Audio processing is the least expensive way to acquire and retain audience. I believe that's important enough to repeat, so I'll repeat it: audio processing is the least expensive way for a radio station to acquire and retain audience.

Look at it this way. Department stores all sell similar merchandise. Let's say that one store displays its merchandise attractively, and adds special lighting to bring out the best points of the goods. Then let's say that another store simply thrusts its wares out onto the floor any old way, and uses flat, generic lighting. Both stores might attract shoppers who will stop and look. But the store with the attractive displays and vivid lighting will always have more shoppers who spend more time shopping, who buy more, and who return more often.

In the same way, broadcasters all have a similar array of "merchandise" to display—music, talk, personalties, features. Audience will be attracted to these products, and if the products are attractively presented—and if there are not even more attractively presented products close by—the audience will spend time listening, will decide that they like the station, and will return more often.

The initial attraction is analogous to the Arbitron™ cume. Remaining to look at the goods more carefully—or to listen and enjoy—is analogous to quarter hours. These ratings issues are issues that all of us deal with, every day.

Here's where processing comes in. A radio station's primary means of "displaying" and "lighting" its merchandise is the processing of its signal. And it's not as simple as just cranking up the loudness. Next time you're in a mall, notice the hundreds of subtle nuances in the way stores display merchandise. They're attempting to attract specific customers. Signal processing is just as subtle, and just as nuanced. The processing you apply, and the taste and style that's used in its application, should be just as focused on the specific listeners you want to attract.

I didn't say that audio processing was easy. But compared to all the other methods you use to acquire and retain audience—advertising, promotions, direct mail, prizes—it's by far the best bargain.