I was on radio insight.com and I read the list of layoffs and there was a couple morning show layoffs like KTCZ-FM in Minneapolis none was in Philadelphia
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iHeartMedia Bloodbath- Local Layoffs
- Thread starter atthestars
- Start date
KTCZ cut one of the morning talents and the producer. I believe one jock is still in place.
Johnny at Radio 104.5 was the "morning show." Sure, it's not a morning "show" in the sense of something like Preston and Steve or Elvis Duran, but he did a nice, music-intensive morning show.
Iheart (and other companies) might also benefit financially by cutting back some on the payroll given the staff of apologists who periodically have to come up with fresh euphemisms and excuses for throwing people down the stairs.
You know -- air staffers who presumably were hired in the first place for THEIR communications skills.
This kind of syndication stuff already has the AM dial just a few clouds from the Golden Gates. And as someone said on a similar forum (at least ten years ago) : The FM dial is next.
You know -- air staffers who presumably were hired in the first place for THEIR communications skills.
This kind of syndication stuff already has the AM dial just a few clouds from the Golden Gates. And as someone said on a similar forum (at least ten years ago) : The FM dial is next.
If iHeart, Clear Channel, or whatever they call themselves were ever stewards of a golden future for the industry, I certainly can't remember it. They've always been part of the problem, as far as I'm concerned. People will disagree, of course, but I don't care.
Do you think stations like Jack FM are the future just a voicetrack and music is played all day. There will always be news and sports. Iheart fired a bunch of people and then rehired them back in Des Moines Iowa. And KXNO is also getting a FM signal now. Replacing the alternative rock station. I know this is philadelphia but i just found that whole situation pretty interesting
Interesting discussions. Some thoughts...No one was or would be stewards of a golden future because there’s no such thing, in any industry. They are to be stewards of the investments in the company.
At what point was “radio” to have been frozen in time? When “The Lone Ranger” and the like were all the rage? When orchestras aired coast to coast? Who guarded the golden future then? How many people were ultimately displaced when radio ceded scripted programming to those infernal picture boxes?
Should it have been 1960? 1980? 2000? And when was the definition of radio frozen to not account for more ways of consuming a primarily audio form of content?
Technology changes. Audiences change. Advertisers change. This is true across nearly all industries. And there is no sugarcoating that for some that change is for the worse. Been there, done that, multiple times. It blows.
And while there will always be bad actor companies in any industry, that isn’t defined by adapting to the rapidly changing world. Job reductions are the headline because they pull at the heartstrings, understandably so. But there are bigger issues at work. A heavy reliance on what’s “always been done” (though there’s no such thing as always) is a surefire recipe for disaster. You can’t run a business today like it’s 1990 anymore than you can like it’s 1950 and expect to be well positioned for the future.
Change is hard. But it is also inevitable.
At what point was “radio” to have been frozen in time? When “The Lone Ranger” and the like were all the rage? When orchestras aired coast to coast? Who guarded the golden future then? How many people were ultimately displaced when radio ceded scripted programming to those infernal picture boxes?
Should it have been 1960? 1980? 2000? And when was the definition of radio frozen to not account for more ways of consuming a primarily audio form of content?
Technology changes. Audiences change. Advertisers change. This is true across nearly all industries. And there is no sugarcoating that for some that change is for the worse. Been there, done that, multiple times. It blows.
And while there will always be bad actor companies in any industry, that isn’t defined by adapting to the rapidly changing world. Job reductions are the headline because they pull at the heartstrings, understandably so. But there are bigger issues at work. A heavy reliance on what’s “always been done” (though there’s no such thing as always) is a surefire recipe for disaster. You can’t run a business today like it’s 1990 anymore than you can like it’s 1950 and expect to be well positioned for the future.
Change is hard. But it is also inevitable.
I wouldn't be so sure about that. Listeners under the age of 55 don't listen to news radio much in the markets that still have such a station
@ AbrahamJS : You give some poignant reasons for the current conditions and behaviour of the industry, from the boardrooms to the interns. If I may add a thing or two ....
Now I myself can offer no solutions to it all, being out of radio for over 20 years (although I was part owner of an LPFM up this way for a few years in the 2000's). So some of the observations certainly are outdated, but most are from this century, at least
Primarily, my thought 20 years ago -- echoed by a few -- was that the emphasis on age/demographics was beginning to look like a candle starting to catch fire at both ends. See, an unchallenged report from a radio pro in upstate NY indicated that interest in radio among youth-- listenership -- was starting to erode. That smudge of rust was discovered and posted just about 25 years ago by the late Bob Smith. He did a talk show out of a station from Rochester.
I repeat: 25 years ago.
Yet, FM radio kept on jettisoning programming and listenership for people *over* 50. The 'moving window' that pop music describes as being necessary to survive -- and they are right -- remained resolute in its skewing-younger agenda. Yet that 50+ terminal bumper remains like a border wall.
Meanwhile, the flame at the younger end of the demo candle was dripping its wax.
No one back 25 years ago could've envisioned the effect of the exponential swath the internet and other entertainment devices was going to have, especially the way it's become recently. And yet, that outcome is here. And no reversal is in sight.
Well, to me and my meagre apprentice estimates, big agency-market music stations nowadays retain, and care only about, a solid core audience of ~ 35-45.
And that condition gets compounded by a dozen FM stations in each market -- not counting the rimshotters -- piled-on and aiming for a slice of that dwindling candle.
THAT management negligence and myopia obstinately continues to continue -- in the most prestigious markets. So will the apathy of the 12-17 youth who for decades faithfully and automatically used to replenish the ranks of terrestrial listenership. Obviously, with older and younger demo concerns no longer a factor in the question of today's radio attempte (if any) of re-inventing itself again, matters are not going to improve.
Well, that's one slew of musings, anyway, lol.
Your thoughts, Abraham, on that whistleblower Bob Smith's findings? And your own?
I half-expect IHeart to downsize my contributions to this messag
Now I myself can offer no solutions to it all, being out of radio for over 20 years (although I was part owner of an LPFM up this way for a few years in the 2000's). So some of the observations certainly are outdated, but most are from this century, at least
Primarily, my thought 20 years ago -- echoed by a few -- was that the emphasis on age/demographics was beginning to look like a candle starting to catch fire at both ends. See, an unchallenged report from a radio pro in upstate NY indicated that interest in radio among youth-- listenership -- was starting to erode. That smudge of rust was discovered and posted just about 25 years ago by the late Bob Smith. He did a talk show out of a station from Rochester.
I repeat: 25 years ago.
Yet, FM radio kept on jettisoning programming and listenership for people *over* 50. The 'moving window' that pop music describes as being necessary to survive -- and they are right -- remained resolute in its skewing-younger agenda. Yet that 50+ terminal bumper remains like a border wall.
Meanwhile, the flame at the younger end of the demo candle was dripping its wax.
No one back 25 years ago could've envisioned the effect of the exponential swath the internet and other entertainment devices was going to have, especially the way it's become recently. And yet, that outcome is here. And no reversal is in sight.
Well, to me and my meagre apprentice estimates, big agency-market music stations nowadays retain, and care only about, a solid core audience of ~ 35-45.
And that condition gets compounded by a dozen FM stations in each market -- not counting the rimshotters -- piled-on and aiming for a slice of that dwindling candle.
THAT management negligence and myopia obstinately continues to continue -- in the most prestigious markets. So will the apathy of the 12-17 youth who for decades faithfully and automatically used to replenish the ranks of terrestrial listenership. Obviously, with older and younger demo concerns no longer a factor in the question of today's radio attempte (if any) of re-inventing itself again, matters are not going to improve.
Well, that's one slew of musings, anyway, lol.
Your thoughts, Abraham, on that whistleblower Bob Smith's findings? And your own?
I half-expect IHeart to downsize my contributions to this messag
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There are still quite a few stations that have audiences primarily over 50. In fact, last time I was in Bucks County, a local store was playing one of them. We may have talked about this before. Down in Philadelphia, KYW and WPHT have lots of older listeners. I can't imagine a lot of youngsters are listening to The Breeze. Then you have the non-coms such as WXPN and WHYY. Not a lot of younger listeners there. So how many stations targeting over 50s do you feel is appropriate?
BTW I have no reason to believe these iHeart cuts have anything to do with demographics. They were going to be made regardless.
Tend to agree. Although I'd suggest that local shows on their AM stations were over-represented in this round of cuts.
It'll be interesting to see how this all shakes out. I have believed for some time that iHeart doesn't utilize its incredible resources as well as it could. A few years ago, in an attempt to improve the profitability of some major market AMs, they moved their syndicated talk shows to weaker co-owned stations. When you look at the local talk talent that remains, it's still pretty incredible. They syndicate a lot of them, but most aren't heard on their big AM stations. They own their own traffic network, and own distribution on two national news brands: Fox and NBC. They really could merchandise all of those resources more efficiently.
@ Big A:
I was merely echoing Abraham's litany of causes before, not offering any solutions. Perhaps there was a misunderstanding. Vis-a-vis the demise of radio, there have developed far more problems than any available list of sensible remedies. No turning the clock is available.
My point was that there was a disdain for over 50, which began decades ago, back when some important sales aspects and possibilities were still available, back when Oldies and even Standards had pulses.
Programmers of music radio today are stuck with that one remaining, smouldering age segment. That immutable 50+ barrrier, largely self-imposed, always will exist. The bigger problem is the lack of interest by today's youth.
* * * * * * *
Imho, the over-conglomerate dogmas and practices adhered to by the music industry also have been no big help, either. For decades those planners have been reacting, not pioneering (and MTV certainly didn't exactly light a fuse to blow down those older demo gates by any means).
Now, I have enough music files and sources saved up -- Standards, Oldies, early AoR, Country -- for a no-repeat retirement. Others will not be so fortunate. Yet, music radio insists on emphasizing that dwindling demo, despite no evidence of crystallized, eager youth willing to apply.
We all know that radio is a business. So is the music industry. But those businesses use to be part fun and friskiness, too -- fun enough to push Top 40/CHR into double digit shares. Today, modern pop for teens/college youth gets a Shrug.4 if it's lucky.
I was merely echoing Abraham's litany of causes before, not offering any solutions. Perhaps there was a misunderstanding. Vis-a-vis the demise of radio, there have developed far more problems than any available list of sensible remedies. No turning the clock is available.
My point was that there was a disdain for over 50, which began decades ago, back when some important sales aspects and possibilities were still available, back when Oldies and even Standards had pulses.
Programmers of music radio today are stuck with that one remaining, smouldering age segment. That immutable 50+ barrrier, largely self-imposed, always will exist. The bigger problem is the lack of interest by today's youth.
* * * * * * *
Imho, the over-conglomerate dogmas and practices adhered to by the music industry also have been no big help, either. For decades those planners have been reacting, not pioneering (and MTV certainly didn't exactly light a fuse to blow down those older demo gates by any means).
Now, I have enough music files and sources saved up -- Standards, Oldies, early AoR, Country -- for a no-repeat retirement. Others will not be so fortunate. Yet, music radio insists on emphasizing that dwindling demo, despite no evidence of crystallized, eager youth willing to apply.
We all know that radio is a business. So is the music industry. But those businesses use to be part fun and friskiness, too -- fun enough to push Top 40/CHR into double digit shares. Today, modern pop for teens/college youth gets a Shrug.4 if it's lucky.
Did you read my post?
#1 It doesn't exist. Lots of 50+ stations now, as I stated. You'd be surprised how many 50+ listen to B101 or XTU. Music taste is not a function of age. Or doesn't have to be. Lots of old people love current music. I see it at concerts.
#2, that it's not self-imposed but rather set by advertisers. There are station owners in markets (like Bucks County) running oldies stations targeting 50+ and they've found other ways to pay for it besides traditional sales. Consider WRME in Chicago, or WECK in Buffalo. They are going outside the traditional sales system to make it work.
#3, The young audience actually does listen. Just in a different way from their parents. You can see it in the numbers, and you can see it in their actions.
#4: I don't see this "disdain for over 50" you're talking about. Most of the owners are 50+. Consider Bob Pittman. He's over 60.
There will always be 100 shares of radio audiences, no matter how large or small that audience is.
The reason CHRs don't get the double digit shares now is that markets have so many more stations than they did when those huge shares were possible and the music itself has fragmented into many pieces.
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Eventually there is going to be a point in which the radio stations themselves will be unprofitable. They are investing heavily in the iHeartRadio app and promoting that on their radio stations because they see a future in which they don’t need to maintain the towers and transmitters anymore. They’ll get the equivalent of a 20 share with just their app. They’ll be able to charge more for targeted advertising to each demographic. They want to be the free version of Sirius XM.
As the years go by, more people get smartphones, data plans expand, more cell towers get installed, etc.
As the years go by, more people get smartphones, data plans expand, more cell towers get installed, etc.
I think that one of the big things holding back people streaming more in their cars is ease. I personally don't stream while driving because, if a song I don't like comes on, it's not easy or safe to change stations through the infotainment system like it is simply changing the station on the radio. Yes, some cars have incorporated things like Apple Play so you can directly access iHeartRadio and things like that, and that is definitely a start. But because each car brand is going to have some proprietary infotainment system, it'll be hard to integrate a safe/easy control into each one.
Now of course, that doesn't take into count the amount of drivers that just hold the phone up to their face and change stations while driving anyway. lol
Also, it looks like DJ pages are returning to the iHeart station websites. On Radio 104.5's Johnny of course is missing, but so is Mike Jones. I know Mike wasn't let go, he's still on DC101. But was he pulled from 104.5? I haven't tuned in during the PM because of my workday to see.
Yeah, I think this might be up to car manufacturers and tech companies to work together and build an interface so everything can be done easily with the dash touchscreen. The dwindling of "live & local" has so many stations sounding the same these days, it's probably tipping to the point where a lot of people--especially younger listeners--aren't even noticing the difference between their local station and a one-size-fits-all stream. Because they're increasingly not being given the option to notice. Personally, I would rather hear pop music on Q102 or TDY with local voices talking about relatable topics...and programmed by a PD who can spike in songs/artists that are breaking regionally but not necessarily nationally. But since that's not really a thing anymore, if I'm in a situation where it's easier/quicker to punch up Amazon Prime's Top Pop or Platinum Pop channel, I'll just go for that nowadays. So yeah, put it in cars and let's get this thing over with already. haha.
The whole thing dovetails with another conversation that's been had on here recently. Radio keeps trying to ignore the older listeners but really, they're gonna be the last ones utilizing terrestrial radio.
How many “younger listeners” would notice? How many not so young? I mean, I wouldn’t know from squat if Q102 and Z100 are playing the same songs because I’m not in both places, and realistically not switching back and forth online and keeping notes.
B101 could be playing the same songs as they are in Sheboygan. They could have been 20 years ago. I wouldn’t know, nor care.
So I get the personalities, but with some exceptions, does it really matter if the person is here or not? Relevance to my life is not solely a geographic function. I really don’t care much if someone on the radio isn’t the 24th person I’ve heard in the last 24 hours to talk about Gritty supposedly punching a kid. Do I care if the weather on the Breeze is delivered by a DJ in Bala Cynwyd or the 6ABC weathercaster? I don’t. I don’t care if they do it at all. I have an app for that.
B101 could be playing the same songs as they are in Sheboygan. They could have been 20 years ago. I wouldn’t know, nor care.
So I get the personalities, but with some exceptions, does it really matter if the person is here or not? Relevance to my life is not solely a geographic function. I really don’t care much if someone on the radio isn’t the 24th person I’ve heard in the last 24 hours to talk about Gritty supposedly punching a kid. Do I care if the weather on the Breeze is delivered by a DJ in Bala Cynwyd or the 6ABC weathercaster? I don’t. I don’t care if they do it at all. I have an app for that.
OK. But I wasn't talking about you. LOL. I do want personalities to be someone who is making a connection with the audience/community. That was something special and good about radio that I believe was something that endeared listeners to the medium. In 2020, it's all but missing. And no, you wouldn't care if B101 is playing the same song that is being played in Sheboygan. And neither would I...because again, that's not what I was talking about. Local acts used to be able to get a break on local radio because local programmers were paying attention to what local audiences were reacting to.
You and I are never going to agree about this topic (you know how I feel about and and I know how you feel about it; not really sure why we are always spinning our wheels about it) but if you wanna sell me on the thought that the erosion of "local" isn't detrimental to radio, I got a bridge I'll trade ya. haha
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