Q-102's (or any other stations') highlighting this fact, to me, only draws more attention to the other 14 hours (obviously the latter being the majority) full of commercials.
How does a youth-oriented station pulling teeth to go ten-hours a day spot-free compete with Internet and satellite stations' doing likewise AROUND THE CLOCK?
Answer-- it can't. At least not in that department.
But as terrestrial radio enters its final decade or two, there are things these stations can do to increase their longevity (and in turn, offset some of the losses as station values plummet below the debt owed on them in many cases). Stations need to focus on doing things national satellite or underfunded/understaffed Internet stations can't. Things like a heavy emphasis on "good local", real personalities, major promotional events, and exciting programming.
But as usual, terrestrial radio takes the lazy way out. "HD" Radio (if we dump billions of dollars into it-- but don't really DO anything-- people will come). Trying to compete with an iPod by trying to sound "more like" one. (It's like trying to get a horse to compete with the automobile by injecting it with steroids in hopes it'll run faster.) And instead of coming up with creative ways to boost revenue, fire the very hundreds of people who can help the most.
Every time I see a station talk about "more music" or "fewer commercials" (or of course, "HD" Radio) I think to myself what a wasted opportunity it was-- an opportunity that could have been used to promote something that might actually work.
I also think of how annoyed I'd be if I were one of the station's advertisers.
"Commercials" is a dirty word to listeners because the business made it that way.
Two weeks ago everyone was talking about TV commercials, and even outside the Super Bowl we now consider these ads a part of pop-culture.
When was the last time you heard guys at the bar or at work talking about a radio spot?
Remember that the next time you hear, "Tell them about the discount, Harry."
