New Audacy CHR lineups

[kfbkfb]

Centralization (of radio content) outside the USA:

From what I've read, BBC 1 radio (for example) has the same content nationwide.

Maybe the USA is behind the curve regarding centralization of radio content.


Kirk Bayne

 

[TheBigA]

From what I've read, BBC 1 radio (for example) has the same content nationwide.
Maybe the USA is behind the curve regarding centralization of radio content.

But keep in mind that the BBC is owned by the government, whereas American broadcasting is owned by thousands of independent profit making and competing companies. US broadcasting has always been this way, since it's inception in the 1920s. However, from 1926 to the 1940s, US radio stations were willing to air national programming from several radio networks. Then those networks became primarily news networks, with entertainment handled by various syndication companies. In any event, any "centralization of content" is now being done on a company-by-company basis. Audacy is the latest to organize its owned & operated stations. AFAIK, Audacy has not offered any of its new centralized content to radio stations owned by other companies.

 

[davideduardo]

Centralization (of radio content) outside the USA:

From what I've read, BBC 1 radio (for example) has the same content nationwide.

It's a govenment operation, with multiple "programs" (networks) and, up to the later 60's, no commercial competition except for stations on the European continent.

Maybe the USA is behind the curve regarding centralization of radio content.

Most nations in the world, from Burkina Faso to England to Chile have networked commercial radio. But most of those nations have one or maybe two time zones. But they have a concept based on the very best talent on many signals across each nation. And all the signals, covering whole nations, have one owner for each commercial network. Nobody in the US has a station in every one of the rated markets... and that is part of why the US does not emulate England or France or Germany or Spain or Peru.

 

[TheBigA]

One related development to this discussion is this announcement today creating The Audacy Network and naming a President:

https://news.****************/cgi-bin/rol.exe/headline_id=n40810

It appears that it's primarily a sales network utilizing the company's owned stations. But it could lead to something more.

 

[kfbkfb]

I guess there could be a (USA) CHR Network, an Oldies Network, a Country Network, an Urban Network etc. which local stations could affiliate with, just like CBS and NBC during the "golden age" of radio.


Kirk Bayne

 

[TheBigA]

I guess there could be a (USA) CHR Network, an Oldies Network, a Country Network, an Urban Network etc. which local stations could affiliate with, just like CBS and NBC during the "golden age" of radio.

There is. Westwood One offers a dozen or so 24/7 hosted national formats. There's a new company called the Local Radio Networks that offers a similar package for stations that want national content that has some localized elements. Companies such as TranStar or Satellite Music Networks existed for a while. There have been national radio programming networks that picked up after the demise of the original radio networks in the 1950s, but they typically run on small stations and in small markets that don't have the resources or money to do their own in-house programming. Companies like Audacy are not going to carry someone else's network. That's why they're starting their own.

 

[tall_guy1]

And what do you suppose that the average age of the Rodrigo hit downloader was?

Audacy alts play her, so maybe there's some kind of male 20s/30s audience of hers or they are totally out of touch?

 

[kfbkfb]

I didn't know about the existing national music services, my idea to maximize cost saving:

Radio stations would affiliate with one or more of the existing national music services and use the radio station web site for local content, a Web Jockey (WJ?) could provide recorded audios/videos about current contests, upcoming concerts, upcoming musician/group/celebrity visits etc. in and near the radio listening area.

Other than local weather/traffic/advertisements on the radio station, the associated radio station web site would be the only local content for the radio station.


Kirk Bayne

 

[Kelly A]

About 35 years ago, I called a station because I was hearing its signal from farther away than they were probably expecting. It was near the North Carolina coast and I was west of Charlotte. The apparently white guy (it was an urban station!) had no enthusiasm when he answered my call and I told him my situation.

How do you know he was a "white guy"? Even if he was, what difference does it make? Are you saying that in order to work at an urban station, you must be African American? Either way, unenlightened statement.

He wanted to put that on the air but he didn't explain it. I thought he answered another call when he actually sounded like a DJ is supposed to sound.

News flash: Many times on air talent don't sound the same on the phone, or if you met one on the street, as they do on the air. Ever watch the Wolfman Jack scene in American Grafitti?

I said he was still talking to me. He explained we were going to pretend I was calling him and he was answering for the first time. At the end of the call he asked if I had "switched mine to Foxy 99". Well, sure, when I could hear it. It wasn't actually my favorite music, so I wasn't really telling the truth, but he was telling his listeners he was being heard west of Charlotte. Now the full truth was I was listening to the beautiful music station on 98.9, but every time I would stop at a stop light at the top of the hill, I was hearing Hot AC or whatever it was on 98.7 in Greensboro.

Not sure why any of this is relevant. You were calling an urban-format station, but listening to a BM station? Do you make it a habit of just calling a local station to talk to whoever will answer? Couldn't you just call a friend or family member instead? When was this, 1990?

I adjusted the radio and ended up on this urban station. Which actually sounded pretty good. It eventually went hip-hop, but back then it was the only Black FM station in the area.

Another newsflash: "white people" listen to urban-formatted stations too. And, (hold onto something), people of color listen to rock and country music. Yes, I'm not kidding!

 

[vchimpanzee]

How do you know he was a "white guy"? Even if he was, what difference does it make? Are you saying that in order to work at an urban station, you must be African American? Either way, unenlightened statement.

News flash: Many times on air talent don't sound the same on the phone, or if you met one on the street, as they do on the air. Ever watch the Wolfman Jack scene in American Grafitti?


Not sure why any of this is relevant. You were calling an urban-format station, but listening to a BM station? Do you make it a habit of just calling a local station to talk to whoever will answer? Couldn't you just call a friend or family member instead? When was this, 1990?

Another newsflash: "white people" listen to urban-formatted stations too. And, (hold onto something), people of color listen to rock and country music. Yes, I'm not kidding!

I was calling the station to let them know how far away someone was hearing the signal. Mid-1980s, actually, when lots of stations were improving their signals to cover the large city nearby. I enjoyed listening to stations from all over, regardless of format.

If he wasn't white, he had been trained by the same people who taught Vince Coakley, a conservative talk host in Charlotte, how to talk.

As for white DJs on a station playing mostly black artists, I've seen it before. Around that same time, Charlotte had a station where most of the DJs were white and most of the artists were Black. Myrtle Beach also has such a station, but I think most of their listeners are white, because "beach music" was something rebellious white kids listened to back in the days when most of the artists on Top 40 radio were white.

 

[vchimpanzee]

Companies such as TranStar or Satellite Music Networks existed for a while.

You may be aware that both of these companies are now Westwood One.

 

[stan]

Funny you should say that. A few years ago, people said the same thing to Cumulus. When they emerged from bankruptcy two years ago, they sold off a bunch of their biggest stations in places like NYC, DC, Atlanta, and LA. Who bought them? EMF and they turned the stations into contemporary Christian stations, paid for by listeners. So there you go. Christians are willing to pay their own personal money to get what they want on FM. Would you be willing to do the same?

EMF is an organization that declares itself to be tax exempt. They need to be taxed like any other corporation and see how long they last.

 

[TheBigA]

EMF is an organization that declares itself to be tax exempt. They need to be taxed like any other corporation and see how long they last.

EMF didn't declare itself anything. They had to complete certain applications in order to qualify, the application had to be approved, and every year, they have to submit financial statements and post them on their website. As long as the IRS and Congress allows religious organizations (of which EMF is one) to be exempt from taxes, they will continue to qualify.

In fact, in order to apply for an LPFM license, one has to prove that you are a non-profit. In order to broadcast in the NCE part of the FM dial, one has to prove that you are a non-profit. Most of EMF's stations are in the NCE part of the FM dial. In the case of the other stations, they've changed the status to non-commercial/educational. So they've done a lot more than simply declare themselves to be tax exempt.

 

[Kelly A]

I was calling the station to let them know how far away someone was hearing the signal. Mid-1980s, actually, when lots of stations were improving their signals to cover the large city nearby.

Yes, in the industry that's called a rimshot.

If he wasn't white, he had been trained by the same people who taught Vince Coakley, a conservative talk host in Charlotte, how to talk.

Wow, how are those diversity and sensitivity classes going?

As for white DJs on a station playing mostly black artists, I've seen it before.

Good for you. That's a step in the right direction.

 

[davideduardo]

EMF is an organization that declares itself to be tax exempt. They need to be taxed like any other corporation and see how long they last.

A company does not "declare" itself to be tax exempt. A company files with state and federal authorities based on incorporating as a non-profit. Under such conditions, there must be no distribution of income to the directors and founders (other than salaries), and monies must be used for the furtherance of the cause.

EMF complies entirely with the requirements for a non-profit company. All its income is used in its activities, and none is distributed. Since there is no "profit" there can be no taxes.

 

[vchimpanzee]

Yes, in the industry that's called a rimshot.

Wow, how are those diversity and sensitivity classes going?

Good for you. That's a step in the right direction.

It WAS a rimshot. Now it's the number one station in that big city.

I'm saying if you didn't know he was African American, you wouldn't by listening to him. Of course, he could just be a nerd.

Well, I didn't create the formats. And the Charlotte station with the white DJs changed to a format targeting African Americans a few years later, and it hasn't changed since. The Myrtle Beach station still has white DJs and white artists are in the minority.

 

[davideduardo]

Well, I didn't create the formats. And the Charlotte station with the white DJs changed to a format targeting African Americans a few years later, and it hasn't changed since. The Myrtle Beach station still has white DJs and white artists are in the minority.

What difference does it make that a DJ is of a particular race or ethnicity? If you like their style and comments, they should be fine. If you don't, there are other stations.

 

[AbrahamJSimpson]

I’m reminded of the long running Carter and Sanborn show on Philly’s Power 99. That one was white made zero difference whatsoever. The show was quite popular in its day because of the quality of the content.

 

[vchimpanzee]

What difference does it make that a DJ is of a particular race or ethnicity? If you like their style and comments, they should be fine. If you don't, there are other stations.

I guess you'd have to ask the African-American listeners that question.

 

[AbrahamJSimpson]

Wait. You actually just typed that? Like…this popped into your head and no filter said “eh, maybe this isn’t the best idea?”