what do you think of the article in forbes?

[whoisthelastdj]

http://www.forbes.com/2006/11/22/radio-deejay-returns-biz-cx_tvr_1124radio_print.html

 

[SaltyDog]

http://www.forbes.com/2006/11/22/radio-deejay-returns-biz-cx_tvr_1124radio_print.html

My first thought is that it's not very well-written. It's not so much an article as it is a collection of short sentences thrown randomly together.

Aside from that, there isn't anything new or original. Radio is undergoing costcutting and needs to return to it's local roots to remain competitive. Wow, what insight!

It seems logical that radio DOES need to go back to being local so as to differentiate itself from the satellite, Internet and iPod iterations of radio. But this is hardly a new thought and it's not news when a magazine writer advances the theory for the thousandth time.

What would be news would be if a broadcaster of any size announced it's new strategy of pursuing aggressive localism as a strategy and then budgeted for the higher costs of doing that in 2007. Localism ain't cheap, hence its unpopularity with managers and owners.

 

[lash]

My small AM station in Tennessee will make a giant leap starting on January 8th going live and local all day. Two former major market air talents are leaving their respective homes to move here to join us. Our night shift will be used as a training ground for any young and aspiring announcers to hone their talents. Who's training high schoolers or college students for our business anymore?

Loved the Forbes article! On December 11th in Nashville, I will be giving testimony to the FCC Commissioners on how Clear Channel has destroyed the radio business, and how local small broadcasters that are thinkers, can work to save it.

 

[SaltyDog]

My small AM station in Tennessee will make a giant leap starting on January 8th going live and local all day. Two former major market air talents are leaving their respective homes to move here to join us. Our night shift will be used as a training ground for any young and aspiring announcers to hone their talents. Who's training high schoolers or college students for our business anymore?

Hopefully, your pitch to locals that you are pursuing live local radio all day will be a business success. I wouldn't want to to own a radio station just to train teenagers. That's a side benefit, or should be.

On December 11th in Nashville, I will be giving testimony to the FCC Commissioners on how Clear Channel has destroyed the radio business, and how local small broadcasters that are thinkers, can work to save it.

If you enjoy giving testimony, I guess that will be enjoyable for you. As for me, it has as much appeal as standing before town council and making a speech about how some developer is ruining our community by building a new [insert project here].

In my view, Clear Channel didn't "destroy" the radio business any more than Henry Ford "destroyed" the transportaton business. His career coincided with tremendous upheaval but it would have happened with our without him.

 

[radioman1380]

lash,

Congratulations and my utmost gratitude to you on your AM station plans. That is what true radio is all about. I started at a small station back in 1969 after graduating from high school. After being a DJ, program director, station manager, general manager and station owner, I've seen many changes in the industry. Most of them not positive.

I hope all goes well at the FCC hearings in Nashville. I'll keep my fingers crossed that the small broadcasters, along with the American public can convince the bureaucrats that changes need to be made. I just hope they're not 'bought' by the NAB, networks and the conglomerates into relaxing the regs.

Although it's easy to pick on Clear Channel, which I love to do...what they did was take advantage of a poor decision by President Clinton to sign into law the Communications Act of 1996 which, I heard, he now admits as a big mistake.

 

[kaufcom]

In my view, Clear Channel didn't "destroy" the radio business any more than Henry Ford "destroyed" the transportaton business. His career coincided with tremendous upheaval but it would have happened with our without him.

This is a terrible analogy. Henry Ford created the automobile industry by making cars affordable to average americans. (Prior to Ford cars were considered luxury items.) CC has downsized and homogenized a rubust radio industry that had been existence for 75 years, before they got into the business. They have no added any value to the industry (unless you think the "less is more" intiative adds value.)