Paige Nienaber's Midweek Idea Dump: Fun Around and Find Out

From bowling parties to binge listening, Paige Nienaber's latest Midweek Idea Dump serves up a fresh pile of radio promotion ideas.

Apr. 8, 2026 at 9:25am by Ben Kaplan

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Paige Nienaber, a veteran radio promotions expert, shares a variety of creative ideas to help radio stations engage their audiences and build a fun work culture, including suggestions for contests, events, and programming stunts like a 'Bitch Clock' rant line, a 'Newly-Law Game' for Mother's Day, and a 'Somehow I Missed It Film Festival'.

Why it matters

In an era when radio faces increasing competition from streaming and other digital audio options, Nienaber's ideas demonstrate the importance of cultivating a fun, creative, and engaging listener experience to help radio stations stand out and remain relevant.

The details

Nienaber's ideas draw from his own experiences working in radio markets like Charlotte, San Francisco, and the Twin Cities, where he implemented successful staff bonding activities like summer boat parties and winter bowling events. He also shares examples of promotions that have worked for other stations, such as Kris Cegla's innertubing party for summer hires and KOB-FM's 'Moth Week' parody of Shark Week. Nienaber emphasizes the need for radio to recapture the 'fun' that originally attracted many to the industry, with suggestions ranging from a 'Bitch Clock' rant line to a 'Newly-Law Game' for Mother's Day.

  • Nienaber started using the 'Director of Fun 'n' Games' title when he joined Kiss 102 in Charlotte.
  • Nienaber took the 'Director of Fun 'n' Games' title with him when he moved to San Francisco and then swapped 'Director' for 'VP' at New World Communications.
  • Nienaber organized a staff bowling party in San Mateo shortly after joining a station in San Francisco.
  • Kris Cegla, a former promo person at Clear Channel in the Twin Cities, did an innertubing party every July for the summer hires.
  • Earth Day is on April 22nd.

The players

Paige Nienaber

A veteran radio promotions expert who has worked in markets like Charlotte, San Francisco, and the Twin Cities, and is known for his creative ideas to engage audiences and build a fun work culture.

Doyle Rose

A brilliant creator of a fun work environment who personified 'Fun 'N Games' when Nienaber worked at Emmis in the Twin Cities.

Kris Cegla

A former promo person at Clear Channel in the Twin Cities who did an innertubing party every July for the summer hires.

Clifton

A radio personality in Charlotte who announced 'Triple The Music' to compete with a rival station's 'Double The Music' promotion.

Gabby

An intern at KZIA who could play saxophone and rap.

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What they’re saying

“The point of promotions is to stand out. So if more stations than just yours are doing long, long sets of music, you need a better name than theirs.”

— Paige Nienaber, Radio Promotions Expert

“There is NOTHING wrong with giving them street names and little profiles on the website. If anything, it adds some character to stations.”

— Paige Nienaber, Radio Promotions Expert

What’s next

Nienaber plans to share more of his creative promotion ideas in future 'Midweek Idea Dump' columns, continuing to provide radio stations with fresh and engaging concepts to connect with their audiences.

The takeaway

Nienaber's suggestions demonstrate the importance of prioritizing fun, creativity, and audience engagement in radio promotions, as stations seek to differentiate themselves and maintain relevance in an increasingly competitive media landscape.