Radio is slowly dying

[Bubbadad]

Organized religion and holier than thou station managers have totally fuc*ed up radio in Dallas.

You have 70 year old bible thumpers programming a station.....most of whom think women should have never had the right to vote.

Radio will come back when the old creeps die off and the young guns take over with a new attitude.

Until then...we should be content with sucking major donkey bawls.

 

[spew]

Radio Shack is dropping the Radio from its logo. That pretty much confirms the impending death.

 

[johnsummers]

K*LUV doesn't need me to defend it...especially in light of my 'reduced role' at the station since last August. But, the numbers don't lie. And, if they do, it doesn't matter. When you have a weekly PPM like K*LUV just had ( #1, 6+. #1, 12+, #1, 18+, #2 mornings, #1 middays, #2 pm drive 25-54, #1 35-64), rumors of it's demise are greatly exaggerated. In short, Peter Z is doing a great job!

 

[dfaulkner]

K*LUV doesn't need me to defend it...especially in light of my 'reduced role' at the station since last August. But, the numbers don't lie. And, if they do, it doesn't matter. When you have a weekly PPM like K*LUV just had ( #1, 6+. #1, 12+, #1, 18+, #2 mornings, #1 middays, #2 pm drive 25-54, #1 35-64), rumors of it's demise are greatly exaggerated. In short, Peter Z is doing a great job!

Congratulations ! Good Job Peter Z !

 

[radiogroupie]

Agree. Does anyone besides us care? No. Either we figure out what they want and give it to them or we're finished.

Radio is struggling but far from dying. There are 60 million subscribers to Sirius. Radio is listened to by 270 Million people and HD once the power is increased will explode in popularity. Yes the era of 60K nite gigs and 100k Afternoon Gigs are over but RADIO is far from dying.

From what I see on this forum is a lot of bitter, no-talented troublemakers who can't get jobs so they think the industry is dying. Hardly.

I worked in Radio & it was great fun. At this point, I no longer work in Radio & I'm not looking to. But, as a listener, I miss the heydays of Radio. What I'll call the Gordon McLenden/Ron Chapman eras. They had their craft down to..if not perfection, something pretty damn close. Radio today is not what it was in the peak years of KLIF & KVIL. That's my observation. As far as being bitter or trying to make trouble, that is absolutely not my intention. I'll let others make their own judgements as to my level of talent. There are still good things on Radio. (See a thread I started called "Something Positive." It's a partial list of things currently on the air that I enjoy.) A posting made while I was writing this points out that some independent stations in smaller markets are doing great things. Radio is changing. Time will tell if it's dying or just changing. In the meantime, Peace, Take Care, Enjoy the Weekend.

Don't let the mistakes and stupidity of GMs, Consultants prejudice your opinion of air talent today. EVERY generation had their style and delivery. Even this generation there are many great talents i would put up against jocks of the so called good old years. I think many jocks today are more natural.

Man some of the pukiest DJs and newsmen I heard came from the 50s, 60s and 70s. Just plain BAD. there was less competition, fewer stations. One station could get a 60 share no matter how bad the djs were. However the contest were BIG, Audio processing was clear, punchy and exciting.

I'd put a KISS or Z-100 up against a KLIF circa 1967 anyday. I'd put a KLUV or CBS-FM or Kearth againsy anthing from the 60s.

 

[arnoldevns]

My view is that deregulation was a good thing for radio.. but the owners made a number of bone-head decisions that torpedoed the whole industry. They never understood that CDs, ipods, satellite radio and the internet would be competitors. They chased listeners away to those competitors by voice-tracking stations and losing the localism and personalities that made the stations popular to begin with. They tried to make a comeback by investing millions in HD. All they got was red ink and even worse signal quality than before.

Radio can come back if the owners will wise up and realize they've got to spend money to make money. Put good talent on the air and program locally. No more voice-tracking. Cut down on the number of commercials in each hour. And for goodness sake - PROMOTE! Put ads on TV, buy billboards, run contests, etc.

 

[Chuck]

Cut down on the number of commercials in each hour.

Better yet, just get rid of the 7-8 minute "stop sets." They turn off listeners, and do a disservice to your sponsors. How you would like to pay retail for the 7th of eight spots in a row? Do you really think anyone is actually listening?

Just spread the spots out over the hour and I’ll bet you see results.

 

[Wildstyle K]

Radio is not dying. I still love XHTO, and also BBC Radio 1, 1xtra and Diverse Radio in London! They still play all my favorite dance hits... ;D

 

[jondavidvox]

Radio isn't dying....It is, however, seriously ill.

We have "economy of scaled", "less is mored", "financially efficiencied", and "right-sized" ourselves into an industry without a product.

We have created "boiler-room" sales departments filled with overstressed, undertrained, overmanaged, undercompensated, and angry sellers to foist it on unsuspecting clients.

We have convinced ourselves that Radio is only fit to present someone else's evocative content.

We have branded those few Sentinels with the courage to dissent as "egomaniacs", "don't get its", "disgruntled", and my personal favorite; "losers"....all the while watching market earnings deteriorate every year.

Bleak, huh?

I'll say this all again....

We are these 10 decisions away from happy, healthy, profitable, and Relevent Radio Renewal:

Beginning right this second:

1.) We will operate in the Public Interest as Public Trustees.

2.) We will focus our Product on our true customers; Listeners.

3.) We will find and hire real Program Directors, charge them with the mission of delivering a more entertaining, creative, and memorable On-Air Product, than Listeners can provide for themselves elsewhere.

4.) We will provide these real Program Directors the tools they need, hold them accountable for the results we seek, and then leave them alone.

5.) We will watch as these real Program Directors find, hire, and direct On-Air Personalities who are more entertaining, creative, and memorable than Network Programming, I-Pods, Multi-changer CD Players, and Satellite "Radio" Channels.

6.) We will provide these Personalities with the tools, support, and paychecks commensurate with what is necessary for them to own homes, raise children, dress well, drive nice cars, and save money for their futures.

7.) We will fire these Personalities, within minutes of them embarrassing our Listeners, our Communities, or our Company, On-Air, or Off.

8.) We will hire Advertising Sales Professionals who advocate for their Clients, and who want to sell our Product, not tinker with it.

9.) We will direct our Sales efforts to as few Advertisers as necessary to meet our financial goals, while simultaneously meeting their expectations of results.

10.) Our decision-making will always result in a stronger On-Air Product, not a weaker one.

If we do this, we will begin to succeed right this second. If we do not do this, we will re-live yesterday....and the day before that....and the day before that....

For those who say this can't be done....please do retire as quickly as you can. The rest of us have a lot of work to do, and the sooner you're out of the way, the sooner we can begin to do....

Radio.

The Meek Shall Inherit The Mess....

Jon-David Wells
The Wells Report

 

[oldmanradio]

Agree. Does anyone besides us care? No. Either we figure out what they want and give it to them or we're finished.

Radio is struggling but far from dying. There are 60 million subscribers to Sirius.

More like 19 million.

Radio is listened to by 270 Million people

Really? How do you know that? NAB figure?

and HD once the power is increased will explode in popularity.

You're just joking, aren't you. Right now, it is imploding. Walk downtown Dallas and ask people what HD radio is.

Yes the era of 60K nite gigs and 100k Afternoon Gigs are over but RADIO is far from dying.

You can keep anything alive these days with live support.

From what I see on this forum is a lot of bitter, no-talented troublemakers who can't get jobs so they think the industry is dying. Hardly.

How in the world would you possibly know who is posting and who is not since most do not give their names -- just like you.

Why do you hide?

My name is at the bottom. I am retired, not bitter. .

My email is [email protected].

Regards,
Tony

 

[oldmanradio]

Oldman radio may be slowly dying, but Radio is not. Look at the ad rates, look at the total cume. The successful shows are getting top top $$ for their spots (KVIL, KLUV, KISS, Ticket) We talk so much about the controversial personalities, we fail to look at the prosperous. Syndicated talents (the winners) are still on record breaking contracts (Stern<who stole from terrestrial, but it's still radio, Delilah, Kidd, Bob/Tom, Rush) Russ Martin is nothing among these characters. Radio is far from dead or dying, Radio has become more competitive, and there are more loosers in the game than ever. :-*

What is a "looser"? Do you mean loser?

 

[oldmanradio]

When KLUV replaced John Summers with Peter Z on the air, the product of the station was diminished.

Even Peter Z. would admits that.

When KLUV voicetracks in the evening, the product is diminshed.

If you can explain how voicetracking improves the on-air product, I will be willing to listening.

During local emergencies these days, most radio stations are as reliable as George W. Bush was during Hurricane Katrina.

 

[JFPO]

During local emergencies these days, most radio stations are as reliable as George W. Bush was during Hurricane Katrina.

That's the saddest part when it comes to the state of radio. The one thing stations should be doing to stay relevant is done poorly. Radio has been useless for music for quite a while now, as playlists are essentially just more commercials targeted to the specific demographic.

 

[oldmanradio]

One day, somewhere, hundreds of people in a small community will die because they were unaware of a tornado or other natural or man-made disaster because the local radio station was unmanned and the EAS malfunctioned.

Of course, that has already happened to some communities albeit with smaller casualties.

Then explain to me how radio is relevant.

 

[oldmanradio]

Radio Groupie,

You state that radio is not dying.

Yet under your name on the left side of the post you have written the following:

"1996---The Beginning of the End for the Radio Industry"

Have you changed your mind?

Or are you debating with yourself?

 

[Wildstyle K]

One day, somewhere, hundreds of people in a small community will die because they were unaware of a tornado

This brings back memories to when I was in third grade, up at night listening to WVEE in Atlanta! I was listening to the music, then next thing I knew the lights went out and I ran in my father's room where my step mom and father were because I was afraid of the dark. Next thing I know, through their open window, I hear a very strong wind that accompanied the bright flashes of lightning. To keep a long story short, the next day I woke up to go catch the school bus and I saw the parts of the townhouses and trees in our neighborhood that was damaged by one of the tornadoes that hit the following night. Too bad I wasn't into WGST or newstalk radio at that time yet, where I probably would've been told that something was actually going on outside..

In an unrelated note, now, with my more mature older mind, I think back and realize that my step mom and father were probably not just "sleeping" when I ran in there like an annoying little kid.. Wow, MC Hammer.. those were the days when hip hop had no idea they were going to soon dominate the charts. Flash forward to now, and like rock n roll, the hip hop era has also come to an end! "We" are now the parents!! Time definitely flies... and who would've thought that electro-pop and dance would (make a come back) be the next big thing today (in the U.S.)? Anyway, I'm happy about it. All things must change... blues, jazz, disco, rock n roll, multiple boy/girl band pop groups, the latin pop phase, and now hip hop... they all had their times in history. It's funny how these musical phases and trends in time pass. Even reggaeton had its time.

Now, with that being said, let me use that to transition into another point I wish to make! A lot of people I know are disappointed that their sound in music has passed, which may be the reasoning behind why some people say radio is dying. People do tend to judge an overall situation based on how they personally feel rather than seeing the big picture (just look at how people vote in elections..). While many are looking at how things have changed or have other logical proof or reasoning to back up their thoughts on the death of radio, I'm sure some may just be bitter based on the fact that their favorite sound no longer dominates the charts. I'm sure many hip hop fans today are becoming very unhappy with radio because they think radio destroyed it rather than looking at the fact that radio is only following natural trends. A lot of my dj friends blame radio for the fact that the 80's and 90's dance sound has disappeared. This may not reflect everyone's reasoning style, but if your reasoning for thinking radio is dead is based purely on the modernization / change in sound not moving within a direction you are fond with, then your reasoning is not entirely accurate. (Anyway, I'm just glad that the electronic sound, along with more quality lyrics, are making its way back into top 40 and rhythmic radio today, even though it's "not the same as it used to be".) I guess some may also judge based on which market they are in. (If I lived my entire life in L.A, I'd be EXTREMELY disappointed by now, while people in Atlanta outside of Urban formatting have been "worse than L.A." for some time now and think the death has already taken place long ago.) I personally don't think radio is "dying", but not because my favorite sounds just happened to come back or because we are currently doing pretty well here in Phoenix, Az., but for other more sensible reasons. Here's one example of how I feel about radio (taken from the Atlanta section)

Comments on story:
http://boards.radio-info.com/smf/index.php?topic=171814.0

Direct link to story:
http://atlairwaves.blogspot.com/

 

[Bubbadad]

Nope. Dying from an overdose of self rightiousness. The Doctor has called it. Radio has a 50/50 chance of making it another ten months says Dr.
Audio Godman. The internet has always been the cure. That's why Al invented it so we could hear the song lyrics Tipper didn't want us to hear.
Even Rush and Beck agree and they KNOW everything.

 

[dfaulkner]

Radio isn't dying....It is, however, seriously ill.

We have "economy of scaled", "less is mored", "financially efficiencied", and "right-sized" ourselves into an industry without a product.

We have created "boiler-room" sales departments filled with overstressed, undertrained, overmanaged, undercompensated, and angry sellers to foist it on unsuspecting clients.

We have convinced ourselves that Radio is only fit to present someone else's evocative content.

We have branded those few Sentinels with the courage to dissent as "egomaniacs", "don't get its", "disgruntled", and my personal favorite; "losers"....all the while watching market earnings deteriorate every year.

Bleak, huh?

I'll say this all again....

We are these 10 decisions away from happy, healthy, profitable, and Relevent Radio Renewal:

Beginning right this second:

1.) We will operate in the Public Interest as Public Trustees.

2.) We will focus our Product on our true customers; Listeners.

3.) We will find and hire real Program Directors, charge them with the mission of delivering a more entertaining, creative, and memorable On-Air Product, than Listeners can provide for themselves elsewhere.

4.) We will provide these real Program Directors the tools they need, hold them accountable for the results we seek, and then leave them alone.

5.) We will watch as these real Program Directors find, hire, and direct On-Air Personalities who are more entertaining, creative, and memorable than Network Programming, I-Pods, Multi-changer CD Players, and Satellite "Radio" Channels.

6.) We will provide these Personalities with the tools, support, and paychecks commensurate with what is necessary for them to own homes, raise children, dress well, drive nice cars, and save money for their futures.

7.) We will fire these Personalities, within minutes of them embarrassing our Listeners, our Communities, or our Company, On-Air, or Off.

8.) We will hire Advertising Sales Professionals who advocate for their Clients, and who want to sell our Product, not tinker with it.

9.) We will direct our Sales efforts to as few Advertisers as necessary to meet our financial goals, while simultaneously meeting their expectations of results.

10.) Our decision-making will always result in a stronger On-Air Product, not a weaker one.

If we do this, we will begin to succeed right this second. If we do not do this, we will re-live yesterday....and the day before that....and the day before that....

For those who say this can't be done....please do retire as quickly as you can. The rest of us have a lot of work to do, and the sooner you're out of the way, the sooner we can begin to do....

Radio.

The Meek Shall Inherit The Mess....

Jon-David Wells
The Wells Report

Good Stuff ! Thank you for posting this.

 

[oldmanradio]

When KLUV replaced John Summers with Peter Z on the air, the product of the station was diminished.

Even Peter Z. would admits that.

When KLUV voicetracks in the evening, the product is diminshed.

If you can explain how voicetracking improves the on-air product, I will be willing to listening.

During local emergencies these days, most radio stations are as reliable as George W. Bush was during Hurricane Katrina.

Typos ...

I hate them.

Corrections:

Even Peter Z. would admit that.

If you can explain how voicetracking improves the on-air product, I am willing to listen.

 

[oldmanradio]

Radio isn't dying....It is, however, seriously ill.

We have "economy of scaled", "less is mored", "financially efficiencied", and "right-sized" ourselves into an industry without a product.

We have created "boiler-room" sales departments filled with overstressed, undertrained, overmanaged, undercompensated, and angry sellers to foist it on unsuspecting clients.

We have convinced ourselves that Radio is only fit to present someone else's evocative content.

We have branded those few Sentinels with the courage to dissent as "egomaniacs", "don't get its", "disgruntled", and my personal favorite; "losers"....all the while watching market earnings deteriorate every year.

Bleak, huh?

I'll say this all again....

We are these 10 decisions away from happy, healthy, profitable, and Relevent Radio Renewal:

Beginning right this second:

1.) We will operate in the Public Interest as Public Trustees.

2.) We will focus our Product on our true customers; Listeners.

3.) We will find and hire real Program Directors, charge them with the mission of delivering a more entertaining, creative, and memorable On-Air Product, than Listeners can provide for themselves elsewhere.

4.) We will provide these real Program Directors the tools they need, hold them accountable for the results we seek, and then leave them alone.

5.) We will watch as these real Program Directors find, hire, and direct On-Air Personalities who are more entertaining, creative, and memorable than Network Programming, I-Pods, Multi-changer CD Players, and Satellite "Radio" Channels.

6.) We will provide these Personalities with the tools, support, and paychecks commensurate with what is necessary for them to own homes, raise children, dress well, drive nice cars, and save money for their futures.

7.) We will fire these Personalities, within minutes of them embarrassing our Listeners, our Communities, or our Company, On-Air, or Off.

8.) We will hire Advertising Sales Professionals who advocate for their Clients, and who want to sell our Product, not tinker with it.

9.) We will direct our Sales efforts to as few Advertisers as necessary to meet our financial goals, while simultaneously meeting their expectations of results.

10.) Our decision-making will always result in a stronger On-Air Product, not a weaker one.

If we do this, we will begin to succeed right this second. If we do not do this, we will re-live yesterday....and the day before that....and the day before that....

For those who say this can't be done....please do retire as quickly as you can. The rest of us have a lot of work to do, and the sooner you're out of the way, the sooner we can begin to do....

Radio.

The Meek Shall Inherit The Mess....

Jon-David Wells
The Wells Report

Good Stuff ! Thank you for posting this.

Indeed.

Quite good ... well written and thoughtful.

The question is: Would ownership and management implement even one of Jon-David's suggestions much less 10?

Cross your fingers ... and your toes.