AFTER 50 YEARS, I STILL HAVE QUESTIONS
Radio is much like politics, religion, & sports....everyone has an opinion on how it should be. Since I started in Radio in 1955 and to this very day, I still have questions about Radio....how it sounds, what format should be done, how many commercials per hour, what kind of station do we want to be and on-and-on. Many questions, naturally, bring many more answers. A lot of questions we had back then (the 50's & 60's) are still around today. Since the advent of Top 40 and it's many versions, these same questions are still around. Listening around the dial today, it sounds like very few owners, General Managers, Programmers and air talent have any unsolved explanations for their banal attempts at making a successful station. I have listed(below) some questions which maybe you have answers to:
FOR INSTANCE:
1. How many commercials per hour is the appropriate amount?
(a) six (b) eight (c) ten (d) twelve (e) fourteen (f) eighteen-or more
2. In a Top 40 Format, what is the best number of current "Hits" to play?
(a) 30 (b) 35 (c) 40 (d) 50 or more
3. What would be the best number in a station's "Oldies" library to play from?
(a) 300 (b) 600 (c) 1,000 (d) 1,500 (e) 2,000 (f) 3,000
4. Which is more important in attracting an audience?
(a) Music (b) Contests (c) Air Talent
5. What is the most important department in a Radio station?
(a) Engineering (b) Programming (c) Sales (d) Traffic/Production (e) All
6. Is record promotion and/or promotion people essential in picking music to play?
(a) Very Essential (b) Somewhat Essential (c) Not Very Essential (d) Only Danny Davis
7. What does the phrase "Number 1 With A Bullet" mean to you?
(a) Columbia has bought another full page ad (b) Claude Hall gets his pay check
(c) Rick Sklar still won't put my record on
There you have six "burning" questions that just might be a help in considering how to put
together a successful Radio station. Then again, maybe not. I'd love your input answers so
that I and others can sleep at night. Just email your answers or comments to see if you win
a traded out trip to Morris Diamond's house in Palm Springs! Send those entries to:
gary.allyn@gmail.com
That's my RadiOpinion...what's yours?
