Re: LEE-FM is friggin' brilliant!
You're asking too many questions (below) I don't have an answer to. It might be better if YOU answered the questions yourself so I/we/the board can better understand all your "Why" questions and your solutions for them.
I've edited my post here after reading it again because I'm starting to fall into that old trap of swaying off the subject.
> When you talk about the masses, I think you don't take into
> account that, in that mass, there is large segment of them
> that would enjoy and embrace a return to something akin to
> the successes of WHFS or the free wheeling days of early FM
> radio. Why does the majority of radio programming have to
> cater exclusively to the lowest common denominator? Also,
> the majority, if not all of the largest bandwidths, already
> cater to that market. It's not a case of giving 'em what
> they want as the latest payola scandal (has it ever really
> gone away?) duly attests. The housewife market is saturated.
> What about the rest of us?
>
> The BOB format is really just a cheap copy of what is being
> offered by subscription radio which can truly offer
> diversity on a mind numbing scale. Its sorta like ABC
> trying to do the Sopranos. A cheap imitation of the real
> deal. Also, if a person already has an IPod of their
> favorite tunes, why would they want to listen to the radio
> anyway?
>
> The young people I know (18-35) don't even listen to radio
> except by default. They have a plateau of entertainment
> options at their fingertips better suited to cater to their
> tastes. Corporate radio is slow to realize this and
> eventually, their steadfast belief in maintaining antiquated
> notions of what they think the people want will secure their
> inevitable demise.
>
> I don't understand your dismissal of human interaction. Look
> at talk radio. From Howard Stern to Rush, personality driven
> formats are wildly popular with listening audiences and a
> merging of personality and music brings together the best of
> both worlds.
>
> Despite what you have implied, I have haven't heard a single
> station even begin to emulate what WHFS did and certainly
> not in the last 10 years. (It's been tried over and over
> again? I beg to differ) Know why? Of coarse you do. Because
> one size fits all rules on (corporate) radio today. The same
> play lists that are heard here are heard exactly the same in
> Boise, Idaho and all points in-between.
>
> And there is no way in knowing if my show or a show like it
> could garner a listening audience on a powerful FM ban
> because it simply would not be allowed by the corporate
> office. Until that could actually happen, there is no way to
> say with absolute certainty that it wouldn't be successful.
> I have no illusions that a show such as mine would win over
> the Lite 98 crowd, but, as many people who crave continuous
> light favorites, there are just as many, if not more, who
> hate it. Are those people not worthy of a viable
> alternative?
>
> I'm not suggesting to bring back the past glories of 70's
> radio which, as you have stated, is impossible in this
> present age. What I think should be brought to the table to
> open new markets in this era is to incorporate the best of
> the old (deep cuts, actual DJ's & programming diversity)
> with the new. Subscription radio is already doing this and
> its audience is growing. The same can not be said about
> FM/AM radio.
>
> I am greatly interested in hearing how you think I am going
> about this the wrong way. I most certainly agree that in
> order to do my show as I'm currently doing it hasn't a
> snowballs chance in hell on a FM station, but that's because
> corporate radio doesn't allow for true local involvement or
> programming diversity. Am I wrong? The only place for my
> show is on the fringes of the dial given present
> circumstances and I'm fine with that. I do everything myself
> from advertising to production and, if that is what it takes
> to do my show as I see fit, then so be it. I have a great
> radio show that enjoys a large and varied listening audience
> on a 1,000 watt stick and I am certain, that if given a
> chance to do my thing on a larger bandwidth with the proper
> support, my show would prove to be popular with listeners
> and advertisers. The problem is, that will never happen.
>
> The idea of Being Bill Bevins or Dick Hungate is mortifying
> to me. Not that I have anything against them, it's just not
> what I would want to do. The life of eventual replacement by
> a machine is not the one for me and that seems to be the
> predicament of corporate radio jocks.
>
> As old blue eyes once sang, "I gotta be me".
> <P ID="signature">______________
Steve Shannon WELK,WINA
Steve Hendrix WRVQ,WRNL,WLEE
Starr Stevens WROV,WXIL,WKEE
The Real Steve Kelly WGH,WZCL,WLTY
Kelly Wayne WTVR,WKEZ
www.wrovhistory.com
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Edited by Steve Hendrix on 08/29/05 09:18 AM.</FONT></P>