Personality, where is it???

[azenergyfan]

It seems to me here in phoenix and across the country, radio stations are getting rid of true personalities in favor of strictly music or a combo of music and air talent with not too much experience. In an age where any one can download their fav songs, make their own playlist and carry it with them on a ipod or some other device I find it amazing stations are moving away from personality to pretty much to a jukebox format. I am a true fan of personality and I am finding it harder and harder to find here on the radio in phoenix.

I got a used xm radio the other week and just subscribed to the service. I am finding myself more and more tuning into my xm radio for either a music channel that noone is doing here in phoenix or checking out stern, bubba, ferrall, opie and anthony, or some other great personalities on their channels. I really think it is a shame that more stations in phoenix are pretty much just a jukebox, if I want that I can take out my ipod and play whatever I want whenver I want.

 

[KOOL Listener Lauren]

Agreed!

Personality is one of the major must-haves for terrestrial radio, but as long as the corporations want to continue being cheap, they'll continue driving listeners elsewhere and wonder why they're not winning. Just like you said, you're tuning into XM more... many will go that route (if they want to pay for radio), and even more will turn to the internet (Pandora or streaming), iPods, etc.

If all you're hearing is cycle of music, nothing special, and commercials, why not configure a playlist of your own to your exact liking or choose to listen to the genre of music commercial-free?

 

[ykw]

Personality, though, isn't necessarily about having somebody jibber-jabbering inanely about things that have absolutely no relevance to or hold absolutely no interest for you. A station is perfectly capable of having a very strong personality without live jocks -- or even having jocks at all. If your music selection makes a strong statement about your station, and your sweepers are intelligent and witty enough to support that statement (or, better, create some manner of amusingly ironic detachment from that statement), you can create a personality-driven station that isn't reliant upon actual "personalities" to do the driving. KYOT is one example of this; Bill Hutton's late, lamented Lucy on XM being another (possibly the gold-standard).

 

[Dr. o Fun]

It seems to me here in phoenix and across the country, radio stations are getting rid of true personalities in favor of strictly music or a combo of music and air talent with not too much experience.

It took you long enough to realize that most DJs -- outside of morning drive -- just read flip cards provided by management. Personality radio died when Clear Channel -- the king of voice tracking -- came into play. Radio hasn't been more generic ... ever, which is why it's in its current poor state.

So, how do you fix it? First, hire more DJs. Voice tracking has killed radio (I know a lady who voice tracks for six different CC stations all over the country -- great voice but she hates her job).

Give some leeway back to the DJs -- sure, they'll have their share of flip cards but give the DJs the opportunity to pick a few songs every hour and say what they want to say (within reason). Currently, DJs are just the messenger. They're told what to play and what to say. It's no wonder the burnout rate is so high. Put creativity back into radio and it'll be worth listening to again.

In an age where any one can download their fav songs, make their own playlist and carry it with them on a ipod or some other device I find it amazing stations are moving away from personality to pretty much to a jukebox format.

When I first heard the Jack FM format -- we play what we want -- I smiled and thought, "Finally, a station attitude and a wide variety of music." But, azenergyfan, the one key element that was missing was a local feel to the station. It was no more than an iPod with commercials and you'll notice that the Jack FM formats around the country are lucky to pull a 2.0 share, which is a money maker with just 8-bucks-an-hour board ops on the payroll.

Stepping down from my soapbox,
dr

 

[hotpatrick2004]

I think it depends on the format whether or not a station needs personalities. Now chr needs strong talent no ifs ands or buts. But like the jack station i listen to in la i love the voice guy very sarcastic funny and i think it is a good station without jocks but aside from that format most of the suits don't realize for some reason but strong personalities are essential to make your station sit apart from the rest.

A station without jocks is like a city without a starbucks or luis without clark or beverlly hills 90210 without the beverly hills.

 

[Dr. o Fun]

If your music selection makes a strong statement about your station, and your sweepers are intelligent and witty enough to support that statement ... you can create a personality-driven station that isn't reliant upon actual "personalities" to do the driving.

On the other hand, KLOS/Los Angeles never sounded better than in the early '90s when they were PD-less for several months. The jocks (Bob Coburn, Geno Mitchellini, Joe Benson), all veterans who know their boundaries, played what they wanted, said what needed to be said, and there were no sweepers ... in fact, no imaging production at all. It was stripped down, bare bones radio that was jock driven... and done right. Then some Phi Beta Kappa ABC goon took over the station and rammed it straight into the ground.

Pre-produced top-of-the-hour IDs bug the hell out of me. If you're going to pay a personality a million bucks a year (plus...), why wouldn't you let him say, at the very least, K-L-O-S, Los Angeles?

dr

 

[lasunsfan]

you want personality, look at this little blast from the past and find your personality http://www.power1490.com. you'll find mr. deewayne weever there in his start up days. hey bruce, leave power alone!!! you've already destroyed edge!!!

 

[justthenumbers]

you want personality, look at this little blast from the past and find your personality http://www.power1490.com. you'll find mr. deewayne weever there in his start up days. hey bruce, leave power alone!!! you've already destroyed edge!!!

And before anyone asks...no, that Web site was NOT around when Power 1490 was on the air. Someone (R Dub?) created that site a few years back to make it seem that way.

But I love the idea. I wonder if anyone else has done that with other defunct stations?