Newstalk Marconi nominees

[Steven21]

Anyone notice the consistant thread linking most of the nominees?

Local, local, local (and killer numbers).

Most of them have lots of local programming from early morning all the way through evening. There may be a syndicated show dropped in there somewhere, but there is nowhwere near as much syndie stuff as you see now on most N/T stations around the country--even in much bigger markets than most of these nominees. You wouldn't expect so much local out of the major/large markets.

Bravo!

Ironically, the biggest market station on the list (KFI) has more syndicated programming hours than the other 4.

You want to do well and make $$$ for your company? Be proactive and be local. Or you could try to make money by cutting and syndicating.

We need more forward thinking programmers.

 

[Steven21]

I meant to include the list of nominees:

News/Talk Station of the Year
KFI-AM Los Angeles, CA
KKOB-AM Albuquerque, NM
WBEN-AM Buffalo, NY
WJBC-AM Bloomington, IL
WTMJ-AM Milwaukee, WI

 

[Biz Listener]

Anyone notice the consistant thread linking most of the nominees?

Did anyone notice that the organization that hands out the Marconi Awards has as its membership benefit statement (Copied from their website):

NAB exists to proactively and vigilantly advance the rights and interests of free, local radio and television broadcasters.

Do you think that maybe the NAB selected people to give Marconi Awards to based on the fact that they are an anti-corporate radio advocacy group?

 

[Steven21]

Do you think that maybe the NAB selected people to give Marconi Awards to based on the fact that they are an anti-corporate radio advocacy group?

Wow, just a little cynical, eh?

Fact is, these nominees are all great radio stations that carry much more local programming than you typically see these days, AND they perform extremely well. Or maybe the Marconi SHOULD be going to cookie cutter stations that air Limbaugh/Hannity/Levin etc., from one end of the day to the other? Yeah, that's worth recognizing! Let's just rename it the *turn-key* award!

You cannot win with cynics.

 

[Biz Listener]

Wow, just a little cynical, eh?

You cannot win with cynics.

No, not cynical. I'm not aware of any awards granting organization that doesn't base it's awards selection criteria on the organization's agenda. There's nothing wrong with that. If the organization that exists to "proactively and vigilantly advance the rights and interests of free, local radio and television broadcasters" were to give out awards, it strikes me as perfectly logical that they'd give awards to the best free, local radio and television broadcasters. I mean, duh!

Guess who the Country Music Association gives their awards to? They give it to country musicians! Noticing that fact doesn't make anyone a cynic. Guess who the Knights of Columbus gives their Knight of the Year award to? They give it to a member of the Knights of Columbus! Again, noticing that doesn't make anyone a cynic. The group that runs the Miss Universe contest gave the prize for most beautiful woman to (I hope you're sitting down so that you won't be surprised) a beautiful woman!

I do not disagree with the NAB for giving awards to people who support the NAB's agenda. I disagree with anyone pretending that the NAB's awards actually mean anything significant.

There's only one "award" that matters in business. That's the profit on the annual balance sheet.

 

[Steven21]

There's only one "award" that matters in business. That's the profit on the annual balance sheet.

You seem to want to diminish these nominees using a deceptive implication.

If it makes you feel any better, I'll bet these very successful and mostly LOCAL N/T stations also make a nice chunk of change for their owners. That, and KFI has 6 solid hours of syndie right in the middle of the day!

So much for your bogus theory.

Now, doesn't that feel better?

 

[Biz Listener]

There's only one "award" that matters in business. That's the profit on the annual balance sheet.

You seem to want to diminish these nominees using a deceptive implication.

If it makes you feel any better, I'll bet these very successful and mostly LOCAL N/T stations also make a nice chunk of change for their owners. That, and KFI has 6 solid hours of syndie right in the middle of the day!

So much for your bogus theory.

Now, doesn't that feel better?

I'm implying nothing. You are inferring things. I never said that a station cannot make a profit and also win awards. Making a profit is the most important thing a business does. Winning awards doesn't hurt profits. Winning awards isn't a bad thing. It's not an either/or proposition.

There are lots of businesses today making a profit even though they are clinging to diminishing business model and are bucking all trends. That's normal. Things seldom change with abrupt suddenness, they usually evolve over time. That a few stations here and there manage to be successful doing things old school is interesting. It's like seeing the last few individuals in an endangered species clinging to a few more years of existence.

It's not uncommon to see news reports about "the last of the _____", where you can fill in the blanks with whatever old piece of nostalgia floats your boat. Some people still get their shoes repaired at the last cobbler shop in town. Long after the horse and buggy ceased being a common mode of transportation, there are still a few operators left who give horse and buggy rides to tourists. There are still a few small-town local newspapers being published somewhere. So why shouldn't there be a few radio stations operating that pretend that local content is still relevant?

As for how that makes me feel, it doesn't make me feel better. It doesn't make me feel worse. I feel nothing about this whole topic. I have thoughts about it. But whether or not a few stations here and there get another plaque to put on their wall causes no emotional response in me at all.

 

[Steven21]

Your attitude toward the ONE advantage local radio stations have over all these other audio options is pathetic. Taking the path of least resistance is not a virtue. Short-sightedness is ruining this industry.

The more managers/owners there are who think the way you do, the more listeners will see NO ADVANTAGE to listening to, or even sampling radio. Why bother when everything available on the *new business model* is also readily available EVRYWHERE ELSE!

Go back to biz school and learn the significance of proprietary content.

I'm sure you feel as if you're coming off as the hard-nosed businessman, bluntly snapping everyone out of their fantasy and into the cold, hard realities of today's radio.

Truth be told, you and people who share your philosophy, cannot see the forest for the trees.

 

[Biz Listener]

Truth be told, you and people who share your philosophy, cannot see the forest for the trees.

Turht be told, it's the listeners who ultimately decide what radio formats work. If a tree falls in the forest, and there's no one to hear it, does it make a sound? If a broadcaster sends signals into the airwaves, and almost no one tunes in, does it matter?

 

[Steven21]

Turht be told, it's the listeners who ultimately decide what radio formats work. If a tree falls in the forest, and there's no one to hear it, does it make a sound? If a broadcaster sends signals into the airwaves, and almost no one tunes in, does it matter?

Holy Geeez. Talk about missing the point!

I started this thread to point out that talk stations that actually do MORE than take shows off the bird, are not only getting big numbers and making money, but they are giving people something more than they can get EVERYWHERE ELSE. Since THAT is radio's ONLY saving grace at this point, it is important to recognize and encourage it.

Nope, Mr. spout the corporate line has to try and be big and bad...while missing the point entirely.

Again, BRAVO to those stations earnest enough to make money while giving people a reason to NOT go everywhere else for their audio information/entertainment fix.

 

[Biz Listener]

Holy Geeez. Talk about missing the point!

I started this thread to point out that talk stations that actually do MORE than take shows off the bird, are not only getting big numbers and making money, but they are giving people something more than they can get EVERYWHERE ELSE. Since THAT is radio's ONLY saving grace at this point, it is important to recognize and encourage it.

Nope, Mr. spout the corporate line has to try and be big and bad...while missing the point entirely.

Again, BRAVO to those stations earnest enough to make money while giving people a reason to NOT go everywhere else for their audio information/entertainment fix.

I see. So I take it then that your indended audience was Dionne Warwick's friends, as they're the only ones who could tell from what you wrote what your intention was. That was a very clever way of disguising your actual point by naming your thread "Newstalk Marconi nominees". You sure pulled the wool over my eyes. I thought that a thread titled "Newstalk Marconi nominees" would be about the nominees for Marconi newstalk awards.

I apologize for responding to what you wrote instead of responding to what you were thinking.

That's a problem when using a Hewlett-Packard computer to access the internet instead of a crystal ball.

 

[Steven21]

Holy Geeez. Talk about missing the point!

I started this thread to point out that talk stations that actually do MORE than take shows off the bird, are not only getting big numbers and making money, but they are giving people something more than they can get EVERYWHERE ELSE. Since THAT is radio's ONLY saving grace at this point, it is important to recognize and encourage it.

Nope, Mr. spout the corporate line has to try and be big and bad...while missing the point entirely.

Again, BRAVO to those stations earnest enough to make money while giving people a reason to NOT go everywhere else for their audio information/entertainment fix.

I see. So I take it then that your indended audience was Dionne Warwick's friends, as they're the only ones who could tell from what you wrote what your intention was. That was a very clever way of disguising your actual point by naming your thread "Newstalk Marconi nominees". You sure pulled the wool over my eyes. I thought that a thread titled "Newstalk Marconi nominees" would be about the nominees for Marconi newstalk awards.

I apologize for responding to what you wrote instead of responding to what you were thinking.

That's a problem when using a Hewlett-Packard computer to access the internet instead of a crystal ball.

The point was implicit...unless you're uncreative/lazy/dense.

Feel free to apply any/all of those choices as needed.

 

[Biz Listener]

The point was implicit...

So you do see exactly what I was getting at.

 

[Steven21]

Shouldn't you be off someplace pushing the virtues of cookie-cutter radio? C'mon! Time's-a-wastin'! The untimely demise of terrestrial radio awaits your endorsement!

 

[Biz Listener]

Shouldn't you be off someplace pushing the virtues of cookie-cutter radio? C'mon! Time's-a-wastin'! The untimely demise of terrestrial radio awaits your endorsement!

Competition and social change will doom terrestrial radio to its fate regardless of what anyone says or does to change that fate. The one thing that might keep terrestrial stations on the air a little longer is the transition back to nationwide network programming. What you denounce as "cookie-cutter radio" is what others who recognize reality recognize as professionally produced national programming. If anything, that's a return to the golden days of radio when the airwaves were dominated by NBC Red, NBC Blue, CBS, and Mutual.

If I were to make a prediction, the pattern of station-by-station syndication will be mostly replaced in the near future with nationwide programming. This won't just be on news/talk format stations. This will include music format radio as well. Radio stations will carry mostly network feeds, just as television stations do.

And aside from a handful of fogeys who cling to those thrilling days of yesteryear, most radio listeners will either embrace the new nationwide network programming, or they won't even notice the change. But, for anyone who is firmly and totally stuck in the past, just remember NBC Radio's Monitor. What's old will become new again.

 

[Steven21]

Shouldn't you be off someplace pushing the virtues of cookie-cutter radio? C'mon! Time's-a-wastin'! The untimely demise of terrestrial radio awaits your endorsement!

Competition and social change will doom terrestrial radio to its fate regardless of what anyone says or does to change that fate. The one thing that might keep terrestrial stations on the air a little longer is the transition back to nationwide network programming. What you denounce as "cookie-cutter radio" is what others who recognize reality recognize as professionally produced national programming. If anything, that's a return to the golden days of radio when the airwaves were dominated by NBC Red, NBC Blue, CBS, and Mutual.

If I were to make a prediction, the pattern of station-by-station syndication will be mostly replaced in the near future with nationwide programming. This won't just be on news/talk format stations. This will include music format radio as well. Radio stations will carry mostly network feeds, just as television stations do.

And aside from a handful of fogeys who cling to those thrilling days of yesteryear, most radio listeners will either embrace the new nationwide network programming, or they won't even notice the change. But, for anyone who is firmly and totally stuck in the past, just remember NBC Radio's Monitor. What's old will become new again.

Your premise is completely flawed.

Network radio was able to flourish because there was really nothing else that could compete. It was the latest thing and people sat in rapt attention.

It is absurd to expect that these days. Network style programming that ignores the local angles and local service elements, delivered by somebody someplace else, will not stand up over time---not with the options now available. Not only that, but the inventory taken up by these network shows can actually be quite costly if you have a solid local product and proactive salespeople to sell it.

Syndication is a shortsighted solution to a long term problem, especially these days. Stating that a return to radio of old, with network programming, demonstrates how out-of-touch you are with the dynamics currently in play.

By the way, many people think the way you do. Considering the general mentality of radio people, that is not a compliment.

 

[SeanMGilbow]

Your premise is completely flawed.

Network radio was able to flourish because there was really nothing else that could compete. It was the latest thing and people sat in rapt attention.

It is absurd to expect that these days. Network style programming that ignores the local angles and local service elements, delivered by somebody someplace else, will not stand up over time---not with the options now available. Not only that, but the inventory taken up by these network shows can actually be quite costly if you have a solid local product and proactive salespeople to sell it.

Syndication is a shortsighted solution to a long term problem, especially these days. Stating that a return to radio of old, with network programming, demonstrates how out-of-touch you are with the dynamics currently in play.

By the way, many people think the way you do. Considering the general mentality of radio people, that is not a compliment.

Well said, Steven.

 

[Don62]

If I were to make a prediction, the pattern of station-by-station syndication will be mostly replaced in the near future with nationwide programming. This won't just be on news/talk format stations. This will include music format radio as well. Radio stations will carry mostly network feeds, just as television stations do.

False dichotomy. TV is a completely different medium, and much more expensive to produce than locally-based radio shows.
Large crews, expensive cameras, recorders, etc., all required.

And TV isn't mostly syndicated where it counts- in early prime and late prime. Strong TV stations, not the WBs or weakling UHFers, have local news during late afternoon/ early evening and late evening before the clowns come on.

The thing that is dissappointing is "heritage" stations such as KCMO-AM, KTOK-AM, KRMG-AM, the blowtorch in PHL, WFLA-AM, KHOW-AM, et. al. running most of its programming off satellite, with no drive-time talk radio programs.

That's not broadcating, pulling automated programs off a satellite.

If your station wants to be simply a repeater of national shows, become a translator and surrender the license to your powerful station to people who want to practise broadcasting.

 

[Steven21]

I also meant to mention that when you talk of syndication these days--or network style programming, you're not talking about the variety of prgramming once found on the radio dial. You're actually talking about the parade of Limbaugh clones that pepper the dial. THAT is what syndication has more or less come to mean. It's niche programming and it's killing the potential for getting future generations to even consider sampling talk.

If more of that persists, talkradio deserves to disappear with the rest of the cookie cutter formats. Too many other options to be had elsewhere.
Terrestrial radio cannot seem to try and drown itself fast enough.

Let's put more resources into HD while we're at it!

Bad decision after bad decision.

If I didn't know any better, I'd think we were witness to a grand radio version of "The Producers".

 

[Biz Listener]

And TV isn't mostly syndicated where it counts- in early prime and late prime. Strong TV stations, not the WBs or weakling UHFers, have local news during late afternoon/ early evening and late evening before the clowns come on.

Was this not exactly what I said, with the words you skipped over highlighted? You can scroll back and check to make sure I didn't change anything. "If I were to make a prediction, the pattern of station-by-station syndication will be mostly replaced in the near future with nationwide programming. This won't just be on news/talk format stations. This will include music format radio as well. Radio stations will carry mostly network feeds, just as television stations do."

If some particpants in this thread can expect others to grasp things that were only implied between the lines, the surely I can expect that people will read what I explicitly wrote.