Boston Globe Trashes Local Radio

[Neanderpaul]

For every one person that says "radio sucks"...there are millions who enjoy what they hear every day.

 

[Deleted User]

and if all there was to eat was gruel, people would say it was great.

I am not thrilled with the current state or direction of broadcast radio.

There are some places that IMHO, get it right. Usually they are small stations owned by a small company or a single station owned by a small company.


Then there is corporate radio, crappy artists, voice tracking, spot loads that make the station sound like an infomercial....

 

[FPB]

For every one person that says "radio sucks"...there are millions who enjoy what they hear every day.

There are millions who eat at McDonalds everyday as well. Most of them know it sucks. Many of them don't. Some of them actually think it's real food, but they're in a minority.

 

[Neanderpaul]

Nobody's forcing you to listen. That's the funny thing about having options.

I'm one of those guys who's tired of hearing people sling arrows. If you don't like what you hear...Enjoy your IPOD. Or, get your satellite subscription renewed.

Everyone's a programmer. Everyone's an expert.

If you work in this industry, and you're unhappy, then do something to effect change. If you don't like the rules, play a different game. It really is that simple.

There's no excuse for you not being able to put together something that you can enjoy musically. You have an IPOD. Or a CD burner, or CD player. But, you want someone else to entertain you. And no matter what they do, someone's not going to like it.

Hate the state of radio? Get a job in the industry. Work your way up. And change the game.

Otherwise...you're just complaining. And that serves nobody.

 

[KarsonWithaK]

Nobody's forcing you to listen. That's the funny thing about having options.

I'm one of those guys who's tired of hearing people sling arrows. If you don't like what you hear...Enjoy your IPOD. Or, get your satellite subscription renewed.

Everyone's a programmer. Everyone's an expert.

If you work in this industry, and you're unhappy, then do something to effect change. If you don't like the rules, play a different game. It really is that simple.

There's no excuse for you not being able to put together something that you can enjoy musically. You have an IPOD. Or a CD burner, or CD player. But, you want someone else to entertain you. And no matter what they do, someone's not going to like it.

Hate the state of radio? Get a job in the industry. Work your way up. And change the game.

Otherwise...you're just complaining. And that serves nobody.

Mega Ditto's! ;D

 

[mcamp]

Nobody's forcing you to listen. That's the funny thing about having options.

I'm one of those guys who's tired of hearing people sling arrows. If you don't like what you hear...Enjoy your IPOD. Or, get your satellite subscription renewed.

Everyone's a programmer. Everyone's an expert.

If you work in this industry, and you're unhappy, then do something to effect change. If you don't like the rules, play a different game. It really is that simple.

There's no excuse for you not being able to put together something that you can enjoy musically. You have an IPOD. Or a CD burner, or CD player. But, you want someone else to entertain you. And no matter what they do, someone's not going to like it.

Hate the state of radio? Get a job in the industry. Work your way up. And change the game.

Otherwise...you're just complaining. And that serves nobody.

That has got to be the most ridiculous thing I've read...it's like saying..."I don't like the state of gov't.....I'll become a Senator, and then President, and change things".....truth is, it has become too big to change.
Unless you're a billionaire who wants to get into radio because you're a music fan, and do not get influenced by ratings and want to play whatever you want, even if it doens't make money, or even loses money....
The thing that made radio so magical is that you got turned onto music that you have never heard....can't put that on an IPOD, can't burn that onto a CD.

 

[Don Juan]

Nobody's forcing you to listen. That's the funny thing about having options.

I'm one of those guys who's tired of hearing people sling arrows. If you don't like what you hear...Enjoy your IPOD. Or, get your satellite subscription renewed.

Everyone's a programmer. Everyone's an expert.

If you work in this industry, and you're unhappy, then do something to effect change. If you don't like the rules, play a different game. It really is that simple.

There's no excuse for you not being able to put together something that you can enjoy musically. You have an IPOD. Or a CD burner, or CD player. But, you want someone else to entertain you. And no matter what they do, someone's not going to like it.

Hate the state of radio? Get a job in the industry. Work your way up. And change the game.

Otherwise...you're just complaining. And that serves nobody.

That has got to be the most ridiculous thing I've read...it's like saying..."I don't like the state of gov't.....I'll become a Senator, and then President, and change things".....truth is, it has become too big to change.
Unless you're a billionaire who wants to get into radio because you're a music fan, and do not get influenced by ratings and want to play whatever you want, even if it doens't make money, or even loses money....
The thing that made radio so magical is that you got turned onto music that you have never heard....can't put that on an IPOD, can't burn that onto a CD.

I think Neanderpaul's comments were only to rationalize someone who continues to whine, whine, whine.

In a nutshell...if you don't like it, don't listen.

If you are not doing anything to help.....don't whine!

 

[Neanderpaul]

That has got to be the most ridiculous thing I've read...it's like saying..."I don't like the state of gov't.....I'll become a Senator, and then President, and change things".....truth is, it has become too big to change.
Unless you're a billionaire who wants to get into radio because you're a music fan, and do not get influenced by ratings and want to play whatever you want, even if it doens't make money, or even loses money....
The thing that made radio so magical is that you got turned onto music that you have never heard....can't put that on an IPOD, can't burn that onto a CD.

You can go to your local second hand record store and check out the shelves. You can check out music through the internet. You can go see live music. There are options.

And you hit the nail on the head. Radio is not about turning people on to music. It is a business. A business with the same goal as every other business; to make money. And you don't pay anything to contribute to the operating costs. Nor do you pay for the service. In effect, you've done nothing. It's there for you to hear should you choose. But, if you don't enjoy what you hear, radio is under zero obligation to conform to your wants. As long as it makes money.

And don't pull the "airwaves belong to us" card. They don't. They "belong" to the Federal Govt. Who lease the space to multi-million (billion) dollar corporations who pay millions for the "right" to broadcast.

In fact, if one were to break it down word-for-word, the entire existence of the FCC, contradicts the 1st Amendment. But...that's a tangential discussion.

Bottom line: You get what you pay for. Nothing invested, nothing lost.

 

[mcamp]

And you hit the nail on the head. Radio is not about turning people on to music. It is a business. A business with the same goal as every other business; to make money. And you don't pay anything to contribute to the operating costs. Nor do you pay for the service. In effect, you've done nothing. It's there for you to hear should you choose. But, if you don't enjoy what you hear, radio is under zero obligation to conform to your wants. As long as it makes money.

Bottom line: You get what you pay for. Nothing invested, nothing lost.

I think we all understand that it is a business....was it not a business when WBCN turned to rock music?
Has the business model changed since then....I think we all know that answer.
By tuning in, aren't we contributing to their operating costs....their ratings and advertising costs are what pays for the show. It's an easy cop-out by saying...."if you don't like it, don't listen"....but in this day with many choices for everything in life, why doesn't an AOR model exist on the free airwaves?

 

[DToTheJ]

Radio is not about turning people on to music. It is a business. A business with the same goal as every other business; to make money. And you don't pay anything to contribute to the operating costs. Nor do you pay for the service...

I think we all understand that it is a business....was it not a business when WBCN turned to rock music?

Likewise, was it not a business when they decided to introduce this thing called "HD Radio"?

 

[Neanderpaul]

Using the "wasn't it a business" defense is tantamount to: Don't evolve.

I'm not saying things are perfect. I am saying the overwhelming majority of listeners are satisfied with what they hear.

Those of you who complain about the state of radio are limited in numbers. Honestly. Your discontent is not even close to the level where a business would consider changing their procedure. You sit in online forums, and toss your complaints back and forth as if the rest of the world is reading. Bad news...they're not. Most people like what they hear. Your opinion is the minority.

There are more people disenchanted with Microsoft, KFC, and InBev's takeover of Budweiser.

And none of those companies are batting an eye.

I guess if I saw justifiable solutions instead of complaining about the problem, I'd be less bothered by these threads. But all many of you can offer up, is negativity.

It got old a long time ago. How about solving the equation? Why not take a bit of time to identify a real problem with radio. One that actually affects the real world? And then...breaking it down and rectifying it?
I have a ton of concerns. And, I have some ideas for solutions. Will they work? Who knows? But, at least focus your energies in a positive manner.

Complaints without ideas...are static. And unless you lived in Dorchester when V-66 was on the air, nobody tolerates static for very long.

 

[4CX1000A]

In a nutshell...if you don't like it, don't listen.

For those of us who work in radio, the question is: how do we get the people who have stopped listening to come back? And how do we get new listeners to tune in?

As I see it, there is only one thing wrong with radio today, and it's the same disease from which most of the world seems to suffer: too much debt. If you owe too much, you can't afford to do what it takes to win.

 

[Neanderpaul]

In a nutshell...if you don't like it, don't listen.

For those of us who work in radio, the question is: how do we get the people who have stopped listening to come back? And how do we get new listeners to tune in?

As I see it, there is only one thing wrong with radio today, and it's the same disease from which most of the world seems to suffer: too much debt. If you owe too much, you can't afford to do what it takes to win.

There is certainly some validity to that.

However, I think the expenditure of HD Radio is a better cost-cutting item than the promotions budget.

What is the real purpose of HD Radio? To create the illusion of choice. It was devised to combat a competitor that never really posed a threat (satellite). And...it fails to deliver on the promise of "more local stations"

Really? Are not most of the HD-2 channels simply cookie-cutter formats that were agreed upon by the "HD Alliance?" Is there any real local content? Any live-local personality? Do they really offer anything significant? Especially with the need for new hardware? Wasn't it supposed to be the "free alternative to Satellite?"

We blew it on that idea. It's not local. It's not free when you have to buy a new radio. And it doesn't offer compelling enough content to justify listeners changing their behavior. In fact...what the hell were we thinking by adding "new stations" to the equation? Nothing like cannibalizing yourself. Imagine if people were not satisfied by the Red Sox...and John Henry said "well then...we know the Red Sox don't satisfy you...so here's The Boston Red Shoes...a new team that will do things differently!

You sliced the same sized pizza. into smaller pieces. Nice job.

I asked a higher up in a major radio corporation how they planned to deal with the inevitable cume attrition to the side channels? When WXXX had 500k listeners, and 100k went to the side channels, how do we justify charging x dollars per spot for a smaller audience?

They had no answer.

So, we launched this thing before there was hardware saturation in the marketplace. And THEN!!!! Put commercials on our primary properties that basically said "Change to another station! It's new local content that is better than what you're listening to now"

Really?

How much did it cost for the conversion? How much does it cost to run? How much "clutter" have we created by adding another spot to the flight that tells people to change the station? And how the hell do you justify denigrating your primary signal by telling people there's something better?

And when the cume drops, or the share drops, how many people will be put out of work because they're "underperforming?"

So how do we cut costs and minimize expenditures? Either do HD Radio right...Or stop wasting inventory and resources on an idea that shouldn't have been launched before it was ready. It can be an asset. It can be monetized. But, we treat it half-hearted. We fractured the audience, told them to buy a new piece of equipment, and sent them to an inferior product.

That's money that could've been spent updating our internet delivery. Yeah...you know. Where the audience is. There's a landscape there. Not HD. Wider bandwidth. More interactivity on our website. Is this resonating at all with anyone?

Of course...I'm just ranting on a long weekend. My energies might be better spent obtaining employment

Fish where the fish are.

 

[carmen]

That's money that could've been spent updating our internet delivery. Yeah...you know. Where the audience is. There's a landscape there. Not HD. Wider bandwidth. More interactivity on our website. Is this resonating at all with anyone?

ustream is free.. lots of the callers on local dancehall shows are in new jersey

sitting in a park smokinga spliff and playing a deja/rinse stream seems to be fairly popular, even if it is also accessible on FM

we should be celebrating the entercomm's of the world collapsing bad radio in on its own hubris and boringness, not complaining

 

[mcamp]

In a nutshell...if you don't like it, don't listen.

For those of us who work in radio, the question is: how do we get the people who have stopped listening to come back? And how do we get new listeners to tune in?

As I see it, there is only one thing wrong with radio today, and it's the same disease from which most of the world seems to suffer: too much debt. If you owe too much, you can't afford to do what it takes to win.

Well as a listener, why have I pretty much tuned out....I prefered the WBCN model of years past....I want to hear new music and old music hand in hand. I don't want to hear Led Zeppelin's "Rock and Roll", Tush, Life In the Fast Lane, More than a Feeling, We Are the Champions, etc...etc...for the ten thousandth time. Where can I find that on the dial????
The powers that be have put their audience to sleep, unless you're between the ages of 10 to 25.....what's a 45 year old man left to listen to??? I'm left to scan between WMBR, WERS, WXRV, etc...maybe I'm a minority, but there's a lot of us. Unfortunately, everything today has to make a gazillion $$$$$$$, otherwise it's ALL crazy talk. So in the mean time I'm left to my Ipod, or tune into a particular program on my commute....it all makes talk radio sound interesting.

 

[Signpost]

As I see it, there is only one thing wrong with radio today, and it's the same disease from which most of the world seems to suffer: too much debt. If you owe too much, you can't afford to do what it takes to win.

Bingo. Nearly all radio stations doubled their spot loads precisely when the iPod was launched. Since then, they've slashed expenses to make the bottom line look pretty for the front office. Radio survives, but imagine how much stronger could have been had it not been ravished and cannibalized by the short term tactics deployed since deregulation?

 

[Eli Polonsky]

Really? Are not most of the HD-2 channels simply cookie-cutter formats that were agreed upon by the "HD Alliance?" Is there any real local content? Any live-local personality? Do they really offer anything significant? Especially with the need for new hardware? Wasn't it supposed to be the "free alternative to Satellite?"

We blew it on that idea. It's not local. It's not free when you have to buy a new radio. And it doesn't offer compelling enough content to justify listeners changing their behavior.

There are a couple of exceptions to that norm here in Boston.

"Free Form 'BCN" on WZLX HD3, programmed and overseen by WBCN's original rock PD Sam Kopper (1968-mid '70s) is offering a very eclectic mix of rock (and related music) of the past 50+ years through today. It's a lot more than an HD typical "AAA" or "deep classic rock tracks" format. I'm told that the music in the automation, thousands of songs already, is hand-picked mainly by Sam and Albert O.

They go live in some of the mid-days from 11 AM - 2 PM from Sam's home studio. Live DJ's in that slot have included Sam, Albert, Lisa Traxler, Brian Young from WMFO (who also works as a board-op at WZLX), and phone-ins from past 'BCN personalities such as Charles Laquidara, Tank, Danny Schechter, and others. Also, respected Boston area music critic/writer Brett Milano occasionally hosts a two-hour all-local music show on it.

"Radio Mojo" on WXLX HD2 is all blues and blues-rock, and though there are no live hosts, the music in the automation is all locally selected, mainly by Carter Alan.

Those two stations have made the investment in HD radios worth it to me.

Also, "Radio You" on WBOS HD2 is apparently a place where former Emerson students can go to continue to do live radio after they graduate Emerson and get kicked off of WERS.

 

[MassMusicMan]

There are more people disenchanted with Microsoft, KFC, and InBev's takeover of Budweiser.

And none of those companies are batting an eye.

So radio is losing a race to the bottom?

 

[Neanderpaul]

There are more people disenchanted with Microsoft, KFC, and InBev's takeover of Budweiser.

And none of those companies are batting an eye.

So radio is losing a race to the bottom?

There is no race to the bottom. Radio remains a huge profit machine, with a satisfaction rate of over 90%. Most businesses would kill to be in that position.

But, this forum is full of malcontents...Ready to sign the death warrant.

It's not coming. The game has changed. But, it will never stop. It remains the most immediate form of human-interactive media. And most people are satisfied.

Cry "wolf" all you want. Enjoy yourself. But, accept that yours is the minority voice.

 

[mcamp]

Radio isn't going away, but it is now one of many backround noises that fill society today.
It doesn't hold any relevance to people who want to listen to music anymore, unless you subscribe to a pay service (HD, satelite, etc...)