DJ: A DYING ART?

[austingeezer]

CBS Radio Executive Dan Mason:
“Over the last 20 years the disk jockey’s role has been watered down so much,” Mason said, “by the dictate, ‘Don’t talk, don’t give the title and artist of songs, play hit after hit, don’t give anybody any chance to tune out."

Read more: http://www.nydailynews.com/entertai...ive-dan-mason-article-1.1052952#ixzz1qzlMaUN0

 

[daypart]

Article in the OP of this thread from February seemed to think so. Better have a parachute packed or be vested in the company retirement plan if you're in that career.

 

[Ronn]

Recently, I was introduced to a young lady (20's, I suppose) and the person introducing us said: "--------used to be a disc-jockey". The young lady had a puzzled look on her face and said: "what's a disc-jockey." That pretty much says it all. Dan is absolutely correct.

 

[Bongwater]

CBS Radio Executive Dan Mason:
“Over the last 20 years the disk jockey’s role has been watered down so much,” Mason said, “by the dictate, ‘Don’t talk, don’t give the title and artist of songs, play hit after hit, don’t give anybody any chance to tune out."

Read more: http://www.nydailynews.com/entertai...ive-dan-mason-article-1.1052952#ixzz1qzlMaUN0

It's overlooking the PRIME reason listeners tune out...When was the last time listeners went wild over a five minute commercial break?

Again, it's ALWAYS the DJ/air talent's fault......

 

[MisterRadio]

IMHO, I believe that the lack of DJ's or announcers or whatever they should be called now is helping to kill radio. I think that radio execs are still clinging to old data from before satellite and Ipods and Pandora that said listeners wanted more music and less talking, so programmers are trying to turn stations into nothing more than broadcast IPods, but why would anybody want to listen to an IPod that they didn't pick the music for? I think that radio stations can be successful on the music side if they are outlets for new music, have good personalities that keep people entertained and provide services like news, traffic and weather (yes I know that stuff is available on the internet or smartphones, but I'm lazy and like to be able to just turn on a radio and get info without having to spend the time searching).

 

[fredcantu]

...keep people entertained and provide services like news, traffic and weather (yes I know that stuff is available on the internet or smartphones, but I'm lazy and like to be able to just turn on a radio and get info without having to spend the time searching).

In the TV news biz I hear that a lot, too. A viewer will say why do you make things so hard? Why don't you just tell me everything now while I'm watching instead of trying to get me to go look it up on your web site.

 

[AirUpThere]

Awright. I'm gonna chime in on this one. A legendary program director once said it best. CONTENT! Make it good and they'll come and stay. Sometimes that doesn't mean music. Sometimes it means the jock needs to be pithy, funny, let out a real zinger and give the audience a reason to stay tuned through all those car, roof repair, home sales and night club ads. "We're gonna look at your weather next." Snore. I can pull up an app and get that right now. I tune in to your music station to hear NEW music (what songs I need to download), an occasional classic (what songs I've forgotten to download), a witty DJ and find out where cool bands are gonna play tonight. Most importantly, I've tuned in so you can make me feel good on my way to work or home.

Talk is meant to piss me off. News is meant to give me a fix on what's going on around me. Give me some Maroon5, Foster the People, some Jason Aldean, or Robert Plant. Get me singing in my vehicle stuck on 35. Make me feel better about it. Take me away mentally from the jackass trying to get into my lane because his is ending in 150 feet. Be the station that's on in my car when I turn the key and the one that's playing when I shut it off in my garage. That's a successful station.

 

[MisterRadio]

Unfortunately, radio companies don't want to put in the effort to do that anymore. That is why radio is dying.

 

[TheBigA]

why would anybody want to listen to an IPod that they didn't pick the music for?

You answered your own question here:

I'm lazy and like to be able to just turn on a radio and get info without having to spend the time searching).

Anyone who looks at the way people use radio will tell you that the minute the talking starts, the dial starts to change. Just sit in a car with someone and watch. It will happen right in front of you. The music stops, and the dial changes. It doesn't matter what happens next. People don't wait for the DJ to say something entertaining. They don't wait for something pithy or funny. It doesn't get that far.

 

[MisterRadio]

I really believe that is old thinking. Try this: ask a random number of people who listen to KHFI (96.7 Kiss FM) and ask them the first thing that comes to their mind about that station and the majority will say Bobby Bones and not the music.

 

[TheBigA]

Your question itself biases them. Don't ask them about the station. Watch them in the car. The first thing kids learn when they're old enough to sit in the front seat is how to change the radio station.

 

[davideduardo]

I really believe that is old thinking. Try this: ask a random number of people who listen to KHFI (96.7 Kiss FM) and ask them the first thing that comes to their mind about that station and the majority will say Bobby Bones and not the music.

Unlikely. Only about a third of the station's listeners cume it in Morning Drive; the rest don't even listen in that daypart. Since over 60% don't listen to that show, it is unlikely that a "majority" would listen to the station because of it.