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Politics & Music Radio/Appropriate?

John FL

John FL

I had one of those radio accidents this morning. I've never gotten around removing 93.3 WJBT from my car presets from the holidays but as I was flipping around this morning, I heard Obama having a conversation with the morning crew. While I didn't catch the entire conversation, it isn't rocket science to figure out who they were supporting. They went on to encourage their Texas audience to go out and vote. This started me thinking.

Is this appropriate? Is everyone in the radio community following the same standards? I'm all for free speech but I think expressing political opinions in a non-Talk format can be risky business. With politics being so divisive, is it worth alienating some of your audience? While I understand the WJBT demos, no one should assume all will agree or blindly follow. Even in our own Jax community, there are a number of African American leaders who are supporting someone else.

And speaking of Hillary, if Arthur Crofton, (and this is just an illustration as I don't know his politics) announced his support on the air for her and encouraged his mainly female audience to go out and vote for her, you know what would hit the fan.

When Howard Stern was in commercial radio, he often expressed political views. But, his was a talk show and it seems more appropriate. What do you think? Should politics be taboo on a music show? Also, please set me straight, if WJBT's morning show is talk only, I would understand why they did what they did a little better. Anyway, in this politically active season, I thought this would be an appropriate topic to bring up.
 
Hey JohnJax what a great subject to talk about. I'll be interested to see what people have to say about this. Way to go !
 
Well VT, the response has been underwhelming as is the case more often than not when it comes to Jacksonville radio. And I suspect you knew that all along. I know there is a lot of disenchantment out there over the state of radio, but if the constant lack of response to almost any subject posted just equates to giving up and not caring. And no one should ever do that. There are a lot of folks out there in and out of the business who should have a lot to say. Anyway, I miss the way things were here and the past contributors whose commentary I soaked up like a sponge as they were really in the know.

If it weren't for our friends in the Panhandle, this board would be pretty bleak. These guys show Top 10 market enthusiasm for a place like Ft. Walton Beach. I give them credit for still giving a damn.
 
A lot of people inside the business DO have something to say, but fear to opine for being 'found out'. Don't be too quick to mistake reticence for indifference.
As far as discussing politics on a music intensive morning show goes, it's a slippery slope. You've got to be 100% non-partisan, not only in content, but delivery as well. People listen to music in the morning because it's NOT talk radio, so you can't drive away P-1's by getting bogged down in what they may perceive to be extraneous lip service.
Talk about facts and numbers, not opinions or bias, and do it in less than 3 minutes ... pretty much to the same extent you would at YOUR breakroom coffee pot.
Market saavy is crucial to talking politics on a music-heavy show. Unless you're 100% certain of your audience and their receptiveness, they may be waters better not muddied.
In terms of nationally syndicated shows (like the one you heard) the host KNOWS who is listening and booked a guest that would benefit from the audience hearing him ... besides, they only play what, four or five songs an hour?
 
As far as I can hear, talking politics on a morning intensive radio show is just plain boring. Especially this early in the game. Plus I think it's a cop out for the local morning shows to go that route they need to be talking about the positive or even funny things in life. Listeners need to laugh again at something funny ..not dirty but funny. And it can be done
 
vt's got a point ... some PD's prefer to let the news stations handle the hard news like politics, and count on their music morning shows to entertain and amuse. There's a lot of validity to that approach of providing an escape from the 'real world'.
 
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