In Puerto Rico, the main media outlets are still rooted in traditional advertising methods. Brand messages are mostly limited to commercial breaks between programming segments and formatted around standardized time slots.

Local programming executives are used to this system and have not yet developed a model flexible enough to accommodate engaging original content that integrates naturally into their programs, especially when the content deviates from the traditional 30-second spot.

To make matters more complicated, the largest local stations are owned by US Hispanic networks, so programming is often retransmitted from other markets. This makes locally produced network content increasingly scarce.

Therefore, brand ideas that require unconventional but seamless integration into existing formats often suffer or get killed due to local media outlet’s old habits and restrictions.

And even those brands that bypass integrations and decide to create original content from scratch still face restrictions if they wish to air it through mass media. It is often very expensive, requiring the purchase of entire commercial breaks.

As budgets for creating relevant, original content are scarce, brands often have to find clever ways to adopt or modify existing platforms to deliver their message in refreshing and unexpected ways.

We came up with a completely different program format to deliver only positive news, using one of the most powerful forms of communication: music. That’s how we created Music To Your Ears, a newscast that focuses exclusively on positive stories and makes them even more uplifting by turning them into songs. Puerto Rican singer/songwriters serve as reporters who compose original tunes inspired by each of the stories. These are then filmed as music videos to replace the traditional news packages. An anchor, who is also a musician, presents them as part of the usual newscast format, complete with graphics, commentary, and interviews. All the songs are released as music singles and can be downloaded or streamed in all the main digital platforms: iTunes, Spotify, Rdio, Amazon MP3, and Google Play.

After the newscast’s first airing, the audience flooded the network’s social media platforms, so much that, in less than a week, the program has been retransmitted more than 7 times. Even competing media outlets have covered the effort. Some of the initiatives and small businesses profiled by the newscast have reported increased social media activity and new lead generations. Above all, the newscast proved that reporting bad news isn’t the only way of reaching a large audience. Good ratings can also come from good news, especially when they are Music to Your Ears.