I don’t understand why we do not have a big graveyard shift culture in Namibia. Graveyard shift is the general term coined for any time slot after midnight and before 6am on radio. Correct me if I am wrong but no one is currently on the graveyard shift in Namibia. You’re welcome to tweet your correction to me. 

South African radio take graveyard shifts very serious. Many would argue they can sustain graveyard shifts because of the population. I disagree. The same market that the graveyard shows serve in South Africa is no different to Namibia. 
The medical industry, law enforcement and security industry, students who stay up to study all night, transport industry, insomniacs,…etc. There is a real hunger for graveyard radio in Namibia. The only times in my distant memory that used to take on the graveyard shift is Dj Paulo who every once in a while would stay up all night on radio. The other would be Bishop who used to focus on relationships.

 As a matter of fact I accidently stumbled upon them because I had the radio on while doing some research and I heard a voice…at 1am! It was incredibly refreshing! So why would radio bosses today think that graveyard shifts are not viable? Is it a lack of presenters? Lack of commitment from the presenter? No commercial viability? Allow me to dissect the argument of commercial viability. 

The people who stay up between midnight and 6am because of their careers are usually so damn tired by 7am that they sleep until around mid-day. When they do eventually wake up, they focus on errands and get ready for their next shift. 
So where in that cycle do your advertisers get a chance to tap into that market? You promised your advertiser maximum exposure to your listenership right? But now all that is happening is an over and unhealthy emphasis on “prime time” slots. Which in my case have lost a bit of impact power because there are so many competing factors during prime time that can have your listener miss out on what you bring to them in terms of advertisements. 

So how about taping into an untouched market that rarely has any competing factors? What could possibly distract an officer on duty at 3am? An officer on duty at 3am has her radio on while patrolling. Imagine an advert that would hit this officer at 3am? I’m talking maximised impact because traffic of life in general drastically scales down during that time. So she’s focused and super heightened and has her senses open to anything including what you bring to her on radio! Use that scenario for every other industry that requires of it to stay up during that slot. 

Dare I put advertising agencies to the task and suggest that they get a client that would be willing to sponsor a graveyard shift. Radio bosses will never say no to money. If an advertising agency brings a deal to the table that would require a radio station to extend their broadcast hours they would jump at it! So not only will a graveyard shift benefit radio pockets, advertisers but most importantly…the listener! 

Until the next loop, we say “GMTM”!
NSK is a professional MC. For bookings, email naobebsekind@gmail.com
@naobebsekind (twitter)