[JingleMadMember]

We’re all here because we like jingles, but . . . . I’d be interested to hear your views on the following (as brief, or as detailed as you wish) . . . .

1) How would you describe an effective sung jingle?

2) How often should a sung jingle play on the air?

3) Should presenters have their own sung jingles, or should all jingles sell the station?

4) How would describe a radio station which doesn’t use sung jingles at all?

Be interesting to see your points of view!

-Sean Martin

http://www.jingles.org/jam

[Bigdave]

OK – so I’m first , then?

1) How would you describe an effective sung jingle?

The most effective sung jingles are those that have a “recall” feature – whether it be a melody or tag line that will stick in the subconcious of the listener. This is why, 20 years after a lot of the cuts were on air, you can ask a non jingle fan to sing a jingle or remember a tag line from a certain package , and they’ll be able to recall it without prompting. The 1976 and 1984 Radio One packages are prime examples of this – most people can sing a cut or will be able to tell you either Radio One was either “the happy sound” or “The Best Sound In Britain” . Ask them to tell you a liner – then they’d have a problem….

2) How often should a sung jingle play on the air?

Common station practice is to do so at the end of a stop set (commercials) or a long period of speech oriented broadcast material. Overuse of the station ID will counteract the issues raised above. The Top of The Hour (TOTH) is probably the most important time a sung cut can be used , to make sure once and all who the station is , where they are , and their position on the dial .

3) Should presenters have their own sung jingles, or should all jingles sell the station?

I think it always helps a station if their imaging not only sells the station but also their presentation staff . It’s only right that the jock gets some credit for his/her contribution to what the station does and how it sounds. Presenter ID’s though , should be used sparingly instead of every second song – certain jocks have big enough egos without hearing their name sung every 6 minutes!

4) How would describe a radio station which doesn’t use sung jingles at all?

There are always going to be certain areas of broadcasting where a sung jingle would be out of context in conjunction with their programming . But even if you look at stations like Radio 4 , things like the Archers,PM,The News Quiz and I’m Sorry I Haven’t A Clue all have a noticable theme – in essence, their own jingle -even though they don’t have 7 voices in close harmony recorded in a studio somewhere in Dallas !

What I can’t stand though are music stations who still continue to use the smash bang wallop principle of imaging – you know….(WOOOOOOSH!) Today’s Best Mix….(FX and compression of station v/o – that or digital enhancement)…CHEESE FM….(BOOM!) …. where’s the invention in that? Most CHR/Hot AC PD’s have been brainwashed by their respective Group PD’s into thinking that jingles are a throwback to the 1980’s and shy away from using them .

It’s only when a PD who has a true love for radio decides to use a decent sung package that gets results. Companies like TM, JAM and Reelworld are still making stuff that gets stations noticed – it’s just that Radio in the 21st century has become so up itself ,that it must be like banging your head against a brick wall when trying to convince a station thats more interested in the balance sheet instead of one of it’s core issues – making sure who the listener knows who they’re listening to !

[surfmonkee]

I’d be interested to hear your views

an effective sung jingle =
when the punter sings it too and turns it up more, and its up and happy. and when ur the tech op, you look forward to playing it…. like the ask for a song / hirsty morning glory/ best sound in britain national radio one. shouldnt be more than 40s imo 60s tops and it better be punchy, full, and well mixed.

sung jingle on air/ airtime allowed=
mmmmm, difficult, depends on station style and program content…

presenters should have sung jingles only if they are the same beds and vox as the station package. imo

no sung jingles, well again, imo, it depends on station style and program content, you can hardly imagine pam singing radio 4 john humphries!
ha ha ha

[topcat]

1) How would you describe an effective sung jingle?

An effective sung jingle is one that is memorable and effectively sells the stations slogan line. This could be, as it was, in the sixties, a line such as WHERE THE ACTION IS, FUN VIBRATIONS or ALL AMERICAN. Of course, stations now use bland lines such as TODAY’S BEST MIX… which is far from memorable to begin with. There should also be consistancy with the logo of the station. We had a station in this market using both the WLS and WABC logos at the same time. Let’s be consistant, folks…!

To use a line from a PAMS demo… the jingle allows the listener to know who you are and where you’re at. Of course, sometimes that can be in the ratings toilet! 😯

2) How often should a sung jingle play on the air?

Often, especially if the station is using a moniker (such as “Mix 93.1”) instead of call letters. The identity of the station has to be impressed upon the listener. Of course, some of this can also be creatively done through the supplement of station production. Advertisers statistics say that something needs to be heard/seen seven times before it starts to make an impression. Oh… a bad jingle will make an impression right away. 😆

3) Should presenters have their own sung jingles, or should all jingles sell the station?

Jingles sell the product. The product is the station. The presenter/jock is there to sell the product. In the US, you get diary points for not only the name of the station, but if the presenter’s name is remembered (but not the station call letters). Therefore… yup… make sure the jock’s name is in a jingle… but air it twice (if that) per hour. Otherwise, you’re taking away from the selling fo the station.

4) How would describe a radio station which doesn’t use sung jingles at all?

CHEAP! Around here, we’d call that a station without a jingle budget. (laughing) In all seriousness, there are formats that jingles just don’t fit. I would not like to hear a Led Zeppelin song followed by a seven voice vocal group singing a cheery jingle — only to be followed by a tune by Blue Oyster Cult. It would seem out of place. The jingles have to be contemporary with the music around them.

-TC

[JingleMadMemberAuthor]

Great so far – and fairly consistent with the opinions, too.

This is the kind of talk I was hoping to hear and thanks a lot for taking the time to reply.

Let’s keep these points of view comin’ !

-Sean

[DavidHemsley]

Am curious as to why you are researching this here, and on other forums, Sean ??

:

[JingleMadMemberAuthor]

DavidHemsley wrote: Am curious as to why you are researching this here, and on other forums, Sean ??

:

Last month I attended a radio convention in Lisbon and spent the best part of 3 days talking with radio people from all over the world about radio imaging and jingles. The opinions were interesting sometimes, shocking othertimes especially when I heard remarks like “jingles are old fashioned – we don’t use them”.

A number of questions came to mind about people’s perceptions of what jingles do and their value as a programming tool.

Now, I’m a die-hard jingle enthusiast and strongly believe that in a popular music format the best way to sell the radio brand is with a professional jingle package, ie made by the professionals and used as a valuable tool to craft a memorable image. Also, Radio is an entertainment medium where (well-made) jingles highten the level of listener enjoyement and showbiz glitz of the output. (If you ever get the chance to listen to Jeffro on KLUV you’ll hear a prime example – sadly not available online).

BTW, I posted the same questions on MUK in the hope that a PD or presenter might reply with their views. So far not!

I’ve listened to daytime Radio 2 on many ocassions over the past few weeks where the only jingle in the hour is the news intro. Loads of events lent themselves to use of a jingle to reinforce the strength of the brand or carry the event (like traffic), but the presenters let the ocassions pass. Bland, boring and almost annonymous. Perhaps the use of their expensive jingles is optional! lol

At the other extreme, jingles play between almost each and every record on the French networks NRJ (CHR) and Nostalgie (Oldies), with sweepers very much in the minority. Both are avialable online, http://www.nrj.fr and http://www.nostalgie.fr

What’s the right balance? Personally, I like both those networks.

As for presenters having jingles, I was thinking along the lines of Steve Wright – his jingles are consistently high-profile (by AJ), but they’re never produced by the same guys that do the network (GA). He is the brand and Radio 2 is simply the carrier frequency (a lot like the syndicated chart shows in the States).

The forthcoming Radio 4 documentary on Jingles sounds interesting, along the lines “Everything you always wanted to know about jingles, but where afraid to ask”.

-Sean

[Author]

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