseemdated?I’dventurenot.Intoday’sworld
ofinternetandsatellitecommunications,localradiocontinuestobethegluethatholds
communitiestogether,reflectingwhatis‘real’and‘genuine’.Afterallissaidanddone,people
don’tliveontheinternet,theyliveincommunities.
ManyofCanada’sleadingcorporationsareexperiencingthevalueofconnectingatagrass
rootsleveltoCanadiansinruralandsmallmarkets.Theiradvertisingresultsaretangible,and
theyknowthattheyaredifferentiatingtheirbrandsfromcompetitors’thathavealessaccessiblepresencewiththeconsumers.
It’struethatthemajorityofCanada’spopulationresidesincitiesandmid-sizemarkets,butI
wouldcontendthatthebrandloyaltythatcanbebuiltinsmallcommunities,isdeeper,faster
toacquire,andoffersahigherreturnoninvestmentthaninlarge,highly-competitivemarkets.
OnbehalfofGoldenWestAdvertisingandallofCanada’ssmallmarketradiobroadcasters,I
inviteyoutoexploretheindividualcommunitiesthatmakeupyourbusiness’geography.You
maybesurprisedathowattachedyoubecome.
ElmerHilderbrandistheChiefExecutiveOfficeratGoldenWestRadio