Citadel Broadcasting files for bankruptcy

Word is that Citadel Broadcasting isn't going to make the January 15, 2010 deadline for its unsecured creditors and has filed for bankruptcy today. Yes, today, Sunday December 20. The filing reportedly lists a debt of $2.5 billion, while the Wall Street Journal reports that Citadel would emerge from this filing with a debt of $762 million.

how to spread HD Radio

It continues to amaze me how radio expects other media and outside companies to help the industry push HD Radio on consumers.

At least this year there have been some HD Radio stations worth listening to in the form of true niche programming which is current. That is a big improvement from the earlier days when many of the channels were merely an extension of a current format, or a place to put a struggling music format that hardly attracted an audience of people that could easily hear it.

Now, the radio honchos continue to push to have HD Radio in MP3 players and now in some of the more advanced phone systems. I just read about a new application for the Ipod Touch to add HD Radio channels. Yet, this application, if I understand right, costs $80.

You have got to be kidding!

Do they really think someone is going to pay $80 for HD Radio channels? Isn't the reason they own an MP3 player to hear the music they WANT? Consumers can each purchase hours and hours of songs for that same $80 and continue to have a choice.

I have also raised the point numerous times that if radio had continued to expand its playlists in the various formats over the years and treat the music like they used to, there wouldn't have been the demand for MP3 players to the point where the majority of people seem to have them now.

Between the 500 song playlists and clusters of commercials every half hour, it's no wonder people shell out for MP3 players. But asking us to shell out for HD Radio is a bit overboard.

The radio stations which are struggling to maintain decent audience levels as it is are, understandably, looking for additional revenue. They see HD channels as eventually being additional opportunities to sell commercial time. Yet, at this time, there is far too small of an HD Radio audience for that to happen.

If the radio stations launching HD channels truly want HD Radio to succeed, they should take matters into their own hands. Give away HD Radios. If I have more and better choices at no additional cost, maybe I won't need my MP3 player as much. Maybe consumers could think twice about paying for satellite radio.

Instead, these radio stations and companies think that consumers will actually shell out $80 to over $100 to sample HD Radio - in today's economy. No wonder they gave a channel and no one heard.

Here is one solution. Radio stations continue to do trade-outs and barter. I have to believe that some electronics store or chain would like to have extensive air time. Suppose that "Joe's Electronics at 1234 Main Street gives a brand new HD Radio to the 10th caller at 555-1111" every hour from 6 AM to 6 PM. Get a chain of stations involved and give out literally hundreds of HD Radios per week.

Here are the likely results. Listeners continue to hear about HD Radio and the channels that are out there, while hearing excited callers "win" them all day long. Now, from a marketing standpoint, consumers can get a "free" item delivering hours and hours of music and information they are not currently getting. Compare that to spending $100 or more for an MP3 player!

The stations are getting hundreds and eventually thousands of HD Radios into the ears of their listeners. They'll be showing and telling their friends, co-workers, and relatives about this new device they got from the station. And they'll have SAVED money vs. buying songs and devices to do the same.

The electronics retailer gets plenty of air time. On some stations the promotion time alone for the giveaway easily would exceed $80 (and that's retail) for giving away the device.

Everybody wins. And for once, radio wouldn't lose.

For that matter, it doesn't have to be only electronics outfits giving away the HD Radios. For example, a university bookstore could be the only commercials heard on an HD channel featuring independent alternative rock bands which appeal to students. The more they give away, the bigger the audience that constantly hears "their" message, while saving money by not having to spend for doing so.

You see, HD Radio actually can happen, and can make a difference. It could save me, and other listeners, money, and hold my interest, by outperforming the programming and music from satellite radio and MP3 players.

However, the radio decision makers continue to sit around wondering when other companies are going to sell enough HD Radios to make what they are doing viable. While the clock is ticking.

Gotta go now. My MP3 player has finished recharging.

Oh baby - stations promote the competition's news??

Once upon a time, air personalities and reporters would get disciplined for even mentioning the competition. These days it is becoming more commonplace.

In Chicago this morning, a WLS-TV news anchor gave birth to a baby on one of Chicago's expressways.

Yet - here is the story about it on a site that is part of WGN-TV and CLTV (the Chicago cable news outlet), as well as WGN Radio. Adding to this insanity is the link (included as of press time) right to the WLS-TV web site for the story.


http://www.chicagobreakingnews.com/2009/10/wls-ch-7-anchor-judy-hsu-gives-birth-on-the-ike.html

So why call this site "ChicagoBreakingNews.com", when it refers you to the competition, which obviously broke the story first??

I'll bet management was sitting in a meeting wondering why WGN-TV News is losing viewers of late and why WLS-TV News remains a solid #1 in the market.

It is bad enough how many media stories report what some other media news source is reporting instead of looking to break a story themselves, but this might be a new low.

I'm reporting that my own blog, RadioRecordings.blogspot.com, is complaining about this. I'd rather not credit anyone else, competition or not.

The end of an era in St. Louis

Wow. It almost seems un-American. To see the latest radio ratings for St. Louis and not see KMOX in the top spot. First time in more than 40 years that has happened.



http://blogs.riverfronttimes.com/dailyrft/2009/10/the_mighty_mox_has_fallen_kmox_out_as_no_1_station_in_st_louis.php

Now it will be interesting to see if or how the station rebounds from this.

But I have to tell you. I think this is the start of the decline of KMOX. Just like WGN in Chicago, the one-time "full service" stations have gone the more typical "radio way" and stopped caring about continuity and programming. Listeners, especially the older audience who grew up with these stations, are smart enough to notice that the effort just isn't what it used to be.

Radio "sadness" from Los Angeles

Two radio stories in the news over the past few days each bringing a different form of sadness.

First, sorry to learn of the health struggles of Bob Coburn, now even more limited in his ability to do even a weekend shift on KLOS Radio. Coburn has been a fixture on KLOS going back more than 20 years, and is also remembered fondly in Chicago from his days on WLUP around 1980. He was the first to put "Ma Nugent" (Ted's mother) on the radio and discuss the issues with her. This was in the days when album rock stations didn't do any phone bits other than the morning show, and back then most morning shows were music driven.

Next, a great memory brought back in the Los Angeles Times story about KRLA, KFWB, and KHJ and its personalities.


http://www.latimes.com/news/local/la-me-then4-2009oct04,0,3720458.story


It is great to read the memories this story brings back, but sad in the sense that it reminds us how local personalities continue to go away in practically every market.

While this is not intended to be a plug for the RadioRecordings airchecks, it might help to know that many of the Los Angeles personalities mentioned in the story are available via airchecks at http://www.MajorLeaguePrograms.com

I would be delighted to share memories that you have of these great personalities.

The dumbest radio contest so far

Like many of you, I have seen my share of radio station contests over the years, even if I haven’t gone along with very many. The purpose is supposed to be to increase listening, whether for a specific show or broadcast event, time of day, to promote the music or format being played, and/or in support of a sponsor.

But X-103.9 in Southern California may have hit a new low with their latest contest. An expensive new low. A possible $25,000 giveaway is a great prize for a local radio station. Any of us supposedly could “win”. Yet, I’m 2,000 miles away and don’t even have to listen to the station.


http://www.x1039.com/


The prize goes to the first person who can produce a $1 bill with the serial number on it they have designated for the contest. If I have read the contest right, I would have to show up with this $1 bill by this Friday and win their prize. I don’t have to listen or even have any idea of what this station does on the air.

At first, I had the fantasy that anybody would, of finding the “winning” bill and hopping on a plane and spending $1,000 of that prize money as a result of an “emergency trip” to California.

However, my marketing expertise took over. Not only is no listening required, or nothing having to do with the radio station (other than knowing the serial number for the $1 bill), but this giveaway probably has nothing to do with the local market. After all, how honest would this “contest” be if the dollar bill happened to be in that marketplace? Memories of “the last contest” and the keys to a new car but not the car itself come to mind.

I’m not saying this contest is not on the level. But I have to ask the obvious questions. How does this contest help listenership? What does it have to do with the local market? How does management justify a possible (but not likely) $25,000 giveaway based on the first two questions?

Even if someone does “win”, chances are they would come from out of the area. The publicity generated would be positive, but the publicity would go national. National publicity would not guarantee an increased audience for the station online, since the giveaway has nothing to do with the station format. And not everyone learning of this story would be compelled to listen to the station. Even for the remote possibility of winning $25,000 on a fluke.

It will be interesting to see what happens after this coming Friday (Sept. 11). If someone wins, and it is a local person, I have to believe there would be an investigation into how a specific $1 bill winds up within a specified territory for a contest. If no one wins, will the station continue the contest? Do they “really” want to give away the money?

To put a real marketing touch into this, one more question. I saw the serial number they are using for the contest. Why does it NOT include 1039 (for 103.9) anywhere in the sequence?

There is a question to ponder while trying to find a radio station worth listening to.

Tuna still has good taste

It was great to learn that Charlie Tuna continues to attract a large following of radio listeners in Los Angeles to this day. Literally.

The latest radio ratings for L. A. show that Charlie's weekend shows on K-EARTH 101 came in first in the market in every important demographic. It is a reflection of both him and the station, but mostly him since these numbers on weekends are better than KRTH does at some points during the week.

His friendly approach has come across as sincere for almost 40 years in Los Angeles. He never was the on-air character like Real Don Steele, but has always done a solid job.

Simply put, it is great to see that after all these years at least one personality isn't being replaced , toned down, or reduced to a shadow of his or herself. Congrats to Charlie on this one.

Those of you that would like to enjoy Charlie from years gone by should check out our airchecks "store" at RadioRecordings.com. We have some from his KHJ days going back as far as 1965 and then into the 70's.

KFWB Los Angeles - less news more talk ??

The Lovin' Spoonful song "Did You Ever Have To Make Up Your Mind?" might wind up as the station's jingle at this rate.

KFWB 980 Los Angeles seems to be changing their mind - again. So much for the "Hollywood news" approach they have been trying as if to differentiate from sister news station KNX of late. In a sudden twist, the station is looking to add a block of talk shows to its weekday lineup starting Sept. 8th, which is the day after Labor Day.

These will reportedly include Dr. Laura from Noon to 3 PM and east coast based Michael Smerconish from 6 to 9 PM. It could be an "all Laura" midday as Laura Ingraham is reportedly in line for 9 AM to Noon.

As of now, 6 to 9 AM will remain local news and traffic with Phil Hulett and Penny Griego, with local news and traffic from 3 to 6 PM.

This is still another chapter in the damage that consolidation has done to radio over the past 10 years. Until the zeroes, KFWB and KNX were competing for the news and information audience 24 hours a day. KNX used its CBS News affiliation to have more of a regional and national news presence, to which KFWB balanced by focusing more on local matters.

Even when it came to sports, which both stations aired at the same time, they each went for a competitive edge. KNX would concentrate more on the sports headlines of the day and focus on the local teams, while KFWB would emphasize the scoreboard after 4:00 PM every day when the games would start. The stations each had competition, and listeners had choices.

Since both stations went to the same ownership, the need to scoop and "out cover" the other station has gone bye-bye. It has gotten to the point where some of the same reporters would turn up on either station. Orange County "bureaus" opened and closed periodically. But the stations became interchangeable. The magic was gone.

Now, so is an all-news format on KFWB. And for what? Talk shows with news blocks during weekday drive times is hardly an innovation. Just ask KFI from years gone by.

Changing format to add Dr. Laura? I'll be surprised if very many listeners give them 22 minutes after Labor Day.

Your comments are welcome!

Legendary music stations start talking...........

Legendary radio stations are falling and/or changing this week around the country and in some respects this week is unlike any other during the modern radio era.

Two of the longest tenured and pioneer “album rock” stations have been declared dead within a matter of hours. WBCN Boston and its 40 year history of playing rock music are grinding to a halt within the next month. It began playing “album rock” when it was known as “underground rock” back in 1968 and in the early 70’s evolved into playing album tracks and appropriate current hits, adding new tracks each week as new releases came onto the market.

In later years, WBCN developed some popular shows and personalities, yet stayed with their core music format with the (noteworthy) exception of carrying Howard Stern for several years from the late 90’s until the end of 2005.

Meanwhile, in Louisville, WLRS began in the 70’s as that city’s album rock station. Like WBCN, it played “classic rock” before it became known as classic rock. Heck, a portion of its playlist this month has remained the same for 30+ years.

Yet, this week brings the sad news that both of these radio icons are leaving us. Mind you, not for other music. Instead, for still more talk. The Boston station is being indirectly replaced (due to related frequency moves) by a new Sports Radio station for Boston, even though WEEI Boston has been the dominant sports radio station for a few years. In Louisville, the station will change to syndicated talk shows in hopes of competing with WHAS-AM and its mostly local talk shows that have reached solid audiences for years.

It will be interesting to see if either move pays off in the long run. For now, we should all remember the “long run” that WBCN and WLRS brought to each market for generations.

94.7 KMET Los Angeles remembered - twice

After years of being forgotten on the air, all of a sudden two Los Angeles radio stations decide to honor the memory of 94.7 KMET and its days as an album rock leader in radio. Relative newcomer KSWD 100.3 in L.A. announced that this coming Friday July 10 will be “KMET Friday” with (current) host Jeff Gonzer to handle the day long collection of old airchecks and features, and on-air promos were done by Dr. Demento, who will do a one hour shift on Friday playing some of the novelty songs he aired back in the day.

Not to be outdone, the station which benefitted the most over the years from the demise of KMET, KLOS 95.5 jumped the gun this past weekend.

KLOS “just happened” to have a “Legends” weekend with memories of KMET, its former rival. Rachael Donahue shared memories on the air, and special guests included Paraquat Kelley, while comedian Frazer Smith filled in for Mark & Brian. Smith had success with his “Saturday Night Fraze” radio show with comedy and album rock back in the 80’s before winding up on a small suburban Chicago radio station years later where his past success was basically washed away.

KMET was one of the few Los Angeles radio stations in the mid-80’s to do a good job with the format and it was disappointing to many when the format was dropped in favor of “The Wave” KTWV and its near jazz format. (Or “the Grave” as many called it.) I still remember the last set of music as KMET, with Dylan’s “The Times They Are A-Changing”, followed by Bob Seger’s “Rock & Roll Never Forgets” and then ending with The Beatles “Golden Slumbers” and “The End”. Whoo-yah!

It is great that the legendary station is finally being remembered, even if twice in the same week as only today’s radio stations would.

Radio losses................

Sorry to see the recent radio “losses” which have nothing to do with cash flow and bottom line. One way or another, radio has lost 3 major contributors within the past week. Unfortunately, 2 are due to deaths.

Earl Finckle, the radio weather voice of several radio stations around the country who probably enjoyed his biggest success on Milwaukee radio for more than 30 years, passed away over the weekend. He will be remembered for his hard work of personally predicting local weather forecasts accurately enough to make his living from it year after year as much as, or even more than, his easy going radio demeanor.

We also lost long time radio and TV game show host and voice Ken Roberts over the past weekend.

Yet, the “loss” that will generate the most talk was not from a death, but from the 4th of July marking the end of a radio institution. There will probably always be a “countdown” of the top hits of the day as well as oldies lists and songs to fit whatever the format. But there will always have been only one “American Top 40”. As of this week, that is past tense.

Casey Kasem quietly aired his final “Casey’s Top 40” show this past weekend after 39 years of “counting ‘em down all the way to number one” and reaching for the stars every single week. The only good part of this is that Casey says he is not retiring and will continue working on other projects even at the age of 77. For a while, maybe we can forget about Casey losing the “American Top 40” show to another host and basically having to compete against himself, along with all of the typical radio “stuff” that was thrown his way over the past 15 years. We should remember Casey taking such a simple idea and making millions with it.

Every radio market had a “top 40” station and a survey of music sales and requests which it updated every week and caught the attention of the 12 – 34 audience around the country wondering what would be the next number 1 song. In the early 70’s, Casey managed to get a countdown show broadcast around the country, usually on a weekend shift such as Saturday night or Sunday morning.

American Top 40 was recorded early in the week and literally mailed to all of the participating radio stations on vinyl records throughout the 70’s. Each segment would be separated by grooves, just like album tracks used to be. As a result, stations could program as few or as many commercials as they could sell. Designed to be a 3 hour program, the show might end in under that time, or run 10 or 15 minutes “over”, depending on how local stations would handle it.

Somehow, the records themselves were of high enough quality not to skip or stick, as so many of our consumer LP’s would when we would play them at home. As a result, there are probably some people who just read the previous paragraph and had no idea that the show was not some sort of a live feed every weekend at the same time.

That’s the way to remember Casey. The simple idea, and making it seem dramatic as “we count down the hits until we reach the top” as if even he wasn’t sure what was coming. Add in his extras, and an occasional oldie or dedication and you had the radio show for all time. Taken from the most simple idea anyone has come up with.

I’ll admit that I probably haven’t heard a fresh “Casey’s Top 40” in at least 2 years, and didn’t even know which station aired it locally. But upon learning that he has finished doing the show, I can tell you that now there is still another void on AM/FM radio as we knew it. Thanks, Casey, and keep reaching for the stars………………

PPM ratings are the talk of the music stations

As the latest set of monthly radio ratings come out for the larger markets being measured by the PPM system, the reaction to the changes in trends across the country is becoming more widespread. Many within and outside of the industry are putting blame on the new audience measurement system (devices worn by participants which automatically detect signals and length of time listened compared with writing down stations listened to in a diary). The other school of thought is that this method is “righting a wrong” and the differences may have been the real case all along.

Having been a broadcaster, radio advertiser, and radio ad salesman over the years, along with having worked for a radio research service for a couple years, I’m going to weigh in somewhere in the middle on this one.

Music stations are way up across the country, while talk and news/talk stations have generally dropped. Based on observation, my feeling is that talk (including news and sports) stations may no longer be getting the ratings status they used to enjoy, but probably remain the better buy for advertisers seeking that audience. Even if or as talk stations show a reduced audience in comparison, they remain more aggressively listened to than music stations.

If you are listening for news headlines, an interview, or a live report, chances are that station will have your full attention more often than when music is playing. It is human nature. Talk is less likely to be a background. On the other hand, music stations are often playing while people are talking with each other, working, doing household chores, walking, driving, or some form of activity requiring at least a portion of their attention.

My theory on this goes as follows. When people (participating in the ratings via whichever method) are listening to news, talk, or sports, they are paying close attention, even if for 5 to 15 minutes. The commercials they hear stand a better chance of reaching an attentive listener. But when those same people switch back to a music station, they stop listening as attentively (or aggressively, as I call it) and may sing along to a good song while doing the task at hand.

With a ratings diary, they are/were more apt to remember listening to 15 minutes of news. But they may have written down they listened to ½ hour of music when in fact a radio station playing music within their range might have been on around them for 2 hours. With the PPM measurement, that 15 minutes of aggressive listening to the news counts as a negative toward the news station compared with the 2 hours of the music station on nearby showing up on the PPM measurements.

Los Angeles provides the best example of this point. AMP 97.1 FM dropped its talk format (after its ratings had doubled since the first of THIS year) and went to a Contemporary Top 40 format a few weeks ago to compete with KIIS-FM among others. The just announced May ratings for Los Angeles, using the PPM measurement, show the new AMP 97.1 as 4th overall in the market with ratings well above anything the previous KLSX got in years. KIIS-FM came in at number 1 in the market.

The same ratings report shows all-news (for more than 35 years) KNX-AM at 17th overall, and it easily beat out sister news station KFWB overall. KNX used to be a regular in the top 10 in its target audience during most dayparts. Struggling sports radio KLAC has now doubled its ratings from 1 year ago – when it was still diary measurement.

No, it is not just Los Angeles. Chicago’s WGN Radio, which has ranked no lower than 3rd for something like 25 years under the diary system, now fails to make the Top 10 in some dayparts and is in the process of shuffling its entire morning and midday lineup. It’s afternoon shift changed earlier this year.

I may be one of the few who does understand how the change to PPM measurements are impacting the radio marketplace. But what I don’t understand is how the radio stations that play music continue to focus on “the same 500 songs” and 5 minute and longer commercial clusters all day and all week long. They should be focused on getting the listeners to listen more closely. THAT is when the PPM measurement will make a difference for advertisers.

I'm supposed to pay for what??

Orbitcast has reported that Sirius XM Satellite subscribers may be asked to pay an additional $2 per month due to the proposed royalty rate increase. Say what?

The story went on to claim that the FCC allowed Sirius XM to pass these royalty fees along to the consumer as part of last year's merger.

Let me get this straight. First the merger wasn't supposed to raise the fees for subscribers yet offer additional combined programming. Yet, as a Sirius subscriber for more than 3 years, I now would have to pay additional to get baseball and other XM programming. Even though I personally was looking forward to having the baseball broadcasts available, I'm not paying anything extra for it. It was not my understanding that I would have had to, or I would have written in opposition of the merger from which I am not benefitting.

Now, I may be FORCED to pay additional for music royalties? I rarely listen to their music channels. Even if I did, I don't listen to all of them. I doubt that people who enjoy classical music also listen to heavy metal. But they expect me to pay so they can play songs I don't like? After they have eliminated channels because of the merger and some duplication?

Yet some people wonder why satellite radio has been struggling the past few months. It is not because of the drop in new car sales. If the offering was good enough, and was what was promised to us consumers, new subscriptions would be happening. Hardly anyone is buying HD Radios, which even with a few recent improvements, doesn't offer enough of an incentive even to those who understand what HD Radio is and does.

Now I might be "forced" to pay for music that I don't even like????

Yes, I agree that performers should be compensated for their music being played in a public forum. But if I am supposed to pay for it, I should have the choice over which songs and artists I hear.

Come to think of it, I already do. Looks like my MP3 player will get an even longer daily use before too long.

If only AM and FM stations would have kept up quality live and local programming like they used to do. We wouldn't know HD or satellite radio because we wouldn't have needed it.

hough Sirius XM is unable to officially raise its rates yet, as a condition of the satellite radio merger, Orbitcast reports that subscribers could see some additionally fees starting this summer. Subscribers will likely see their bill go up approximately $2 a month, as satellite radio music royalty rate increases will be passed along to the consumer.

According to Orbitcast's sources, the increase in costs will take effect on July 29 and according to a leaked document, Sirius XM "can no longer absorb these increased costs" in performance royalties. In 2007, the Copyright Royalty Board instituted increased performance royalty rates for satellite radio, which have gone up every year and will continue to increase into 2012. The rate increased from six percent of gross revenue in '07 and '08 to 6.5 percent this year. It will reach seven percent in 2010, 7.5 percent in 2011 and eight percent in 2012.

As part of the Sirius and XM merger, the FCC allowed the combined satcaster to pass along the royalty fees, effective July 29, 2009, whereas the company was required to absorb the fees itself before this date. According to Orbitcast's information, most subscribers will be charged an extra $1.98/month, while those with multiple radio plans with be charged another 97 cents/month and "Mostly Music" subscribers will pay $1.53/month. However, "Best Of Sirius" and "Best Of XM" subscribers are exempt, as are subscribers who renew a long-term plan before July 29.

Talk stations go to FM - what a waste

I don't even like hip-hop, but I'm all for it in this instance. It is becoming more commonplace within the past few weeks for "non-music" formats to move to or start up on the FM side.

Now comes word from San Antonio that KPWT 106.7 FM has let go of its air personalities and is abandoning its hip-hop format. And for what, you ask?

KPWT just became that city's only FM talk station. And with mostly syndicated shows. And this serves the local market how????

It's all about money. Syndicated shows don't cost nearly as much as local personalities. Pretty soon, not playing music will likely save stations money by not having to pay performance royalties.

My http://MajorLeaguePrograms.blogspot.com blog gives a few more examples of sports stations going to FM.

Sure, save a few bucks here and there. But what about the audience?

Here are station executives sitting there getting paid to wonder why their audience isn't as large as it once was, so they change to a cheaper method.

I've been saying this for months, but it bears saying again. During the course of my day I listen to satellite radio and to my MP3 player. In both cases, it is to hear something that I USED TO easily get, and "free" on my AM/FM Radio. (That being Howard Stern and my favorite music, respectively.)

Now, I pay a monthly fee for satellite radio, and have spent over a hundred dollars on an MP3 player plus the time involved with getting my favorite music on there.

The music stations I used to love hour after hour have narrowed their playlists down to a few hundred songs. I own more songs that I like than they play, including the ones they program that I don't like. So why bother listening to their music programming?

Now some AM/FM stations respond by taking away music.

The audience and the advertisers suffer because of it.

As if the Zune would make people notice HD Radio?

This morning I saw the articles about how Microsoft is planning to come out with an upgraded version of the Zune player this fall, which will include an HD Radio.

Later on I saw a story about how some broadcasters are pleased about this. Say what?

Let me get this straight. I could have my entire music collection with hundreds of my favorite songs in the palm of my hand, and could choose the specific songs I want to hear immediately in any order. Yet, there are people with Microsoft and at radio stations that think I would CHOOSE to listen to a radio station instead?

I have been saying this regularly for the past 3 years, and this is occasion to say it again. If the radio broadcasters had not gone to limited playlists, clusters of commercials after commercials, recorded and syndicated programming, and fewer promotions, then MP3 players and all of the other technical "distractions" from radio would not have made such a major dent in the consumer marketplace.

Here I am paying a monthly fee for satellite radio and carrying an MP3 player in my pocket which cost me over $150. Once upon a time, I didn't need these things, since my radio brought me all of the music I enjoyed along with news and sports. In other words, I'm basically paying to avoid AM and FM radio as it is now, and I live in a large market with more radio choices than a lot of other people have.

Why would the Zune make the effort to have an HD Radio, and why would people pay more to get it? Give me a break.

Person to Person Radio? For a price.........

An unemployed software engineer took an unconventional tactic in hopes of landing a new job during these challenging times. For that, he is to be congratulated. A Hopkinton MA area man got so frustrated in his job search that he personally spent $1,500 on a local radio campaign to convince an employer to hire him. I don't know yet whether or not this effort was successful.

Since I comment about radio and marketing (and for that matter have done my share of the unconventional over the years), I find the need to think this through from all sides.

From a radio standpoint, I understand why a station would accept this. They need the money and all this guy needs is for one employer to hire him, and they have a true success story from an advertiser. Yet, accepting a "one person" commercial could make the station sound "small time" when aired along with spots for local and multi-million dollar businesses. Granted, WCRB-FM (the classical music station airing the spots) serves a small marketplace.

Yet, from a marketing standpoint, the radio station could have done better than this. Sorry, but airing a "one person" ad makes them seem desparate to sell air time. If I were the sales rep there or Sales Manager, here is what I would have done instead.

I would have checked my list of current and past advertisers in search of an employment agency or temp service. If I found one, I would contact them and tell them I have a candidate in need of work to the point of wanting to buy time on the station. I would tell that employment agency contact that it would make a great testimonial for us (the station) and the agency if the agency could find him a position without this guy having to buy the time on the station. And then the agency buy that air time to promote specifically how WCRB helps find local jobs.

The result would be the station creates a market exclusive advertising campaign, retains or recaptures another advertiser (which could go long term, not a few days), and the station and employment agency generate favorable publicity. While that guy becomes the station's most loyal listener for life and tells everyone he can what they did for him. The employment agency gets a commission for placing the guy (which I'm guessing covers their radio campaign cost!!), and they all live happily ever after.

What employment agency or temp firm is going to advertise on that station after hearing an individual advertising because he can't find a job?

Meanwhile, I realize the guy buying the spots also did it for the publicity of calling attention to his need for a job (which is how I found out about this), so in some respects he got more than $1,500 in publicity for his money. On the other hand, I'm 1,000 miles away so I can't help him, and that is probably the case with a lot of the publicity he generated.

While I admire his creativity, I would think it could have been put to better use. For $1,500 he could have used some other approaches. He could have invited several identified employers to a lunch presentation, started a web site to feature the software he has designed and worked on in the past, created and printed brochures for distribution, and the list goes on.

And if he doesn't get a job from his $1,500 local radio campaign, he has nothing to show for his efforts.

And hopefully that radio station, and others, will be able to do better than this for creativity.

All that jazz about nothing

If it really is big news that 3 more FM stations across the country have dumped a jazz music format then over-the-air radio is in more trouble than even I thought.

Radio trades and internet boards are making a big deal because the jazz format has also been recently dropped from Dayton, Fresno, and Albuquerque. Rather, I'd be more interested in finding out how even one market of that size (in terms of total stations available) went to and stuck with a jazz music format for however long.

Even as jazz formats have faded from top 10 markets such as Chicago, at least a large population base would allow for perhaps a few thousand loyal listeners to keep the format around and be supported by smaller and very local advertisers which couldn't afford the larger audience stations.

I have nothing against jazz music, although I am among the majority which doesn't enjoy it very much. (And, yes, I have given it quite the chance, having hosted a jazz show on a Chicago radio station for more than 3 years many moon ago.) My point is that jazz has never been among the best sellers of albums and later CD's, which to me spells little consumer interest.

The lack of general popularity of jazz would seem to make the radio format unappealing for advertisers looking for a growing audience. And that is why I can't see why this is such a big deal. Especially now, radio stations are hurting for advertising dollars, and have zero reason to keep a station with a limited reach format on the air.

Now that more stations seem to have wised up, why is treated as big news?

It keeps getting worse??

More radio "thinking" this week across the board. Don't think of selling the station(s) and getting out if finances aren't up to par. Keep making cuts from the programming that needs MORE listeners to survive, yet has less local appeal than ever. Ya, right.

As you probably know by now, Clearance Channel was at it again earlier this week with cutbacks on still more local personalities across the country. There are hundreds of examples.

Houston sports radio felt the pain as Brad Davies and Craig Roberts are now gone from morning drive on KBME 790. Typical of the Clearance Channel hodge-podge left in its wake is the revised KBME weekday schedule. They now carry Dan Patrick's syndicated show live (which at least is better than those stations which delay it for several hours and air it after previewed games on the show have been played) from 8 to 11 AM. Surviving hosts Ted DeLuca and John Lopez now regularly work a split shift all week, airing from 6 to 8 AM and then coming back from 11 AM to 3 PM. KTRK-TV Channel 13 laid off Sports Executive Producer Robert Leake.

CINCINNATI - More from Clearance Channel. Sports blogger C. Trent Rosecrans and 3 producers are gone. On the air, WCKY morning host Alan Cutler is gone. At least Cutler still has a position to keep him busy, as he continues in his Sports Director role for nearby WLEX-TV in Lexington.The adding of still more syndicated programming on WCKY means that only Lance McAlister will be the only local host, handling 3 to 6 PM some weekdays. Of course, with Clearance Channel involved, Lance will share duties among 2 stations, instead hosting the 6 to 9 PM sports talk show on WLW on nights when the Reds do not play. When that happens, Mo Egger will handle the afternoon spot on WCKY. More sports adjustments will be made, as Cutler is also reportedly out as Bengals Radio Network host after 8 seasons. Scott Sloan remains on WLW, but will now handle the "Extra Innings" Reds post-game call-in show.

At this rate, I suppose if a Reds game gets rained out after the scheduled start time, Clearance Channel will probably air a voice tracked sports talk show from another market talking about an American League team for 3 hours.

U2 or not U2 for radio? That is the question....

A program director was quoted on one of the radio boards earlier this week complaining about how his station supposedly spent thousands of dollars to promote the new CD by U2 only to have (group leader) Bono make public statements about he (Bono) feels that radio stations should pay royalties to the performers of the music they play.

My first reaction was to wonder who "forced" this P.D. to air the special about the CD and upcoming tour and play their new tracks.

My next reaction was to write this note to the administrator of that internet board:

"Dear Anonymous Program Director:

No one required you to air anything relative to U2's new CD. You could have done nothing but recycle the same U2 songs from the 80's, like many of your colleagues do, and treat them like an oldies act. Since you ran all of this U2 related programming you wrote about, I'm going to guess that sponsors paid for commercial time to be a part of those shows. Had it been just another hour of a few of the same 500 songs in between clusters of commercials, your station might not have had as big of an audience.

This, while there is a chance that your market has a "Jack-FM" or "Fresh" or at least one station with no live hosts some, most, or all of the day. The "free" music you seem to expect is saving you thousands of dollars of programming costs since these stations can play all music and not pay personalities.

It so happens that one of the major artists suggests that the source of your programming and your income receive some form of compensation. And YOU are offended?

Fine. Drop all of your music. Hire more air personalities to take phone calls all day and night. Hire a news staff to keep your audience informed and to give your hosts a few minutes to rest each hour.

Then check those profit sheets at the end of the month.

There - you would sure show Bono!!"

That comment actually provoked more emotion from me than the stories about how some radio stations might be cutting back on or stopping some or all of their HD channels. Probably started from the same program director who made the comments above.

Let me get this straight. Some radio stations and owners fought against the XM and Sirius merger fearing additional listener and advertising dollar competition for their stations by having an even larger subscriber base for satellite radio with millions of subscribers combined into one total.

Most stations put content on their HD channels that, obviously, is or was not strong enough to attract the audiences to purchase and use an HD radio.

So now they might pull the plug on it? I'm now even more glad I didn't spend money on an HD Radio. It could become obsolete before I had gotten used to it.

Well, maybe they couldn't think of enough quality programming to put on HD. They are too busy complaining about what they are putting on their AM and FM airwaves and what it costs to pay attention to HD.

And they still wonder why sales of MP3 players continue to skyrocket.

Legends on the move

This Monday and Tuesday (April 13 + 14) mark a coming and a going for Los Angeles area radio listeners involving nationally known names. Rick Dees does his final show on 93.9 FM on Tuesday due to that station going over to Spanish language programming. Dees currently does not have another L.A. radio gig lined up after the better part of the last 20+ years on KIIS-FM and others in the Southland. Of course, Rick has enough to keep him busy on the national level.

Meanwhile, Hollywood Hamilton begins a dual presence on Monday, hosting daily shows in both New York and Los Angeles each weekday. He will continue to handle afternoon drive on WKTU-FM in New York, but starting this Monday will also be heard from 3 - 7 PM on MyFM 104.3 in Los Angeles each afternoon.

However, the L.A. show will be mostly recorded earlier in the day. Hamilton will be voice tracking the show from the NYC studios prior to going on the air in New York. Word is that the L.A. station will forward the request lines to Hamilton in NY for some of the show. Due to the 3 hour time difference, Hamilton would have the ability to record phone calls and add anything timely for the current afternoon's show.

While I understand that Hamilton is popular in both markets and is an important cog with both stations, I'm not liking this move. Los Angeles deserves a live afternoon drive personality over and above one who is literally thousands of miles away and not live.

Meanwhile, for those who wish to remember the dance music days of WKTU in the early 80's, our RadioRecordings.com airchecks series can help you remember them. See the list at RadioRecordings.com.

The passing of Howard Clark

Sorry to learn of the passing of Howard Clark earlier this week at the age of 70. Clark was most remembered for his Bay Area stints with KFRC and KYA, along with WWDJ New York (New Jersey if you must).

Clark was also one of the pioneers of southern radio during his nearly 50 years on the air. His resume also included WKY Oklahoma City and WTIX New Orleans along with several others in and near Shreveport LA over the last 25+ years of his career.

So far, we have not found any airchecks of him, but we do have some more KYA and KFRC to go through, so hopefully something will turn up soon. Clark will be missed.

Remembering Beaker Street show

Isn't amazing how you can go for years without remembering something, and then once you hear a name, it all comes back to you?

This seems to be happening with our Radio Recordings Series when people find out that we have added a few airchecks of " Beaker Street " from KAAY Little Rock from nearly 40 years ago. During the 60's and early 70's, KAAY was a powerhouse station covering a wide area of the country at night.

Their late night program, called " Beaker Street " (and I still don't know where that name came from) and its host Clyde Clifford helped to pioneer the 'underground radio' sound of the day. Actually, some FM stations were doing this at night, taking advantage of the stereo sound that FM had to offer. But KAAY was perhaps the first station of any significance to air this on the AM dial.

Complete with background sounds and a playlist which was extremely varied, Clyde would feature album tracks not generally played on any radio station, let alone a Top 40 style one. He would play some tracks which were more than 7 minutes in length all the way through. Heck, there are stations today that still won't do that. One of the airchecks we feature has Clyde playing a 14 minute track all the way through.

Yet, all these years later, fans of the radio stations and the music of the late 60's and early 70's, including many who listened to KAAY, had completely forgotten about this landmark radio show. Until they hear the name " Beaker Street " and then Clyde Clifford.

This has quickly become among the more popular airchecks available through MajorLeaguePrograms.com.

But the point is how it is forgotten one minute, and an "oh yeah! I remember that!" within a matter of seconds - every time.

As if we care about online radio commercials?

The case could be made that sales and marketing are becoming separate categories at CBS Radio, at least based on Monday's (Mar. 30) announcement. If this story had come out on Wednesday (4/1) I would have taken it for a dud of an April Fool's joke. As it goes with the current state of radio, I wish it was.

CBS Radio actually made it a story that it will have live reads by station personalities of commercials for its online and mobile streams. I must have missed the statistics about the number of CBS Radio listeners who tune in when commercials are read by the station announcers.

Once upon a time, music stations would promote things like "We play the most music". Now it comes down to promoting "We have the best commercials"????

To me it is hard to believe the quote in the story release from their "President of Digital Media and Integrated Marketing" about how this "will result in deeper online and mobile engagement, and listener satisfaction".

This being announced by CBS really did happen. It is not a joke. I wanted to be sure this post is dated before April 1st.

I can see it now. Their JACK-FM stations will probably have a "Playing the commercials we want!" promo on the air within the week.

Hopefully the rush of consumers logging in to hear CBS stations online and their live reads of commercials won't shut down the internet for very long.

What ever happened to Saturdays on the radio?

Even as radio stations continue to eliminate the high priced talent and scale back local programming like there is no tomorrow (and in some cases there may not be), I was reminded of times years ago when the leading personalities worked a 6 day week on the air with no questions asked. But you wouldn't know that today, even with all of the cutbacks.

What reminded me is some feedback we received from one of our RadioRecordings.com airchecks which has been a good seller. Houston area residents over the age of 35 most certainly remember the morning team of Hudson & Harrigan and their (then) unique blend of humor and how well they blended together on the air.

A compilaton of 2 of the airchecks from the 1970's has been very well received. What makes this more interesting is that one of the segments was from a Saturday morning. Yet, the Hudson & Harrigan are on doing some "bits" and entertaining like any other morning. The only difference is more music and less news and traffic. Most personalities, including morning drive, worked a 6 day week back then.

Now, the morning personalities are the highest paid on most stations and have gone on over the years to be on air the least. Sure, I can understand how bringing in the audience and consequently the ad revenue deserves some reward. But those were different econonmic times.

Yet, these days, stations are paying weekend "fill-in" talent to do the same shifts the high powered drive-time talent used to as part of their deal. Radio executives now use the argument that "the Saturday morning audience isn't as large as the weekday audience". While they have a point, there is also a listener "argument".

"The talent level isn't there on the weekends like it is during the week." If these stations are going to throw us a bone on the weekends, then us listeners have fewer reasons to get excited about our favorite stations. In a time when there are generally fewer reasons for us to get excited about our favorite stations as it is.

At this rate, the great rememberances of Hudson & Harrigan are as much to enjoy what Saturday radio USED TO BE as they are to recall what a great morning team they were.

It's what you do with a radio that counts.........

Typical radio industry attempt at publicity these days. There was a story earlier this week that White House Press Secretary Robert Gibbs revealed that he doesn't own a radio.

Then a story about how the HD Radio Alliance and Clearance Channel in D.C. "sprung into action". The story is that WIHT Washington had one of their air personalities deliver a new HD Radio and FM adapter to the White House for Gibbs use.

I guess they consider this a publicity stunt. I don't. They would have been better off to let the story get buried. Face it. If the guy is on the White House staff he is probably too busy to know what HD Radio is. He sees the AM and FM stations and networks all the time. HD Radio doesn't offer separate or original news. My hunch is that Gibbs is like a lot of others these days. Maybe he got tired of the clusters of endless commercials, lack of competition in radio newsrooms to actually investigate and break a story, and music playlists limited to a few hundred songs. I'm sure if he really "wanted" a radio, he would have one.

The fact that Gibbs appearantly was getting along without one speaks more volume than the "on/off" button.

Some people just don't get it.

Remembering Paul Harvey

The death of Paul Harvey on Saturday truly marks the end of an era in radio. Like many baby boomers, this sad news took me back to being a child and my parents making it a point to listen to Paul Harvey News & Comment when we were in the car or all together.

Yet, as much as I tried not to like something that my parents wanted to listen to, I couldn't help but develop an early fascination for the style and delivery of this great announcer. It was as though these news stories happened only because Paul Harvey said they did.

A style that never will be matched for capturing and holding the listeners' attention. Anything from political to the offbeat, and all points in between. One could think that the "man bites dog" story he delivered happened because the dog couldn't listen to Paul.

I never admitted it at the time, but there were a few times that I changed my radio dial over to the "old people's station" to hear Paul Harvey on my own.

A lot of people seem to remember Paul Harvey more for his "The Rest of the Story", and that certainly was an interesting show. To me, it was nowhere near what "News and Comment" was. I reasoned that Harvey had as much time as needed to write and produce "The Rest of the Story", especially as good as it was.

But "News and Comment" was 15 minutes every weekday. That meant coming up with fresh and timely stories, and putting them into his unique writing and delivery style on a deadline. Truly incredible.

He could read as fast or faster than anyone. Yet every word was clearly understood. He was able to put significant inflection in his voice. Whether it was sad and serious, funny, or any point in between, Paul Harvey could deliver the goods. Day after day, week after week, and year after year after year.

Paul Harvey WAS the rest of the story.

how WCBS Radio could make a difference.........

I was totally underwhelmed at the "news" that WCBS-AM in NYC actually bothered to announce that its Yankees broadcasts would be "simulcast" on WCBS-FM HD-3.

Another typical corporate radio announcement. As if that would make people, at least those who understand what HD Radio really is, run right out and buy one to hear the same thing they already get on 880 AM.

Yet, to me, WCBS actually could make this newsworthy. For that matter, they could also do the same with the Chicago White Sox broadcasts (which are on CBS' WSCR Chicago). What could they do?

They could use these HD channels to replay the broadcasts. I've said this for months. HD Radio could bring innovation to over-the-air radio if only they would.

WCBS and WSCR (and other CBS stations with sports rights) should devote an HD channel to strategic replays of their teams broadcasts, or even to part of them.

Part of them? Let me explain.

Weeknight sports events run too late for many in the workforce who have to get up early on a weekday morning and can't always stay up to watch or listen to their team's games. This is especially true for the Yankees and east coast sports fans, where many road games don't begin until after 8:00.

When the Yankees play at the Angels or A's, the games don't even start until after 10:00 on a weeknight and often run until 1:00 AM.

Here is my point. The HD channel could and should serve as a way for WCBS to serve the Yankees fans. (This is the example for other teams and stations) My idea is for them to replay the entire game after it ends, and then replay the final hour of the game until about Noon the next morning. Why the last hour?

This way, fans would be able to get up in the morning and hear the last couple of innings and get a recap of the details of the game. From a New York standpoint, this could keep Yankees fans from tuning into WINS in the morning to get the final score - or to a non-CBS station. Even if they would tune into WFAN or a CBS station, their tuning into the HD channel keeps them in the family and on their "Yankees station".

In Chicago, WGN Radio, not a CBS station, has been the dominant morning station for the past 30 years. Replaying the last hour of a late White Sox game could keep listeners away from the CBS Radio competition, while better serving the team's fans.

Just to complete the day, I would replay the entire game starting at Noon, and then again around 3 PM. Some could listen on their way home, too. I would have to think the game advertisers would like the additional exposure that replaying their commercials would bring.

Let's make this happen. THAT would be a news announcement!

Change format - change language?

Format changes with no warning are one thing. I'm sure it has happened to all of us at some point. You tune "back in" to a favorite station and then wonder "What the x%$# is this?" and discover the format you enjoyed is now history. Many times a station will air a song or even a varied format to have a transition between formats and keep the audience and the competition guessing.

But this one takes the cake, even in the state of over-the-air radio today. KMVK 107.5 in Dallas, known as "Movin' 107.5" did a different sort of "Movin'" on Tuesday. They not only suddenly made a format change, they changed languages.

The R & B station was in the middle of a song ("Vogue" by Madonna) when it suddenly cut off. After a moment of silence (and how literal of a term is that for a radio station these days?), on came another song - in Spanish. "Mega 107.5" was born.

Given that nearly 25% of the Dallas-Ft. Worth Metroplex population is Spanish, the move itself is not that surprising. How abruptly it took place is.

Within minutes, the station also flipped its web site over to reflect "Mega1075.com". The "Movin'" air staff, including the morning personality Chris Shine, appear to have been let go. Or should I say, told adios.

Classic recorded rock radio

Who needs reality TV when even successful radio stations provide the drama? Days after another monthly ratings success comes out for Milwaukee's classic rocker WKLH, especially for their long running morning show, here come some schedule changes that only a radio station could bring us.

The station is returning popular Patti Genko to its airwaves. Sort of a "back by popular demand". However, the popular demand was not for a voice tracked show on weeknights from 9 until midnight. Why voice tracked? Because Patti continues her midday jazz show on sister station WJZX-FM from 10 AM to 2 PM each weekday.

So let's get this straight. Her show on one of the market's highest rated station will be voice tracked so that her show on the jazz station can continue to be done live.

To make room for the 9 to midnight voice tracked show, KLH is moving the syndicated Alice Cooper radio show out of that slot. And right into the almighty Midnight to 3 AM slot. I'm sure the syndication company is jumping for joy about that.

That move would leave only 3 to 5 AM for an overnight host. So we can't have that. The station now fills that time with a replay of Steve Palec and his "Legends of Rock" show. Not a replay from weeks or months gone by. A replay of the same show which aired from 7 until 9 PM, as a lead in to Patti Genko's voice tracked show. Yes, in stealing a chapter from cable TV, it's a case of exactly the same programming airing 8 hours later on a regular basis.

No wonder the morning show is so popular. For now, it is done live and is fresh every day. With some perserverance, that concept could make it in over-the-air radio.

Personalities? It's the commercial clusters!!

I have read several articles, even more than usual, over the past couple of weeks with understandably negative comments about the drastic reduction in truly local programming in seemingly every radio market. And I understand that.

People like the local touch that radio used to bring. Heck, I remember hearing "lost dog" announcements on smaller and even medium market stations even into the late 70's. Before there were search engines, people would sometimes call a local radio station for community information. The music stations would talk about appearances by the station's personalities, many of which were within a few miles of home. You would sometimes be able to think "I know where that is! Let me see if I can get over there.....". And, yes, that is missing and non-existent in some markets.

But I don't see that as being the most pressing problem with radio. Personally, I'm not listening because the local touch has been lost. That is further down on the list of reasons.

I will tell you what is first. Sure, there needs to be commercials. I have always understood that somebody has to pay the bills. But over the past few days, I have been hit hard with the realization of how much more commercial time is sold on almost every station. Therein lies the problem. The number one problem, in my opinion.

Part of my job is to review and help produce the radio airchecks from the 60's, 70's, and 80's, which are available from RadioRecordings.com via http://MajorLeaguePrograms.com . In listening to many of them, I was overwhelmed at the number of times I would listen through commercial breaks and think "that was quick!" when the music started up again. It finally hit me. Back in the day, it wasn't "quick". A commercial break very rarerly went more than 2 minutes. And I could easily live with that. But no more.

Hearing Tom Jones on KSTP Minneapolis in the early 70's saying "and this hour you will hear 56 minutes of music!!" constantly summed it up. He would have 3 or 4 stops for commercials that hour, and get right back into the music. The format flowed. Now, each stop for commercials goes at least 3 or 4 minutes, and that is way more than once per hour. That is the real killer for the listeners.

Frankly, it doesn't matter if the program comes from across the street or 2,000 miles away. If the commercial breaks are going to be 5 minutes long twice an hour, and the same 500 songs keep playing over and over and over again, it could be anybody.

I stopped wondering why advertisers are reducing if not dropping radio time. If yours isn't the first or second spot, it doesn't matter anymore. People aren't sticking around to hear it.

Is it really promoting the competition?

It seems that what's left of the CBS Radio empire has gone back to some level of cross-promotion among its cluster of stations. It has been going on in Chicago off and on over the past couple of years. The news station will run a spot for a music station, and occasionally cross promote sports broadcasts with the all-sports station in the cluster.

Yet, in New York, I saw the story that WFAN's Mike Francesa was "annoyed" to hear a promo air during this afternoon drive show for sister FM station WXRK's afternoon show, now hosted by Chris Booker.

Years ago, I felt the same way. There was always the "Why send any listener elsewhere at any time?" vibe felt throughout the station. I remember being stunned back in the 70's when a Chicago "beautiful music" station (oops - showing my age again) traded out with Newsradio 78. Each did a "When you want the news........." or "When you want to hear beautiful music...." type spot. I understood they were not competition, but was still opposed to it because it could send listeners in another direction. What if they can't find their way back? They could stop on another station before they get to yours on the return.

But just as my views on certain things have done a 180 over the years, I would have to say I have done that here. It has nothing to do with clusters doing what is now cross promotion. (The 70's incident I referred to was with different ownership, back in the day when one owner could only have a maximum of one AM and one FM in a single market.)

Now, it is radio competing against the alternatives which have come along. The playing field is way different. The idea is to keep people listening to the radio, moreso than one station vs. the next. I get it.

This is a way to try and combat my point that if radio had maintained a strong level of programming there wouldn't be this much "competition" for my ears.

So if one AM or FM station can point out a program that could be of interest and keep my attention on the radio, I see the purpose. It is no longer "which station?" but a matter of if I, or others, would be willing to turn on the "regular" radio.

Personally, I was born and bred on radio. Back to my days in grammar school of having a 20 foot transmitter kit in my bedroom and putting the microphone up against my turntable speakers to host "my" radio show every weekend. Coming home at lunch to listen to a few songs. The whole story, while knowing at the time I wanted to work in the industry.

But I fast forward 40 years. As I write this, it is mid-afternoon of a typical weekday to my ears.
I woke up this morning to a classic rock FM station, and listened for 15 minutes while I shaved, showered, and got dressed to start my day. I get the weather and a couple of headlines and a set of 3 or 4 songs every morning.

Since then, I listened to satellite radio for 45 minutes on my way in (Howard Stern, if you need to know what), and I have since listened to over 6 hours of an internet music channel online at my desk. When I went out for lunch and to run an errand, I heard about 45 minutes of tunes on my MP3 player.

Stern is gone from over-the-air and successfully taken his show to a better venue. He is the majority of the reason I pay for satellite radio. The songs I heard over the hours online and, of course, on my MP3 player, are mostly songs I don't hear anymore (if at all) on the radio, but did when they first came out.

Years ago those 7 hours of my day would have easily been spent on a couple of radio stations with no questions asked, and back the next day for more. No more. Yet, if radio had maintained the true local personality and more thorough playlists, along with shorter and more reasonable commercial breaks, I wouldn't have thought of spending money on satellite and an MP3 player and music I want to hear on it.

As a result, I understand completely that if I'm listening to WFAN for sports talk, maybe I'd want to hear Chris Booker and his knowledge on K-Rock (or whatever they are calling it with this week's format) when I'm done listening to sports talk. It would keep me away from the "competition", which is no longer AM and FM radio.

more Radio Recordings on the way

Thanks to those of you who noticed that we are re-structuring our RadioRecordings airchecks series. I'm pleased to say that we are on target for our Feb. 1st "re-launch", so please do check back next week!!

We have a few more from Chicago, Los Angeles, and St. Louis in particular that I think you will find interesting.

More bad publicity for the radio industry

Just as the radio industry needs all the strength and help it can get in order to survive in this economy come two stories which will not only impact the lives of a lot of people around the country, but will also have (another) negative impact on radio advertising and revenue.

Now comes word that The Radio Advertising Bureau (RAB) announces it is laying off ten percent of its staff, with a hiring and salary freeze as well.

So let me get this straight. Does this mean that the radio stations, which need all of the favorable publicity and image they can get in front of potential advertisers, can no longer afford to keep their collective publicity machine alive? Some message this sends to ad agencies and local advertisers. The organization responsible for materials and publicity about what makes radio a potentially good source for advertising is having financial problems. This makes a tough job even tougher, at the worst possible time. Ouch.

Meanwhile, the word is that on Tuesday, while the nation is focused on Inauguration Day, that "Clearance Channel" (as I call it) will announce significant employee and air talent reductions across the country. Considering they already use voice tracking in markets as large as Detroit and Chicago, I'm afraid to think of how much worse things will turn within the next week.

I suppose when you have one executive running 5 stations in the same market, each station only gets 1/5 of the effort. But the wrong people suffer on this. And that includes the listeners.

another station format change

The Los Angeles station known for years as "Indie 103.1" has bailed, but at least some of the air staff had the opportunity to say goodbye on the air. This station has been plagued by signal problems for years, going back to its "Mars 103" days of what I called the "weird rock" format in the late 80's.

Yet, station management is supposedly blaming the PPM audience measurement as a reason for its demise. As if that station ever made an impact in the market. It had a small but steady core of listeners, with little variation. At best, long term advertisers had a reinforcement outlet. For my money, this is the type of "hip" station that people would purposely overstate under the diary system and PPM is more of a reality.

At any rate, the word is the station will go Spanish within the month.

first radio format change of 2009.........

Well, we made it almost 2 weeks into 2009 before a major market radio format change. Not bad.

Even though it happened in Atlanta, it is merely a jazz station (107.5 FM) being pulled for a new format that has yet to be unveiled. Jazz stations have vanished within the past year and a half in New York, Philadelphia, Baltimore, Miami, and Memphis, that I know of. Some analysts say it is to cut expenses since perhaps the new format will allow for fewer or no air personalities. I contend that the audience for jazz was never sizable enough to sustain anything above a minor audience rating, and even the smaller, local, and niche advertisers have cut back to the point of no immediate return.

just how beautiful?

For those wondering why radio stations are struggling so much these days and losing out to services and technology that consumers are willing to PAY for instead of turing on the radio, here is one more example.

Granted, this could be poor journalism too. This story is about a station changing its format to "beautiful music" but it doesn't give one example or clue as to any songs or artists the station is now playing.

Personally, I associate "beautiful music" with the elevator music FM's in the 70's and early 80's in large markets. Those have been gone for 20 years or longer. If there was a demand, believe me those stations would still be around and in the radio format wheel today.

I'm not going guess what this station is now playing. And there is no reason to tune away from whatever else I'm listening to just to find out.

http://www.bizjournals.com/albany/stories/2008/12/29/daily3.html?ana=from_rss


The joke going around the office is that the writer of this story will be hired as News Director at this "beautiful music" station.