Rural/Urban population trend and radio

[Goat Rodeo Cowboy]

One day last week there was a small story in the newspaper that hit me like a baseball bat. I am very aware of the change, but I had not quantified it.

Only 18% of our American population is now living in "rural" areas.

There are a lot of threads posted in R-I in which we discuss all the factors that have change the radio business. There are a lot of threads where everyone is sure that if we would just go back and run radio stations liked with did in _____ (pick your era of choice) then radio would be great, would be exciting, would be more successful than it is today. And the usual response is: 1. Ain't gonna happen. 2. Can't happen.


There are a lot of other valid reasons why radio has changed and why radio will not ever be 1958 again!

Here are my random thoughts on why the shift from our nation being may 50% rural and 50% urban a few decades back shaped radio in a way that we cannon ever duplicate when we are down to 18% rural population.

In a sense, we all had a little bit of Gomer Pyle in us back then, It wasn't too hard to put something on the radio that cause people living in rural areas where they didn't have access to things urban people enjoyed to say: (shape your mouth like Gomer as you say GAHH-lee!

Little town merchants were much more important to brand name merchandise so there was a fleet of sales people out encouraging small town merchants to sell, sell, sell, and they often brought sample radio commercials along and suggested the use of radio. (We also know they tended to more often suggest the use of home town newspaper.)

If half the people used to live in rural areas, then half the people only had a handful of stations to choose from. They tended to be more tolerant of what they expected and what they would accept from a radio station. City dwellers have oodles of stations to choose from and are likely to be more demanding, more picky.

I'm looking for more examples of how the shift from a 50% rural / 50% urban America to today's 18% rural / 82% urban America affects the business of radio.

 

[butlerguy03]

Maybe transportation needs? As more people flock to the cities, more public transportation is used instead of expensive, large cars.

Also, many public schools now have very strict dress codes or even uniforms. That eliminates the need for advertising back to school clothing sales on radio.

If you want your favorite song, there are easier ways than listening to radio or going to your local record store. Spotify, Pandora, Slacker, just to name a few.

Your local radio station doesn't have to be your favorite. Maybe you live in North Platte, Nebraska but you really like KROQ in LA. You can listen anytime, online.

High School kids of today not only grew up with MTV, but grew up with MTV playing very few music videos. I think throw away music is more important to this generation than it ever has been.

To keep up on our lifestyles, most families have a working mother and father. And if the stats are true, half the kids grow up living with one and see the other once a week because of divorce. Broadcasting to stay-at-home moms is gone, just take a look at all the TV soaps being cancelled.

The churches in our communities have lost importance. Many stations still run Sunday morning services, but I am willing to bet most of them are in the 18% category.

Technology changes, radio, although it is not ancient technology, is considered old because kids know Grandma and Grandpa had it. If promoted correctly, couldn't we remind America that radio was their first - and most reliable - wireless technology?

And...the new American multi-cultural society. Most of the country is now very integrated with people from around the world (even rural and suburban areas). Couldn't you just hear Gomer Pyle say "Well GAHH-LEE, look at all these changes!"

 

[butlerguy03]

One more I forgot, EVERYONE has TV, and a lot of it! In 1958, most Americans had less than 5 channels and no PS3 or XBox.

It's funny, I was just discussing growing up and how it was different for my grandpa (born 1930), my mom (1954), me (1980), and my son (2009). I think I relate more with my mom in reference to growing up than I will with my son.

That's another change, look at the advance in ages of having a first born child...24, 26, 29...that's very representative of America.

 

[Goat Rodeo Cowboy]

I posted my thoughts before I had them "all together" but that was on purpose. I wanted input from others to flesh them out.

Butlerguy.... Your focus is a little different than what I was trying to say... but that is fine. Your points are valid.

My core thought is that a "rural based society" works differently than a "city based society". Maybe that is not true.

And another part of my "theory" is that even in cities, particularly smaller growing cities, that 30, 40, 50 years ago so many city dwellers had come to the city during WW II or just after so they still had "rural based society" tastes. They still made regular treks back to the old home place a lot of weekends which kept them "rural based" even after living in the big city for a decade or two. That affected what they would listen to on the radio... at least in my theory.

My "kids" (middle aged adults) NEVER lived in the rural setting. They were raised in the city and in a home where my wife and I had adapted to city living. (They know more about the country than many of their peers because they often spent a week or two with their grandparent who were definitely in the country.

When I look at how my children view radio and other media so differently than I do..... I think my way through topics like the one I started here. And when I look at my grandchildren's taste in media and entertainment... I have to ask: Do we actually live on the same planet?

So what are the elements of radio that are timeless.... and "placeless"... and what are the elements of radio that only work in a certain time and place and cannot be easily transplanted to another time and place?

 

[amfmxm]

The rise in manufacturing during the 20th century and the decline in family farming triggered a lot of the shift from rural to urban. The manufacturing boom in the forties and fifties doubled and tripled the size of our biggest cities, while the decline in small farms and the corresponding emergence of corporate farming has prevented now-unemployed from returning to the countryside.

I grew up in a small midwestern city--population of 45,000 during my childhood. It was a GM town with a job base of not just the GM plant, but also companies supplying the GM plant. GM pulled out in the eighties and its suppliers left with them. Population of the town is now 30,000. Many of my friends and relatives have moved to Chicago or Indy or Saint Louis to find work. A few are farmers, but not as land owners. The corporations own all the land.

The radio market there is hanging on by a thread. One cluster has four of the five local stations, with the other one living on fumes. One of the two Class B FMs bolted a few years ago, moving nearly an hour away to the next slightly-larger city.

The old hometown is a ghost town and the remaining radio features a lot of computers and few human beings.

 

[amfmxm]

GRC, your most recent post on this subject crossed mine in the ether and I appreciate your clarification regarding the cultural changes wrought by this rural-urban reversal and how it has impacted radio.

Let me toss in a couple of cents. For one, think of how in the past 30 years Country radio has become a major force in large-market radio--and not just in the South. At this moment, Country WYCD is Detroit's #1 station. Baltimore's WPOC is always in the Top 3, and often #1. And Seattle's two Country giants KKWF & KMPS split an 8 share that would otherwise lead the market by a mile.

On the other hand, the 2011 version of CHR is heavily urbanized (though you could have said the same thing back in the mid-sixties when Top 40 was loaded with Motown) even in very small, very Caucasian communities.

Culturally, television changed everything. The internet just put the icing on the cake. Radio has always been in the mix, but has been more of a mirror--reflecting the tastes of listeners as those tastes changed. City-dwellers learned to appreciate rural music and country-dwellers learned to appreciate urban music.

And the beat goes on...

 

[stationless listener]

While the new urban-rural may have something to do with the state of radio today, I think there's a bigger factor going on: the consolidation of radio station into giant clusters by four or five conglomerates. These, in turn, are heavily influenced by consultants who have tastes that would be considered weird by my standards. They have a lot of pull with the execs who run the radio stations today. This is what happens when you can make money without having to break a sweat. The old rural guys have to work in the field to make their living.

For example: Why is Pitbull on every dodgam station, except country, lite AC or rock? What kind of consultants does Pitbull have that can get him on whatever radio station he likes? Same with Adele, Ke$ha, Jay-Z and Beyonce. Then you have like 1,000,000 collaborations of where some no-name rapper is paired with a teenybopper, American-Idol-like singer that currently infests what used to be called top 40 radio.

I'm 40 years old and non-white. I happen to think there's too much diversity in radio and we should stop being so politically correct. Why did the top 40 radio station, the rock station, the oldies station, the Spanish station, the rap station have to disappear?! Now we have this Adultcontemrhymicurbanyabbadabbahotwhatever that seems to be all the rage these days. Nothing but all goo, all the time! (Hey, I'll trademark that statement ;D )

The point is there must be more separation of the formats, not less. Just my opinion.

 

[amfmxm]

Stationlesslistener, you must live in a community with very limited radio options. I live in a small city (30,000) literally out in the woods, yet we have about two dozen local radio signals, including a CHR, three AC stations (one soft, one mainstream, and one "adult hits"), 2 country stations, 3 rockers (one classic rock, one active rock and one somewhere in-between), a Christian rock station, a Christian Contemporary, 2 "preaching & teaching" religious stations (+ another handful of FM translators relaying distant/national religious stations), a public station that plays folk, jazz & classical music + NPR news & feature programs, a student-run college station that plays active rock & indie rock, hip-hop, and "world music," a Classic Country station, two sports/sports-talk stations, three conservative talk stations. Whew! And I know I'm missing some! And, no, this ain't New York or LA--we're truly out in the middle of nowhere.

Me? Oh, I listen to ridiculously narrow niche stations on Sirius/XM where I know that there can't be more than a half-dozen listeners worldwide.

And you can't find something to listen to?

 

[TVradioguru]

While the new urban-rural may have something to do with the state of radio today, I think there's a bigger factor going on: the consolidation of radio station into giant clusters by four or five conglomerates. These, in turn, are heavily influenced by consultants who have tastes that would be considered weird by my standards. They have a lot of pull with the execs who run the radio stations today. This is what happens when you can make money without having to break a sweat. The old rural guys have to work in the field to make their living.

Do you have any knowledge with what radio consultants do? Or are you just making assumptions based on no knowledge of the subject at all? The reason I ask is your statement couldn't be further off base. I would be happy to explain what programming consultants do if you REALLY want to learn. If however you would like to make cliche' things up and make statements as if they were fact, then I won't waste the time in pressing the keys on the keyboard.

 

[jackandcoke]

Gotta agree with TVradioguru on this one. No licensee that I've ever known has ever turned over decision-making authority to programming consultants. The best consultants work with local programmers. They do a lot of listening--to the local ATs, PDs, OMs, GMs, MMs and to other radio stations in the market, and they share observations and recommendations on how to do things more effectively and/or more efficiently. But the notion that consultants actually program client radio stations is pretty much an "urban legend."

Now, having said all that, are there large radio companies who have a VP/Programming or Regional programmers who do have more authority than consultants? Sure. But, still, most corporate broadcasters still want the local guys to be in charge. Because if they're not, the guys back at HQ don't know who to fire. Accountability.

 

[Groove1670]

Small market radio will continue to survive as long as the station is involved with the community. Music is secondary in a small market. Community involvement is first.

 

[TVradioguru]

Interesting statement! So are you claiming that in the likely situation where signals from large or medium markets are available to listeners in a small market area, that the level of community involvement of the local small market station will make the difference as to which station or stations listeners gravitate toward?

And could you please define "community involvement", or at least some examples of effective community involvement that trumps the need for appealing music or other programming?

 

[Goat Rodeo Cowboy]

And could you please define "community involvement", or at least some examples of effective community involvement that trumps the need for appealing music or other programming?

I started this thread and purposely left some of the definitions vague just to see where the conversation would take us. I am prepared to respond to your request for definitions... but while I think about the response, I have a curiosity question for you.

Have you ever lived in a "small market" in the sense of the threads title: not a small town within metro area, but a "small market" in a rural setting. I'm thinking of places like Abeline, KS or Wausau, WI or Staunton, VA. Maybe Hazard, KY or Crossville, TN or Magnolia, AR or Port Angeles, WA.

Have you done a significant amount of consulting for stations in markets of that ilk?

Just how granular do I need to be in my examples of "community involvement"?

 

[jackandcoke]

Small town or small market stations that do a great on-air job with local news, local sports, local (non-profit) community events and maintain a high level of visibility and personal interaction can hold their own against outside bigger market signals.

It is much harder work than just spinning tunes, but it has worked for many, many years. There are hundreds (or thousands) of examples across the country.

So this is not a deep, dark secret.

 

[TVradioguru]

Have you ever lived in a "small market" in the sense of the threads title: not a small town within metro area, but a "small market" in a rural setting. I'm thinking of places like Abeline, KS or Wausau, WI or Staunton, VA. Maybe Hazard, KY or Crossville, TN or Magnolia, AR or Port Angeles, WA.

Have you done a significant amount of consulting for stations in markets of that ilk?

Just how granular do I need to be in my examples of "community involvement"?

No I have never personally lived in what could be considered a small market, (grew up in the Cincinnati area) but I do have close friends who own radio properties in small markets. I talk to them frequently about the challenges they face and have helped them from a minimal consulting role. Most of my clients are in large markets, but have worked with some 100+ groups.

Regarding definition of community involvement that makes a difference, I was looking for actual recent examples that small market stations have been successful with. Ones that I can think of may include sponsoring by cash or promotion, of local community events. Doing free PSA's on the station for community groups, going to rotary club meetings? Some think 'trad-eio' is community based, but I would argue that's what I consider to be NTR.

My point being is frequently some hobbyists on this board who aren't currently radio owners or management or maybe have never written a broadcast paycheck, toss out the sole reason a station succeeds or fails is based on their intrepretation of "community involvement", have no idea what it's like today. Depending on the definition, the cost being involved in the community can vary widely. Many stations, large or small today, can't afford to invest back into their communities and still make payroll or pay the rent and utility bills. Every business, whether radio or groceries, need to strike the balance between costs, including how much inventory they can give up and actual income excluding losses from advertisers, especially in small markets, defaulting on their payments.

 

[Goat Rodeo Cowboy]

Regarding definition of community involvement that makes a difference, I was looking for actual recent examples that small market stations have been successful with. Ones that I can think of may include sponsoring by cash or promotion, of local community events. Doing free PSA's on the station for community groups, going to rotary club meetings? Some think 'trad-eio' is community based, but I would argue that's what I consider to be NTR.

Excellent post! A number of years ago I worked for one of the guys who "wrote the book" on how to do small market radio.... IN THAT ERA. Jerrell Shepherd in Moberly, MO. In support of some of your positions it must be noted that his sons chose to exit the radio business two or three years ago. I don't remember the exact words but somewhere around here I have a recording of David Shepherd explaining that "it just wasn't fun any more" and they concluded they could do better things with the money they received from the sale.

About five years ago when I was giving it one last try... in hot pursuit of one least chance to have my own little teapot somewhere, I sat down and made a list of all the things I remember us doing in that era. That went in the left column. Over in the right column I began writing ideas that might be the modern day equivalent of small market service and audience building. There were oh so many things that were GOLDEN in the 60s that I could not come up with an equivalent for in today's climate.

By the way, Jerrell considered P.S.A.s to be the curse of the industry. He took great delight, with a big chip on his shoulder, of putting ZERO in the blank on the license renewal form where the question was asked: "How many Public Service Announcements per week will you run during this license period?" I think he dreamed of the day he might be called to Washington for a hearing where he could make that explanation that I can almost quote to this day.

I had look forward to sitting down with people in the community and with what little staff I would be able to afford and seeing what kind of creative answers we could have come up with for the station I so badly wanted. I knew I couldn't complete the list until there was a specific, real community to deal with. The answers would not be the same everywhere. The cornfields of Missouri need one kind of community service, the coal fields of Eastern Kentucky need different elements of community service.

 

[Groove1670]

I have never worked in a major market (and have no desire). If you managed or owned a small town radio station, you gotta like it. It's called work, and it can be rewarding. You can't sit around waiting for fax orders from agencies to come in. Your PD (If you have one) can't sit around the selector and worry about tempo and artist restrictions. You are there to serve that community. Most of the large signals don't sell or serve the small community, and the rates are out of range for most of the small business in that town. I make it a point to reach out our community. It has always worked, and our stations have been successful.

From what I heard about major market radio (and this is heresay y'all). If you're a GSM and don't make your numbers this month, you're out. If you're talent and have decent numbers, it doesn't matter, you could be out (budget cuts). Mr. PD (rather OM, if corporate doesn't allow you to change the playlist) you can generate the log after Mr. regional programmer tells you what to add, what to drop, and what goes to recurrent, and gawd forbid if the station with the same format beats you by .2 6+ in the ratings, you are toast (by the way, they play two more currents on their playlist.

I like small market radio.

 

[davideduardo]

Excellent post! A number of years ago I worked for one of the guys who "wrote the book" on how to do small market radio.... IN THAT ERA. Jerrell Shepherd in Moberly, MO. In support of some of your positions it must be noted that his sons chose to exit the radio business two or three years ago. I don't remember the exact words but somewhere around here I have a recording of David Shepherd explaining that "it just wasn't fun any more" and they concluded they could do better things with the money they received from the sale.

Lest anyone think our goat roper is exaggerating, that station in Moberly and Mr. Shepherd are legendary. The station was, until the FCC raised the day power, 250 watts on a local channel... 1340 IIRC. Not a 50 county coverage like WIBW or such. Just the local market. And it billed $1 million when stations with big ratings in top 50 markets did not do that.

I never met the owner, but I did know, over the years, a number of people who went to the school he ran for small market broadcasters. Some of the big market folks should have gone, too, as a lot had to do with serving both listeners and customers honestly.

 

[bossbill]

Regarding definition of community involvement that makes a difference, I was looking for actual recent examples that small market stations have been successful with. Ones that I can think of may include sponsoring by cash or promotion, of local community events. Doing free PSA's on the station for community groups, going to rotary club meetings? Some think 'trad-eio' is community based, but I would argue that's what I consider to be NTR.

My point being is frequently some hobbyists on this board who aren't currently radio owners or management or maybe have never written a broadcast paycheck, toss out the sole reason a station succeeds or fails is based on their intrepretation of "community involvement", have no idea what it's like today. Depending on the definition, the cost being involved in the community can vary widely. Many stations, large or small today, can't afford to invest back into their communities and still make payroll or pay the rent and utility bills. Every business, whether radio or groceries, need to strike the balance between costs, including how much inventory they can give up and actual income excluding losses from advertisers, especially in small markets, defaulting on their payments.

To us, community involvement includes participating in every community event, attending and reporting on county commision, city councils, etc., having community leaders and event organizers on the air regularly, sponsoring key fundraising events, practically living at the county fair, etc., being involved in and on boards of organizations, including Rotary Club, Economic Development Council, Chambers of Commerce, Fair Board, Art Commission, to name a few.

While a few of our organizational involvements result in direct revenue, they all help us be all we can be to the community.

Remember the line "When business is good clients can afford to advertise; when business is down, they can't afford not to"?
The same thing applies to community involvement. It absolutely needs to be part of the equation.

 

[Goat Rodeo Cowboy]

To us, community involvement includes participating in every community event, attending and reporting on county commision, city councils, etc., having community leaders and event organizers on the air regularly, sponsoring key fundraising events, practically living at the county fair, etc., being involved in and on boards of organizations, including Rotary Club, Economic Development Council, Chambers of Commerce, Fair Board, Art Commission, to name a few.

Oh, Bill, may your tribe increase!

I wandered through your market place six years ago. The kids gave Mrs. Cowboy and me a trip and we chose Washington. After spending a couple of nights in Olympia, we motored right through you part of the world right on out to Ocean Shores where we had lunch, and then headed north up through the reservations on our way to Port Angeles.

Doing radio where you are is just a little bit different than Dallas or Charlotte or Chicago. ;D