The last announcer plays the last record. The last watt leaves the transmitter. Circles the globe in search of a listener.
December 20, 2009 7:50 PM Subscribe
The end of (big) radio? Citadel, the 3rd largest in the US, announced chapter 11 bankruptcy today. Even Clear Channel, the largest US broadcaster is seeing a huge decline in revenue. Failed innovation and an increasing disenfranchised listenership coupled with massive revenue declines are increasingly showing the decline of the medium as a whole.
Good riddance. The sooner we get back to local ownership and control of local radio, the better.
A-freakin'-men.
posted by magstheaxe at 7:59 PM on December 20, 2009 [7 favorites]
A-freakin'-men.
posted by magstheaxe at 7:59 PM on December 20, 2009 [7 favorites]
This could be a great thing for radio in the US.
Community and tight, cheap partially or completely government radio can work really, really well.
In the US NPR is terrific, it's interesting that that is not mentioned much.
But if you look at Australia things are a lot better. In Melbourne there are two alternative/community radio stations RRR and PBS (not related to US PBS TV). There is also a good community classical station 3MBS. In addition the government funds ABC to provide ABC FM that has classical music, ABC Radio National with news,magazine etc, 774 with local news / talk and News Radio that parliament and global radio from the BBC, Deutsche Welle, NPR and others. Also there is JJJ that is national 'youth' radio and has good pop music.
You have all this with the ads being station self-promotion and music advertising.
It would be interesting to see if radio listener numbers were declining in Australia.
If Clear Channel went bankrupt the ruins in the US might enable community radio survivors to come in and make radio worth listening to like it is in some other countries.
posted by sien at 8:05 PM on December 20, 2009 [2 favorites]
Community and tight, cheap partially or completely government radio can work really, really well.
In the US NPR is terrific, it's interesting that that is not mentioned much.
But if you look at Australia things are a lot better. In Melbourne there are two alternative/community radio stations RRR and PBS (not related to US PBS TV). There is also a good community classical station 3MBS. In addition the government funds ABC to provide ABC FM that has classical music, ABC Radio National with news,magazine etc, 774 with local news / talk and News Radio that parliament and global radio from the BBC, Deutsche Welle, NPR and others. Also there is JJJ that is national 'youth' radio and has good pop music.
You have all this with the ads being station self-promotion and music advertising.
It would be interesting to see if radio listener numbers were declining in Australia.
If Clear Channel went bankrupt the ruins in the US might enable community radio survivors to come in and make radio worth listening to like it is in some other countries.
posted by sien at 8:05 PM on December 20, 2009 [2 favorites]
The problem with corporations is that when they die, there's no grave to piss on.
If anyone can think of anything that would accelerate ClearChannel's demise and free up some of the spectrum they're clogging for regional radio again, aside from just not listening to them, I'm all for kicking them while they're down.
posted by Kadin2048 at 8:11 PM on December 20, 2009 [11 favorites]
If anyone can think of anything that would accelerate ClearChannel's demise and free up some of the spectrum they're clogging for regional radio again, aside from just not listening to them, I'm all for kicking them while they're down.
posted by Kadin2048 at 8:11 PM on December 20, 2009 [11 favorites]
KQAC 89.9FM the local 24/7 Classical music station is listener supported and survives even in this economy. KFXX was a fun station when it was local, but is less interesting now with the usual fast-talking ESPN announcers being super cool.
posted by Cranberry at 8:15 PM on December 20, 2009
posted by Cranberry at 8:15 PM on December 20, 2009
Good riddance indeed. I think Nights with Alice Cooper is the best example of what's wrong with radio. Alice is a smart man who's been witness to a great deal of rock history, so you'd think his show would be the bee's knees, but that lazy fuck just plays the exact same shit as any other 70s rock radio station.
You don't need to pay Alice Cooper money for your stations to broadcast Aerosmith, Styx, Nazereth or Led Zeppelin (all from Friday's playlist)
Compare Nights with Alice Cooper to CBC Radio's Vinyl Tap, where Randy Bachman busts out the guitar and explains riffs while regaling us with stories of all the greats he's met and played with, and actually plays new music.
The only good radio is public radio and college radio.
posted by furtive at 8:16 PM on December 20, 2009 [6 favorites]
You don't need to pay Alice Cooper money for your stations to broadcast Aerosmith, Styx, Nazereth or Led Zeppelin (all from Friday's playlist)
Compare Nights with Alice Cooper to CBC Radio's Vinyl Tap, where Randy Bachman busts out the guitar and explains riffs while regaling us with stories of all the greats he's met and played with, and actually plays new music.
The only good radio is public radio and college radio.
posted by furtive at 8:16 PM on December 20, 2009 [6 favorites]
What was that "MS Bob" shit that ClearChannel stations were pulling in recent years? Where they gave stations some name that is a proper noun and removed all pretense of originality or differentiation?
posted by autodidact at 8:17 PM on December 20, 2009
posted by autodidact at 8:17 PM on December 20, 2009
I remember when I took a few radio classes at Local Community College a while back. It seemed like a neat thing to get into and I've always been enchanted by the "magic" of radio, so why not?
I remember the very day that our professor (a relatively famous local DJ) laid it all out for us:
1) This is not a business for people who like music. People who like music wouldn't play the shit you will play.
2) The music is not the product. The audience is the product. You will whore yourselves out to whatever demographic is perceived by Corporate to be lucrative. If Corporate determines that 25-40 year old white middle-class females want to hear accordions and babies being strangled, that is what you will play.
3) Various bands, artists and even entire musical genres are only popular because they have consciously -- with great forethought and premeditation -- been forcibly made popular by the Industry. Of course you don't believe in mind control. Yet it does exist and it does work. We have discovered that if you, the DJ, play the same thing every minute of every day forever and ever, people will end up liking it. It worked for Stalin and it works for ClearChannel and EMI. Deal.
4) You, as a DJ, will probably never make enough money to be anything more than lower-middle-class. Radio is an advertising based business and that means there is very little money in it (for you, anyway) outside of the various Mega-stations.
5) The future of radio is voice tracking. The far future of radio is cyber-tracking. Eventually, the entire US radio network will consist of one sentient AI with a voice synthesizer and one barely-sentient Corporate executive who makes all the money. Even the music will be artificial.
6) This is a picture of my apartment. *shows picture of squalid, filthy living room*
posted by Avenger at 8:19 PM on December 20, 2009 [104 favorites]
I remember the very day that our professor (a relatively famous local DJ) laid it all out for us:
1) This is not a business for people who like music. People who like music wouldn't play the shit you will play.
2) The music is not the product. The audience is the product. You will whore yourselves out to whatever demographic is perceived by Corporate to be lucrative. If Corporate determines that 25-40 year old white middle-class females want to hear accordions and babies being strangled, that is what you will play.
3) Various bands, artists and even entire musical genres are only popular because they have consciously -- with great forethought and premeditation -- been forcibly made popular by the Industry. Of course you don't believe in mind control. Yet it does exist and it does work. We have discovered that if you, the DJ, play the same thing every minute of every day forever and ever, people will end up liking it. It worked for Stalin and it works for ClearChannel and EMI. Deal.
4) You, as a DJ, will probably never make enough money to be anything more than lower-middle-class. Radio is an advertising based business and that means there is very little money in it (for you, anyway) outside of the various Mega-stations.
5) The future of radio is voice tracking. The far future of radio is cyber-tracking. Eventually, the entire US radio network will consist of one sentient AI with a voice synthesizer and one barely-sentient Corporate executive who makes all the money. Even the music will be artificial.
6) This is a picture of my apartment. *shows picture of squalid, filthy living room*
posted by Avenger at 8:19 PM on December 20, 2009 [104 favorites]
In my first year as a college student, I spent some time at WWVA in Wheeling, WV. It was (and still is) a the most powerful (50KW) AM radio station in West Virginia. It had a long history (started back in 1926) and as time went on it absorbed several other AM and FM stations.
At the time, I was interested in radio and television as a career, but even in the early 90's, the writing was on the wall, and you could see it in the workers who spent most of their lives working there, that the old days were gone, and that they soon would all be out of a job. It was a huge facility, with many studios and editing suites, and you could see how big radio productions once were.
The creepiest moment was when they showed us the several new radio stations they had acquired at the time, and showed us the new stations.
It was a utility closet, with a 6' rack of computers. Everything was run from this tiny closet. No DJs, no engineers, no promo departments, just a sales team to sell advertising. It was then that I knew it was pointless to seek a job in radio.
posted by chambers at 8:21 PM on December 20, 2009 [2 favorites]
At the time, I was interested in radio and television as a career, but even in the early 90's, the writing was on the wall, and you could see it in the workers who spent most of their lives working there, that the old days were gone, and that they soon would all be out of a job. It was a huge facility, with many studios and editing suites, and you could see how big radio productions once were.
The creepiest moment was when they showed us the several new radio stations they had acquired at the time, and showed us the new stations.
It was a utility closet, with a 6' rack of computers. Everything was run from this tiny closet. No DJs, no engineers, no promo departments, just a sales team to sell advertising. It was then that I knew it was pointless to seek a job in radio.
posted by chambers at 8:21 PM on December 20, 2009 [2 favorites]
Public radio is the bomb. The FM dial in my car is locked on CBC Radio. The Debaters, White Coat Black Art, As It Happens, Kim Mitchell's I Wish I Wrote That, etc. often get me driving around the block an extra time or two, putting off pulling into the underground parking so that I can keep a radio signal.
posted by autodidact at 8:22 PM on December 20, 2009
posted by autodidact at 8:22 PM on December 20, 2009
"Jack FM", that's what it was. That's pretty much when I got locked on CBC Radio.
posted by autodidact at 8:24 PM on December 20, 2009
posted by autodidact at 8:24 PM on December 20, 2009
What was that "MS Bob" shit that ClearChannel stations were pulling in recent years?
The messed up thing is, that whole idea was a joke more than 10 years before all these 'named' stations came into being.
MST3k - Turn Your Crank to 'Frank'
posted by chambers at 8:24 PM on December 20, 2009 [3 favorites]
The messed up thing is, that whole idea was a joke more than 10 years before all these 'named' stations came into being.
MST3k - Turn Your Crank to 'Frank'
posted by chambers at 8:24 PM on December 20, 2009 [3 favorites]
Solution: Bring back Howard Stern?
posted by mdrosen at 8:25 PM on December 20, 2009 [2 favorites]
posted by mdrosen at 8:25 PM on December 20, 2009 [2 favorites]
> I remember the very day that our professor (a relatively famous local DJ) laid it all out for us:
Did anyone show up for the next class?
posted by The Card Cheat at 8:26 PM on December 20, 2009 [3 favorites]
Did anyone show up for the next class?
posted by The Card Cheat at 8:26 PM on December 20, 2009 [3 favorites]
Did anyone show up for the next class?
Yeah, most everyone did. I guess it's the power of human self-delusion. Everybody I talked with seemed to think that they had a shot at being the next Stern or Imus or whoever. Despite the fact that all the Industry really needed at the moment (according to the job postings in the back of class) were board jockeys and salespeople.
posted by Avenger at 8:29 PM on December 20, 2009
Yeah, most everyone did. I guess it's the power of human self-delusion. Everybody I talked with seemed to think that they had a shot at being the next Stern or Imus or whoever. Despite the fact that all the Industry really needed at the moment (according to the job postings in the back of class) were board jockeys and salespeople.
posted by Avenger at 8:29 PM on December 20, 2009
A quick heads up - what I consider to be Australia's best community radio station, Adelaide's 3D Radio (Melbourne's RRR is pretty good, too), will celebrate it's 30th birthday by finally starting streaming on the net in about 3 and a half hours from now. Listen in for an idea of what great listener-supported radio can sound like.
posted by Jimbob at 8:33 PM on December 20, 2009 [2 favorites]
posted by Jimbob at 8:33 PM on December 20, 2009 [2 favorites]
What was that "MS Bob" shit that ClearChannel stations were pulling in recent years? Where they gave stations some name that is a proper noun and removed all pretense of originality or differentiation?
Well, there's Jack and Bob.
Also Kiss-FM and The Fox.
To say they aren't differentiated is kinda silly though, why the local BOB here appends the name of the town on every commercial bumper!
posted by madajb at 8:33 PM on December 20, 2009 [1 favorite]
Well, there's Jack and Bob.
Also Kiss-FM and The Fox.
To say they aren't differentiated is kinda silly though, why the local BOB here appends the name of the town on every commercial bumper!
posted by madajb at 8:33 PM on December 20, 2009 [1 favorite]
Kim Mitchell has a radio show?!
Yes, and I've heard him describe Patio Lanterns as a rock and roll classic before playing it.
posted by Midnight Rambler at 8:34 PM on December 20, 2009
Yes, and I've heard him describe Patio Lanterns as a rock and roll classic before playing it.
posted by Midnight Rambler at 8:34 PM on December 20, 2009
Kim Mitchell has a radio show?!
Yes. And it's very Meta! As you might guess from the title, he brings up a song and discusses it in depth, often getting the original writer\performer in on the discussion. Great show for people who are as interested in thinking about the music as they are in listening to it.
posted by autodidact at 8:35 PM on December 20, 2009
Yes. And it's very Meta! As you might guess from the title, he brings up a song and discusses it in depth, often getting the original writer\performer in on the discussion. Great show for people who are as interested in thinking about the music as they are in listening to it.
posted by autodidact at 8:35 PM on December 20, 2009
Sirius (the dogstar)\XM Satellite Radio is on the rise, by comparison:
Sirius, the home of radio shock jock Howard Stern, posted a quarterly loss of $149.2 million, or 4 cents per share — much smaller than last year's loss of $4.9 billion, or $1.93 a share.
posted by autodidact at 8:38 PM on December 20, 2009 [1 favorite]
Sirius, the home of radio shock jock Howard Stern, posted a quarterly loss of $149.2 million, or 4 cents per share — much smaller than last year's loss of $4.9 billion, or $1.93 a share.
posted by autodidact at 8:38 PM on December 20, 2009 [1 favorite]
Thank god for WFMU, or else I'd never listen to any music-based radio programming anymore.
posted by computech_apolloniajames at 8:40 PM on December 20, 2009 [9 favorites]
posted by computech_apolloniajames at 8:40 PM on December 20, 2009 [9 favorites]
I'm still kind of shocked that they killed K-Rock in NYC (again) and replaced it with a station that is a direct competitor to Z100.
posted by smackfu at 8:40 PM on December 20, 2009
posted by smackfu at 8:40 PM on December 20, 2009
> (Melbourne's RRR is pretty good, too)
Ten years ago I was in Australia for a few months, most of which time was spent in the Melbourne area, and I quickly fell in love with RRR. As I remember it most of their programming consisted entirely of cool people playing pretty much whatever they wanted. I sent a couple of postcards home with lists of the songs I heard written on the back, and my music geek friends were amazed by the diversity.
Then I returned to Toronto and went back to never listening to the radio.
posted by The Card Cheat at 8:42 PM on December 20, 2009
Ten years ago I was in Australia for a few months, most of which time was spent in the Melbourne area, and I quickly fell in love with RRR. As I remember it most of their programming consisted entirely of cool people playing pretty much whatever they wanted. I sent a couple of postcards home with lists of the songs I heard written on the back, and my music geek friends were amazed by the diversity.
Then I returned to Toronto and went back to never listening to the radio.
posted by The Card Cheat at 8:42 PM on December 20, 2009
I was originally a radio major, until my school dumped radio at the end of my freshman year and forced me to re-declare into something else.
These days, I do film restoration. In a few years, it'll be just as dead an art as broadcast DJing, but it pays better in the meantime.
posted by fairytale of los angeles at 8:44 PM on December 20, 2009
These days, I do film restoration. In a few years, it'll be just as dead an art as broadcast DJing, but it pays better in the meantime.
posted by fairytale of los angeles at 8:44 PM on December 20, 2009
This could have an even worse effect if the trend continues: The cableization of radio. Paying for what was once free.
Some of you middle aged or older might remember when cable TV was introduced. Not a lot on; maybe 20 channels at the beginning. But that kicked 4 channel rabbit ears' ass. So people PAID to watch mostly the same shows, WITH ADS. It boggled my mind that people would pay for what they already theoretically paid for with the ads. As time went on the number of channels and programs increased, as did cable fees, but overall show quality stayed the same (with a few exceptions.)
If large swaths of stations are turned off, satellite radio has a bigger chance of becoming the main option for local radio news and entertainment. This would marginalize people unable to afford monthly fees, and reduce the distribution of local programming. But the thing that bugs me most about this is that yet another set of media companies would get to charge exorbitant rates for what used to be free.
I know, the broadcast radio model is like an old clunker that isn't working well, but surely to heck other changes can be done to save it rather than abandon that car and switch to a taxi.
Call me an old fart, but I still find a lot of value in some of the less mainstream commercial stations. Here in Canada there are still some decent DJs who can talk about music and not just hype the current flavour. This too would be diminished by moves toward (likely non-local) satellite providers.
As to this whole issue being a US-only thing: I don't think so but would love to be proven wrong on that. There are Canadians owning US stations and vice versa, so these events will affect programming both sides of the border. If you have a big media portfolio and most of your US stations don't do well, the Canadian ones aren't going to look so hot either.
posted by Hardcore Poser at 8:45 PM on December 20, 2009 [2 favorites]
Some of you middle aged or older might remember when cable TV was introduced. Not a lot on; maybe 20 channels at the beginning. But that kicked 4 channel rabbit ears' ass. So people PAID to watch mostly the same shows, WITH ADS. It boggled my mind that people would pay for what they already theoretically paid for with the ads. As time went on the number of channels and programs increased, as did cable fees, but overall show quality stayed the same (with a few exceptions.)
If large swaths of stations are turned off, satellite radio has a bigger chance of becoming the main option for local radio news and entertainment. This would marginalize people unable to afford monthly fees, and reduce the distribution of local programming. But the thing that bugs me most about this is that yet another set of media companies would get to charge exorbitant rates for what used to be free.
I know, the broadcast radio model is like an old clunker that isn't working well, but surely to heck other changes can be done to save it rather than abandon that car and switch to a taxi.
Call me an old fart, but I still find a lot of value in some of the less mainstream commercial stations. Here in Canada there are still some decent DJs who can talk about music and not just hype the current flavour. This too would be diminished by moves toward (likely non-local) satellite providers.
As to this whole issue being a US-only thing: I don't think so but would love to be proven wrong on that. There are Canadians owning US stations and vice versa, so these events will affect programming both sides of the border. If you have a big media portfolio and most of your US stations don't do well, the Canadian ones aren't going to look so hot either.
posted by Hardcore Poser at 8:45 PM on December 20, 2009 [2 favorites]
Until they come up with a station that plays Bob Wills, Allan Sherman, Roth-era Van Halen, Shonen Knife, They Might Be Giants and the Katamari Damacy soundtrack, I see no reason ever to tune a radio again.
posted by darksasami at 8:46 PM on December 20, 2009 [5 favorites]
posted by darksasami at 8:46 PM on December 20, 2009 [5 favorites]
> Until they come up with a station that plays Bob Wills, Allan Sherman, Roth-era Van Halen, Shonen Knife, They Might Be Giants and the Katamari Damacy soundtrack, I see no reason ever to tune a radio again.
As I said earlier I basically never listen to the radio, but a little while ago the device I use to hook my iPod up in the car broke, so I was forced to tune in for a few days until I bought a new one. The only interesting (i.e. unpredictable) station I could find was 106.5, which is part of the Aboriginal Voices Radio network; the first day I stumbled across it they played some fantastic late '80s-sounding hip-hop I didn't recognize, two Aerosmith songs (one old, one new) in a row, "Love Is A Treasure" by Freddie McKay and then an awful new country tune.
posted by The Card Cheat at 8:57 PM on December 20, 2009
As I said earlier I basically never listen to the radio, but a little while ago the device I use to hook my iPod up in the car broke, so I was forced to tune in for a few days until I bought a new one. The only interesting (i.e. unpredictable) station I could find was 106.5, which is part of the Aboriginal Voices Radio network; the first day I stumbled across it they played some fantastic late '80s-sounding hip-hop I didn't recognize, two Aerosmith songs (one old, one new) in a row, "Love Is A Treasure" by Freddie McKay and then an awful new country tune.
posted by The Card Cheat at 8:57 PM on December 20, 2009
I just wanted to chime in about how much I love KCRW in LA. Such a great station.
posted by flaterik at 8:58 PM on December 20, 2009 [4 favorites]
posted by flaterik at 8:58 PM on December 20, 2009 [4 favorites]
Shonen Knife
As a Japanophile, my dream is a station that plays good J-POP 50/50, interleaving the languages. I should patent that. Thanks to *cough* I've rather recently been able to secure access to gigabytes of good Japanese music for the ol' iPod. Just discovered that Princess Princess has a dozen pretty good songs in their catalog...
posted by tad at 9:00 PM on December 20, 2009
As a Japanophile, my dream is a station that plays good J-POP 50/50, interleaving the languages. I should patent that. Thanks to *cough* I've rather recently been able to secure access to gigabytes of good Japanese music for the ol' iPod. Just discovered that Princess Princess has a dozen pretty good songs in their catalog...
posted by tad at 9:00 PM on December 20, 2009
Holy shit! I worked for Citadel! I have absolutely nothing to say about this, other than halleluia praise God! That is all.
posted by Baby_Balrog at 9:05 PM on December 20, 2009
posted by Baby_Balrog at 9:05 PM on December 20, 2009
I used to love listening to the radio when 4 or 5 album cuts would get played from an album, and when a "block" was actually 4 or 5 songs and when concerts would air late at night and when DJs had an actual say in the music.
I stopped listening to FM radio around the late 90's when everything started getting formatted and "alternative" stations were everywhere playing such cutting edge acts as Gin Blossoms, Everclear, Eve 6, Tonic and other faceless corporate garbage that was as alternative as a Bea Arthur sing along.
Now, the idea of satellite radio is pretty cool, but can't I just play my own music that I'd want to listen to in my car anyway? I don't have/ want an iPod but if I did, I'd use that as well.
But satellite radio would indeed be the way to go if I had to travel alot. Otherwise, no way would I pay for radio. And don't even get me started on what a joke digital radio is.
Seeing the trouble satellite radio is in makes me laugh, because corporations are suffering even more.
If I listen to radio, it's only Sports Talk and that gets old very quick.
Local radio could only be saved if they stop playing the same 3 AC/DC, Metallica, Nirvana, Pearl jam and Lynyrd Skynyrd songs which will never happen. Radio is dead, and it should be, because the corporations like Clear Channel neutered it.
posted by chudbeagle at 9:06 PM on December 20, 2009
I stopped listening to FM radio around the late 90's when everything started getting formatted and "alternative" stations were everywhere playing such cutting edge acts as Gin Blossoms, Everclear, Eve 6, Tonic and other faceless corporate garbage that was as alternative as a Bea Arthur sing along.
Now, the idea of satellite radio is pretty cool, but can't I just play my own music that I'd want to listen to in my car anyway? I don't have/ want an iPod but if I did, I'd use that as well.
But satellite radio would indeed be the way to go if I had to travel alot. Otherwise, no way would I pay for radio. And don't even get me started on what a joke digital radio is.
Seeing the trouble satellite radio is in makes me laugh, because corporations are suffering even more.
If I listen to radio, it's only Sports Talk and that gets old very quick.
Local radio could only be saved if they stop playing the same 3 AC/DC, Metallica, Nirvana, Pearl jam and Lynyrd Skynyrd songs which will never happen. Radio is dead, and it should be, because the corporations like Clear Channel neutered it.
posted by chudbeagle at 9:06 PM on December 20, 2009
I can't wait for open wireless broadband such as WiMax or LTE becomes widely available.
Then your radio in your car becomes an Internet streaming device, and you can listen to any radio station you want, anywhere in the world.
What affect will this have on major radio conglomerate companies like Clear Channel and Fox? I can only guess based on my own listening habits. In my car I don't have much choice because they've bought up much of the bandwidth. On my desktop I only listen to independent stations all across the US and the world.
So I'm predicting good things.
posted by eye of newt at 9:13 PM on December 20, 2009 [3 favorites]
Then your radio in your car becomes an Internet streaming device, and you can listen to any radio station you want, anywhere in the world.
What affect will this have on major radio conglomerate companies like Clear Channel and Fox? I can only guess based on my own listening habits. In my car I don't have much choice because they've bought up much of the bandwidth. On my desktop I only listen to independent stations all across the US and the world.
So I'm predicting good things.
posted by eye of newt at 9:13 PM on December 20, 2009 [3 favorites]
As a former Citadel employee I only have two words. "Good riddance."
posted by OrangeSoda at 9:16 PM on December 20, 2009
posted by OrangeSoda at 9:16 PM on December 20, 2009
chudbeagle, a Bea Arthur singalong would be a fabulous alternative.
posted by darksasami at 9:17 PM on December 20, 2009 [3 favorites]
posted by darksasami at 9:17 PM on December 20, 2009 [3 favorites]
sien: It would be interesting to see if radio listener numbers were declining in Australia.
Slowly, yes - at least for the major players in the major markets.
You can't actually tell from that link alone, but if you crunch the numbers from all the past surveys you'll probably* see a continuous overall downward trend. They could, of course, be bleeding off to the smaller players - you'll notice that your above-mentioned Triple R, 3PBS, and 3MBS don't even make the Melbourne top 15…
(* At least I'm assuming you will; I haven't actually done the numbers for Melbourne. I've done the numbers for both Brisbane and nationally in the past, and the overall trend is all slowly downhill. If I can find my spreadsheet I'll update it with the latest surveys & post it somewhere.)
posted by Pinback at 9:24 PM on December 20, 2009
Slowly, yes - at least for the major players in the major markets.
You can't actually tell from that link alone, but if you crunch the numbers from all the past surveys you'll probably* see a continuous overall downward trend. They could, of course, be bleeding off to the smaller players - you'll notice that your above-mentioned Triple R, 3PBS, and 3MBS don't even make the Melbourne top 15…
(* At least I'm assuming you will; I haven't actually done the numbers for Melbourne. I've done the numbers for both Brisbane and nationally in the past, and the overall trend is all slowly downhill. If I can find my spreadsheet I'll update it with the latest surveys & post it somewhere.)
posted by Pinback at 9:24 PM on December 20, 2009
Until they come up with a station that plays Bob Wills, Allan Sherman, Roth-era Van Halen, Shonen Knife, They Might Be Giants and the Katamari Damacy soundtrack, I see no reason ever to tune a radio again.
There is no reason for you to see no reason ever to tune to radio again, In fact I see quite an elephant-in-the-parlor-sized-room reason that shall now bind you forward and command forthwith that you tune your radio to WFMU.org That, or just try to live with yourself, after breaking such an oath.
posted by StickyCarpet at 9:30 PM on December 20, 2009 [4 favorites]
There is no reason for you to see no reason ever to tune to radio again, In fact I see quite an elephant-in-the-parlor-sized-room reason that shall now bind you forward and command forthwith that you tune your radio to WFMU.org That, or just try to live with yourself, after breaking such an oath.
posted by StickyCarpet at 9:30 PM on December 20, 2009 [4 favorites]
In the US NPR is terrific, it's interesting that that is not mentioned much.
Certainly the awesomeness of NPR is one of the suprise discoveries I have made since moving to the US. Also I discovered why the NPR-like radio channel in GTA3 is locked in an endless fundraising loop.
Unsure that there are other reasons to turn on a radio in the US.
posted by Artw at 9:31 PM on December 20, 2009 [2 favorites]
Certainly the awesomeness of NPR is one of the suprise discoveries I have made since moving to the US. Also I discovered why the NPR-like radio channel in GTA3 is locked in an endless fundraising loop.
Unsure that there are other reasons to turn on a radio in the US.
posted by Artw at 9:31 PM on December 20, 2009 [2 favorites]
Radio is a dead man walking, just like all other non-internet communication technologies. I would bet AM/FM bands will reclaimed/reused/resold within ten years at the outside. Who is going to listen to the radio when you can have a device with thousands of hours of music and thousands of channels of internet streaming, and a kick-ass UI to boot?
I wouldn't bet a dime on satellite radio's long term future, either
posted by crayz at 9:42 PM on December 20, 2009
I wouldn't bet a dime on satellite radio's long term future, either
posted by crayz at 9:42 PM on December 20, 2009
tune your radio to WFMU.org
Er...my radio doesn't have a Web browser, StickyCarpet. I'd be worried if it did, as it's in my car, and that would make it hard to drive.
Next time I move to Jersey City, I'll be all over that, though.
posted by darksasami at 9:43 PM on December 20, 2009
Er...my radio doesn't have a Web browser, StickyCarpet. I'd be worried if it did, as it's in my car, and that would make it hard to drive.
Next time I move to Jersey City, I'll be all over that, though.
posted by darksasami at 9:43 PM on December 20, 2009
Unsure that there are other reasons to turn on a radio in the US.
Might be the only way to hear about evacuation routes out of major cities when the assimilation drones from NGC 4496 arrive.
posted by secret about box at 9:44 PM on December 20, 2009 [5 favorites]
Might be the only way to hear about evacuation routes out of major cities when the assimilation drones from NGC 4496 arrive.
posted by secret about box at 9:44 PM on December 20, 2009 [5 favorites]
The concept of music radio is great because you'll hopefully hear new (or new-to-you) stuff you'll like -- it's the same concept as Pandora or iTunes genius or (best) hearing about music from people you know. Since I moved away from Los Angeles, I still have KUSC playing all day on the iTunes stream, and I hear some interesting new (to me) music almost every day.
I love radio. There is something about getting some far-off broadcast while driving at night. Somewhere in the Southwest desert, there's a Native American station that plays traditional music (chanting, drums, etc.) and community news in ... Navajo? Paiute? It is spooky and awesome. I used to listen to Art Bell out of Pahrump, Nevada, for similar reasons: access to some weird world on the public airwaves. Of course it's hard to find unique radio and that's been the case since the 1980s.
It's too bad there's not much of a career to be made in radio these days. While it was never my full-time thing, I did college radio and worked at (and even owned) stations in Central Europe. So fun. But my last station was two announcers and a 500-disc changer routed through a PC .... 98% of Sirius-XM doesn't interest me, but it's worth it for the BBC news, the NPR channels, CBC, the classical channels, and especially the stuff like Bob Dylan's Theme Time program and (this time of year) three holiday music choices. (And without sat radio, I'd be limited to a couple of Christian stations and a god-awful "adult contemporary" thing.)
posted by kenlayne at 9:46 PM on December 20, 2009 [4 favorites]
I love radio. There is something about getting some far-off broadcast while driving at night. Somewhere in the Southwest desert, there's a Native American station that plays traditional music (chanting, drums, etc.) and community news in ... Navajo? Paiute? It is spooky and awesome. I used to listen to Art Bell out of Pahrump, Nevada, for similar reasons: access to some weird world on the public airwaves. Of course it's hard to find unique radio and that's been the case since the 1980s.
It's too bad there's not much of a career to be made in radio these days. While it was never my full-time thing, I did college radio and worked at (and even owned) stations in Central Europe. So fun. But my last station was two announcers and a 500-disc changer routed through a PC .... 98% of Sirius-XM doesn't interest me, but it's worth it for the BBC news, the NPR channels, CBC, the classical channels, and especially the stuff like Bob Dylan's Theme Time program and (this time of year) three holiday music choices. (And without sat radio, I'd be limited to a couple of Christian stations and a god-awful "adult contemporary" thing.)
posted by kenlayne at 9:46 PM on December 20, 2009 [4 favorites]
I'm sticking with NPR and shortwave.
posted by TrialByMedia at 9:51 PM on December 20, 2009
posted by TrialByMedia at 9:51 PM on December 20, 2009
One thing to keep in mind re: bandwidth is that AM radio takes up around 1 MHz total, and FM radio 10 MHz. This doesn't represent tons of bandwidth.
posted by Monday, stony Monday at 9:52 PM on December 20, 2009
posted by Monday, stony Monday at 9:52 PM on December 20, 2009
Non-TCPIP-based media delivery attempts to stay relevant in a world of TCPIP. Film at eleven.
posted by mark242 at 10:06 PM on December 20, 2009 [4 favorites]
posted by mark242 at 10:06 PM on December 20, 2009 [4 favorites]
I recently got a free test subscription to Sirius with a new car purchase and was extremely skeptical they'd ever get me to pay for a subscription. Then I heard them play 'Planet of the Apes' by the Mummies on the 'Garage' channel, and it was all over.
I almost had to pull over with disbelief. I can't remember the last time I heard a garage band played on commercial radio. Hearing it come out of those speakers made me remember that radio actually used to be fun, interesting and cool.
The astonishing thing: it's not that good, but it's still 10 billion times better than what's on commercial radio. I'll happily pay for satellite as long as they keep a garage channel. My subscription will be my personal stake driven into the heart of every crappy Clear Channel station I ever had the bad luck to accidentally scan across.
So long, Citadel! Have a nice life Clear Channel. Later, douchebags!
posted by silkyd at 10:14 PM on December 20, 2009 [7 favorites]
I almost had to pull over with disbelief. I can't remember the last time I heard a garage band played on commercial radio. Hearing it come out of those speakers made me remember that radio actually used to be fun, interesting and cool.
The astonishing thing: it's not that good, but it's still 10 billion times better than what's on commercial radio. I'll happily pay for satellite as long as they keep a garage channel. My subscription will be my personal stake driven into the heart of every crappy Clear Channel station I ever had the bad luck to accidentally scan across.
So long, Citadel! Have a nice life Clear Channel. Later, douchebags!
posted by silkyd at 10:14 PM on December 20, 2009 [7 favorites]
97X - Bam! - The future of rock and roll
posted by squalor at 10:20 PM on December 20, 2009 [1 favorite]
posted by squalor at 10:20 PM on December 20, 2009 [1 favorite]
"In fact, KLSX never truly recovered in the ratings after losing its major morning lead-in, Howard Stern, to satellite radio. When Stern was still on the air in late 2005 at 97.1, the station enjoyed a 2.2 share."
Stern has been talking about this moment for many years. Its too bad the show has ended for the year, because I would be interested in hearing what Stern has to say.
http://latimesblogs.latimes.com/music_blog/2009/02/klsx-going-top.html
Ba Ba Booey
posted by brando_calrissian at 10:21 PM on December 20, 2009 [1 favorite]
Stern has been talking about this moment for many years. Its too bad the show has ended for the year, because I would be interested in hearing what Stern has to say.
http://latimesblogs.latimes.com/music_blog/2009/02/klsx-going-top.html
Ba Ba Booey
posted by brando_calrissian at 10:21 PM on December 20, 2009 [1 favorite]
Avenger: Eventually, the entire US radio network will consist of one sentient AI with a voice synthesizer and one barely-sentient Corporate executive who makes all the money. Even the music will be artificial.
Two words: Lady Gaga.
it all makes sense now!
posted by the_bone at 10:29 PM on December 20, 2009 [2 favorites]
Two words: Lady Gaga.
it all makes sense now!
posted by the_bone at 10:29 PM on December 20, 2009 [2 favorites]
We had a station in my town called Revolution Radio. Their format was audience driven, with questionnaires distributed in all the local gathering places. You could vote for songs you liked, and vote to ban songs you didn't like. The rotation was 48 hours: once a song had been played, you wouldn't hear it again for two days.
Unfortunately, they were leasing the station. Clear Channel came in and bought the station from the owners, violating the lease. The guy behind Revolution Radio finally got a settlement, some years later, but that was no comfort to the rest of us. In the meantime, Clear Channel has trademarked the name Revolution Radio.
I certainly hope Clear Channel goes down in flames.
posted by Jimmy Havok at 10:36 PM on December 20, 2009 [3 favorites]
Unfortunately, they were leasing the station. Clear Channel came in and bought the station from the owners, violating the lease. The guy behind Revolution Radio finally got a settlement, some years later, but that was no comfort to the rest of us. In the meantime, Clear Channel has trademarked the name Revolution Radio.
I certainly hope Clear Channel goes down in flames.
posted by Jimmy Havok at 10:36 PM on December 20, 2009 [3 favorites]
F Jackie!
posted by autodidact at 10:38 PM on December 20, 2009 [2 favorites]
posted by autodidact at 10:38 PM on December 20, 2009 [2 favorites]
As a stockholder in Citadel, I should be pissed off, distraught, and other adjectives as well.
But considering my ownership in Citadel was a result of Disney selling them off, and my ownership in them would cost more to sell off (thanks to brokerage fees) than I could ever hope to recoup from this sorry-ass stock, I say good riddance. Maybe, if Clear Channel bites the dust as well, I'll be able to hear more than the same 38 songs on my local stations (even the "classic rock" one).
It is my fervent hope that, once the revolution comes, Clear Channel will be one of many agencies up against the wall. May Citadel be merely warming up the firing squad's bullets for them...
posted by StrangeTikiGod at 10:56 PM on December 20, 2009
But considering my ownership in Citadel was a result of Disney selling them off, and my ownership in them would cost more to sell off (thanks to brokerage fees) than I could ever hope to recoup from this sorry-ass stock, I say good riddance. Maybe, if Clear Channel bites the dust as well, I'll be able to hear more than the same 38 songs on my local stations (even the "classic rock" one).
It is my fervent hope that, once the revolution comes, Clear Channel will be one of many agencies up against the wall. May Citadel be merely warming up the firing squad's bullets for them...
posted by StrangeTikiGod at 10:56 PM on December 20, 2009
What was that "MS Bob" shit that ClearChannel stations were pulling in recent years? Where they gave stations some name that is a proper noun and removed all pretense of originality or differentiation?
They were fighting the rise of Jack FM, the iPod on your radio. There were a number of such "Generic Guy Name" FM stations to rise in the last 5 years, only to fall away as people realized that there was some interest in hearing a live person.
Until they come up with a station that plays Bob Wills, Allan Sherman, Roth-era Van Halen, Shonen Knife, They Might Be Giants and the Katamari Damacy soundtrack, I see no reason ever to tune a radio again.
WFMU isn't the only station to play such variety. The local college station covered much of this in it's better days (nix the Van Halen, and we had a video game news + music show, a J-pop show, plenty of people who mixed TMBG into the general mix of weird indie music). It takes patience to listen to unpolished DJs* ramble or jump between genres*, but there's great stuff on college radio. (*Not all college DJs are bad, just many don't put as much effort into their presentation as they do into the music.)
I remember the very day that our professor (a relatively famous local DJ) laid it all out for us
As a college radio DJ, I was told by an alumni who went on to work at the local NPR affiliate, if you love music, you won't make money on radio, but you can get a job, and you can continue to share your love of music with others, and continue to get music sent to you. Much of it will suck, but the unforeseen gems and the positive listener feedback can be enough. I imagine it's like working in a music store (low pay, not always appreciated, but always gorging on great music), except you get to submit people to your musical preferences more often.
posted by filthy light thief at 10:57 PM on December 20, 2009
They were fighting the rise of Jack FM, the iPod on your radio. There were a number of such "Generic Guy Name" FM stations to rise in the last 5 years, only to fall away as people realized that there was some interest in hearing a live person.
Until they come up with a station that plays Bob Wills, Allan Sherman, Roth-era Van Halen, Shonen Knife, They Might Be Giants and the Katamari Damacy soundtrack, I see no reason ever to tune a radio again.
WFMU isn't the only station to play such variety. The local college station covered much of this in it's better days (nix the Van Halen, and we had a video game news + music show, a J-pop show, plenty of people who mixed TMBG into the general mix of weird indie music). It takes patience to listen to unpolished DJs* ramble or jump between genres*, but there's great stuff on college radio. (*Not all college DJs are bad, just many don't put as much effort into their presentation as they do into the music.)
I remember the very day that our professor (a relatively famous local DJ) laid it all out for us
As a college radio DJ, I was told by an alumni who went on to work at the local NPR affiliate, if you love music, you won't make money on radio, but you can get a job, and you can continue to share your love of music with others, and continue to get music sent to you. Much of it will suck, but the unforeseen gems and the positive listener feedback can be enough. I imagine it's like working in a music store (low pay, not always appreciated, but always gorging on great music), except you get to submit people to your musical preferences more often.
posted by filthy light thief at 10:57 PM on December 20, 2009
MST3k - Turn Your Crank to 'Frank'
More Garth! More Reba! Wynnona!
posted by Servo5678 at 11:16 PM on December 20, 2009 [1 favorite]
More Garth! More Reba! Wynnona!
posted by Servo5678 at 11:16 PM on December 20, 2009 [1 favorite]
In the US NPR is terrific...
NPR is the best the US has (in radio) but it is far from terrific. Very far. It's the Obama of radio. On the rational end of an extremely irrational continuum.
posted by DU at 4:44 AM on December 21, 2009 [1 favorite]
NPR is the best the US has (in radio) but it is far from terrific. Very far. It's the Obama of radio. On the rational end of an extremely irrational continuum.
posted by DU at 4:44 AM on December 21, 2009 [1 favorite]
Kim Mitchell has a radio show?!
Yes, and I've heard him describe Patio Lanterns as a rock and roll classic before playing it.
Flagged as offensive.
posted by boonerang at 5:43 AM on December 21, 2009 [3 favorites]
Yes, and I've heard him describe Patio Lanterns as a rock and roll classic before playing it.
Flagged as offensive.
posted by boonerang at 5:43 AM on December 21, 2009 [3 favorites]
Radio is one of those (admittedly many) things keeping the music industry tied to the 20th Century. Rather than innovate, take some whuppence while transitioning to something better, for the most part radio is worshiped in the tarnished, hallowed halls of the labels.
And it's mostly 'cause it still works. Radio play does, in fact, equate with sales. A strong radio campaign still "breaks" a band. In fact it's part of why "breaking" a band is still an important idea. It's also why investment in and a focus on other strategies is not what it should be yet.
Don't get me wrong, I think my colleagues in promotions are generally hard-working, honest folks who do really love music. But they're also why departments like mine have to fight hard for attention and funds even when the writing is on the wall.
posted by Captaintripps at 5:48 AM on December 21, 2009
And it's mostly 'cause it still works. Radio play does, in fact, equate with sales. A strong radio campaign still "breaks" a band. In fact it's part of why "breaking" a band is still an important idea. It's also why investment in and a focus on other strategies is not what it should be yet.
Don't get me wrong, I think my colleagues in promotions are generally hard-working, honest folks who do really love music. But they're also why departments like mine have to fight hard for attention and funds even when the writing is on the wall.
posted by Captaintripps at 5:48 AM on December 21, 2009
"NPR is the best the US has (in radio) but it is far from terrific."
"Far from terrific"? Try listening to The Current (Minnesota Public Radio) for a few days, then see if you feel the same way. They are awesome. I was sad when I left my alma mater, because their radio station was quite good - but when I found The Current I was happy again. There is almost nothing in my iTunes library that they don't play at least once in a while. Commercial-free radio is just plain awesome.
posted by caution live frogs at 5:49 AM on December 21, 2009
"Far from terrific"? Try listening to The Current (Minnesota Public Radio) for a few days, then see if you feel the same way. They are awesome. I was sad when I left my alma mater, because their radio station was quite good - but when I found The Current I was happy again. There is almost nothing in my iTunes library that they don't play at least once in a while. Commercial-free radio is just plain awesome.
posted by caution live frogs at 5:49 AM on December 21, 2009
Until they come up with a station that plays Bob Wills, Allan Sherman, Roth-era Van Halen, Shonen Knife, They Might Be Giants and the Katamari Damacy soundtrack, I see no reason ever to tune a radio again.
My I humbly suggest the infrequent, internet-streaming, highly diverse MetaChat Radio Project? The chandler lists upcoming shows (although they may happen on the fly, with little warning) and I've always been impressed by the diversity and quality. (although being volunteer-based, it's slowed down considerably due to The Holidays)
Full disclosure I am a frequent DJ - albeit one with an obsession for "theme sets", all space music - all soundtracks - etc. So you can take it with a grain of salt, but here is a sample of my last set (The Space Party Set, In honor of Kraken Mare Lake on Titan)
-----
Aural Exciters - Spooks In Space
Duran Duran - Electric Barbarella
Fantastic Plastic Machine - Take Me To The Disco At The End Of The World
Ednah Holt - Serious, Sirius Space Party
Thomas Dolby - The Keys To Her Ferrari
Queen - Seven Seas Of Rhye
Cater Burwel -Velvet Spacetime
David Bowie - Space Oddity
Jerry Goldsmith - Star Trek First Contact Theme
Richard Gibbs - Battlestar Galatica Theme
Rocky Horror Picture Show - Science Fiction Double Feature
---
So if you like that sort of thing and you're at a computer that can listen to music, why not check out the upcoming shows?
posted by The Whelk at 7:04 AM on December 21, 2009 [1 favorite]
My I humbly suggest the infrequent, internet-streaming, highly diverse MetaChat Radio Project? The chandler lists upcoming shows (although they may happen on the fly, with little warning) and I've always been impressed by the diversity and quality. (although being volunteer-based, it's slowed down considerably due to The Holidays)
Full disclosure I am a frequent DJ - albeit one with an obsession for "theme sets", all space music - all soundtracks - etc. So you can take it with a grain of salt, but here is a sample of my last set (The Space Party Set, In honor of Kraken Mare Lake on Titan)
-----
Aural Exciters - Spooks In Space
Duran Duran - Electric Barbarella
Fantastic Plastic Machine - Take Me To The Disco At The End Of The World
Ednah Holt - Serious, Sirius Space Party
Thomas Dolby - The Keys To Her Ferrari
Queen - Seven Seas Of Rhye
Cater Burwel -Velvet Spacetime
David Bowie - Space Oddity
Jerry Goldsmith - Star Trek First Contact Theme
Richard Gibbs - Battlestar Galatica Theme
Rocky Horror Picture Show - Science Fiction Double Feature
---
So if you like that sort of thing and you're at a computer that can listen to music, why not check out the upcoming shows?
posted by The Whelk at 7:04 AM on December 21, 2009 [1 favorite]
I can't get behind 'The Current'. They play a very narrow list of indie darlings. It's hard for me to define exactly what criteria they use to pick songs, but I find it actually lacks diversity. And because they're NPR, you get the 'smooth and smarmy' attitude that sounds terribly pre-scripted.
posted by 4midori at 7:10 AM on December 21, 2009 [1 favorite]
posted by 4midori at 7:10 AM on December 21, 2009 [1 favorite]
I'm not placing my money on satellite radio.
I drive around listening to Pandora and Last FM on my iPhone plugged into my car, and listen to Pandora and Last FM on my Wii and Boxee enabled Apple TV run into my stereo at home.
Pandora+iPhone+car stereo=awesome road trip
posted by sourwookie at 7:14 AM on December 21, 2009
I drive around listening to Pandora and Last FM on my iPhone plugged into my car, and listen to Pandora and Last FM on my Wii and Boxee enabled Apple TV run into my stereo at home.
Pandora+iPhone+car stereo=awesome road trip
posted by sourwookie at 7:14 AM on December 21, 2009
I can't bear the fact that they've computerised radio stations. That's why I only listen to Last.fm... A, erm, computerised radio station?
posted by seanyboy at 7:25 AM on December 21, 2009 [1 favorite]
posted by seanyboy at 7:25 AM on December 21, 2009 [1 favorite]
Cleveland doesn't have much going for it these days, but I always appreciated that it had not one, not two, but at least three college radio stations. Austin, 'Live Music Capital of the World,' has one, and it's a joke. My best college days were spent in WRUW's library.
posted by spamguy at 7:29 AM on December 21, 2009
posted by spamguy at 7:29 AM on December 21, 2009
I surely wish I was in an area with good (any) 3G coverage. I'd totally be rocking pandora, as well. As it is, I'm lucky to get BIS notifications in relatively good time.
posted by SeanMac at 7:41 AM on December 21, 2009
posted by SeanMac at 7:41 AM on December 21, 2009
Out here in the Dallas area, our local NPR, KERA, went all-talk about 10 years ago, breaking many hearts because their alternative/local music was the only good thing to hear. The only place to hear local music, at all, in this area.
Then this year a new, public, all-music station started up, and man, it's awesome. The only other things I occasionally listen to in the car are the local school-district radio station that plays oldies from my childhood, and once in a while, one of the classic rock stations. When I'm in Fort Worth, you can also get KTCU, which does some local/eclectic as well.
I love local radio, even though I'm intrigued by the satellite model, but there's really something about hearing a DJ interview a band of people you actually know and have seen locally that can't be beat.
posted by emjaybee at 7:42 AM on December 21, 2009
Then this year a new, public, all-music station started up, and man, it's awesome. The only other things I occasionally listen to in the car are the local school-district radio station that plays oldies from my childhood, and once in a while, one of the classic rock stations. When I'm in Fort Worth, you can also get KTCU, which does some local/eclectic as well.
I love local radio, even though I'm intrigued by the satellite model, but there's really something about hearing a DJ interview a band of people you actually know and have seen locally that can't be beat.
posted by emjaybee at 7:42 AM on December 21, 2009
Many more people are able to spend $13 a month for satellite radio than $60 a month for 3G.
posted by rfs at 8:00 AM on December 21, 2009
posted by rfs at 8:00 AM on December 21, 2009
I live on the west side of Austin. My congressional district, which was gerrymandered into place in the big redistricting Tom DeLay imposed on the state in 1993, stretches around the north side of Austin and down 290, through Prairie View, to suburban northwest Houston. It's a crappy district with little to no common interests among several distinct constituent groups (see: Houston, Austin, rural areas between, and the frequently deliberately disfranchised historically black university).
My congressman, whose right-wing anti-this, anti-that, anti-the-other positions make my blood boil every time I get my weekly megavote email about major legislation, is the son-in-law of the founder, chairman, and former CEO of Clear Channel. In political circles here he's known as (R-Clear Channel) because that's where he gets his money.
I can't wait until major commercial radio goes under.
posted by immlass at 8:03 AM on December 21, 2009
My congressman, whose right-wing anti-this, anti-that, anti-the-other positions make my blood boil every time I get my weekly megavote email about major legislation, is the son-in-law of the founder, chairman, and former CEO of Clear Channel. In political circles here he's known as (R-Clear Channel) because that's where he gets his money.
I can't wait until major commercial radio goes under.
posted by immlass at 8:03 AM on December 21, 2009
Then this year a new, public, all-music station started up, and man, it's awesome.
I grew up in Austin and I still miss KGSR. KXT has been damned awesome though.
With KGSR's new frequency and tower though, I can start picking it up way earlier when I drive down to visit family. I just wish they had an easy webstream that I could put into Nokia Internet Radio.
posted by kmz at 8:21 AM on December 21, 2009
I grew up in Austin and I still miss KGSR. KXT has been damned awesome though.
With KGSR's new frequency and tower though, I can start picking it up way earlier when I drive down to visit family. I just wish they had an easy webstream that I could put into Nokia Internet Radio.
posted by kmz at 8:21 AM on December 21, 2009
Since I subsist on a steady diet of Europop channeled directly into my aural nerves, Di.fm is basically my only option here in semi-rural Indiana. ClearChannel can rot in hell for the part they've played in recent politics.
posted by Michael Roberts at 8:57 AM on December 21, 2009
posted by Michael Roberts at 8:57 AM on December 21, 2009
I can't bear the fact that they've computerised radio stations. That's why I only listen to Last.fm... A, erm, computerised radio station?
No contradiction there, because I'm in mostly the same boat. I'd rather have a local station that plays a wide non-computer-selected mix where I sometimes hear new tracks and loaclk bands, with live DJ's and references to local events -- just noting it when we're in a blizzard, say, or when the crosstown expressway is backed up for hours.
But failing that, if I have to choose between computerized mixes, I'll choose one that's highly tailored to me, without the fees of satellite or the ads aand questionable character of Clear Channel.
posted by tyllwin at 9:08 AM on December 21, 2009
No contradiction there, because I'm in mostly the same boat. I'd rather have a local station that plays a wide non-computer-selected mix where I sometimes hear new tracks and loaclk bands, with live DJ's and references to local events -- just noting it when we're in a blizzard, say, or when the crosstown expressway is backed up for hours.
But failing that, if I have to choose between computerized mixes, I'll choose one that's highly tailored to me, without the fees of satellite or the ads aand questionable character of Clear Channel.
posted by tyllwin at 9:08 AM on December 21, 2009
Somebody mentioned 97X (WOXY). This station and this station alone singlehandedly saved my taste in music throughout my teen years. Before the actual terrestrial radio station went kaput I had it permanently on in my car. Interestingly I don't think I ever heard the station in full, 100% crisp FM. In fact the signal was always horribly weak BUT I chose and would still choose to listen to static laden GOOD music then hear the crystal clear horribly repetitive laughing of say...Bob and Tom. I swear they taped their laughs about ten years ago and have been cueing it up every 20 seconds ever since.
posted by deacon_blues at 9:10 AM on December 21, 2009
posted by deacon_blues at 9:10 AM on December 21, 2009
Nice to see all the WFMU love going on. My fave.
I'd also like to point out Seattle's own community-supported KEXP. It's certainly tamer than FMU, but they do an ass-kicking job of supporting local music.
posted by lumpenprole at 9:41 AM on December 21, 2009
I'd also like to point out Seattle's own community-supported KEXP. It's certainly tamer than FMU, but they do an ass-kicking job of supporting local music.
posted by lumpenprole at 9:41 AM on December 21, 2009
Meh. Good riddance. The sooner we get back to local ownership and control of local radio, the better.
Hells yeah.
posted by zzazazz at 9:52 AM on December 21, 2009
Hells yeah.
posted by zzazazz at 9:52 AM on December 21, 2009
Recently, we found that one of Norfolk's hard rock stations, MAX FM 100.5, had switched to playing nothing but Classical Chinese music. The GM's hourly voiceover stated that market research had determined that it was the best move for the station. It turned out to be great publicity. Everyone in the area on Twitter talked and speculated about it, and most thought it to be a change for the better as we already had 3 other rock stations in the area (classic, modern, alternative) that all played the same crap over and over. In the end it turned out to be a stunt as they switched again to a club hits format once the weekend hit. It seemed fresh for a few days to hear some new stuff but quickly devolved into the same regular rotation BS that we were accustomed to.
The best part about the stunt was the web site the station put up, which is now gone but seems to have been copied verbatim for a similar stunt in Ontario.
Now I'm back to listening to nothing but NPR or my iPhone in the car. I hate ClearChannel with a passion and can't wait to see them fail.
posted by daHIFI at 9:53 AM on December 21, 2009
The best part about the stunt was the web site the station put up, which is now gone but seems to have been copied verbatim for a similar stunt in Ontario.
Now I'm back to listening to nothing but NPR or my iPhone in the car. I hate ClearChannel with a passion and can't wait to see them fail.
posted by daHIFI at 9:53 AM on December 21, 2009
It's not the end of radio as a medium. It's the beginning of a new golden age.
In the future media companies will profit from being as small as possible, not giant firms.
posted by blue_beetle at 9:54 AM on December 21, 2009
In the future media companies will profit from being as small as possible, not giant firms.
posted by blue_beetle at 9:54 AM on December 21, 2009
Oh, and another shout out for KEXP. I had hopes that a similar station might spring up here in Hampton Roads, but we can't even get people to support local original acts around here. Part of the problem stems from having such a large number of military personnel coming in and out of the area.
posted by daHIFI at 9:55 AM on December 21, 2009
posted by daHIFI at 9:55 AM on December 21, 2009
For those in the LA area, especially out in the eastern suburbs, make sure to check out KSPC 88.7 FM - it's college radio done right.
posted by thewittyname at 10:27 AM on December 21, 2009 [2 favorites]
posted by thewittyname at 10:27 AM on December 21, 2009 [2 favorites]
In college, I can remember when someone managed to buy out this old sports/news station in Springfield, MO, and turned it into a proper alternative radio station (The Planet). They would have call-in contests, and I'd be the 1,4,and 7th callers, 'cause no one else seemed to know they existed. My fave part was how, when a baseball game was coming on, the DJ would go, "OK, we have a contractual obligation to carry this sports crap, so turn off the radio and go outside for the next few hours, we'll be back then too."
I love that station, and would listen to it over my own collection because they always played stuff I'd never heard of before.
A few years ago, I finally broke down and replaced the OEM head unit in my car with a modern deck that supported MP3-cd's and had a USB port on the front for memory sticks. The shop screwed up something during the install and radio barely gets any reception, not enough to pull in either of the two decent, community oriented, stations. If I'm in the car, and there's nothing on CD I want to listen to, I'd rather drive in silence than listen to the commercial radio stations I'm stuck with. As best as I can tell, commercial radio doesn't miss me either.
posted by nomisxid at 10:31 AM on December 21, 2009
I love that station, and would listen to it over my own collection because they always played stuff I'd never heard of before.
A few years ago, I finally broke down and replaced the OEM head unit in my car with a modern deck that supported MP3-cd's and had a USB port on the front for memory sticks. The shop screwed up something during the install and radio barely gets any reception, not enough to pull in either of the two decent, community oriented, stations. If I'm in the car, and there's nothing on CD I want to listen to, I'd rather drive in silence than listen to the commercial radio stations I'm stuck with. As best as I can tell, commercial radio doesn't miss me either.
posted by nomisxid at 10:31 AM on December 21, 2009
I'm always a little puzzled when I hear people talking about how "the signal doesn't reach out here." It takes effort to remember that so many people still listen to radio stations on a literal radio.
I've been listening to radio over the internet for years. Most "real" (i.e. non-Clear Channel) stations have a "Listen Live" option. Including Seattle's KEXP and C89.5, and every NPR station I've ever had cause to look for.
And that doesn't include internet-only radio stations like DI and Soma FM (home of Groove Salad, a favorite station for many years).
posted by ErikaB at 11:01 AM on December 21, 2009
I've been listening to radio over the internet for years. Most "real" (i.e. non-Clear Channel) stations have a "Listen Live" option. Including Seattle's KEXP and C89.5, and every NPR station I've ever had cause to look for.
And that doesn't include internet-only radio stations like DI and Soma FM (home of Groove Salad, a favorite station for many years).
posted by ErikaB at 11:01 AM on December 21, 2009
E.g. thewittyname's suggestion of KSPC has an internet stream, which means that anyone in the world can listen to it - not just folks in the eastern suburbs of LA.
posted by ErikaB at 11:03 AM on December 21, 2009
posted by ErikaB at 11:03 AM on December 21, 2009
There's an interesting parallel between radio and newspapers. Local producers get bought up by conglomerates who cut costs and homogenize the product. The conglomerates enjoy massive profits at the cost of alienating the consumer and pissing off most of the talent. Technology changes, in a way that was obvious 10 years ago large conglomerates find themselves SOL as people stay away in droves and ad revenues collapse.
At least we won't get any self pitying tripe about how they're the guardians of local democracy and accountability from the radio industry.
posted by Grimgrin at 11:11 AM on December 21, 2009 [1 favorite]
At least we won't get any self pitying tripe about how they're the guardians of local democracy and accountability from the radio industry.
posted by Grimgrin at 11:11 AM on December 21, 2009 [1 favorite]
Most "real" (i.e. non-Clear Channel) stations have a "Listen Live" option.
To be honest, so do the Clear Channel ones. Radio stations love to get you to their website.
posted by smackfu at 11:14 AM on December 21, 2009
To be honest, so do the Clear Channel ones. Radio stations love to get you to their website.
posted by smackfu at 11:14 AM on December 21, 2009
since nobody else is going to do it ...
wtul will kick you in the eardrums. as one of my friends says, 'i LOVE wtul! don't get me wrong, i don't always like it, but i love wtul.'
you'll love it, too : )
not really a self link. honest.
posted by msconduct at 11:45 AM on December 21, 2009
wtul will kick you in the eardrums. as one of my friends says, 'i LOVE wtul! don't get me wrong, i don't always like it, but i love wtul.'
you'll love it, too : )
not really a self link. honest.
posted by msconduct at 11:45 AM on December 21, 2009
Compare Nights with Alice Cooper to CBC Radio's Vinyl Tap, where Randy Bachman busts out the guitar and explains riffs while regaling us with stories of all the greats he's met and played with, and actually plays new music.
Even though I never made an effort to listen to it, every time I came across it, I was always impressed by Steve Jones (of the Sex Pistols) show on the now defunct and otherwise unlistenable Indie 103.1. He tended towards pretty "normal" classic rock (Lizzy, Cheap Trick, ELO) but in an obviously carefully curated way that bore the evidence of a real person's actual taste. I heard him do some great interviews with Elvis Costello & Robert Plant. His indefatigable chubby for early Rod Stewart and the Faces was always charming, too.
posted by anazgnos at 11:48 AM on December 21, 2009
Even though I never made an effort to listen to it, every time I came across it, I was always impressed by Steve Jones (of the Sex Pistols) show on the now defunct and otherwise unlistenable Indie 103.1. He tended towards pretty "normal" classic rock (Lizzy, Cheap Trick, ELO) but in an obviously carefully curated way that bore the evidence of a real person's actual taste. I heard him do some great interviews with Elvis Costello & Robert Plant. His indefatigable chubby for early Rod Stewart and the Faces was always charming, too.
posted by anazgnos at 11:48 AM on December 21, 2009
Last year the manager at the car rental agency offered us free Sirius Satellite radio with our rental. I mused aloud: "So many channels, what should I listen to?" She snapped back: "BLUEGRASS."
Pretty well all of the channels were not very interesting, I think I recall seventeen flavours of classic rock or something. We actually ended up spending all of our driving time listening to Bluegrass. Drove my co-pilot nuts.
posted by ovvl at 12:43 PM on December 21, 2009
Pretty well all of the channels were not very interesting, I think I recall seventeen flavours of classic rock or something. We actually ended up spending all of our driving time listening to Bluegrass. Drove my co-pilot nuts.
posted by ovvl at 12:43 PM on December 21, 2009
As Australian band The Sports said in their lone hit from 1979, "Who Listens To The Radio?". Man, were they ahead of their time with that one!
posted by chudbeagle at 1:13 PM on December 21, 2009
posted by chudbeagle at 1:13 PM on December 21, 2009
Just want to chime in and add my good riddance.
GOOD RIDDANCE.
posted by Civil_Disobedient at 1:58 PM on December 21, 2009
GOOD RIDDANCE.
posted by Civil_Disobedient at 1:58 PM on December 21, 2009
Man, I really butchered the syntax of my last sentence. C'est la vie.
posted by wcfields at 2:25 PM on December 21, 2009
posted by wcfields at 2:25 PM on December 21, 2009
I don't really see FM broadcast radio going anywhere in a hurry. The spectrum, I mean. The conglomerates are doomed, but I doubt the FCC will reallocate very quickly.
What they ought to do, but almost certainly won't, is eliminate VHF FM (because that's really useful spectrum that could be used for mobile-data services, and worth big bucks) and put all commercial broadcasting in a small allocation in the top end of the current medium-wave AM broadcast band, using some sort of robust digital mode. By moving broadcasters into medium-wave from VHF, fewer transmitters could cover more of the country (so you'd still get the emergency-broadcast benefits of radio), but modern digital modes and codecs would allow audio quality comparable to FM.
Unfortunately, the will to do this is nonexistent. My suspicion is that the MW AM band will go away first, with VHF FM hanging on for decades. Maybe it'll get reduced in size first (old radios will just hear funny digital sounds if they hit the end of the new, smaller allocation), but they'll probably keep the low end for a long time. There are just too many receivers around, and too many people would complain about losing their only news source, or only emergency-warning source, if it was eliminated or replaced by a for-profit data service. (Let's not even dream about a public two-way data service; ain't gonna happen. Cell companies would never allow it.)
It's a pity though, because MW is far better for true broadcast purposes — reaching the maximum people with the smallest amount of signal and infrastructure — than VHF. But medium-wave is so deeply associated in the US with that flawed mode, AM, that I doubt it will hang around.
posted by Kadin2048 at 11:54 PM on December 21, 2009
What they ought to do, but almost certainly won't, is eliminate VHF FM (because that's really useful spectrum that could be used for mobile-data services, and worth big bucks) and put all commercial broadcasting in a small allocation in the top end of the current medium-wave AM broadcast band, using some sort of robust digital mode. By moving broadcasters into medium-wave from VHF, fewer transmitters could cover more of the country (so you'd still get the emergency-broadcast benefits of radio), but modern digital modes and codecs would allow audio quality comparable to FM.
Unfortunately, the will to do this is nonexistent. My suspicion is that the MW AM band will go away first, with VHF FM hanging on for decades. Maybe it'll get reduced in size first (old radios will just hear funny digital sounds if they hit the end of the new, smaller allocation), but they'll probably keep the low end for a long time. There are just too many receivers around, and too many people would complain about losing their only news source, or only emergency-warning source, if it was eliminated or replaced by a for-profit data service. (Let's not even dream about a public two-way data service; ain't gonna happen. Cell companies would never allow it.)
It's a pity though, because MW is far better for true broadcast purposes — reaching the maximum people with the smallest amount of signal and infrastructure — than VHF. But medium-wave is so deeply associated in the US with that flawed mode, AM, that I doubt it will hang around.
posted by Kadin2048 at 11:54 PM on December 21, 2009
Here's another pump for Melbourne's RRR. Totally publicly funded via voluntary subscription. They play a very diverse range of music, and have some very cool DJs, who actually care about the music the play, and get to choose what they play.
Website: http://www.rrr.org.au/
Live M3U stream: http://media.on.net/radio/114.m3u
posted by Diag at 1:12 AM on December 22, 2009
Website: http://www.rrr.org.au/
Live M3U stream: http://media.on.net/radio/114.m3u
posted by Diag at 1:12 AM on December 22, 2009
Good news for lovers of local, community radio: the House passed the Local Community Radio Act last week, and the bill, which is designed to permit licensing of low power FM stations across the country, will now move on to the Senate.
posted by KatlaDragon at 2:09 AM on December 22, 2009
posted by KatlaDragon at 2:09 AM on December 22, 2009
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Meh. Good riddance. The sooner we get back to local ownership and control of local radio, the better.
posted by pla at 7:57 PM on December 20, 2009 [26 favorites]