Radio of the 21st Century

[Osacia]

Since most of us agree that B94 died because they did not take the oppurtunity to keep up with the hip hop trend, here is a question I have for all of you....

As a communication major myself, I find it scary that the old local "hometown advantage" is no longer important in radio, in fact it is looked down upon. We all know that stations like 'Kiss Fm' are produced in mass numbers (I live on the boarder of Ohio, West Virginia and Pennsylvania and I get THREE Kiss FM's(If one wasn't bad enough.) Since all these stations are just clones of each other and are ultimately controlled by a large corperation that focues more on a national level than a local level, would it be safe to say that if you don't have pretty boy looks along with a obession with Backstreet Boys (owning every CD of course), Hair Gel, and appeal to preppy girls, you might as well get a job working the microphone at the local gas station annoucing what pump is on even though you may have great talent?

Just a thought. Maybe I just feel ashamed that I look ugly. *Sigh* HA.HA. let me know what you all think.

<P ID="edit"><FONT class="small">Edited by Osacia on 06/07/05 01:02 AM.</FONT></P>

 

[radiogeek07]

I live in Steubenville Ohio, so we have to be somewhat close to each other. Anyway to answer your question, it depends on what format you are able to get a job in. If you are hoping to go CHR then I would say you are about right on. I don't know if you need to look like a pretty boy though. I am a com major too, and am also doing Public Relations in order to make sure I can be employed after college.

 

[tpt]

Plastics!

Oh, sorry, wrong century.

Sales!

 

[KeyTimes]

This deserves point-by-point dissection, if I may ...

> Since most of us agree that B94 died because they did not
> take the oppurtunity to keep up with the hip hop trend, here
> is a question I have for all of you....
>
> As a communication major myself, I find it scary that the
> old local "hometown advantage" is no longer important in
> radio, in fact it is looked down upon.

Looked down upon, ridiculed and otherwise disdained. Stations that a generation ago would have been proud to be in McKeesport or Braddock or New Kensington or Greensburg just use the cities of license to assure they have a shot at the big kahuna between the three rivers.

We all know that
> stations like 'Kiss Fm' are produced in mass numbers (I live
> on the boarder of Ohio, West Virginia and Pennsylvania and I
> get THREE Kiss FM's(If one wasn't bad enough.)

Actually, name the format, and find the cookie-cutter. For what it is worth, the three news-talks run by that same company all have the same appeal.

Since all
> these stations are just clones of each other and are
> ultimately controlled by a large corperation that focues
> more on a national level than a local level, would it be
> safe to say that if you don't have pretty boy looks along
> with a obession with Backstreet Boys (owning every CD of
> course), Hair Gel, and appeal to preppy girls, you might as
> well get a job working the microphone at the local gas
> station annoucing what pump is on even though you may have
> great talent?

Likewise, if you think you can do an old-fashioned hometown talk show that focuses on old-fashioned hometown issues, you'd get as much attention from the aforementioned corporation. (The other 800-pound gorilla around here at least puts hometown talent on as talk-show hosts, but it too slowly is becoming a copy of its national parent. The feel of its news is a good example.)

>
> Just a thought. Maybe I just feel ashamed that I look ugly.
> *Sigh* HA.HA. let me know what you all think.
>

Having never seen you, I have no way to judge you. Then again, people thought I had a great face for radio, too.