Broadcasting, Broadcaster, Programming, Advice

Special Radio Station Programming for Award Shows

As a Live365 broadcaster, you have the agency to create whatever internet radio station you desire with your own curated programming. So, with awards season upon us, there is a great opportunity to add some unique and engaging programming to your station around the various award shows.

What do we mean by this?

Well, for any or all of the award shows in entertainment, whether that may be the Grammys, Oscars, Emmys, Tonys, MTV Video Music Awards, Billboard Music Awards, or any other award show, you have the opportunity to have a special show on your station dedicated to the award show. Having special programming on your station is a great way to further connect with listeners and offer a variety of content on top of your current programming that differentiates your station. Not only that, but it could make for great marketing material for attracting new listeners. Put more simply, an award show special is likely to be engaging programming. Of course, it must be done right and make sense with your station and at the very least, your target audience. However, with such a widely talked about event, such as an award show, you can take advantage of that interest and work to funnel some of it into your station.

So, what could this look like?

Truthfully, an award show special on your station can look however you want. So, this could be an opportunity for you to create something unique, yet in line with your usual programming, or this could be a chance to do something totally out of your station's comfort zone. This may mean adding in music that's outside your usual genres or this could mean adding some talk into a station that typically plays music exclusively.

From there, you may decide to create a show full of talk and commentary, a show consisting of music exclusively, or a combination of music and talk. There may even be an opportunity here to have a guest on your station. You can decide to air the special before and/or after the award show airs as well. The possibilities are really endless for how to create award show special programming for your station.

Actually, though, what could this look like?

This could look like discussing the nominations at the Oscars or Emmys, or it may be just a playlist full of songs and artists nominated at the Billboard Music Awards. When combining talk and music, this could look like creating a playlist of songs that are nominated at the Grammys and providing commentary on the songs as they play, including commentary on their nomination. You may even decide to air multiple specials leading up to the show as well as air one special after the show. You might consider airing a playlist of songs nominated at the Grammys for one special, a talk special previewing the Grammys that includes discussion on the nominations, presenters, performers, host, etc., and then a music/talk combination special playing the winning songs and reviewing the award show overall.

There's no wrong or right way to create your programming, it really depends on your interest and what you feel works best for your station. Just remember that once you have your programming scheduled, take some time to advertise it! You wouldn't want to put all that effort into special programming just for no one to know about it or tune in. So, post to social media, add it to your schedule on your website, utilize hashtags around the award show, mention it on your station beforehand, and add it to your "About" section on your station profile page. Anywhere you can let people know about it, do so.


With all that said, consider searching for and noting when award shows are coming up, and put some thought into possibly having special programming. Not only could it be some really great and engaging programming on your station, but you might just find that you have some interest or even passion for making the specials.


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Article Image: Free-Photos via Pixabay.

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About Michelle Ruoff

  • Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania