Do You Really Care About Radio?

[TheBigA]

I think that generally any association is going to play up their industry, even when things aren't well. That is what most groups like that do. They don't like the truth to get out because it isn't good for their bottom line.

If you want to talk about truth, that's fine. But your post about people "leaving in droves" isn't the truth, no matter how much you believe it.

I meant things like online music services like Pandora, Slacker, etc.

Great. Name me all the well known DJs on Slacker or Pandora. How many hits have been made on Pandora or Slacker? The fact is that dumb old OTA radio is still the source for new music and big hits. Radio is not an online music service, and will never replace them, and vice versa.

I'm not talking about shortwave or AM. And FM isn't radio. It's just a transmission system. To me, radio is what people listen to. The programming. They may not carry around a pocket transistor, but they have their phone or some other device, and amazingly, even when faced with millions of choices, the place they still go is the OTA radio station stream.

 

[nocomradio]

Nocomradio, This is EXACTLY the reason I dislike listening to radio (at least American raidio). Read my post above this one and you'll see how I feel. I subscribe to Rhapsody and absolutely LOVE it. I like all types of music and I like having the various genres mixed up. And if Rhapsody doesn't have a song I want, chances are YouTube will have it. I have recording software so if I do find the song on YouTube, I record it and turn it into an MP3. Anyway, in case you don't feel like reading my last post, I believe radio needs to move out of it;s safe zone. Watching paint dry is more exciting than today's radio.

This is turning out to be a VERY interesting thread. I may not agree with everyone, but I'm planning on keeping tabs with this thread

I understand where you are coming from. I also understand that there are a lot of different situations and factors at play in the radio world.

What I don't understand is why the very people who work in this industry so vehemently defend things that clearly aren't working well, and then decide that anyone who doesn't agree with them is dead wrong, has no facts, and ultimately doesn't know what they are talking about.

Time will render out what is wrong with the radio industry, just as it took out the buggy whip company, the corded telephone, and the steam locomotive.

 

[TheBigA]

I subscribe to Rhapsody and absolutely LOVE it. I like all types of music and I like having the various genres mixed up. And if Rhapsody doesn't have a song I want, chances are YouTube will have it.

All that's great. It's exactly what you're supposed to do. If you want something specific, seek it out. Rhapsody isn't in the radio business. Rhapsody is in the music sales and distribution business. It's today's version of a brick & mortar music store. That's not radio. That's your personal music service. That makes you happy? Great. But radio isn't in that business, and it would be crazy for stations to chase after that, because radio doesn't own music, and doesn't profit in any way from the sales of music.

 

[rricci]

You're looking to get something for nothing, and blame radio because you can't. Sorry. That's not how life works. But don't attempt to convince me about what the masses want. I have far too much information.

BigA, now you're putting words in my mouth. Where did I say I wanted free music? I DIDN'T! Musicians (and record labels) should be paid for music. What I'm saying is I would like to SAMPLE the music (and not just the 30 second clips Amazon has) and I feel that radio could fill that need. I'm willing to bet that when commercials air, those same people that change stations when unfamiliar songs come on also change the station.

 

[TheBigA]

Time will render out what is wrong with the radio industry, just as it took out the buggy whip company, the corded telephone, and the steam locomotive.

People still need transportation, they still take trains, and they still use the phone. And you'd be surprised to know that 93% of the public still uses OTA radio, about the same number as 20 years ago.

 

[TheBigA]

What I'm saying is I would like to SAMPLE the music (and not just the 30 second clips Amazon has) and I feel that radio could fill that need.

That's not radio's business. They don't make a dime by selling music.

I'm willing to bet that when commercials air, those same people that change stations when unfamiliar also change the station.

You'd be surprised. More people stay for commercials than are willing to sit through songs they don't know.

 

[rricci]

Time will render out what is wrong with the radio industry, just as it took out the buggy whip company, the corded telephone, and the steam locomotive.

You left out pay phones, which I feel should still be around because batteries die, phones get lost or left behind. I should stop as this is getting off topic, but had to add my 2 cents in.

 

[nocomradio]

If you want to talk about truth, that's fine. But your post about people "leaving in droves" isn't the truth, no matter how much you believe it.

See just how many new children grow up to be listeners.

Great. Name me all the well known DJs on Slacker or Pandora.

Or on OTA radio for that matter these days. The days of Cousin Brucie and the like are pretty much done and have been for a number of years now.

How many hits have been made on Pandora or Slacker? The fact is that dumb old OTA radio is still the source for new music and big hits.

Not right now, I agree. But, given that Pandora and Slacker are only a few years old at the most, that WILL change. I'd bet on it. It took radio a while to catch on in the beginning too.

I'm not talking about shortwave or AM. And FM isn't radio. It's just a transmission system. To me, radio is what people listen to. The programming. They may not carry around a pocket transistor, but they have their phone or some other device, and amazingly, even when faced with millions of choices, the place they still go is the OTA radio station stream.

Cell service is also a delivery system is it not? That will more reliably deliver music, news and other entertainment, plus it will help you get where you want to go and tell you where to turn, find your favorite restaurant, give you a coupon for the local or not so local store, allow you access to a database as big as the world itself, and generally will take over. Its just a matter of time. I don't think radio will die and disappear, but it won't live the happy, magical, profit turning life that you say its enjoying now forever. Again, time will tell.

 

[TheBigA]

See just how many new children grow up to be listeners.

You'd be surprised, but the same percentage of young people listen today as listened 25 years ago.

Cell service is also a delivery system is it not? That will more reliably deliver music, news and other entertainment,

Once again, radio is not in the music business. Just because some radio stations play music doesn't mean that radio and music are the same thing. And cell phone companies aren't in the programming business. The fact is that an increasing number of people are listening to their favorite OTA radio station on their cell phone. That still counts as listening to the radio.

 

[nocomradio]

People still need transportation, they still take trains, and they still use the phone. And you'd be surprised to know that 93% of the public still uses OTA radio, about the same number as 20 years ago.

I believe that 93% of the public uses OTA radio. I don't dispute that, but not like they did 20 years ago when the choices were fewer, and certainly not for as long. How many are listening after 7PM? How many at work?

 

[TheBigA]

I believe that 93% of the public uses OTA radio. I don't dispute that, but not like they did 20 years ago when the choices were fewer, and certainly not for as long. How many are listening after 7PM? How many at work?

Doesn't matter. They listen, they get counted, and their numbers are sold to advertisers. That's how radio makes money.

Things change, people adapt, and move on. Is radio exactly what it was 50 years ago? Tell me something that is.

 

[nocomradio]

Once again, radio is not in the music business. Just because some radio stations play music doesn't mean that radio and music are the same thing. And cell phone companies aren't in the programming business. The fact is that an increasing number of people are listening to their favorite OTA radio station on their cell phone. That still counts as listening to the radio.

Radio is a business. It needs to make a profit. It is driven by the advertisers and nothing else. Why not then just make a 24/7 advertising station if that business model works so well. Listeners wouldn't go for all that advertising? Tell them what they want, they don't know.

I've been in business for nearly 20 years and in the workforce about double that. In those years, I've seen trends, and fads, and businesses come and go. Radio however, with the exception of some of the larger heritage brands has consistently kept me wondering how it survives at all with the constant turnover of stations on the dial. That just doesn't seem to me a good thing.

 

[TheBigA]

Radio is a business. It needs to make a profit. It is driven by the advertisers and nothing else. Why not then just make a 24/7 advertising station if that business model works so well.

I never said it's driven by the advertisers and nothing else. What I'm saying is that advertisers make the rules. They say radio has to attract the largest audience. That means play the hits, not album cuts. You want album cuts? Buy the album.

 

[TheBigA]

Radio however, with the exception of some of the larger heritage brands has consistently kept me wondering how it survives at all with the constant turnover of stations on the dial. That just doesn't seem to me a good thing.

Some stations survive and some don't. That's the nature of the business. Some restaurants thrive, and some don't. That's not a statement on the restaurant business.

Here's a lesson I learned when I was starting out as a teenager in radio: Don't get too attached to anything, especially the music. That's how I survived a bunch of format changes. Consider they're going to demolish Candlestick Park at the end of the season. Does that mean football is dead? Of course not.

The radio business as a whole is healthy. If you're not wedded to a specific market, and you're able to go where the jobs are, there's lots of work. I have more opportunities available to me now than I can handle. I'm pretty excited by the prospects actually, and am very comfortable with the future.

 

[DavidKaye]

I subscribe to Rhapsody and absolutely LOVE it. I like all types of music and I like having the various genres mixed up.

But you're not the average listener; you're someone who cares about music and cares about radio. Most people don't care about either music or radio. They want to turn the radio on and listen to something familiar. That's it.

Okay, you don't believe us about music, then consider this: Most people who listen to talkradio prefer to listen to people they agree with, not people they disagree with. Why? For the same reason they like to hear familiar music: They want comfort; they don't want challenges.

Mass media is the opposite of art. We see this all the time in pop stars; inane, bland performers get all the bookings and go on to international stardom while truly great musicians play the local clubs and tour by staying on friends' couches. One has only to watch a couple episodes of "American Idol" to see that pop culture is not art.

 

[nocomradio]

I subscribe to Rhapsody and absolutely LOVE it. I like all types of music and I like having the various genres mixed up.

But you're not the average listener; you're someone who cares about music and cares about radio. Most people don't care about either music or radio. They want to turn the radio on and listen to something familiar. That's it.

Okay, you don't believe us about music, then consider this: Most people who listen to talkradio prefer to listen to people they agree with, not people they disagree with. Why? For the same reason they like to hear familiar music: They want comfort; they don't want challenges.

Mass media is the opposite of art. We see this all the time in pop stars; inane, bland performers get all the bookings and go on to international stardom while truly great musicians play the local clubs and tour by staying on friends' couches. One has only to watch a couple episodes of "American Idol" to see that pop culture is not art.

A VERY good point I hadn't considered.

 

[rricci]

But you're not the average listener; you're someone who cares about music and cares about radio. Most people don't care about either music or radio. They want to turn the radio on and listen to something familiar. That's it.

Ok. I'll give you that. I guess you're right when you say I'm not the average radio listener. Familiarity has it's purpose I not against the popular song. If I gave that impression, my apologies), but music discovery is fun too. One of my favorite tunes, Rights Of Man by Uncke Dirtytoes (yes, a band is called that!) I heard on the radio. I was in the car with my friend when I first heard it. He was talking and the song "broke through the noise" of our conversation. I asked my friend to be quiet so I could hear this song . I would have never heard this song if not for radio. That's why I'm so passionate about using radio as a vehicle for music discovery. I just can't see adownside (other that you saying that listeners would change the dial).

Okay, you don't believe us about music, then consider this: Most people who listen to talkradio prefer to listen to people they agree with, not people they disagree with. Why? For the same reason they like to hear familiar music: They want comfort; they don't want challenges.

I don't consider myself a liberal, but being so closed minded to opposing views or ideas is sad. Society needs to be more open/

Mass media is the opposite of art. We see this all the time in pop stars; inane, bland performers get all the bookings and go on to international stardom while truly great musicians play the local clubs and tour by staying on friends' couches. One has only to watch a couple episodes of "American Idol" to see that pop culture is not art.

I don't need to see "American Idol" to know that. Most pop culture blows in my book. Case in point: Summer 1986. "Top Gun" was a big movie. I was never interested in seeing it. I figured it was a "paint by numbers" movie. Years later, I had to suffer through the movie when a girl I had liked back then wanted to watch it on video. I could tell what was going to happen 10 minutes before it happened. Formulistic movie. Here come the falling in love scene.....Here comes the argument scene....etc. So, yeah, pop culture stinks to the high heavens. I've never seen American Idol and don't plan on watching it.

 

[JEREMIAH]

Hey..I don't watch American Idol either but I'm sure it's high class compared to "Honey Boo Boo".


Jerry Gordon

 

[LKellerIII]

Hey..I don't watch American Idol either but I'm sure it's high class compared to "Honey Boo Boo".

Jerry Gordon

The flesh eating disease is worse than cancer, but I wouldn't want either one.

 

[oldies76]

There are TONS and TONS of music out there worth listening to, but never gets on the radio. I can give you 2 examples: My first 45 I bought was Black Water by The Doobie Brothers. I played that song a LOT. One day, I was bored and decided to see what the other side had. Turned out I like the B-side (Song To See You Through) better than the A side. I still occasionally play it on Rhapsody.

Another 45 I had Kung Fu Fighting by Carl Douglas had Gamblin' Man on the B-side. You can listen to it on YouTube. A few comments there have said that this side was better than the hit side. I have said this before here, but I believe that if radio is to survive, broadcasters need to experiment and play lesser known tracks mixed in with the more familiar. And maybe go outside the box musically. Thsi is the main reason I prefer to listen on the Net. I thought I knew a lot of 70s/80s music, but I can count on hearing a "new" (to me) song.

I agree with you 110%.....it a sham that so-many, I mean 85% of all the past hits, that were hits back in the day, and that people miss and/or remember, do not get aired today. Every FM radio station does it, they just avoid playing all the big hits, only some! You might have some luck tuning into an AM that has larger playlists, but that is so far and few between these days.

The thing that peeves me so much, is what makes these stations believe that everyone that listens, is WHAT they want to hear...it's almost like they are jamming the same ole, same ole down our throats and ears! I will bet you or anyone out there, that if these "listeners" mentioned a favorite song that they enjoy from the past, chances are it's NOT heard on radio today!! That's a given fact. If 85% or so of all the hits (top 20's) from the past (1960-1985) are never heard, what makes radio think that they are satisfying the average listener, when so many songs from the past are being intentionally left out? It's a joke.