JUNE PPM

[Bongwater]

I'm convinced the radio industry will be stronger as there are more players and more variety of business models, and more audiences targeted, than is currently true in most of the US. The current non-regulation, "Ownership" consolidation real estate model, as promoted by the NAB for the past 30 years, has, ironically, not served the interests of the industry as much as the monetary interests of a handful of corporations. And there is a lot more to life, and to radio, than just making a few cranky old men even richer than they are, at the expense of the interests, conveniences, and needs of the rest of us, in the industry, and in the audience.

(AND THE AUDIENCE ERUPTS IN ROARING, STANDING APPLAUSE FOR THE NEXT FIVE MINUTES.....)

 

[jupiter2]

Looks to me like this debate resembles our political landscape. The founding fathers of Top 40 clearly didnt intend for KOKOMO to be an oldie.

 

[LITTLEBOYBLUE]

Am reading "Dead Air" by Houston's Bill Young (amazing programmer, awesome human being!). He was architect of KILT (and others), working for McLendon. Interesting history in there about the "legends" of Top 40 birth (debunking the Todd Storz/Gordon McLendon jukebox story, for example).

But I found his perspectives to be very current even though he's been retired for several years. He talks about how radio was relevant because it filled a void in a certain way when Top 40 formats hit their heyday. It's because the landscape was ripe for the change because other changes had taken place and had alienated youth creating a ripe opportunity for them to connect. Now, we're at a much different point because the landscape has changed significantly again (mostly with alternate technologies), and that in-your-face approach to radio not relevant today (and he cites the reasons). Really helped me to understand the evolution.

Just as people who once huddled in their living room listening to radio dramas lost enthusiasm for radio when the Top 40/personality wave hit ... many of us have lost enthusiasm today for the "bland" approach even though it very successfully fits into the bigger spectrum by providing a basic "service" to those who still connect with radio. Of course, news/talk presentations always seems to be as relevant as the demand for that type of information continues to sustain; and people can't find that content elsewhere as they can with the music. The inference, however, is that the cultural change is as much to blame for the change in approach to programming as the bone-head bean-heads who were at the heart of the business consolidation and brought on the wave of dummying-down the programming by removing all hints of talent-control and/or formatic surprise.

Bill also reminds us that radio in the Top 40 heyday was every bit as controlled (locked down) then as it is today ... although there was SOME latitude for jocks to make music choices and interject their own personality in the framework of the station.

Heavily recommend the read. Available at Amazon.

Bill, for those who don't know, was also the power voice behind what I assume are thousands of concert spots around the country in the 1970's & 1980's. His production company still active in Sugarland, TX even though he has retired from the biz.

 

[scott salvatori]

another great book i highly recommend that was published recently in the last year, by rollye james. "what am i doing here". published by nickajack press, and available at rollye.net. she has been in radio all her life. worked almost every market, and every format, but mostly talk in the last few decades. shes one of the few female talkers ive ever liked...and is uncompromisable, and opinionated on the subject, and business of radio. if anyone has read it, would love to get some feedback.

 

[scott salvatori]

I'm convinced the radio industry will be stronger as there are more players and more variety of business models, and more audiences targeted, than is currently true in most of the US. The current non-regulation, "Ownership" consolidation real estate model, as promoted by the NAB for the past 30 years, has, ironically, not served the interests of the industry as much as the monetary interests of a handful of corporations. And there is a lot more to life, and to radio, than just making a few cranky old men even richer than they are, at the expense of the interests, conveniences, and needs of the rest of us, in the industry, and in the audience.

(AND THE AUDIENCE ERUPTS IN ROARING, STANDING APPLAUSE FOR THE NEXT FIVE MINUTES.....)

..which created a nice superficial buying frenzy bubble in the major radio market, amongst the mega broadcast company elite. them big players are still suckin down the losses from inflated peak price purchases, at the expense of many layed off staff. when this all ends in a few years, the gov't may step in cause all these big fish, will be deemed too big to fail. hopefully, we will let them fail, so more responsible owners can enter the market, at cut rate prices.

 

[crainbebo]

KMCQ would probably never play "Kokomo", if not rarely. They got more rarer deep cuts to tend to first...

-crainbebo

 

[TVradioguru]

if anyone has read it, would love to get some feedback.

I tried to read her book during a layover in Chicago, but found the book uninspiring, written for the reading level of a 7th grader. I only made it through about 4 chapters when deciding to scan forward hoping it would get better. It didn't, so in the recycling bin the book went. [EDIT]



[EDIT-disruption]

 

[dunno]

Sounds like the perfect radio book for many on this board!!

To quote Howie Mandel on America's got talent: "The audience always seems to get it right" when it comes to voting for the right act. Same can be applied to ppm ratings. Like it or not, this is how America is voting now.

Thanks Guru for you insightful posts, they are about the only reason I keep coming back. Lbb, AQH and others help keep it real too.

 

[AQH]

As noted in the past, once again the Guru makes an appearance, and AQH runs in with an "Amen" post to follow. I do hope the organizers of this board are enforcing the one moniker per account rule, 'cause it sure looks like there's an unnaturally close connection between these two. And ot seems that their postings are always about the same thing - sneering at the variety of opinions from posters on this board as all being rubes and unschooled in the ways of broadcasting, with a snarky, "see, here's another claim to show I'm a representative of the powers-that-run commercial radio and am always right and the rest of you are always wrong and have no stake in the industry."

If you feel that me and tvrg are one in the same, then go talk to the board editors and explain your feelings, that's your prerogative.

I don't think these message boards work when they're treated as a competition. I certainly don't agree with every opinion, or think every posting is worth the bandwidth, and as an American citizen I will say so when I think there's a point that needs to be made. But this one-note samba had already gotten really stale months ago.

So, it's okay for you to make a point, but when someone makes a point you don't necessarily like, you start waving the flag?

How about sharing something different? Tell us about what you learned from your first air gig, or how often you have that nightmare that you're on the air at that big job you'd always wanted, and none of the equipment will work. Share tales of things you or your stations tried that "worked," or didnt, and what you believe you learned from it. Show that you're one of us, not hovering above us, ready to spit.

What exactly is the definition of "one of us?"

 

[crainbebo]

Um...could TIO be the next destination? I do see some disruption edits from the "Guru".

Slightly OT but: Kokomo on KJR is why KMCQ's better! Remember when they played Don Henley's "End of The Innocence" from '89?

-crainbebo