THE MEDIA MORASS-WHEN MORE IS LESS


The trend is clear, the die is cast. Corporate media is growing bigger and bigger each day. Is this
a good thing?  There are many who say "No"! More, does not necessarily lead to more revenue or
larger ratings numbers. In areas such as interior design, it's accepted that "Less" is generally "More".
Not so for the Media. Corporate takeovers usually result in staff members being eliminated and
melded into one small staff to do the work of what may have been several media entities in a market.


When a corporate giant merges what was once several entities, they normally eliminate up to 80%
of the total staff members it took to run them separately. Makes good business sense they say. Yes,
good for them, not so good for the industry. It's been estimated that more than 35,000 jobs have
been eliminated in just the last few years. Forbes magazine put out a list of the "Bottom" five jobs
in the marketplace, and Broadcasting was in that dubious grouping. Thanks to de-regulation, what
was once a good paying profession, has now been driven to the dregs of the societal workplace.
Now, for some unknown reason, the FCC has released 750 more low power licenses. I guess the
Federal Radio folks won't be happy until all of the dial positions and frequencies will be in use.
No more room, and no more people coming in to run them. A sorry looking future as I see it.


Remember when there used to be three hour radio shifts? When there used to be six to eight D.J's
or announcers on a radio station? Now, these have been replaced with "Voice Trackers" doing most
of the work of many. To me...this is going from more to less in a big way. Having several stations
in one building also reduces internal sales, traffic, and management people needed. This media
centralization has led to de-localization as well. What was once more...is now less. Much less.


Just read last week that USA Today(Gannett) plans to merge with another large  chain of almost
120 newspapers. Look for the same condensing of personnel. Again, more outlets run by fewer
people..thus less human contact. The listening and news reading public is the loser in each and
every local area served by these centralized power grabbers. But they are finding out that more
entities don't lead to higher numbers in either their ratings OR their corporate bank accounts.
AND, in the local marketplace, people are finding out that they're definitely getting Less from
what they perceive is MORE...more intrusion into their lives from afar. MORE intrusion from a
large power structure can be expected to offer LESS. As for our government officials? Well they
are "more or less" disinterested.  That's my RadiOpinion...what's yours?

RADIO. ONE OF THE GOOD GUYS.

Let's take a short course on the evolution of progress...both Good and Bad shall we?








Since the dawn of time, man has always been inventive. First, the wheel, eating utensils, musical instruments, clothing, fire, then gunpowder; plus various weapons of war, and on-and-on until the
Industrial Revolution. From the mid 1800's to the mid 1900's inventions took place that would alter
and illuminate our way of life. Each century produced marvelous miracles that would move people
forward into a better future. The pre-historic "wheel" led to wagons, trains, and planes that would transport goods and people faster and farther with each succeeding era. The Chinese discovery of
gunpowder was the forerunner to explosives, bullets and bombs. Man's first fascination with music
and musical instruments paved the way for the first recording to be made, which in turn became
record players, recording devices to listen to and thus, to entertain the human spirit. Along came
a way to hear this entertainment and information source...it was called Radio. Radio. It was like
magic..to hear sounds through the air into your very ears - instantly. And when Television came into
our lives...more magic. Pictures AND sound through the air that was unseen by the eye, but came
to a receiver near you. There seems to be no limit on what the human brain can imagine.


Now, of course, I've left out many incredible inventions, such as the printing press, electricity, the
telephone, the smelting of iron and steel, and all of the medical marvels and cures in History, not to
forget the awe inspiring "Man on the Moon" flight in 1969. So, we arrive now at the early stages of a new century-2000. A new century filled with industrial robotics, driverless cars, GPS navigation and maybe one of the great inventions so far ..the micro chip and/or the computer!




I take this long route to explain, that of all the incredible advances in the human experience, most
can be used for good or evil. An explosive can be used for building dams or Mt. Rushmore...or, it
can be used for violence and harm. A gun used for self protection can also be used for killing.
Even an airplane who's faster transportation can be used for evil such as in the case of "9-11".
Medical drugs used for curing many illnesses, can be used for addiction or murder. You get the idea.
But few inventions can be mainly used for good. Radio is one of those few. Radio is benign. All
Radio purports to do is inform and entertain. All one has to do is listen. That's it!


I find it somewhat comforting to know I worked in a business that was a "Good Guy". I mean Radio
doesn't explode, Radio can not "hack" into anyone's computer, Radio never killed anyone on purpose,
Radio by it's very nature does not harm it's listener base. In short, Radio is meant to be "Good".
However, as in all societies, "evil" usually comes from within. In due time, a society can cause it's
own demise. This too could happen to Radio if not carefully watched. The real down side to all
of mankind's progress can result in a "bad" outcome. How so? Well, if we continue to invent those
things that make Life easier, and in the process, we eliminate the workforce needed to produce or
maintain these inventions, what happens to society who is the ultimate benefactor of this progress?
Who will work if robots do it for us? Who would be sick if everyone becomes healthy? Who would
be employed in Radio(or any job) if automation became the norm? Where would individual wealth
ever be achieved? Where would incentive go to keep humanity alive? Maybe we'll know in the next
100 years or so...but for now, let's enjoy all that's "good" in our lives. And among the diminishing few left is RADIO....definitely one of the "Good Guys". That's my RadiOpinion, what's yours?