Should DJs Pick Some of Their Own Music?

[kevinsealy]

This is about DJs picking four out of 13 which is the average number of songs a station plays an hour, because some stations rotate about 400-500 per week.

The old WNEW-FM during their glory years from 1967-the mid 1980s allowed their personalities to pick their own music. There was no playlist. And the songs picked by Scott Muni and Pete Fornatale was consistant with the station's format.

If a station's air talent were allowed to pick some of their own songs, this may increase the number of songs a station rotatates. But would this lead to an increase in listenership (Cume or TSL)?




Thanks,
Kevin L. Sealy

 

[dcowboy7]

No.

 

[stevensonair]

It's interesting people are so quick to say no when it's one of the few things left radio COULD try against the increased competition. If the contemporary wisdom is that listeners are picking a lot of their own music from other sources, I can see where in some formats, and depending on the talent, giving them a slot to pick a song now and then wouldn't necessarily harm the station.

But it would have to be done with very experienced, aware talent in the right format, and staged properly. It's not for everyone or every station, or even most.

 

[Silkie]

But it would have to be done with very experienced, aware talent in the right format, and staged properly. It's not for everyone or every station, or even most.

Exactly right, given some who cannot or perhaps will not, even properly handle what is in their tray, as it were.

 

[WNTIRadio]

Even in the 1980's, the WNEW jocks weren't picking their own music. And even when it was "free form", there were still guidelines and new music rotations. Of course, getting everyone to be honest with the rotations when a song they didn't like came up was the challenge at best.

A former colleague of mine once said "even free range chickens live in large pens" in reference to free form radio. Unless, as stated, the individual had great talent coupled with extreme discipline and restraint (those two hardly ever wind up going together) it's going to become "playing record collection and my favorites".

 

[werecat]

I'm neither from New York nor an "insider" with access to research. But this question seems like one that someone from anywhere could answer.

So... as a listener, I personally wouldn't have a problem with one person picking some of the music. A DJ could pick a few songs that they like or have a "gut feeling" about, like maybe really late at night or during some kind of specialty show where listeners are encouraged to voice their opinion about the song. And if enough people like a certain song, then that song could become a regional hit and maybe even influence radio stations all over the world.

The key word though is "some". One person or a small group of people shouldn't have so much power that they can only play the songs that they like and refuse to play a popular song just because they don't like it. All songs that are top 40 and are highly requested songs and in the rotation should be played. For example, a CHR/Pop should be playing all of the hits, including the rap songs, even if someone at the station hates rap music.

I can only pick up four FM stations from where I live. The Internet is a big source of music for me. I like stations that seem a little different, where someone was probably allowed to pick some of the songs. So I'm fascinated by this topic and will be sure to check out this topic again when it has more replies.

 

[TheBigA]

The old WNEW-FM during their glory years from 1967-the mid 1980s allowed their personalities to pick their own music.

I seem to recall from either Pete's or Dick's book that the policy of allowing DJs to pick their own music ended pretty quickly, as the station sought to tighten their sound. The exceptions to that policy were Vin Scelsa's Idiot's Delight and Muni's "Things From England."

The reality is it's not the 70s anymore, and DJ's aren't hired for their music knowledge. In fact, even back in the day, music knowledge was only a requirement at specialty stations like WQXR, WNCN, or WRVR. The idea that DJs have actual knowledge of the music they play is mythology. And the real legal issue radio stations deal with is payola. When DJs like Alan Freed picked music, he played songs for a kickback. That's why at WINS, DJs were not allowed to pick their music. When I was first hired as a DJ, I was allowed ONE song an hour of my choice, but it had to be drawn from the station library. The rest followed a very strict format.

As for DJ picks increasing TSL, they don't have access to the research, so it would be accidental, not scientific. This assumes listeners actually want to hear what a DJ likes. Most of my DJ friends don't listen to the music they play in their free time. One very well known rock DJ was once asked if he listened to heavy metal at home, and he said "No, I prefer Bill Evans and Errol Garner. But if I played them on the radio, I couldn't afford this nice house."

This is a great idea for a specialty show on Sunday night. But the rest of the time should follow the format. Being on the radio isn't playtime. It's a job. The goal is to attract listeners and make money. If you want to play radio, do it on your own time.

 

[Goat Rodeo Cowboy]

This is a great idea for a specialty show on Sunday night. But the rest of the time should follow the format. Being on the radio isn't playtime. It's a job. The goal is to attract listeners and make money. If you want to play radio, do it on your own time.

Detroit doesn't let assembly line workers paint the cars whatever color the workers would prefer that day?

 

[oldies76]

This is about DJs picking four out of 13 which is the average number of songs a station plays an hour, because some stations rotate about 400-500 per week.

The old WNEW-FM during their glory years from 1967-the mid 1980s allowed their personalities to pick their own music. There was no playlist. And the songs picked by Scott Muni and Pete Fornatale was consistant with the station's format.

If a station's air talent were allowed to pick some of their own songs, this may increase the number of songs a station rotatates. But would this lead to an increase in listenership (Cume or TSL)?

Yes, they should to an extent. As long as their same "personal favorites" are not played on every shift, then it should be allowed. Heck, the on-air talent at KWVE 107.9 back in the late 80's to about 1994 (when I left), were allowed to pick any song they desired, as long as certain rules were followed. Discussions of a controlled playlist were mentioned but was never implemented before 1994.

As for classic hit stations, the two extra "lost hits" per hour would come into play. In addition to the "tested" songs airing, a DJ choosing two "lost hits" (or songs that never air otherwise) would be a great idea, as long as the same two were not repeated every day. Just an idea.

 

[oldies76]

Exactly why a few talent out there sound like the 70's or 80's never existed! For a talent to mis-pronounce or give an incorrect song title, an artist or to give the incorrect year it was released..etc..etc.. is just crazy. Music knowledge should be a bonus and some of that trivia should be passed on to the listener, in moderation. For someone who was barely alive in 1977 and to say the "Saturday Night Fever" album was released in 1979 (an example obviously...but you know where I'm getting at....) is just stupid.

DJ's must have some in-depth knowledge about their job, on what they are presenting to us.
Would you be satisified leaving an electronic store, after dealing with an employee who knew barely little, on that Blu Ray player you were hoping to buy, but didn't?? Same thing applies.

 

[Goat Rodeo Cowboy]

DJ's must have some in-depth knowledge about their job, on what they are presenting to us.
Would you be satisified leaving an electronic store, after dealing with an employee who knew barely little, on that Blu Ray player you were hoping to buy, but didn't?? Same thing applies.

I can't remember the last time I left an electronics store feeling that I had just dealt with an employee who knew what he/she was talking about. A couple of years ago I had a reason for wanting to buy a "telephone modem" like we used 20 years ago. I asked an associate in the big-box electronics store if they had any? Sure! And he took me to the area where they had LAN Routers and Cable MODEMS. I smiled and said, "No, I'm looking for a PHONE LINE MODEM so I can use my computer to send a receive FAX copies." He assured me I was a dumb-ass who had no idea of reality.

I assured him that the feeling was mutual.

If he was lucky, maybe he got hired the next week to be a DJ who didn't know his music. ;D

 

[TheBigA]

Would you be satisified leaving an electronic store, after dealing with an employee who knew barely little, on that Blu Ray player you were hoping to buy, but didn't?? Same thing applies.

Have you been to an electronics store lately? I have, and their product knowledge is awful.

The DJ's job is to be pleasent, friendly, funny, and organized. He's not there to educate.

And my advice to anyone, regardless of if they're a DJ or an electronics salesman (I've been both) is if you don't actually know, don't guess. Saying nothing is better than saying something that's wrong.

 

[Seltzer]

This is an easy question to answer. Absolutely not. Stations (at least some) pay good money to research the LISTENERS what they want to hear. It's about the listeners experience not the jocks. Just do your show prep, be relatable and likeable, and everything else will fall into place.

 

[wadio]

This isn't just a radio issue ... it's how business is done today.

In the past, the objective was to hire an employee who had the capacity to make decisions within the general guidelines of the organization. Today's ideal employee is one who asks not, "Will this decision solve a problem ... does it make sense?" Today's "Employee Of The Year" will ask, "Does it comply with the written rules for employees ... can I justify my actions with a quote from the employee handbook?" Management and legal strive to make sure employees avoid ever using common sense.

In corporate America there are perils everywhere ... lawyers under every rock. If DJs were allowed to pick their own music, who knows what could happen!

 

[Lamont Lester]

Detroit doesn't let assembly line workers paint the cars whatever color the workers would prefer that day?

Well said. And concise. Especially for GRC.

 

[Barry]

When WRXP (the original version) took to the air, the press releases indicated that the DJ's would select at least some of the music that would be played. I am skeptical that was really true.
And even if it was, the station was not exactly a successful model to be emulated.

 

[stevensonair]

I believe there are some stations that allow a DJ to swap out a track or pick one an hour. I think WXRT in Chicago allows it in some music slots. Not a pick out of format, but within the bounds of the library and rotation categories.

I'd also note in a lot of very small market operations, there's a bit of DJ freedom simply because of the full service nature of the format. If you're in a small market setting and have to backtime to things live or be flexible in lengths, sometimes the DJ is picking to fill X amount of time and might end up playing their picks within the format/library.

I'm not an advocate for breaking format, or returning to the days of "freeform" radio - but I can see there being ways to stage it where with the right DJ, it might work in moderation.

 

[secondchoice]

I have had scramble the playlist for timing issues, but I only swapped or just deleted songs due to commercial loads. Some stations had "timed" songs in the cart rack with a fad at the end for timing issues. I never worked at one but some stations actually let the DJ's submit songs to the music director. It is always best to follow the playlist

 

[Silkie]

Most might think it is best to submit to the authority of the program director, but when a dj just has to answer into the air that one song heard on weekend programming that isn't on the playlist, sometimes (like every time they turn around) the dj just really finds it necessary to address such a thing for some reason.

 

[Bob1370]

What format are we talking about? It matters. Some formats benefit from a little creativity in music selection while others don't.

If it's a classic hits or new rock station, for reasons specific to the format, you may want to give the personality some segments during the hour when he or she picks some of the music. It can even be an audience-building feature. In the case of a classic hits station, the personality may be able to dig out and then tell a story about a forgotten hit, forgotten artist or one hit wonder and share some fun with the listener. (I know of at least one classic hits jock in a large market who regularly programs a "forgotten 45" segment out of his own collection every evening...they sell it as a premium availability on the show.) New rock formats can give each jock a chance to spotlight an emerging artist he//she thinks has potential, and that can also be a spotlight segment for a daypart.

AC? you may be able to let the jock have a little flexibility in picking a recurrent or oldie, but not in the current music on your playlist...and ithe occasional off-format cut should never be a song that wasn't, at one point or another, a recognized hit, except a very occasional song a little off the beaten path that was done by one of your station's core artists but maybe never got broken out as a single, only as an album cut. (And it better be a good one, not a filler or a stinker.)

CHR and its country cousin, modern country, are different stories. There, the station's music director or PD ought to be holding regular music meetings, and that's where the personalities as a group, under the PD's direction, ought to pick the new adds to the playlist--which in turn ought to take a fixed place in the overall music rotation. What gets on the air shouldn't be one jock's whim. In CHR, and in contemporary country as well, the music needs to be built around the hits, and the new releases you expect will become hits, and the way the jocks break the envelope should be in what they say, not what they play.