But will UMass Boston DJ's have their own voice?

[uncamark]

And meanwhile, this thread starts its third page, we forget that this was started by the thread starter as a continuation of his relentless and quixotic campaign to get WUMB to dump its current AAA format and go back to being a 24/7 purist folk station (one of the two main topics said thread starter always brings up, the other being his equally relentless and quixotic campaign to get WGBH to put back on the Saturday night folk and blues shows). One may remember that said thread starter has been critical of WUMB for not using students on-air in the past, as if all radio stations owned by colleges are required to be student-run stations (and not seeing him make a similar request to WBUR). I guess he thought that the student jocks would be rebels and start playing Pete Seeger and Josh White instead of Adele and Wilco. However, 5 will get you 10 that that the number of UMB students who are folkies can be counted on the fingers of one hand, if that many--and it looks like UMB put down the rules for the kids right from the get-go.

The freshness date for said thread starter's campaigns came and went a long time ago. WUMB is going to back to all-folk purism (or mostly) only when WFUV does (and that ain't gonna happen). Time for him to give it up.

 

[CTListener]

If college students no longer own radios, it's because radio has done a poor job of reaching them, and that includes college radio.

Not necessarily. That's like blaming the horse for the invention of the automobile.

I also wouldn't paint radio with one brush. There are radio stations that do shows in the classic 1930s sense. That wouldn't necessarily help in attracting colege students. And there is no one single way to serve listeners. Everyone wants it "their way." We live in a Burger King world.

And there's where the iPod comes in. It's "Me Radio -- All songs I love, all the time." Radio cannot win that listener back, no matter how narrowly it focus-groups its playlists or, oddly enough, no matter how much it expands its playlists. It's never going to play any one listener's favorite songs exclusively, and even if it comes close, it has to interrupt the music flow for announcements and other non-musical elements every so often. The big worry for radio is what happens when the baby boomers start dying off in greater numbers and the iPod generation enters its 30s and 40s not having listened to radio for years.

Oh, and I'm in the newspaper business. We've been trying to get the college-age demo back with us for longer than radio has, and with just as much success.

 

[Neanderpaul]

And still we forget that the masses want familiarity.

They don't want to think. They want to hear sounds that soothe and comfort them.

Radio is an escape. unfortunately, the escapism has changed. It used to be people came to us to learn about new music. They trusted that the personality was an expert & had credibility.

But, they don't care about that (en masse) anymore. The music fan no longer uses radio that way.
And, this trickles down to college radio.
There's no sense having a transmitter, if nobody's listening.
And so...formatic structure is required.

Free-form doesn't attract listeners.

And that's the gig.

 

[raccoonradio]

CTListener: Yes and we'll remember how in the past few years stations showed up like Jack, Mike,
mp-103, et al...a glorified mp3 player or jukebox, perhaps with someone tossing in some funny
statements. Entercom actually was doing pretty well with Mike 93.7 but had to sacrifice it to
bring WEEI to FM. It did have its fans--people who wanted "variety" (random radio, they called it;
though I noted on their site when they mentioned artists and songs there were a lot of artists
you could hear on other stations. Blondie, Petty, Aerosmith, U2, etc.--and outside of throwing in
curveballs like Tony Bennett, there were hardly any "oh wows" to be had...maybe it was slightly
expanded in some ways but it was still narrow in others.

It did find an audience, and, as Neanderpaul put it:

>the masses want familiarity. They don't want to think. They want to hear sounds that soothe and comfort them

Well, many do. Most people want mass appeal music. There are others, perhaps like us, that will search
out music we aren't familiar with, be it on college radio, HD2s, satellite radio--even YouTube. I found
myself using some songs on my blues show yesterday that had been linked to Facebook by Blues
Revue magazine, stuff like Pinetop Perkins "How Long How Long Blues". I knew I had some listeners
who wanted something different but they, and we, are in the minority.

Admittedly I'm on a 130 watt station (plus webcasting) and I know I'm not reaching a huge audience,
but I try to do a blend of new and old, familiar and unfamiliar.
Set:
B.B. King--Everyday I Have The Blues/How Blue Can You Get (classic)
Robert Cray--Phone Booth (classic, a bit more recent)
Demetria Taylor--When You Leave Don't Take Nothing (new release, daughter of Eddie Taylor)
Professor Harp--What You Do To Me (local!)

After my concert report I followed it up with more fairly new local (Barrence Whitfield, Diane Blue).
I threw in some rockin' blues and some more folk-based. Zydeco. A couple great John Lee Hooker
tunes, plus some by new artists. Again I have an audience willing to take chances. (and we skew
older, as you may expect)

Then there are those who'd prefer Kiss 108, WODS, WFNX, Mix 104.1, etc.
If people want to hear blues they have my show, or the WZLX-HD2, or BB King's Bluesville on XM. They
also can get webstreams online that are all-blues. Even an all blues Music Choice channel on cable.

But obviously, the majority of folks will want Lada Gaga on a big huge station. Has it come to the point
where most people fall back on Ipods/mp3s, though? Bored with radio?

>>Free-form doesn't attract listeners.

Certainly a very very select few, hardly ANY compared to the big stations with "familiarity".

Suppose Mike 93.7 were still on and I were brought in as a consultant.
"Great old tune, 'Turn on Your Love Light' by Bobby Blue Bland! Try that."

"Nope."

"How about this, rockin' cover of 'When the Levee Breaks' by Buckwheat Zydeco..."

"No way. They'd change the dial quickly."

"But they know the SONG if not the artist. It may catch on!"

"I'd rather do Free Fallin' by Tom Petty, thank you."

--
And getting back to familiarity I do believe the most popular stations on XM are the decades stations.
Mostly familiar songs--AD-FREE. Give the people what they want (for people willing to pay $15/mo or so,
plus the news, sports, and other specialty stations)

 

[CTListener]

And getting back to familiarity I do believe the most popular stations on XM are the decades stations.
Mostly familiar songs--AD-FREE. Give the people what they want (for people willing to pay $15/mo or so,
plus the news, sports, and other specialty stations)

Actually, the last time XM made its Arbitrons public, in 2007, the #1 channel was its mainstream AC channel, The Blend. Top 20 on 20 (ultra-tight-playlist CHR) also did very well, as did the mainstream "hot country" channel. I believe '70s did the best of the decades channels, followed by '60s, '80s, '90s, '50s and '40s. The merged company has kept ratings a closely guarded corporate secret since then -- not even any rumors of a leak by a "mole" on the fan boards or Facebook in three years.

 

[albodj]

all good points, but the fact of the matter is, as I see it, these kids are just an extension of what gets presented at WUMB throughout the course of the day...why should they be given priveleges above and beyond the norm? this is NPR radio, NOT a college station, and if it sounds scripted, consider they ARE new at this sort of thing...every on-air DJ has to start somewhere, and most are encouraged to write things down 'til they get the hang of winging it...

 

[CTListener]

all good points, but the fact of the matter is, as I see it, these kids are just an extension of what gets presented at WUMB throughout the course of the day...why should they be given priveleges above and beyond the norm? this is NPR radio, NOT a college station, and if it sounds scripted, consider they ARE new at this sort of thing...every on-air DJ has to start somewhere, and most are encouraged to write things down 'til they get the hang of winging it...

WUMB is usually staffed by adults who have deep understanding and broad knowledge of the music they're playing. Better to script the students' weekend shifts pretty tightly unless an unusually articulate kid who loves folk/Americana/acoustic music happens to apply for one of the jobs. There's not much personality during the day on all-student WERS, but the students are learning how to clearly enunciate and communicate on radio, which is exactly what they're in college to do if they're broadcasting majors.

 

[Signpost]

Great thread. College radio is dear to my heart, shortcomings and all. I will say that I'm listening to WUMB more now that the format embodies a wider range. I'm usually listening north of Boston, where the signal's not very good, and notice my car switching between two different transmitters at 91.9 - both broadcasting WUMB. There's a definite delay between the two, so the audio stutters as it goes back and forth. Never heard of a station using two transmitters on the same frequency before.

One observation about mass appeal radio vs boutiquey radio.. WZBC back in the early 80's had very little interest from most of Boston College's student population, who only knew what they heard on the radio and were alienated by ZBC's progressive culture. Today, so many students are clamoring to get on the air there that every student with a once a week shift has student interns accompanying them. I believe this shift is precisely because today's students did NOT grow up on radio, so they're much more knowledgable and eager share all the cool indie music they're into. What irony: kids who completely rejected the predictable repetition and commercial overload of music radio, now deploying terrestrial FM to reach their audience. I see this as a ray of hope for the medium.

 

[TheBigA]

What irony: kids who completely rejected the predictable repetition and commercial overload of music radio, now deploying terrestrial FM to reach their audience. I see this as a ray of hope for the medium.

I've thought this myself. Perhaps once the boomers who permeate the current OTA landscape retire, we'll see a renaissance in the use of the frequencies as the generation raised on the computer realizes the advantages of the medium: Ubiquity of signal, simplicity of reception, and lower royalty cost. I've been to a lot of new media conferences, and it's all I hear: If only we had these three things in internet radio.

 

[Signpost]

And still we forget that the masses want familiarity... Free-form doesn't attract listeners.

Of course you're right, just like more people want McDonald's. There's a lot more passion when your station is cult like, it's like you're part of an exclusive club. I'd rather advertise on a station with a small loyal following, than be heard by far more people listening only in the background. WFNX with a .07 share seems to pack their shows just as much or more than Kiss 108's club nights. Playing to the masses can be a huge liability long term. Look what happened to "beautiful music".

 

[CTListener]

And still we forget that the masses want familiarity... Free-form doesn't attract listeners.

Of course you're right, just like more people want McDonald's. There's a lot more passion when your station is cult like, it's like you're part of an exclusive club. I'd rather advertise on a station with a small loyal following, than be heard by far more people listening only in the background. WFNX with a .07 share seems to pack their shows just as much or more than Kiss 108's club nights. Playing to the masses can be a huge liability long term. Look what happened to "beautiful music".

Beautiful music died because its audience died, or at least moved out of the young-and-stupid demographic advertisers covet.

 

[4CX1000A]

And still we forget that the masses want familiarity... Free-form doesn't attract listeners.

Of course you're right, just like more people want McDonald's. There's a lot more passion when your station is cult like, it's like you're part of an exclusive club. I'd rather advertise on a station with a small loyal following, than be heard by far more people listening only in the background. WFNX with a .07 share seems to pack their shows just as much or more than Kiss 108's club nights. Playing to the masses can be a huge liability long term. Look what happened to "beautiful music".

Since WFNX is owned by a newspaper, I'd expect a lot of their business to come in the form of packages including both print and radio. Heaven only knows what the average rate per minute is; in any case, the number of commercials one hears is not a reliable indicator of how much a station bills.

Re: "free form doesn't attract listeners": it's the entertainment value of the whole package that matters. If "free form" is presented by an exceptionally talented professional, it might attract a large following. But college stations are typically staffed by people with average talent who are at the beginning of their careers, if they are even pursuing careers in radio. In my experience they often come to radio with the expectation that "if we build it, they will come". You do not win by default in the Boston market; there is so much competition that if you build it here, you are likely to go almost entirely unnoticed. You have to have talent; you have to have a game plan; and you have to stick to it. This last is very hard for a college station whose staff will almost entirely turn over in two or three years.

 

[Neanderpaul]

I'd rather advertise on a station with a small loyal following, than be heard by far more people listening only in the background. WFNX with a .07 share seems to pack their shows just as much or more than Kiss 108's club nights. Playing to the masses can be a huge liability long term. Look what happened to "beautiful music".

Anyone who would limit the reach of their advertising, is destined to fail.

The idea that smaller numbers of passionate consumers can sustain a business over the long haul, is simply ludicrous.

Eventually, those passionate listeners you had, outgrow your station. They age, get married, or find other ways in which to entertain themselves. Program narrow-market wide is a dead concept. You *must* cast the widest possible net. You *must* attract the largest possible audience in order to make your outlet a valuable option for your clients. There are too many options for the business dollar. It is a business now. It stopped being about art & music when it became a marketable commodity

You want to be as many people's 1st choice. But it's far more important to be everyone's 2nd option.

And to do this...you have to be mass-appeal. Advertising on a limited outlet, is the formula for failure. Every time. You can't get 'em all. But, you should try.

 

[iyiyi]

What matters more: playing what the audience wants to hear, or playing what YOU want to hear?

seems to work for The Record Hospital, and most shows on WZBC/WMFO/WMBR - what part of "No Commercial Potential" don't you understand

Brown has WBSR for students, BU has WTBU, it sounds like UMass lacks an student-run flipside to its quasi-spunoff commercial station?

Good points.

Unfortunately, here in RI, two (2) different high school and two (2) college, student-run stations have lost their voices because of LMAs. One school LMA'd the main and HD1 to a public broadcaster and placed the student operation on the HD2. WBSR and a high school student-run got kicked to the curb when another school LMA'd that signal to a different public broadcaster. Yet one more high school radio has been introduced to the street because a public broadcaster LMA'd THAT station also. All this in just the last 3 months!

Any kid thinking about entering radio MUST understand the value of adhering to format, correct enunciation and ability to translate copy into information credible with the desired audience -- and -- the need for proper attitude to enable you to add constructively to the gestalt and synergy of the station.

One quickly learns how easily an open mic switch can make you trip over your tongue or how little you have to open your mouth to totally jam your foot into it. Oh yeah... I forgot to mention the speed a program director can telephone you after you screw up -- or the reaming you'll receive...

Since so very many local 1340's, small daytimers, college and high school stations are either brokered, LMA'd or bird fed, it becomes very difficult for somebody to round off rough edges and seek learning via critique of fellow professionals!

Maybe a related question could be "Will students have any opportunities whatsoever to experience actual, hands-on air or broadcasting related situations 5 years from now?".


-

 

[Signpost]

Wow iyiyiy - really sorry to hear about so many stations getting cut so fast. So misguided..

The idea that smaller numbers of passionate consumers can sustain a business over the long haul, is simply ludicrous.
... Advertising on a limited outlet, is the formula for failure. Every time. You can't get 'em all. But, you should try.

So Whole Foods should advertise during the Super Bowl? Or how about a trendy new restaurant downtown? Would you eat at a restaurant that advertises on a mass appeal radio station? Or would you rather eat at the restaurant that advertises on a small AAA formatted station? Which one do you think would serve better food, have a more thoughtful menu? Branding is a multi headed hydra, and there are many approaches - mass appeal / safety in numbers is not always prudent, it depends on your product and the mindset of your potential customers. In the case of restaurants, word of mouth is far more potent than radio advertising, which can actually undermine their credibility. Pizza Palace? Sure - go for the big top 40. But Emma's Vegan Emporium would get no response if they bought time on WAAF.

By your logic, the iPad would never have been introduced since research showed there was no market for it. And every station on the dial should be playing Lady Gaga in order to leverage the "lowest common denominator". If you only have 3000 watts in a sea of Class C broadcasters, you have to find a niche. If you try to get everyone to listen, no one will, since the bigger stations already have that audience locked up.

 

[CTListener]

Wow iyiyiy - really sorry to hear about so many stations getting cut so fast. So misguided..

The idea that smaller numbers of passionate consumers can sustain a business over the long haul, is simply ludicrous.
... Advertising on a limited outlet, is the formula for failure. Every time. You can't get 'em all. But, you should try.

Pizza Palace? Sure - go for the big top 40. But Emma's Vegan Emporium would get no response if they bought time on WAAF.

Emma's Vegan Emporium probably couldn't afford WAAF, and the economics of radio in the 21st century make it very hard for a station to make a go of it charging rates that an Emma's could afford. Heck, WCAS had dozens of Emma's-type advertisers back in the '70s and barely survived from year to year. Those advertisers weren't paying much at all.

 

[Eli Polonsky]

I'm usually listening north of Boston, where the signal's not very good, and notice my car switching between two different transmitters at 91.9 - both broadcasting WUMB. There's a definite delay between the two, so the audio stutters as it goes back and forth. Never heard of a station using two transmitters on the same frequency before.

WUMB actually broadcasts on three transmitters on 91.9, with potentially overlapping fringe signals. WUMB Boston (Quincy), WBPR Worcester (Paxton), and WFBP-FM Falmouth.

And, three on 91.7 - WNEF Newburyport (Amesbury), WUMT Marshfield, and WUMG Stow (Maynard, when Maynard HS students aren't on, and it reverts back to WAVM).

Also 1170 AM WFBP Orleans (daytime only), and 1430 AM WPNI Amherst.

There are other stations that have used more than one transmitter on the same frequency. For many decades, 1400 AM WLLH Lowell used transmitters in Lowell and Lawrence simultaneously, I don't know whether they're doing that anymore.

 

[aaronread]

Since so very many local 1340's, small daytimers, college and high school stations are either brokered, LMA'd or bird fed, it becomes very difficult for somebody to round off rough edges and seek learning via critique of fellow professionals!

Eh? It's never been easier for anyone to put out a podcast or blog. And to get an audience for it. And find formal and informal sources of critiquing your work.

It's the same factors that have made that so easy to do that have, in fact, rendered radio so much less relevant in today's world that radio cannot afford to have people who are "just getting started" on the air anymore.

These days, I'd argue that if a college student wants to have a career in radio, they need to be a success on the web first. Create a podcast on a regular schedule that's radio-friendly and build an audience for it. If you can't do it on the web, then why should any radio station take a chance on you? And hell, if you can succeed on the web, odds are at less 50-50 (if not better) that you won't NEED to bother with radio; you could probably make more money just being on the web and controlling your own work. I know at least one pubradio producer (Jesse Thorn, The Sound of Young America) who has openly admitted that he gets more money off his podcast than off his radio affiliates.

 

[iyiyi]

Since so very many local 1340's, small daytimers, college and high school stations are either brokered, LMA'd or bird fed, it becomes very difficult for somebody to round off rough edges and seek learning via critique of fellow professionals!

Eh? It's never been easier for anyone to put out a podcast or blog. And to get an audience for it. And find formal and informal sources of critiquing your work.

It's the same factors that have made that so easy to do that have, in fact, rendered radio so much less relevant in today's world that radio cannot afford to have people who are "just getting started" on the air anymore.

These days, I'd argue that if a college student wants to have a career in radio, they need to be a success on the web first. Create a podcast on a regular schedule that's radio-friendly and build an audience for it. If you can't do it on the web, then why should any radio station take a chance on you? And hell, if you can succeed on the web, odds are at less 50-50 (if not better) that you won't NEED to bother with radio; you could probably make more money just being on the web and controlling your own work. I know at least one pubradio producer (Jesse Thorn, The Sound of Young America) who has openly admitted that he gets more money off his podcast than off his radio affiliates.

O.K. So I don't have all the answers. Perhaps you can help me here. I personally know kids that have taken the experiences learned from the above mentioned 4 college/high school stations and parlayed them into successful radio/tv careers. The number of viable broadcasters spawned by WERS is legendary. WBUR is an NPR charter member. The various U. Mass stations continuously provide a kaleidoscope of programming and the kids sure sound like they are having fun doing it.

You have your choice of any MW plus any FM station in the Boston market. What web station/podcast would you place on the MW frequency and why? What web/podcast would you run on the FM and why? Do you seriously believe either frequency would garner higher than a 0.0 rating or generate enough revenue to even pay the electric bill for the transmitters? Inquiring minds want to know!

P.S. We should probably keep this on the QT before the pirates find out and steal all the choice web/pod sites on the internet.


-

 

[Neanderpaul]

So Whole Foods should advertise during the Super Bowl?

Yes. To think that people who watch the Superbowl wouldn't shop @ Whole Foods is short-sighted.

Or how about a trendy new restaurant downtown?

Why not?

Would you eat at a restaurant that advertises on a mass appeal radio station?

Of course I would. Elitism is slowly creeping in to your assessment. I certainly would have no idea it existed if they didn't try to get me to patronize their establishment.

Or would you rather eat at the restaurant that advertises on a small AAA formatted station?

I'd like you to show me *any* relationship between the quality of food a restaurant serves & the vehicle they use to advertise their menu?

Which one do you think would serve better food, have a more thoughtful menu?

I don't know. But, if I never hear about the amazing restaurant, I'm 100% sure I'll never eat there.

Branding is a multi headed hydra, and there are many approaches - mass appeal / safety in numbers is not always prudent, it depends on your product and the mindset of your potential customers.

All money is green. I suppose if you don't want "those people" in your restaurant, you might want to avoid outlets that "they" might listen to.

In the case of restaurants, word of mouth is far more potent than radio advertising, which can actually undermine their credibility.

If you believe that taking years to build credibility through word of mouth references is the way to go, You're not living in 2011. Those days are long gone. Take that place the Wahlberg's just opened up. Do you think that place would be open in a year if they weren't getting all the press? How many great restaurants have opened and closed on Rt 9?

You know why? No customers.

If you run a business, your #1 priority is the product.

Your #2 priority is making sure people are aware of the product.

After that, assuming the product is good, the word will spread.

Pizza Palace? Sure - go for the big top 40. But Emma's Vegan Emporium would get no response if they bought time on WAAF.

This is a ridiculously closed-minded view of the audience of WAAF. Having worked there (twice) I can tell you for certain that there were vegans on staff. And 7-figure incomes that listened to that station.

Preconceived notions of who's listening is part of what's ruining radio.

Using your logic, white kids don't buy Fubu, and if you are vegetarian, you don't like Godsmack.

With all due respect...You couldn't be more wrong.

By your logic, the iPad would never have been introduced since research showed there was no market for it.

Of course there was. The fact that Gene Roddenberry introduced it to the masses almost 50 years ago, guaranteed a market.

And Apple's a horrible example. They had brand equity long before the iPad.

And every station on the dial should be playing Lady Gaga in order to leverage the "lowest common denominator". If you only have 3000 watts in a sea of Class C broadcasters, you have to find a niche. If you try to get everyone to listen, no one will, since the bigger stations already have that audience locked up.

If you think the "lowest common denominator's" money is worth less than the bourgeois, then follow your plan. But don't open a business.

There's more of "them" than whomever you feel are worthy to patronize your business. Go ahead and turn their money away. That makes sense.

Wow...