Do You Really Care About Radio?

[Fastphilly]

I have three options I use in my car. A custom compilation CD from my 45's / Satelite radio / old airchecks (unscoped of course).

Both 98.1 and 103.7 doesn't play anything that "wows me". At least on Satelite radio they will play a tune that charted outside the top ten sometimes.

If 98.1 or 103.7 plays a sub top 10 record it's some "Safe Song" (Malo "Suavecito") that has been drilled through our radio for years now.

One bright spot is "Disco Saturday Nights" with Little Ricky on 98.1. The guy has some energy but the songs he plays are the same 'ol retreads.

 

[ronald54321]

No. Just Internet and satellite.

 

[Mike Sheridan]

I think that radio days are pretty much over.

Now, it really doesn't matter. The romance of seeing open-reel decks, cart machines, audio boards, patch bays, STLs and transmitters isn't there anymore. For one thing, most of that equipment has been replaced by one or two computers anybody can get at Best Buy. Today's teenaged boy likely has better equipment in his bedroom than most stations have in their control rooms.

I'm in the same place. Saw my first remote broadcast as a kid complete with DJ engineers and turntables. It was magic unfolding before my eyes. Love all the tech toys of that time. Now a PC in a closet can do more and that's what a lot of stations have turned into. Programmers have for years been programming for passive listeners, they didn't do much to keep the actives interested. My daughters don't listen to radio either. They want to hear the songs they want, they have that on their CD's and iPods. No mater what others say here radio isn't as dominant as it used to be.

As for emergencies storms, etc. You have to hope a station isn't on automation or some type of syndicated programming and that there is someone there who knows what to do. With so many people getting squeezed out of the business it's rare to find someone who knows how to compile and present the information.

There are those who will deny any of this is true and would rather just bury their heads in the sand. To those we should just say, never mind go back to sleep, everything is fine...

 

[recto101]

Wait Radio is not dead per say but the fact that lots of people are moving to Iphone apps, Tablet Apps and in some cases Dashboard apps to listen to music there and its mainly automated. I just think the only time we really demand a live voice in the radio studio is when local talk is involved and when its an all-news station that carries local content or when its an all-sports station carrying a pro team thats in the playoffs.

 

[TheRover]

Radio delivers Talk, and Sports/ Sports Talk, and some news.

Musically, the "message" has been taken out, and the purpose for that radio is the old standby of contests, promotions, and giveaways.

The masses, the lowest common demoninator, will ALWAYS be ready to listen to the Top 40, and to listen for some free stuff. That market is more diversified, but, it will continue, as the PT Barnum effect NEVER dies.

 

[Questor]

Stated or not, the effect of de-regulation is the homoginization of the varoious music genres, pushing out completely progressive rock.

So, instead of ever hearing "Sorrow", "Sheep", or "Shine On You Crazy Diamond" by Pink Floyd, we get:

"Comfortably Numb"

"Another Brick in the Wall Part II"

"Money"

------Only, and over, and over, and over, and over, and over again.

Some classic rock stations have a 15-20 minute segment playing Led Zeppelin. That's about the only time you'll hear a rare track, e.g.,
"The Rover."

 

[TheRover]

Stated or not, the effect of de-regulation is the homoginization of the varoious music genres, pushing out completely progressive rock.

So, instead of ever hearing "Sorrow", "Sheep", or "Shine On You Crazy Diamond" by Pink Floyd, we get:

"Comfortably Numb"

"Another Brick in the Wall Part II"

"Money"

------Only, and over, and over, and over, and over, and over again.

Some classic rock stations have a 15-20 minute segment playing Led Zeppelin. That's about the only time you'll hear a rare track, e.g.,
"The Rover."

True, but while they will occasionly put in a deeper track in that 15 minute segment, they will ALWAYS include their Holey Grail tracks, like "Immigrant Song", "Communication Breakdown", or "D'Yer Mak'er" in the rest of the segment.

They would Never play just great deep tracks for an entire 15 minute segement. Master Control would NEVER allow for that !!! Why, that would alienate the Sheep, according to the expert consultants.

It's always a Big Mac and fries, and a Coke. But, sometimes, they allow you have a milkshake ! And, for that, you should be eternally thankful . . .

 

[landtuna]

They would Never play just great deep tracks for an entire 15 minute segement. Master Control would NEVER allow for that !!! Why, that would alienate the Sheep, according to the expert consultants.

Music radio, or most of it anyway, is a mass medium so popularity rules. Certain songs by an artist are more popular than others and a lot are not popular at all. So it stands to reason that the most popular tracks would be played and the other not so much or never.

That doesn't surprise me at all.

 

[TheBigA]

It's always a Big Mac and fries, and a Coke. But, sometimes, they allow you have a milkshake ! And, for that, you should be eternally thankful . . .

"Allow you?" It's always been on the menu. But hardly taken. Just as they offer healthy choices, yet most people eat the grease. Go to Baskin Robbins and they offer 32 flavors. But guess what #1 is.

Don't blame consultants. Blame the sheep. Otherwise you're just blaming the weatherman for another day with fog.

 

[jprg]

I have the most musical variety coming out of my car speakers - 4500 songs in a row with no repeats. it's called an "iPod."

 

[TheBigA]

I have the most musical variety coming out of my car speakers - 4500 songs in a row with no repeats. it's called an "iPod."

No offense, but if you put your iPod on the radio, it would be one of the lowest rated stations in town. You program your iPod for an audience of one. Radio can't exist that way.

 

[oldies76]

People like repetition. How many times do we hear the same songs on the jukebox, or even on our personal ipods? It's that repetition that makes a song a hit.

Totally disagree. It's the constant repetition and the same ole same ole, that drives away listeners in groves. Radio stations do not need to play "Brown Eyed Girl" three times a day, everyday. Classic hits stations must have variety and NEW features to survive and keep their listeners and ratings.

Have you ever been in a clothing department store and noticed that everytime you walk in, they always have NEW features, NEW displays, NEW merchandise, NEW markdowns?? Well customers like that, so they return to see the changes and purchase items. If everything stayed the same everyday, weeks on end, customers would stop shopping there. People don't want to see the same non-selling merchandise displayed on racks, they want NEW clothes....same applies to RADIO.

 

[oldies76]

Good riddance, with the constant commercials, constant playing of the same songs over and over. Why even listen? I can just go Satellite or Download an infinite amount of song to my Ipod playlist that hooks up to my car. My car actually can play music via bluetooth now. I have no use at all for the garbage that is played on commercial radio.

Well, "good riddance" is an extra step, but I hear you. The repetition factor is something I've always griped about. Thousands of songs were hits in years past, but only hear less than 10% of them today, that to me is a problem. Excessive spots and lengthy chatter in the mornings, instead of music could be reduced.

And how about taking requets?? If a classic hits station can't take requests for a classic hit, then why even function? The only time a "request" is ever played anymore, is if that song, the listener is asking for, is on the pre-programmed rotation for that day. A listener can request "Boys of Summer" and they'll hear it within the 1/2 hour anyways because stations play that song to death. But if someone requests "Music Box Dancer" from 1979, it'll never be played. That's the wrong approach by radio these days. Long lost oldies are only lost......because radio refuses to play them today.

If someone requests any classic hit on a classic hits station, they should have the right to hear it, no matter what song it is. Obviously, if someone is requesting it, it's one of their favorites, tested and approved by that individual in their own home.....

Radio simply lacks creativity. Specialty weekends today are nothing more than their regular rotational songs being mixed up and jumbled to make it sound like a one-of-a-kind special, when it really isn't.

The "Top 500" songs of all-time is their top 500 songs that are always aired anyways. ???

 

[stewie]

I have the most musical variety coming out of my car speakers - 4500 songs in a row with no repeats. it's called an "iPod."

No offense, but if you put your iPod on the radio, it would be one of the lowest rated stations in town. You program your iPod for an audience of one. Radio can't exist that way.

Exactly. Radio will always be limited to a "one to many" and that's what threatens it in the future.

That brings us back to the original question: Do You Really Care About Radio?

In it's present state, not really. Do I care about music discovery? Hell yes!

 

[TheBigA]

Exactly. Radio will always be limited to a "one to many" and that's what threatens it in the future.

Which is why companies like Clear Channel and CBS have built internet platforms to convert their existing assets for the one to one experience.

In it's present state, not really. Do I care about music discovery? Hell yes!

I find it ironic that the record labels, who have the most to gain from the music discovery process, seem to be the worst when it comes to developing music discovery platforms.

 

[davideduardo]

Have you ever been in a clothing department store and noticed that everytime you walk in, they always have NEW features, NEW displays, NEW merchandise, NEW markdowns?? Well customers like that, so they return to see the changes and purchase items. If everything stayed the same everyday, weeks on end, customers would stop shopping there. People don't want to see the same non-selling merchandise displayed on racks, they want NEW clothes....same applies to RADIO.

That's gotta' be close to the worst analogy I've ever heard.

People buy clothes with the idea that each item should be different. They don't go in and buy 14 identical shirts or T's or pairs of shorts.

When people like a song, they want to hear it... the same song... over and over and over. Sometimes they get tired of it and want to hear it less, and sometimes they get to where they don't want to hear it ever again.

But, for the most part, adult radio listeners come to hear familiar "friends" and not a lot of deep cuts, quasi-hits or tons of new music. They want consistency and predictability. It's the same reason why multiple studies have shown that iPod libraries are either about 300 songs in size or the favorite playlist is around 300 songs.

Now that I think about it, I don't believe I have ever, ever, heard a worse analogy.

 

[davideduardo]

If someone requests any classic hit on a classic hits station, they should have the right to hear it, no matter what song it is.

Let's see... the cume of a classic hits station in a top 5 market could be as high as 3 million people.

So, that reclusive sociopath who never leaves home, but who remembers some low-charting stiff from the late 60's because it was playing the only time in his life a girl ever kissed him, has the "right" to piss off the other 3,000,000 listeners who hate the song or simply don't remember it?

The lessons are:
A. Don't let sociopaths have phones.
B. Don't take requests.
C. Don't play stiffs.

 

[SFStatic]

I agree with all David E has said, except the 'don't play requests. Having done oldies and programmed them, you can do requests...it just has to be well structured. The most I've ever seen in a well programmed station was 5 songs per hour max...and generally only in a particular show like the evening show or sometimes a noon hour show. The talent just has to vet the callers/songs well. One PD I worked with actually prepared a list in addition to the station log of acceptable requests...which I thought was a bit much. As long as the requests are tucked in between your hits, it can work.

 

[oldies76]

Now that I think about it, I don't believe I have ever, ever, heard a worse analogy.

Your own opinion and entitled to it......the point is that customers / listeners dislike the same, the same, the same, the same, whether in front of their eyes in a store, or on a classic hits station.

But you'll never get it, since YOU aren't a listener.......we've been through this 100 times.

 

[oldies76]

Let's see... the cume of a classic hits station in a top 5 market could be as high as 3 million people.

So, that reclusive sociopath who never leaves home, but who remembers some low-charting stiff from the late 60's because it was playing the only time in his life a girl ever kissed him, has the "right" to piss off the other 3,000,000 listeners who hate the song or simply don't remember it?

The lessons are:
A. Don't let sociopaths have phones.
B. Don't take requests.
C. Don't play stiffs.

Who says it has to be a low charting stiff?? It could be a #1 song that is rarely heard. But if a classic hits station plays classics, then any listener should have the ability and right to call in and request a classic.....period!Is the station in it for the people or only for themselves? Sounds like the later.

And YOU are assuming it would piss many others, when their is no factual proof that it would. I'm sure many in the 3 million, walk away when "Brown Eyed Girl" is played for the 17th time in a weeks span too. Like I have said many times before and I'll say it again....EVERY song is someone's favorite, some more popular than others.