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Celestial Radio - Why it DOESN'T suck

U

UnknownError

There's been alot of "Radio" bashing going on on this board recently. Being an employee of multiple broadcasting companies here in Cleveland I love to read what others have to say on this board, but I think many of you are off base when you say that XM/Sirius is a superior medium.

I will agree that the MAJORITY of major market radio is corporate and bland, BUT contrary to popular belief LOCAL radio offers the opportunity for more format choices and LESS corporate radio. Think about it, satellite radio offers over 100 channels, but those stations are MORE corporate then EVER. First of all, you all gripe about the small play lists in celestial radio, but fail to realize that the MAJORITY of the time you can't call xm and request a song either, there's no one there, everything is run out of a building in new york and most of it is voice tracked (IF there's a personality at all on the station). Since we all know and gripe about the fact that Cleveland doesn't have the same audience as Pittsburgh or Chicago or Boston, you must aknowladge that satellite radio assumes that the whole COUNTRY wants the same programing. Ever heard a local promotion or contest on XM? What about remotes? The bottom line is, local independant radio is the future, not XM. I think we're in the "flow" not the "ebb" of this business. Soon we'll see a movement back to listener driven radio, and away from national PD radio (i.e. ClearChannel).

The answer to our local woes isn't to go national with XM, we have to let the market dictate, and trust me it will. Soon things will be new and innovative again, we're just in a bland period. XM will not help this, they are the great consolidator. What we need to do is break up the largest broadcasting company's and make it like it used to be!

Let me know what you think:

~UnknownError

(Unknown Error reported at module "unknown")
 
In all facets of media, it's advertising people at the helm. The last moneyman in this market that gave as much a damn about the product as the cash - in a corporate environment - just got canned.

I'm not betting on any breakup soon, but dream brother, dream. Optimism is one of the few things keeping people interested in the biz anymore.
 
If nothing else Brother, I admire your optimism and your vision. I hope radio does go in the direction you mention 'cause if it goes the way many are talking, we might as well turn off the lights and the transmitters in 10 years and go home...
 
> In all facets of media, it's advertising people at the helm.
Yeah, see, that's the thing....I'M surprised that the labels haven't been onto the death-machine of satellite radio; I mean, why buy a CD when XM or Sirius can provide commercial free music on a coast-to-coast drive going deep on the album over a million channels? And portability of the satellite units means you can take the music anywhere....why buy the album when you already have the opportunity to hear deep cut #5 on Channel 124 at a premium monthly price?
When somebody in the music biz finally figures this out and quits blaming internet downloading as the death of the industry, look for Skylab radio to fall.
-Brady
 
Music radio formats have, in my opinion, gotten so overly conservative and "safe" in the number of tracks/songs they play in all formats, it's become boring/overly-predicatable. There's no real personality in "air personalities"...except people doing long bits...which is the opposite of conservative music....long bits are TOO long and often not interesting or funny.

So, radio today is the worst of both extremes: not quite enough music variety and too much mindless talk by jocks....or even worse...no talk and all sweepers. It's like there's no balance.

There have been way too many spots, but Howard Stern has prooven...if the overall product is appealing to the masses, they'll put up with high spotloads.

Re: playing "deep cuts"...that' not what 90% of the population wants. Oh, some people will say they want variety, but when they get it it's a rare wide variety station that has good ratings over the long haul (Jack).

But, I guess...the word "deep" needs defining. Usually one or two...sometimes 3 tracks are about all most CDs/LPs usually have that are OK to play. Back in the 70's those of us in album radio would play practically every track on an LP...which is lunacy.

My biggest fear for radio is....the industry has been so out of balance for so long...we've made the public lose interest in us....consider us like an appliance: use us for a few minutes as background...nothing most people are really passionate about or make an "appointment" to listen to.
 
> Music radio formats have, in my opinion, gotten so overly
> conservative and "safe" in the number of tracks/songs they
> play in all formats, it's become boring/overly-predicatable.

Good point-see Lee Abrams...Mr. XM..about THAT one.

There's no real personality in "air personalities

Another good point, and as I mentioned before here somewhere, personalities suck these days because there's no REAL competition between the stations in a market, because every station is niche-formatted; why try when people are tuning in to hear the type of music on YOUR station and not the type of music on the OTHER station? And, believe ME, if you try to do your job right and break expectations of the format you're on, you get the boot.
And just look at this board...you've seen the howling if a "mainstream" song is played on an "alternative" station

> Re: playing "deep cuts"...that' not what 90% of the
> population wants.
> Usually one or two...sometimes 3 tracks are about all most CDs/LPs
> usually have that are OK to play.

Yeah...NOW. Why? See niche formatting above....listen to any station and the flavor of the week runs through every song played.

> Back in the 70's those of us in album radio would play every track on an LP...which is lunacy

Right...and you knew the PERSONALITY of the jock by the music they'd select to play! And remember then, too, the prevalent format was "top-40", which meant you'd hear the same songs on 3 or 4 stations in the market, so why did you choose to listen to the station you did? It was the jock, and things won't get better until everyone realizes that's what made radio great.
-Brady
 
Why Terrestrial Radio DOES Suck, and What Can Be Done

> Let me know what you think:
>

Well, I admire your optimism. I suppose if you like political ranting, sports ranting, religious ranting, the music that they sell at Target and 20 minute blocks of ads, then terrestrial radio is just peachy.

The only thing that traditional radio can do to save itself is to go completely local. I'm talking within 5 miles of the transmitter local. This is also what will save the newspaper industry.

Instead, what the radio offers us is a pastiche of syndicated programs and increasingly voice-tracked music DJs playing tightly controlled corporate vetted mucic catalogs. Sure, you can phone in a request, but if it wasn't on the 200 song playlist anyways, you aren't going to hear it.

I love radio. I always have. The first time I picked up a far away station on my crappy orange Radio Shack transistor radio was a defining moment of my life. Almost every room in my hosue has a radio (including a sweet 1947 Admiral bakelite beauty in the kitchen), but increasingly I'm bringing in the XM unit from my car.

To say that terrestrial radio should even get a C- grade is laughable.

And Cleveland is blessed with some pretty good stations compared with much larger cities (see for example, Los Angeles, New York, and Washington DC). <P ID="edit"><FONT class="small">Edited by stealie72 on 01/06/06 02:17 PM.</FONT></P>
 
I have had XM now for over 4 years for several reasons. One is I live in the part of the State that is between 2 markets and the choice of stations is limited, so I have XM so I can hear music.

Second reason I listen to XM is because most of the music is UNCENSORED! I want to hear the song as the artist wanted me to hear it, and if it includes the language, so be it. I am responsible enough to know that if a song has the f-bomb in it, i'm going to change the channel so my 2 year old won't hear it (if he is with me). I am a responsible parent, and I know what is right and what is wrong for him.

The third reason is the availability of music formats XM (and Sirius) provides. I used to listen to an all 80's station in Columbus till it flipped to oldies 4 years ago, and if you notice from earlier, I got XM 4 years ago. I'm a gen x-er that no station in Ohio caters to (graduated high school in 1991). I have found one that comes close, but they are a class A and I can't get them where I live. Every company is missing out on my demo and those potential advertisers are missing out on my money. I still have over 20 years left in the 25-54 demo.

The last reason I have switched from terrestrial radio to Satellite is because of the overload of commercials, the stations' coverage, and the choices available to me. Can't beat going from Cleveland to Chicago, or to Atlanta, or to Los Angeles, listening to the same channel. I commute 50 minutes to work, and in the morning it's Opie and Anthony, and going home it's either 80's or 90's. All these morning shows don't interest me at all, expecially since they play 5 to 7 minutes of spots in a row several times an hour. Also XM gives me the chance to listen to any hockey or baseball game in the country every day! What station in Cleveland can you listen to Cubs Baseball? Or how about The Reds, or even the Yankees? None unless you have XM. What station in Cleveland can you listen to Blue Jackets games, or the Rangers, or how about the Vancouver Canucks? If you're lucky maybe WTIG in Massilon/Canton for Blue Jackets, but that's it for Cleveland unless you have XM. Satellite gives you a huge choice when it comes to choices to listen to.

I know I went overboard on this, but those are the reasons as to why I don't listen to AM or FM anymore (except at work). Yes I do work in the radio industry.
 
> I have had XM now for over 4 years for several reasons. One
> is I live in the part of the State that is between 2 markets
> and the choice of stations is limited, so I have XM so I can
> hear music.
>
> Second reason I listen to XM is because most of the music is
> UNCENSORED! I want to hear the song as the artist wanted me
> to hear it, and if it includes the language, so be it. I am
> responsible enough to know that if a song has the f-bomb in
> it, i'm going to change the channel so my 2 year old won't
> hear it (if he is with me). I am a responsible parent, and I
> know what is right and what is wrong for him.
>
> The third reason is the availability of music formats XM
> (and Sirius) provides. I used to listen to an all 80's
> station in Columbus till it flipped to oldies 4 years ago,
> and if you notice from earlier, I got XM 4 years ago. I'm a
> gen x-er that no station in Ohio caters to (graduated high
> school in 1991). I have found one that comes close, but they
> are a class A and I can't get them where I live. Every
> company is missing out on my demo and those potential
> advertisers are missing out on my money. I still have over
> 20 years left in the 25-54 demo.
>
> The last reason I have switched from terrestrial radio to
> Satellite is because of the overload of commercials, the
> stations' coverage, and the choices available to me. Can't
> beat going from Cleveland to Chicago, or to Atlanta, or to
> Los Angeles, listening to the same channel. I commute 50
> minutes to work, and in the morning it's Opie and Anthony,
> and going home it's either 80's or 90's. All these morning
> shows don't interest me at all, expecially since they play 5
> to 7 minutes of spots in a row several times an hour. Also
> XM gives me the chance to listen to any hockey or baseball
> game in the country every day! What station in Cleveland can
> you listen to Cubs Baseball? Or how about The Reds, or even
> the Yankees? None unless you have XM. What station in
> Cleveland can you listen to Blue Jackets games, or the
> Rangers, or how about the Vancouver Canucks? If you're lucky
> maybe WTIG in Massilon/Canton for Blue Jackets, but that's
> it for Cleveland unless you have XM. Satellite gives you a
> huge choice when it comes to choices to listen to.
>
> I know I went overboard on this, but those are the reasons
> as to why I don't listen to AM or FM anymore (except at
> work). Yes I do work in the radio industry.


Not a lot to add to the above, except I got XM for the programming Choices..50's-70's music with personable, knowledgeable DJ's that know their stuff..songs I have'nt heard in probably 25 years or more. Classic Country..not heard at all in NE Ohio except for the occasional "classic" hour or two on weekends..ESPN, Fox and Sporting News Network shows-On Pattern..Old and "New Time" Radio..NHL and Major League Baseball..Bob Edwards..Just so much of interest.
 
> > In all facets of media, it's advertising people at the
> helm.
> Yeah, see, that's the thing....I'M surprised that the labels
> haven't been onto the death-machine of satellite radio; I
> mean, why buy a CD when XM or Sirius can provide commercial
> free music on a coast-to-coast drive going deep on the album
> over a million channels? And portability of the satellite
> units means you can take the music anywhere....why buy the
> album when you already have the opportunity to hear deep cut
> #5 on Channel 124 at a premium monthly price?
> When somebody in the music biz finally figures this out and
> quits blaming internet downloading as the death of the
> industry, look for Skylab radio to fall.
> -Brady
>

The recording industry HAS put up a stink about Sirius's recordable receiver. I just saw yesterday that one manufacturer is coming out with a satellite receiver and MP3 recorder built-in. That is problematic.

But as for the actual satellite receiver itself, there's no argument the recording industry can make about it. It is completely analogous to terrestrial radio--that is, the station pays a licensing fee to the artists-composers and/or their representatives (ASCAP, BMI, SESAC, etc.), as well as a license to play the exact recording. Although there are "deep tracks" on the satellite channels, that doesn't mean that there is some form of copyright infringement. Terrestrial stations are free to play them as well--they choose not to.

As long as a satellite provider is paying the licensing fees, the recording industry can't do a thing.

Furthermore, the portability aspect is not a deal breaker. Transistor radios have existed for a long time. Same thing as portable satellite radios. The legal aspect here is this: no matter what is being played and received by all these satellite receivers, there is still only one "copy" of the song being played. That copy is in the possession of the satellite provider, who is paying licensing fees and is granted the license to play it on-air. Since the receivers cannot record and make a separate/new copy, there is no copyright infringement.

And the payment of monthly fees matters not one bit. In commercial radio, advertising revenue is used to pay licensing fees; with satellite, since there are no commercials, the subscriber fees pay for the licensing.

The recording industry's argument (legally) isn't that no one is buying the album--it's that people are infringing on the copyright of the artists, composers, and the company that made/produced, manufactured the song(s).

Also, satellite radio doesn't provide a user the opportunity to hear deep cut #5 at any moment. User must wait for it to come up in rotation...if at all.

So, "Skylab" radio isn't going anywhere because of the recording industry. It will fail on its own merits, not those of the suits in LA and NYC. <P ID="edit"><FONT class="small">Edited by Johnny Morgan on 01/06/06 04:47 PM.</FONT></P>
 
You've missed the point; satellite radio's draw is that, outside of news/talk, you get no commercials...why buy a CD to throw in on a cross country trip to avoid scanning for stations or to listen to music you like when you have it at your fingertips...no static, no searching, no commercials?
It's gonna hurt 'em..it ain't just the downloading is all I'm saying.
-Brady
 
> So, "Skylab" radio isn't going anywhere because of the
> recording industry. It will fail on its merits, not those
> of the suits in LA and NYC.

Please tell me you mean that if satellite fails, it will be on its own merits, not that it will fail on its merits.

I still love the thrill of crackly baseball games at night on AM, but I also love hearing the DJ on the satellie metal station drop the F bomb now and again.
 
> > So, "Skylab" radio isn't going anywhere because of the
> > recording industry. It will fail on its merits, not those
>
> > of the suits in LA and NYC.
>
> Please tell me you mean that if satellite fails, it will be
> on its own merits, not that it will fail on its merits.

Yes, sorry. Satellite will fail on its own merits, not those of the suits in LA and NYC.

The original has been corrected.
 
> You've missed the point; satellite radio's draw is that,
> outside of news/talk, you get no commercials...why buy a CD
> to throw in on a cross country trip to avoid scanning for
> stations or to listen to music you like when you have it at
> your fingertips...no static, no searching, no commercials?
> It's gonna hurt 'em..it ain't just the downloading is all
> I'm saying.
> -Brady

But you said you wondered whether the recording industry was going to go after satellite radio.

They can't, that was my point.

Furthermore, it's a bit conjectural to say that satellite radio will replace CDs on cross-country trips. Satellite still has a playlist, and within that playlist there are no doubt songs you don't want to hear; and music on other stations you don't want to hear; or talk you don't want to hear. CDs didn't replace broadcast radio, and broadcast radio didn't replace CDs. Satellite won't replace CDs either.

I understand your point--you're not hopping on the satellite bandwagon any time soon. That's fine. Believe me, I put off the satellite thing for as long as possible. Only a mega-baragin from XM at Christmas finally move me off the couch, so to speak. I scoped out both XM and Sirius using the free online trial. I must have done that 2-3 different times, just to make sure.

I'm on-air at a terrestrial station. I contribute monthly to Reelradio.com and my local non-comms. I believe in the medium, but am just down on it the commercial side of it right now. But I still have all of my radios--home and car--and do listen to them. It just happens to be less and less above 92 MHz.
 
Great responses! I guess I'm just a hopeless optimist :(

Glad you guys didn't rip me for saying Celestial when I was actually talking about local AM/FM broadcasts!

~L8r
 
> Great responses! I guess I'm just a hopeless optimist :(
>
> Glad you guys didn't rip me for saying Celestial when I was
> actually talking about local AM/FM broadcasts!
>
> ~L8r
>

Actually I didnt catch it till just a little while ago..I figured out what you meant. No problem..
 
> Great responses! I guess I'm just a hopeless optimist :(
>
As an individual who works in the business, I can appreciate your optimism. Let's hope that better things are on the way for the biz.

I guess I'm not the only one who received satellite radio for Christmas this year. :) So far, I'm loving Sirius for its classic alternative, oldies, and news/talk channels. There's definitely something to be said about a lack of commercials and a wide variety of music...but I can't help but feel like a sellout for getting Sirius. Am I a traitor to the medium?
 
On the contrary, The Radio Industry has been a traitor to it's listeners..



> > Great responses! I guess I'm just a hopeless optimist :(
>
> >
> As an individual who works in the business, I can appreciate
> your optimism. Let's hope that better things are on the way
> for the biz.
>
> I guess I'm not the only one who received satellite radio
> for Christmas this year. :) So far, I'm loving Sirius for
> its classic alternative, oldies, and news/talk channels.
> There's definitely something to be said about a lack of
> commercials and a wide variety of music...but I can't help
> but feel like a sellout for getting Sirius. Am I a traitor
> to the medium?
>
 
> Am I a traitor to the medium?

If you left your local NBC affiliate for a cable news station, would you be a traitor to the medium?

The medium is radio, who cares what device you use to pick it up with. There's some kickass radio on the satellites right now. Enjoy it before it gets like cable is now.
 
> On the contrary, The Radio Industry has been a traitor to
> it's listeners..>


The '96 Tel Com bill opened the flood gates for groups to own hundreds and hundreds+++ of radio stations....many of which are heavily financed.

Huge dollars in debt service has scared most in the business into being incredibly conservative with ultra-safe/bland programming...both in music and creativity of "personalities".....and raised spot loads to nearly 1960's AM-radio levels.

The net result is an over-commercial'd, vanilla/boring/lifeless/repetitive, defensive medium.

Radio took for granted that it's audience would care about all those extra spots it needed to pay the banks...and that they've sucked the life and tastiness out of most of their programming.

Radio has severely wounded itself...and has no one to blame but itself.

One of the guys in on the planning and execution of XM radio is Lee Abrams. I was hired as a jock at an Abrams station years ago. He was around less than a year...but I can tell you...he was a brilliant guy. Lee (and others) saw what radio was doing to itself, and planned a strategy for satellite radio.

Will satellite radio be a huge financial success anytime soon, and will it really take huge audience from terrestrial radio? Who knows. But, if satellite radio does nothing more than scare the (BLEEP) out of traditional radio...it will have done the listening public a great service!
 
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