WHAT IS THE REASON FOR RADIO?

[TheBigA]

There are still a few members of the Greatest Generation around, and many of them are appalled at the lack of vision exhibited by people and corporations.

Really? You have some quotes you'd like to share? Sumner Redstone runs Viacom, and he's of that generation.

 

[PirateJohnny]

To me, "What is the reason for radio?" sounds like the question is "Why is there radio?". That's a long story. In the beginning it was a novelty, transmitting sound wirelessly. Then one day a tailor realized he could tell the people listening to that novelty about his clothing store. The broadcaster realized if he could help the tailor make money he should share in that profit.

I have talked to tour groups visiting the various (TV) stations i have worked and explained to them that "The business of broadcasting is providing an audience for the advertisers message". You can't break it down any simpler than that.

Yeah. That seems to size it up.

Or does it.

What then is the explanation for public radio? What then is the explanation for the small transmitters giving tourist info, or road detour information? A radio story built simply on the idea tha the advertiser is the center of the universe doesn't seem fully robust. How do you explain what radio does in European countries where it is a government service.

Ah, now discussion begins. I told the general story/overview of how commercial radio in the United States developed. There are always "buts" to any explanation. Public broadcasting developed because someone saw a niche they thought they could serve. They sold sponsorships instead of commercial minutes. In other countries the government wanted total control of the airwaves and the information that could be disseminated.

If you don't think listeners can revolt, study the 60s Pirate Radio phenomenon around Western Europe. BBC stations in England now play popular music, not at all like the 60s BBC programming.

Yes, that's putting it very simply, but it you've been a 'student" of broadcasting for a few decades you understand my comments, and probably agree.

 

[TheBigA]

Public broadcasting developed because someone saw a niche they thought they could serve. They sold sponsorships instead of commercial minutes.

Not true. Public broadcasting grew out of the old educational broadcasting system that began at colleges. But the term Public Broadcasting grew out of a 1961 speech made by former FCC Chairman Newton Minnow, who described commercial TV as a "vast wasteland."

Read about it here: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wasteland_Speech

As part of LBJ's Great Society program, Congress funded the creation of PBS and NPR, two primarily government funded entities, whose purpose was to create great programming without regard to ratings, advertising, or stockholders. Fiften years later, most of the system was destroyed by Ronald Reagan, and the broadcasters then sought corporate sponsorships.

 

[GeneSavage]

Pandora "the largest adult 18-49 radio network in the U.S." in March:
http://kurthanson.com/news/pandora-%22-largest-adult-18-49-radio-network-us%22-march

...I think the listeners already ARE beginning to revolt...

 

[davideduardo]

How do you explain what radio does in European countries where it is a government service.

I would take issue with that statement. Most radio listening is to commercial stations in essentially all the European nations, ranging from Latvia to Portugal.

In some nations the government broadcasters have a decent share of listening... with the BBC being a good example. But even in England the commercial shares are huge (a parallel to the CBC can perhaps be made here). But whether it be Spain or Hungary or Italy or France, nearly all the listening in most of Europe is to commercial radio... nearly all of it on FM, too.

 

[davideduardo]

If you don't think listeners can revolt, study the 60s Pirate Radio phenomenon around Western Europe. BBC stations in England now play popular music, not at all like the 60s BBC programming.

Only two nations were affected for any period of time by pirates in the 60's: England and Holland. England spawned Caroline and a variety of lesser pirates, and Holland's Veronica was quite successful. Elsewhere, there was little pirate activity.

Much of England had had exposure to commercial pop radio for many years prior to the pirates in the form of Radio Luxembourg on 1439: they generated huge ratings in in the places they could be heard, mostly at night. And France had both Radio Monte Carlo 1466 and the two Andorra stations, although the influence was stronger in Southern France.

It can be said that the British pirates reacted as much to Luxembourg's success despite a lack of a solid signal over London in the daytime as to what the Bebe did or did not do.

There was no more a listener revolt anywhere in Europe than there was in Omaha in '52 when Storz put Top 40 on KOWH and decimated KFAB and WOW.

As for the rest of Western Europe... there was no revolt, either. Spain, for example, had a national network of commercial Top 40 FMs in 1966, long before the format had any independent presence on FM in the US.

 

[PirateJohnny]

Public broadcasting developed because someone saw a niche they thought they could serve. They sold sponsorships instead of commercial minutes.

Not true. Public broadcasting grew out of the old educational broadcasting system that began at colleges. But the term Public Broadcasting grew out of a 1961 speech made by former FCC Chairman Newton Minnow, who described commercial TV as a "vast wasteland."

Read about it here: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wasteland_Speech

As part of LBJ's Great Society program, Congress funded the creation of PBS and NPR, two primarily government funded entities, whose purpose was to create great programming without regard to ratings, advertising, or stockholders. Fiften years later, most of the system was destroyed by Ronald Reagan, and the broadcasters then sought corporate sponsorships.

I would call that a "niche". As I said this was putting it very simply. I was trying to sum things up in just a few sentences, so obviously some background facts weren't mentioned.

 

[PirateJohnny]

If you don't think listeners can revolt, study the 60s Pirate Radio phenomenon around Western Europe. BBC stations in England now play popular music, not at all like the 60s BBC programming.

Only two nations were affected for any period of time by pirates in the 60's: England and Holland. England spawned Caroline and a variety of lesser pirates, and Holland's Veronica was quite successful. Elsewhere, there was little pirate activity.

Much of England had had exposure to commercial pop radio for many years prior to the pirates in the form of Radio Luxembourg on 1439: they generated huge ratings in in the places they could be heard, mostly at night. And France had both Radio Monte Carlo 1466 and the two Andorra stations, although the influence was stronger in Southern France.

It can be said that the British pirates reacted as much to Luxembourg's success despite a lack of a solid signal over London in the daytime as to what the Bebe did or did not do.

There was no more a listener revolt anywhere in Europe than there was in Omaha in '52 when Storz put Top 40 on KOWH and decimated KFAB and WOW.

As for the rest of Western Europe... there was no revolt, either. Spain, for example, had a national network of commercial Top 40 FMs in 1966, long before the format had any independent presence on FM in the US.

I was basically referring to listener's influence over the programming the BBC decided to offer as a result to the audience the pirate stations attracted by playing current popular music. I mentioned Western Europe because pirate broadcast activity was not limited to England. If the BBC had offered a good choice of current popular music, there would have been no need for the pirate stations on the scale that existed.

I'd like to look into the KOWH/KFAB/WOW story. Looks like interesting reading. Any good summaries anywhere?

 

[Goat Rodeo Cowboy]

In other countries the government wanted total control of the airwaves and the information that could be disseminated.

You make it sound like "government" is some kind of Frankenstein Monster who lives in a castle turret and always reaches out to devour freedom and other good things any time it gets a chance. Is there any possibility the the people of Europe actually elect people to their parliaments who actually talk and negotiate and deliver a concept that the people want?

I understand that our country has oodles and gobs of people who are convinced that government is a living being with purple blood in it's veins and that our next national hero will be the person who can drive a stake through the heart of "government". But surely the mature and sophisticated people of Europe are not victim to a similar monster.

Yes, that's putting it very simply, but it you've been a 'student" of broadcasting for a few decades you understand my comments, and probably agree.

Well Johnny.... think about admitting that the people you are conversing with may have some credentials that entitle them to get into the same conversational ring with you. I remember sitting on the floor watching my mother clip a map out of the newspaper and using a straight pin to tack it to the wallpaper just to one side of the battery powered table radio out on the farm. When the news came on reporting whatever news about the European front that the censors would allow to come through, she would compare the spoken words to the places on her map. There were names like Patton and Eisenhower in those reports.

I remember listening to radio speeches by that Roosevelt fellow.

Next month it will be 56 years ago that I sat down in front of the console at KBBA in Benton, AR and "cracked the mic" for my very first station break... my very first job in radio.

How many more decades do you want me to be a 'student of broadcasting' before I am qualified to share one of these forum spaces with you?

Let's talk radio. We can learn from each other. The younger set can learn from both of us.... and we can learn from them. Trading put-downs is not productive for us, or for anyone else that wanders into this little "chat room".

 

[TheBigA]

Pandora "the largest adult 18-49 radio network in the U.S." in March:
http://kurthanson.com/news/pandora-%22-largest-adult-18-49-radio-network-us%22-march

...I think the listeners already ARE beginning to revolt...

That's like saying the use of automobiles was a revolt against the horse. It really wasn't. They're not the same thing.

Pandora does things that radio simply can't do. So it's not a revolt, because most of the Pandora users also listen to OTA radio.

 

[TheBigA]

I would call that a "niche". As I said this was putting it very simply. I was trying to sum things up in just a few sentences, so obviously some background facts weren't mentioned.

The people who created it weren't marketers looking for an audience to reach. They were policy wonks and career politicians thinking about public service and education. Building schools and funding lunch programs isn't about serving niches.

 

[davideduardo]

I'd like to look into the KOWH/KFAB/WOW story. Looks like interesting reading. Any good summaries anywhere?

http://www.davidgleason.com/KOWH_Birth_of_Top-40.htm has the story and audio clips.

Also go to the Broadcasting Magazine search page at www.americanradiohistory.com and enter KOWH and search only 1951, 1952 and 1953 for a lot more on it.

http://www.americanradiohistory.com/Broadcasting_Individual_Issues_Guide.htm

 

[TheBigA]

Is there any possibility the the people of Europe actually elect people to their parliaments who actually talk and negotiate and deliver a concept that the people want?

True...Americans are usually surprised to learn that the people of Germany elected Adolf Hitler. There was no coup or revolt. He offered a vision that the people wanted. People want leadership, not a bunch of dueling agendas. One of the advantages of government-owned media is it isn't beholden to owners, advertisers, or stockholders. So the radio station can program what's good, rather than what sells.

 

[Goat Rodeo Cowboy]

Is there any possibility the the people of Europe actually elect people to their parliaments who actually talk and negotiate and deliver a concept that the people want?

True...Americans are usually surprised to learn that the people of Germany elected Adolf Hitler. There was no coup or revolt. He offered a vision that the people wanted.

Yes, I think about that now and then. That is why every approaching election cycle scares the living hell out of me! I would feel a little safer if I thought broadcasters were truly forcing the candidates and the parties to present themselves with a bit more bare skin, a bit more nakedness. If our country of freedom ever goes down the tubes, it probably won't be a communist under every bed conspiracy.... it will be some Pied-Piper who charms US into nakedness as we cast our ballots.

So, let's put that on the list of answers for the question of the OP: "What is the reason for radio?" Answer: To deliver truth to the people. Who was the guy in ancient mythology running around with a lantern looking for a truthful man? Let's see if he is available to serve on the FCC. So, we need Plato for President and Diogenes for FCC Commissioner. Talk about Wall Street reform!

 

[davideduardo]

I mentioned Western Europe because pirate broadcast activity was not limited to England.

Yes, there was also a pirate broadcasting to Holland, Europe's equivalent of Rhode Island.

None of the other Western European countries had any significant and lasting pirate activity in the 60's. I think someone very briefly tried doing a ship off of Stockhölm or somesuch, but nothing else lasted at all...

 

[TheBigA]

"What is the reason for radio?" Answer: To deliver truth to the people.

Funny...so if someone DID deliver the truth, would anyone listen? Or would that station be downed out by interference from people preventing the message from being heard?

 

[PirateJohnny]

This thread is becoming the first thing I go to when I log on the internet. I see a lot of interesting ideas and theories being tossed out for discussion. Through my years in "the biz" I've come to a lot of conclusions and developed some ideas and theories and it's great seeing them dissected here.

I think there have been several reasons for radio. They have changed with technology and the listeners acceptance of new ideas.

 

[davideduardo]

One of the advantages of government-owned media is it isn't beholden to owners, advertisers, or stockholders. So the radio station can program what's good, rather than what sells.

I worked for a number of years in Argentina, where at one earlier point the Perón government not only ran for its own benefit the state radio operation, they also "intervened" in the operation of private stations. Again during the years of the military government (notable for the Falkland Island war) they used the state radio operation for their own benefit. Today, the Peronist Party president has legislated that a third of all stations be run by the state, and the remainder will be subject to strict controls or shut down... something that has already happened.

The government station had nothing, ever, that was remotely listenable.

During another decade, I was in a different South American nation where the government station was neither good nor anything but a haven for the administration's cronies to draw a check from without showing up for work.

Today, the same concept of bad government radio accompanied by a collective muzzle on independent broadcasters is being applied by Hugo Chávez in Venezuela. Many radio stations... as many as a quarter of all of them... have been nationalized, and one of the two principal TV operations was closed and nationalized.

Cuba has only state run radio. It is both rather terrible as well as engaging in "truth modification" of a constant and horrible form.

Whatever the sins of commercial radio, they are minor, while those of government operated radio in most of the world are mortal sins. This is like comparing the stupidity and banal content of Jersey Shore to the evil of Hitler, Pol Pot Idi Amin.

 

[TheBigA]

Whatever the sins of commercial radio, they are minor, while those of government operated radio in most of the world are mortal sins. This is like comparing the stupidity and banal content of Jersey Shore to the evil of Hitler, Pol Pot Idi Amin.

The problem there isn't government-run media, but the government....period. Those types of government wouldn't allow Jersey Shore or rap music or anything like American commercial radio. However, if you go to The Netherlands, Poland, or Germany, you'll find some pretty good state-run radio. And certainly the BBC and the CBC do quality work.

 

[davideduardo]

I'd like to look into the KOWH/KFAB/WOW story. Looks like interesting reading. Any good summaries anywhere?

An expanded version of the KOWH "Birth of Top 40" story is now at http://www.americanradiohistory.com/KOWH_Birth_of_Top-40.htm