WBLK and WYRK Rule the Roost... Again

[SirRoxalot]

I'm a little confused about why four4rock is on this board. "virtually every (DJ/announcer) to which I have been exposed in the last thirty-five to forty years adds no value for me whatsoever. There is but one local OTA guy that breaks that rule... and two on Sirius/XM."

Since radio holds no attraction for you, why are you so interested in posting on a radio board? You've got Sirius/XM. You've got a phone. If you're not a radio user, what's you attraction to this board?

"Radio" is undergoing change - as it always has. Technology has changed how its practiced. Technology is changing how it's delivered - over the air, online, via app, and as a smart speaker skill. It's still broadcasting. The most effective practitioners find a way to engage the audience, to tailor content to that audience, and provide some kind of value that keeps people listening in spite of the commercial content. They use that commercial content in order to make money that compensates the people who create it and the people who invest in it.

That brings me back to my original point: If you don't like it, why do you listen? If you don't listen, why are you here? if you do listen, why?

 

[Buddy Shula]

I'm a little confused about why four4rock is on this board. "virtually every (DJ/announcer) to which I have been exposed in the last thirty-five to forty years adds no value for me whatsoever. There is but one local OTA guy that breaks that rule... and two on Sirius/XM."

Since radio holds no attraction for you, why are you so interested in posting on a radio board? You've got Sirius/XM. You've got a phone. If you're not a radio user, what's you attraction to this board?

"Radio" is undergoing change - as it always has. Technology has changed how its practiced. Technology is changing how it's delivered - over the air, online, via app, and as a smart speaker skill. It's still broadcasting. The most effective practitioners find a way to engage the audience, to tailor content to that audience, and provide some kind of value that keeps people listening in spite of the commercial content. They use that commercial content in order to make money that compensates the people who create it and the people who invest in it.

That brings me back to my original point: If you don't like it, why do you listen? If you don't listen, why are you here? if you do listen, why?

Well said Rox

 

[TheBigA]

I can say virtually every one to which I have been exposed in the last thirty-five to forty years adds no value for me whatsoever. There is but one local OTA guy that breaks that rule... and two on Sirius/XM.

Would I be correct that the DJs you like represent your generation?

 

[Rusty Bridges]

When it comes to personalities on the radio I can honestly say that I have a few favorites, usually on rock stations but even they can be pretty lame. But then like lightning striking, they say or do something really interesting or say something I didn't know, like he was painting their house and dumped a gallon of paint on his wife's new car and she wanted to buy a new car or she'd divorce him. It's not ha-ha funny, just real life funny. I used to like hearing jazz, blues and progressive DJs talk about who was in the session or background information about songs on an album. It was pretty interesting until I realized they often were just reading the liner notes on the album cover. There was a Deep Purple album I had years ago on vinyl. It came with an insert listing the producer, engineer, arranger, background singers and the session and guest players. As I was listening to the DJ talk about the song he just played a light went off in my head and it was obvious the DJ was reading the liner notes that I'd read a half dozen times while listening to the same Deep Purple album. Now with Google a DJ can bring up 100 facts about a song or an artist and group do the same thing and listeners like me will have the same reaction I had when I heard the DJ read the Deep purple album liner notes. The best DJs just tell it like they feel it as it happens. This is why Shredd & Ragan, Steve Harvey and John Derringer in Toronto are probably the most entertaining and sometimes funny guys on the radio.

 

[SirRoxalot]

What a lot of people may not realize is that most jocks outside of AM drive are so heavily formatted that they have very few opportunities to be entertaining or informative. When you only get four or five talk breaks an hour, and two of them have "required" content, it's a little tough for lightning to strike when any particular listener is tuned in. Shredd & Ragan, Steven Harvey, and John Derringer have a lot of time to develop and deliver content. Your average jock not working morning drive doesn't.

If you want to blame somebody, blame corporate consolidators and the "McDonaldsization" of radio. If you're doing your shift and not trying to fit in production and/or voice-tracking of other markets simultaneously (which DOES happen) you might have a chance to figure out how to deliver content more relatably and cleverly. Talent still does make a difference. Unfortunately, the corporate consolidators have pushed local radio to be more formulaic so there was less differentiation between personalities, and jocks became interchangeable pieces. Those with talent are asked to spread it over multiple markets, or multiple job duties during their airshift. What they're being paid is spread out over several budgets. If you turn down those "opportunities" you may find yourself replaced by somebody in another market who "accepted the challenge."

 

[TheBigA]

If you want to blame somebody, blame corporate consolidators and the "McDonaldsization" of radio.

Oh here we go again. As if it doesn't get done at smaller stations. Do people care that the morning show at WBLK isn't local? Obviously not.

 

[Rob Piotrowski]

I'm a little confused about why four4rock is on this board. "virtually every (DJ/announcer) to which I have been exposed in the last thirty-five to forty years adds no value for me whatsoever. There is but one local OTA guy that breaks that rule... and two on Sirius/XM."

Since radio holds no attraction for you, why are you so interested in posting on a radio board? You've got Sirius/XM. You've got a phone. If you're not a radio user, what's you attraction to this board?

There's a lot of reasons why people post here that hate radio. Some were kicked out of the biz and are bitter. Some think they know more than the idiots who are running the show. Some are "only listeners" who think they can do radio better. On and on.

 

[davideduardo]

Some think they know more than the idiots who are running the show.

And so we know your opinion...

 

[four4rock]

...


...why... why... why?

I happen to enjoy exposure to, and interaction about, virtually anything, irrespective of my personal feelings on the particular subject. I happen to believe it's good to know/learn as much as practical about anything & everything from various sources and perspectives. My moderate apologies if I am not going about that in the manner you may endorse. Hoping that clears (at least some of) your "confusion."

To further clarify, "... don't like it..." - n/a; never said that I don't like radio/broadcasting. "...don't listen..." - n/a; never said I do not listen. Do I listen to radio; why? Yes, because there is some acceptable (to me) content available. Also, at times, it serves as a diversion.

 

[four4rock]

Stations in larger markets have confidential, proprietary research that sometimes evaluates the role of talent and of specific talents. But this data is not released to the public, just as the formula for Coca Cola is not published.

Thanks. Kinda (or, maybe, exactly) like the "Q Score", I presume(?).

 

[John Gallagher]

I spent nearly 25 years on the radio in various smaller markets. I look back fondly on the occasional highlights of my career (including a Marconi nomination at a MOYL station I was PD of.) I have no bitterness. Do some people in this thread have a personal vendetta again Buddy Shula? Sounds more like jealousy. Woah, let it go. Serenity now.