I’m destroying radio

[DashRiprock]

That’s right, it’s me destroying radio. It’s ironic that I’ve always loved radio and now I’m helping to kill it. Sorry…

It started last year when clear channel decided to fire everyone and trash my favorite stations. I decided that I would not support a company that committed such atrocities, so I started looking elsewhere. I quickly discovered that Atlanta radio had nothing to offer me.

A year later, I’m listening to more audio entertainment than ever but it’s not traditional AM/FM. I’m part of the audience that has abandoned radio in favor of ultra niche programming available through XM, MP3, Podcasts, Internet streaming, and the occasional old-fashioned CD. Whatever I’m in the mood for at anytime is usually available commercial free or close to it.

That sets the bar pretty high for a broadcast station to bring me back as a listener, but it is possible.

 

[Nutznorm]

Welcome to the club. The funny thing is that when you talk to Terrestrial radio people they claim that Satellite, IPODS and CD's dont really have any effect on their business. Funny to me, since I got Sirius a year ago, the only time I listen to Atlanta radio anymore is when their is a major change in format or morning shows (only because I have to because I plan and buy media) and for the 14 minutes a day when the alarm clock goes off. Other than that it is all Sirius and IPOD.

 

[wooder]

That’s right, it’s me destroying radio. It’s ironic that I’ve always loved radio and now I’m helping to kill it. Sorry…

It started last year when clear channel decided to fire everyone and trash my favorite stations. I decided that I would not support a company that committed such atrocities, so I started looking elsewhere. I quickly discovered that Atlanta radio had nothing to offer me.

A year later, I’m listening to more audio entertainment than ever but it’s not traditional AM/FM. I’m part of the audience that has abandoned radio in favor of ultra niche programming available through XM, MP3, Podcasts, Internet streaming, and the occasional old-fashioned CD. Whatever I’m in the mood for at anytime is usually available commercial free or close to it.

That sets the bar pretty high for a broadcast station to bring me back as a listener, but it is possible.

For a guy who no longer listens to terrestrial radio you certainly like talking about it on message boards a lot.

 

[AtlBanker]

Wooder you are a funny guy. Dash, I see the point you are making and I agree with you. Streaming opens up the world to many choices. I have my favorites. A local station is going to try even that much harder and sadly they are not. Creativity no longer exists. Safe and blah is all we have.

 

[Bill Harmonic]

You're not destroying radio at all Dash but helping it become better. Radio is in denial and will have to bottom out before the powers-to-be see the light and start to create compelling content with choices that will compete with all the other forms of media that the radio bigwigs think don't exist. And Atlanta is just one of many cities that have the same problem. It may take a little longer to get the hardware in place but radio will evolve in our lifetime because that light at the end of the tunnel is a thing called "CHANGE" and if radio does not get on board then there will be no one around to pick up the pieces. It's gonna hurt and it's gonna be messy (like it's not alredy) but you've got to hit rock bottom before you see the daylight and unfortuntely the business that I love so much is down on it's knees but not face-against-the pavement yet. Hang tight because it's coming!

 

[RTibbs]

hen I assume we should not see anymore posts from you. Nice knowing DashRipRock.

 

[DashRiprock]

For a guy who no longer listens to terrestrial radio you certainly like talking about it on message boards a lot.

hen I assume we should not see anymore posts from you. Nice knowing DashRipRock.

What can I say? I still love terrestrial radio, but I’m not interested in Atlanta’s current choices. I hope that will change and I hang around here to keep up with the latest news on stations and personalities. This is the best source for 'radio info' in Atlanta. BTW, this is where I found out about the Von Haessler/Baron Podcast.

 

[radioatlantis]

Can I just break up the Mensa meeting for a moment here?

RADIO has already destroyed RADIO. LISTENERS help sustain is continual wasting.

JUST WANT TO SET THE RECORD STRAIGHT. DON'T FEEL RESPONSIBLE EXCEPT FOR BEING GULLIBLE ENOUGH TO BELIEVE THAT THEY CARE ABOUT ANYTHING YOU THINK.

 

[InTIMadate]

What a load of bull droppings.

Ipods, XM, Siriusly lost, CDs, cassettes, 8-tracks, television...... Hey, I've heard it all before.
Radio still reaches 93% of everyone! 93%!! TV, cable, newspapers, internet would kill for half that kind of market penetration.

Perhaps you've just gotten old and can't stand the kids' music anymore. Do you find yourself turning it down lower in your car? [EDIT]

Fine, go away to your little, self-controlled audio world. Radio will still be around making cash and paying good talent that understands this business has always been about making money.

Dash, maybe there's a future for you in our tax supported public radio?


[EDIT-inflammatory]

 

[RoddyFreeman]

You're "radio reaches 93% weekly" is accurate. But TV doesn't have to "kill for that" since TV exceeds it. TV, by the way, includes broadcast stations and cable networks.

 

[DashRiprock]

What a load of bull droppings.

Ipods, XM, Siriusly lost, CDs, cassettes, 8-tracks, television...... Hey, I've heard it all before.
Radio still reaches 93% of everyone! 93%!! TV, cable, newspapers, internet would kill for half that kind of market penetration.

Perhaps you've just gotten old and can't stand the kids' music anymore. Do you find yourself turning it down lower in your car? [EDIT]

Fine, go away to your little, self-controlled audio world. Radio will still be around making cash and paying good talent that understands this business has always been about making money.

Dash, maybe there's a future for you in our tax supported public radio?


[EDIT-inflammatory]

It’s true that radio is a business, but the business side is the tail wagging the dog since deregulation. I believe that corporate suits and their PC legal advisors are driving listeners like me away. What good is 93% if they’re listening something else?

Speaking of little, self-controlled audio worlds, I’m about to listen to a podcast from another RI member, Tom Wells. If anyone is interested, there is a link at:
http://www.radio-info.com/smf/index.php/topic,84331.msg643039.html#new

 

[wombat]

well dash, you're not the ONLY one destroying radio. radio is destroying radio too! did you see the story today about how some top 40 stations are playing songs 130+ times a week? more than once an hour? and evil empire genius tom owens says some songs deserve that much airplay, got to get the hits to the listeners while they're listening, blah blah blah. when i know that my listeners can't listen for more than 15 minutes at a time, i'll go start on my real estate license.

 

[InTIMadate]

Wasn't Top 40 meant to be 40 songs?
Wasn't one of the top 4 satellite channels for usage in the latest ratings a Top 20 station playing the same songs over and over?

Let me know how real estate treats you.....

 

[radioatlantis]

InTIMadate...that is how you spell that in "lanta ainit it?

Well brotha, radio may do all those things now but it won't for long. Just like your mind, technology will whip in here at the speed of sound and turn terrestrial radio to dust. I liken it to the soup kitchen of broadcasting.

As soon as broadband goes completely mobile - you'll be able to order up what you want to hear
or hear all the same cloned radio garbage you hear now...or hear GREAT air personalities that actually have something substantial and intelligent to say. I can see into the future and mark my words, by the time you are able to pronunsticate radio, it will be a whole new world.

These corpse-orations are in it for the dough and the power. They all want to own media but they don't give a ratsass about product or they wouldn't be repeating the same old watered down, cloned crap they've been churning out for twenty years.

 

[Tom Wells]

Heck, I'm trying to save radio..

I first came to RI to help others understand just how bad AM iBOC is.
I have several times related how and why I came to stay out of the business despite a classic old-school radio degree.
I could see where we are now in 1980. I was a pirate on SW in '91, and greatly enjoyed everything except the FCC agents
or police melting away my NOS battery cable clamp on my car with a torch.
Anyway, I want to save radio. When I have (ha-ha) made a gazillion on my patented fishing meter, I will buy a station and
put difficult listening music on AM. Or when AM fizzles out, as so many believe it will, I expect the AM band could become
a ghostly wasteland where those such as myself might oneday enjoy 10 watts and a meaningful antenna for those
who enjoy radio in the same way, which I suspect there will be many of.

Programming to the lowest common denominator certainly works, but to me, violates the spirit of the public service stations are
entrusted with.

This is why Dash is right, and all the others who bemoan disenfranchisement.
Many a station has kicked their most faithful listeners directly in their most sensitive spot and told them to get lost.
AM, FM, changing calls, stylistic strangulation and listening to experts has driven radio into a tiny little crack like a timid chipmunk.

One of my favorite memories was driving to church, Dad, Mom, Gramma, and myself...about 1978..Dad had on WGN AM 720.
No attention paid until suddenly "Paralyzed" by the Legendary Stardust Cowboy came on.
Now that's radio as hot as a spanking.

But I see radio as art, not business. I exercise my right to have fine AM hi-fi signal at home, and someday would like to
put it on a real station. When I sit at the control chair at home, I gaze wistfully at the 6-foot tall 500 watt AM rack-mount
nearby, made to do 160m and oh-so easy to put 1710 if the legal chance came up......
A few hand-wound tubing coils, new caps and presto....yeah, someday....

I have so much more to put into my playmix, I can't imagine the end of it.

In the meantime, I will post airchecks, and 1 hundred households in my neighborhood have at least an ability to
hear something completely different from same commercial radio scene.
And it's real nice not having to conform to an NRSC mask.
Thank you, Dash for taking the time to listen.
I expect to post a new one this weekend, I am in Omaha this week, where I fixed a highly technical problem by changing a light bulb, (really), and starting up a new printing press the next few days.

Heard KSL for the 1st time in years here.

 

[monkeymanmoi]

There certainly are some defensive terr. radio posts here. Isn't denial the first level of dealing with grief?

 

[Tibbs4]

Yeah, I love the 'you shouldn't post here' mentality when someone says they've given up
on radio. Shows the brilliant close minded 'radio is God' mentality that is pure denial ...

It's not so hard to admit that radio is not warm and fuzzy like it was, that those under 25
barely listen to radio and that radio has cast aside the 'rock generation' that is over 50
since media buyers won't touch them. You have this narrowing age group of 25-54 represented and that is faltering by the week with new media technologies and even
IF it's 1 or 2% a year that leaves radio, cost cutting makes radio less appealing and justifies
less listening, you've got serious internal bleeding. In the past five years, 10% of the audience is gone? Next five years another 10% or more? How is that possible or positive?
Again, those are IF's (assumptive figures.) But, most everyone knows the truth that
it ain't what it was nor will it be anytime soon.



Time to get off the soapbox and clean my Royal typewriter I use instead of a laptop...

 

[InTIMadate]

The demise of radio has been predicted continually during its 80 year history. New technology is often the usual suspect, but yet, here it is at the top of market penetration reaching 9 out of 10 consumers every week. Programming to the lowest common denominator certainly hasn't hurt "American Idol Rejects" and "American's Funniest Video." Honestly, most of the most popular rock morning shows I've heard over the past 25 years could barely drag their frontal lobes out of the locker room. Exept for a few worthy examples, It wasn’t better back then. You just thought it was. Watch the movie "FM" again. Sales and Programming have always been at war. It won't and shouldn't change.

The privatization of radio will lead to new directions and opportunities. Owners care. Stockowners don't. There are very talented personalities right now producing amazing radio. There are PDs and EVP of Programming trying new strategies and Market Managers that are supporting their growth. Sorry about Atlanta. Perhaps you should move.

Fine, give up. It's easier isn't it. For the rest of us, this is our passion, our careers and our future. We'll keep rolling with the punches, winning what victories we can until the pendulum swings back into our court.
It’s still much better than a real job.

I wonder if the spoiled Gen X Tech kids spewed this much poison when their brief moment in the sun exploded in 2001 and they went from making millions to nothing.

I'd rather be working in radio.

 

[wombat]

Wasn't Top 40 meant to be 40 songs?

Let me know how real estate treats you.....

well then each song would have to be under one minute long in order to rotate through the entire 40 song playlist in less than an hour! intimadate, you're a math, as well as a programming, genius!

wait, don't tell me, you're programming in atlanta?

 

[tcsnrayp]

Way to InTIMadate Tim. You are the mature and educated voice here. That 93% penetration IS the big story.

"Owners" as you define them just need to get our acts together.

Content wins. Local wins. Talent can win when given the proper stage.

The demise of radio has been predicted continually during its 80 year history. New technology is often the usual suspect, but yet, here it is at the top of market penetration reaching 9 out of 10 consumers every week. Programming to the lowest common denominator certainly hasn't hurt "American Idol Rejects" and "American's Funniest Video." Honestly, most of the most popular rock morning shows I've heard over the past 25 years could barely drag their frontal lobes out of the locker room. Exept for a few worthy examples, It wasn’t better back then. You just thought it was. Watch the movie "FM" again. Sales and Programming have always been at war. It won't and shouldn't change.

The privatization of radio will lead to new directions and opportunities. Owners care. Stockowners don't. There are very talented personalities right now producing amazing radio. There are PDs and EVP of Programming trying new strategies and Market Managers that are supporting their growth. Sorry about Atlanta. Perhaps you should move.

Fine, give up. It's easier isn't it. For the rest of us, this is our passion, our careers and our future. We'll keep rolling with the punches, winning what victories we can until the pendulum swings back into our court.
It’s still much better than a real job.

I wonder if the spoiled Gen X Tech kids spewed this much poison when their brief moment in the sun exploded in 2001 and they went from making millions to nothing.

I'd rather be working in radio.