Define what "Local" means

[The Voice of Reason]

Just because someone local owns a radio station doesn't mean one is getting local programming.
For example, part of my job calls for me to travel parts of New York State, and during those business trips I listen to so-called "local radio stations" and you know what I hear? The same national syndicated talk shows; So-called local news that is nothing but reading out of the local newspaper or wire service, or airing a newscast from a local TV station, plus weather from a TV meteorologist. The only thing local I hear are commercials for local car dealers and other merchants.
Granted a few stations might have a morning team made up of people who actually work at the station, but after morning drive is over with, it's the same ole same ole.
The meaning of local to me consists of a local staff of announcers and newscasters, and if need-be, talk shows with local hosts. When all of that happens, then a station can call itself local. Until then it's nothing but a smaller version of what most medium and major market stations are doing.

 

[cee]

Local radio will eventually make a comeback - when most people are getting their music, news, weather, sports via cell phones, ipods and future tech inventions. Right now though, the thought is: cheap is good.

 

[Savage]

This complaint is heard a lot. Playing devil's advocate here, let's compare an hour of a typical "syndicated national talk show" with an hour from....well, hell, let's "turn back the hands of time" to 1967, when dinosaurs and 16-inch ETs roamed the earth - the halcyon days of "local radio."

TODAY: Network news at top, followed by 3 minutes of local, a forecast from the dread "TV meterologist," station promo. Spot breaks including local weather and traffic. Local heads at bottom. More local spot breaks. National talk content = 42 minutes.

DAYS OF YORE, LOCALLY SPEAKING: Network news at top (yikes, probably from Mu-Tu-Al in small markets, on a noisy 3 kc/s Telco loop.) 3 minutes of 'local' news consisting primarily of UPI/AP copy ripped (physically) from the wire. Forecast ripped from the wire too. Pepper-Tanner station jingle, approximately 39 seconds long. Rise-N-Shine With Records music show with local DJ. Spot breaks including local weather, ripped from AP. Local heads at bottom. More local spot breaks. Content from 45rpm phonograph records = 42 minutes.

Plus ca change, plus c'est la meme chose.....

BTW, if the weather is from a "TV meteorologist," what's the problem with that? Local TV weather types are usually pretty authoritative and professional and have better info than you can get from other sources. In 1967 chances were the cast would be outdated and read, at least on weekends, by a high school kid. (Like me. "Not that there's anything WRONG with that.")

In 1967, most of us sounded like "smaller versions of what most medium and major market stations were doing." We WANTED to sound that way. Everywhere in Upstate, Western NY and the Southern Tier, you heard 16 and 17 year old Dick Biondis and John Landeckers horsing 1950s Gates turntables and PT6s around trying to sound like Big 10 WCFL. Maybe that was part of the charm of "localism" we've forgotten through the years??

 

[alw]

In my listening experience, local radio in many cases has translated to mediocre radio. I don’t think taking advantage of national level talent is necessarily a bad thing, all the time.

Before you instinctively rip my innards from my body, let me continue.

Most of my sentence in radio has consisted of having to talk up a newscast supplied by Mutual, or AP or UPI or some other national news service. Mainly because of an FCC obligation, and the fact that most of the newsrooms were set up for local casts (when there was a news staff at all).

Along came Casey Kasem who had the resources to put together a highly produced highly researched Oldies program. Then came Larry King. Many small and medium markets could not afford to hire their own talk show host of that quality.
I agree that the situation has gone beyond the pale…..but a thoughtful blend of local and national programming can give a local radio station a full big-time sound and still serve a local listenership.
(Let’s say a small 5,000wt public AM news & information station in…..
say….the 52nd market)

My 2 cents

 

[JustPastBuffalo]

Plus ca change, plus c'est la meme chose.....

C'est la vie! Welcome to the bi-lingual part of the board.

I agree that the situation has gone beyond the pale…..but a thoughtful blend of local and national programming can give a local radio station a full big-time sound and still serve a local listenership. (Let’s say a small 5,000wt public AM news & information station in….. say….the 52nd market.)

And a fine station it is.

 

[dustintv]

I think a news/talk station needs to have at least be local during both AM and PM drivetimes. In our neck of the woods this is usually statisfied, but look over at WGY and it's pretty much almost all syndicated these days.

 

[Mike Sheridan]

Listening to AM radio at night used to be interesting. Perry Marshall on KDKA, John Otto on WGR, oldies on WHAS and WBT. The list goes on.

Now after midnight I can here about 20 stations pumping out "Coast to Coast AM with George Noory" and very little else.

Many stations today are no longer owned by people who love radio, they don't have a passion for it. The exceptions are rare.

 

[Element9]

Now after midnight I can here about 20 stations pumping out "Coast to Coast AM with George Noory" and very little else.

Otherwise known as *the nutbag show* featuring every conspiracy theorist in America... kind of like show prep for Tom Bowerly. All night radio used to be a good daypart with up-and-comers and good entertainers. Now it's nothing more than bilge. A damn shame it is to hear those big 50's belching out syndicated air pollution.

 

[JohnW]

A damn shame it is to hear those big 50's belching out syndicated air pollution.

And if the IBOC hash from one squelches another, there's still plenty to choose from. Ugh!

 

[Mike Sheridan]

Now after midnight I can here about 20 stations pumping out "Coast to Coast AM with George Noory" and very little else.

Otherwise known as *the nutbag show* featuring every conspiracy theorist in America... kind of like show prep for Tom Bowerly. All night radio used to be a good daypart with up-and-comers and good entertainers. Now it's nothing more than bilge. A damn shame it is to hear those big 50's belching out syndicated air pollution.

It's a lot like TV and the networks love of low budget reality shows. Even "TV Land" runs them!