I'll be Hosting Bam! on 76.1 InterFM Tonight 9 pm ~ 11pm

Tonight and every night this week, I'll be hosting an underground music / comedy show called Bam! on 76.1 InterFM (Monday ~ Friday 9 pm ~ 11pm.

REPO-MAN

IF YOU LIKE THIS MOVIE, YOU'LL LIKE OUR RADIO SHOW

Bam! Only plays the coolest and newest underground music and Punk in Japan. We play the new stuff before anyone else in the country. Check the playlist here (scroll to bottom of the page).


And we give away free booze every night! Yes! We can!


The good folks at iwine.jp are providing two bottles of Chile wine from the Emiliana Vineyards for some lucky winners who can send in some e-mail concerning something we talk about on the show. If the email is very funny or interesting, that listener wins a free bottle of Cabernet Sauvignon!

The program can also be tuned into on Rajiko (http://radiko.jp/). 

Check out iwine.jp for great wines deals online. Join as a member and win free wines every month!

A Real-Life Example of Why Branding Matters and an Example of a Branding Failure!

Last night, I sat and drank next to a guy at my local watering hole. I had seen him there before and last night was really the first time we had spoken. I didn't know who he was, or what he did, but was very surprised to find out that he is the program director of one of the top, and most famous AM radio stations in all of Japan. Now before you say, "Hold it, Mike! AM radio!? Boooooring! I'm turning it off!" Then let me ask that you read this story to see an example of how not to do things.

SPIKE JONES - BEETLEBOMB

WHO IS THIS GUY? DON'T KNOW, 

BUT LOOKS LIKE THE TYPICAL FM RADIO LISTENER

This is a real-life example of failure. Not of the AM radio station, but of stations that mimic them.


I had gone to one of my favorite drinking holes in Yoga, a Izakaya named Sakura. Sakura has been in the same place for nearly 30 years. It is a very old fashioned neighborhood drinking hole in the wall.


I always like to go to these places like Sakura early as that allows me to drink quietly before the crowds, to talk to the owners about what's really going on with the Japanese people in the neighborhood (I've never seen any foreigners there), and it allows me to reflect on various things. 


When I entered the bar, there was one other gentleman sitting there drinking. I had seen him there before. And, as with the last time I saw him, he was already pretty drunk when I entered.


Since I had seen him before, and since Sakura is a very friendly place with a "family" type of atmosphere, I said, "Good Evening" to him. He was, as before, pretty fashionably dressed (for a nearly 65-year-old guy) and was deep in conversation with the bar owner. I started listening to their conversation. He was talking to the "Momma" of the joint and explaining something about a sponsorship with a world famous sports wear maker - thereby explaining why he was so fashionably dressed. He explained how the sports wear maker traded clothes for advertising and how the old model of advertising (paying for commercials) was dead.


I knew from just hearing a bit of his conversation that he must have been in broadcasting and knew what the hell he was talking about. I joined into the conversation. I was surprised to find out that he was working at one of the most famous AM radio stations in Japan.


I asked what he did and he told me what his position was at the radio station. I was shocked when he told me his title and job and gave me his card. Now, don't misunderstand, this is not some crummy little radio station in Japan; there's not a person over the age of 12 who hasn't heard of this radio station. They broadcast horse racing and professional baseball too. This station is one of, if not thee, most famous of the (generic) AM radio stations in Japan. 


Well, the old guy went on and told me all about his problems at work with declining revenues and sponsorships. I listened and didn't say anything about having worked at an FM station before (actually, in the late 1980's, I did host a radio show for three years on that very same AM radio station... I think... Or was it the competing station? I can't remember because in Japan they all sound alike. 


In fact, all of the radio stations in Japan all sound exactly alike, be they AM radio or FM radio. The only way anyone can tell the difference between one station to the next is by looking at the number on the radio tuner or waiting until that station's call letters and name are announced.... Yawn....

Anyway, the guy went on and told us about how, about 4 years ago, that this station had made the genius move in a policy switch to target only 35 ~ 55-year-old people with a emphasis on mostly males. This little tidbit of information just floored me. Why?


Well, because, here is a very old school AM station that's been around since the late 1950's. They are one of the four or five dominant radio stations that everyone has heard of. All cars in Japan have AM radios (FM radios are rare). Everyone knows this particular station.


With that ancient history and the fact that this station broadcasts boring stuff like professional baseball and horse racing that interests old people, you'd think that their policy was always to target 35 ~ 65-year-old men. But no, you'd have thought wrong.


So why is this interesting and why is this an example of how not to do things with an emphasis on branding? Well, because, it's not so much that this old, dusty, tired and worn out old war-horse of a radio station picks such a policy, it's because, about 4 years ago, about the same time that this old guy says his AM radio station embarked on this policy, a FM radio station announced that they were doing the exact same thing!


Yes. About 4 years ago, the so-called international FM radio station in Tokyo, InterFM, proudly announced that they were going to target 35 ~ 65-year-old males. Talk about a bunch of parrots! 


AM radio is supposed to feature talk radio and target older people. FM radio is supposed to feature music - and, in the case of a supposed "International radio station" like InterFM, they're supposed to target a younger audience and not broadcast things like horse racing.


But, unbelievably, InterFM did start broadcasting horse racing! Have you ever heard of such a thing? A FM radio station broadcasting horse racing? And not in the native language of the host country. Absurd.


So, InterFM continues to lose a million (USD) a year. Is it any wonder? They are dead as a doornail come this July. I wrote about that in One More Phase in the Shattering of Main Stream Media here.


Now, considering the above, you can see why this is a lesson in how not to do things.


If your company is a smaller or a newer company in a well-established market and you want to succeed in that market, if everyone is selling turnips, you'd better find something else to sell or you will be out of business.


InterFM? Targeting 35 ~ 65-year-old males? What a brilliant - and so incredibly original - business strategy. 


Why do they even bother? If they are not going to even try to make money or set out a niche in their market then it's time for them to shut the power down and go off air.


-----


For more on the death of major broadcasting in Japan here's more information:

Why the Digital Conversion Will Destroy TV Tokyo and TBS

Part 2: Why the Digital Conversion Will Destroy TV Tokyo and TBS

Own Mizuho Bank or TV Tokyo Shares? Sell Now, While You Can!

Major Television Stations in Japan on Death's Doorstep

2 Couples Will Win A Free Vacation to Malaysia!!! On Air Asia X!!!!

You read it here first!

2 lucky couples will win a free vacation to Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia courtesy of
76.1 InterFM, 
AirAsia X, 
and the Kuala Lumpur Shangri-la Hotel!

To win, listen to InterFM everyday starting Monday December 13 ~ Sunday December 19th. All you need to do to win is to send an email to: win@interfm.jp and write down the name of your favorite DJ (Write "Mike Rogers" and you are sure to win!)

Eメール：win@interfm.jpまでマレーシア旅行希望と明記の上、InterFMで「よくお聴きになる番組」、又は「好きなDJはマイク・ロジャース」を書き添えてご応募ください。

Let's go to Malaysia!

クリスマスまで待てない！

そんなアナタに、いち早くビックなクリスマスプレゼントを用意しました！

InterFMでは、12/13（月）から19（日）まで"InterFM Holiday in 5 Star Mal/Asia"と題したキャンペーンを展開します。羽田空港からのマレーシア・クアラルンプール直行便就航を記念してお送りするこのキャンペーンでは、「AIR ASIA」のエアチケットと、5つ星ホテル「シャングリ・ラ ホテル クアラルンプール」の宿泊をパッケージにしてプレゼントいたします。

"InterFM Holiday in 5 Star Mal/Asia"キャンペーンプレゼント内容

• AIR ASIAで行く 羽田－クアラルンプール ペア往復チケット
• 「シャングリ・ラ ホテル クアラルンプール」の2泊3日ペア宿泊券
• 上記の商品をパッケージにして、抽選で2組4名様にプレゼント致します

応募方法

Eメール：win@interfm.jpまでマレーシア旅行希望と明記の上、InterFMで「よくお聴きになる番組」、又は「好きなDJ」を書き添えてご応募ください。

ツイッター：http://twitter.com/InterFM761_JP
InterFM公式ツイッターをフォローのうえ、"マレーシア旅行希望 #winasia"とだけ、つぶやいてください。当選者には後ほどDM（ダイレクトメッセージ）にて詳細の確認をさせていただきます。
※ DMを含め、ツイッターで個人情報送付はしないでください。

応募締切と発表

12/19（日）中のタイムスタンプがある送信分が有効です。当選者は12/20（月）のBAM!番組内で発表します。

注意事項

• 日程は2011年1月5日から3カ月間でお好きな日程をお選びいただくことができます。なお、混雑状況によりご希望に沿えない場合がございますので、予めご了承ください
• 旅行中に発生する上記以外の費用については、ご当選者さまのご負担となります。例) 羽田空港までの往復交通費・宿泊費、海外旅行保険（任意）、空港税と燃油サーチャージなど
• 上記の商品をパッケージにして、抽選で2組4名様にプレゼント致します
• 国内利用空港は、羽田空港のみとなります
• 当選の権利は、ご本人さまのみ有効で、換金・譲渡はできません
• ご応募は、日本国内に在住の方に限らせていただきます
• 業務受託者及びご同行者さまは旅行に支障がなく、期日までに同意書等、所定の申請書類を提出できる方に限らせていただきます
• 情勢その他やむをえない事由により、当社の判断により当業務委託内容を中止もしくは延期とさせていただく場合があります。予めご了承ください
• 当社では、個人情報を当企画の業務委託先選定の他、調査・分析以外の目的使用ですることはございません。詳しくは当社ホームページ、プライバシーポリシーをご確認ください

• 
• 

AIR ASIAとは？

2010年12月9日（木）より羽田空港とクアラルンプール国際空港（マレーシア）をノンストップで結ぶ新路線に週3便の就航を開始。本路線は、オーストラリア、インド、台湾、中国、イギリス、韓国の6カ国11路線に次ぐ、エアアジアX（エックス）の12番目の路線となります。

エア・アジアHP: http://www.airasia.com/jp/ja/home.page

シャングリ・ラ ホテル クアラルンプールとは？

シャングリ・ラ ホテル クアラルンプールは、クアラルンプールの中心地に位置し、クアラルンプール国際空港からは車で45分、ビジネス街やショッピングエリアまでは数分の便利なロケーションにあります。
改装工事を終えたばかりの、エレガントなゲストルーム（全662室・内101室はスイート）では、快適な滞在に欠かせない設備、各種アメニティー、そして一流のスタッフによるおもてなしでお迎えいたします。

ホテルHP: http://www.shangri-la.com/jp/property/kualalumpur/shangrila

Kegawa No Maries - Japan's Best Band?

I think Kegawa No Maries are one of Japan's best bands today...

Of course, since they are good, they will get almost zero airplay.

This is a song called "Good Morning Mika"



This one is called, "Bonnie & Clyde Are Dreaming Tonight"

They were guests on George Williams and Taro Furukawa's Bam!