"RADIO DEAD" IS ALIVE AND WELL


Finally, it seems someone has come up with a creative moment. It's called "Radio Dead".
This little jewel of creativity has been "hatched" on an online station...not terrestrial.
After all, as I've been writing about lately, Radio as we knew it, is on life support itself.
A bit ironic I'd say. I started thinking when I noticed this news item online the other day:


The past few months have been desperately sad for the music industry with the loss of the likes of Motörhead’s Lemmy, David Bowie and The Eagles’ Glenn Frey.
To ‘celebrate’ their lives, one man has set up a radio station that only plays hits by dead musicians. The criteria to be played on the online-only station, called Radio Dead, is for one member of the group to be deceased. According to Sky News, former Capital and Virgin Radio DJ Steve Penk is behind the ‘joyous’ station.
"The immediate perception of this radio station, before listening to it, might be that it's in bad taste, but the reality is a joyous radio station celebrating the music of so many brilliant artists who are sadly no longer with us," he said.
"I want listeners to enjoy and remember the incredible music these artists have left behind, it's a great, positive listen.”

I think Steve Penk has really come up with a winner here. Possibilities are endless for sales.
Flower shops, funeral homes, cemetery plots, limousine services, crematories etc.
Of course, promotional ideas would be easy, such as:  "K-DED -more than a passing fancy",
"K-DED, Number one..and Done!", "K-DED, a thing of the past", "Playing the ghosts with the
most..we're K-DED", or.."K-DED home of the ground bound sounds". You get the idea.
One thing for sure, there will always be plenty of "new" expired artists to "debut" on the station's
playlist...which we'll call: "The TombDex Top 40". Think of the requests you could take off of
the "K-DED Graveline". Well, I've heard of-and worked-worse formats.
I say this here, in case some terrestrial station wants to take a chance on this macabre venture.
It would be a musical history lesson 24 hours a day! On what other station could you actually
hear "Mr. Dieingly Sad" by The Critters?  I rest(in peace)my case. That's my RadiOpinion...
what's yours?  - Gary Allyn

                       IS THE FCC INVITING AM/PM MADNESS?   

 

Congratulations FCC, you're now entering the realm of many other U.S. government

agencies who have created a problem you don't know how to solve. Yes, from that same

U.S. Government who gave us the "brilliance" of the IRS, EPA, the Affordable Care

Act, the VA, the Department of Education, The Postal System...you, the "Futile"

Communications Commission has taken on the problem of AM Radio Revitalization.

Keep in mind, that the commissioners are political appointees, and this may forewarn

you into thinking that this "problem" is another doomed to failure. As if Deregulation

in the 1990's wasn't enough to help destroy Radio, now this Federal agency wants to

further Radio's demolition through so-called revitalization. It's only taken 40-50 years

to figure out that this was necessary through a Sargasso Sea of static and interference.

Obviously, as Government is want to do, it's a complicated and conviluted contrivance

of lower power for some, higher power for others, and it's the end of Class 1-A or clear

channel stations all together. As I read it, most all stations(even daytimers) will be able

to stay on the air at night, thus creating more clutter when they will now be allowed to

interfere with once clear-unobstructed clear channel frequencies. This will now inhibit

emergency notice broadcasts to be heard by millions in the "hinterlands" as before.

There are many flaws to the FCC's approach to solving this AM interference situation,

but creating more of the same hardly seems the right one to this old disc spinner. As of

now, there are several petitions on the internet to try and keep the Class 1-A 50kw

stations from being compromised....WLW in Cincinnati being one. One must read the

proposed "fixes" that is proposed by our Federal Friends in Washington, then only hope

you can make any sense of it**. It's worth a try. I'm reminded these Federal guys are to

work for us...it's time to let them know we're here and would like some accountability.

Otherwise, start looking for that last nail for the FCC to put in Radio's AM coffin!

That's my RadiOpinion...what's yours?

** Read more about:   http://www.lexology.com/library/detail.aspx?g=c1d5a224-cc4f-4791-9e71-40293616d5e2

                                          "TIME HAS COME TODAY"

TIME. IT'S THE MERCILESS PREDATOR OF US ALL....OF MOST THINGS IN 

LIFE. TIME. IT'S MADE UP GENERALLY OF DECADES, YEARS,MONTHS, DAYS, 

HOURS, MINUTES, SECONDS, AND THE INFINITE. IT'S THAT LAST ONE-INFINITE- 

THAT HAS US MOST PUZZLED I SUPPOSE. DURING MY DECADES IN RADIO,

I HEARD AND PLAYED LOTS OF SONGS ABOUT TIME: "As Time Goes By", Time

In A Bottle", Time After Time", Just In Time", "Time Has Come Today" ON and ON.

THE PASSING OF RADIO GREATS CHARLIE TUNA, JOHN ROOK and; RON JACOBS

GOT ME TO THINK ABOUT TIME, TIME THAT RAN OUT AND STOPPED FOR

 THEM. WE IN THIS BUSINESS OF RADIO KNOW ALL ABOUT TIME. TIME FOR 

HITTING AN HOUR I.D., TIMING OUT OF A :60 SECOND COMMERCIAL, 

PRECISELY HITTING THE "POST" ON A RECORDED  SONG, OR JOINING A 

NETWORK ON TIME ETC. ETC.  BUT WE SELDOM THINK ABOUT OUR OWN 

TIME ON THIS WHIRLING ORB IT SEEMS.  WHERE DID THE TIME GO? 

MY HOW TIME FLIES! WE'VE ALL HEARD THESE PHRASES, YET WE DON'T 

THINK MUCH ABOUT TIME UNTIL FEW GRAINS REMAIN IN OUR LIFE'S

HOURGLASS. TIME BECOMES QUITE IMPORTANT AS WE WATCH OUR

THINNING HAIR MAKE A LARGER AND LARGER FOREHEAD. WE NERVOUSLY

SEE THOSE WRINKLES DEEPEN INTO CREVASSES AS TIME MARCHES ON.

WHAT DID WE DO WITH GOD'S ALLOTMENT OF TIME? DID WE USE IT WISELY

OR FOOLISHLY? DID WE PUT OUR LIFETIME TO GOOD USE OR SIMPLY WASTE

IT? THERE IS A DAY OF RECKONING FOR SOME ANSWERS IT IS SAID. TO

EVERYTHING THERE IS A SEASON...A PURPOSE ACCORDING TO THE BOOK

OF ECCLESIASTES.  IN NATURE'S GLORIOUS PLAN, THE LEAVES FALL TO

THE GROUND TO RESEED AND REMAKE THAT FROM WHICH IT CAME. 

NOW, WE HEAR THAT RADIO ITSELF, IS UNDER THE CURFEW OF TIME.

PREDICTIONS ARE THAT THE TIME OF "The Golden Eras of Radio" ARE OVER.

MAYBE. I THINK THAT SOMETIMES, WHEN THOSE WHO HELPED BRING IT TO 

LIFE ARE LEAVING US LIKE SO MANY LEAVES FROM A GIANT OAK TREE.

ONLY NOW, I DON'T SEE THE NECESSARY RESEEDING TAKING PLACE TO

REMAKE THAT FROM WHICH IT CAME. MAYBE THIS TIME THERE ARE NO

MORE "TIME OUTS". JUST MAYBE, "THE TIME HAS COME TODAY". 

I PRAY NOT.  THAT'S MY RADIOPINION..WHAT'S YOURS?

 

     LET'S PAUSE FOR STATION IDENTIFICATION

The station I.D. is one of the most fundamental elements of being on the air,
yet, it's one of the most misused items in broadcasting. By Station I.D., I don't
necessarily mean the legal or hourly I.D.  It your "handle", your station's 
identifier, who you are known as, etc. This may also be incorporated into a
station's jingles as well.  Are you "93 KHJ"; "The Big 610"; "Boss Radio" or
"More Music KHJ"; "Y-100"; "Magic 101.5"? Perhaps you'll say all of them.
When it comes to a listener identifying your station, they report to the ratings
services many sets of call letters in a radio market. I know this because I've seen
ratings that show this. Many years ago in Atlanta in a 15-18 station market then,
over 55 sets of call letters were reported. Same thing in San Diego when listeners
reported such non-existent stations as:KGBQ, Boss KDEO, 11-7 KPRI & B-1360.
Back in the day of the old Hooper and Pulse ratings services stations usually 
needed both call letters AND dial position. Hooper would give a station a half a
point if a listener could give one without the other...a full point when both were
known. Radio dials were different back then. Especially car radios. Due to the
shorter dial space, many had just a "5", a "10" or a "13". Also some dials were
odd numbered, some were even numbered. If your station was at 1260, but your
radio had an odd numbered configuration, the listener was probably confused.
Arbitron then came along and rated differently. A station would send a list of ident-
ifiers it wanted to be used for that ratings period. It could also be a contest or 
morning show for example. When I began in radio in the '50's it was imperative
to give both call letters and frequency..and give them often every set..everytime!
We would always have to say: "WING time____, WING temperature____" every
single time. This repetition got really tiresome, but it was effective. My belief now
is that not enough identification is given for the listener to remember if and when
he or she is contacted by a ratings company. Today, to complicate things even more,
we have simulcasting and streaming on a website. So, which "identifiers" and how
often is proper? Which do you think is most important? (a) call letters (b) dial
position (c) a combination (d) call letters first (e) dial position first (e)website ?
How often, (1) twice per hour (2) four times per hour (c) six or more per hour ?
I'd be interested to know. I also think stations lose ratings points when they stray
too far from their assigned call letters. If your call letters were WJJX for example,
and you wanted to known as "The Eagle" to your listeners...I wouldn't do it. I was
always told that BOTH call letters and dial position were best to maximize ratings
success. You look at your station as a "letter" you're mailing. The best way to make
sure the intended person receives it is to put BOTH name and address on the front.
I think a radio station is much the same. It seems like a small thing in programming,
but little things add up to big ratings in the end. We in the business know what we
mean, but the listening audience is not that sophisticated. It's best to keep it simple.
That's my RadiOpinion, what's yours?


 

                                 KNOCK KNOCK.....ANYBODY THERE?


Well, the 2015 figures are in, and once again, the number of people listening 
to Radio in the United States is up...a stunning 245 million. That's per week!!
Nielsen reports that this number is an all time high. My question, among many
is, what is being done by the Radio media to utilize these listeners? What is
being offered to keep and sustain this audience? The NAB does little it seems.
If you do see or hear any promotional material, it's usually dull or poorly
produced. Not since Stan Freberg's award winning Radio promos of the 1960's
has there been any advertising extolling our virtues or advantages over other
forms of media competitors. Radio has been usually very good at selling air time
to advertisers, but it does a lackluster job at selling itself. Nielsen also points out
that Hispanics and Blacks listen more than any other group. I wonder why it is
that they find Radio more enjoyable than other groups?  And why doesn't Radio,
the NAB or other pro Radio associations do more to attract and keep more of 
these so called "other groups"?  Once again, Radio in general, has abdicated
it's responsibility as a media leader, and allowed the internet to take that role..
slowly but surely. Radio in many markets today do little advertising to attract 
listeners as in years past. I know in my area of Southern California, I see little,
if any; billboards, bus signage, television spots or newspaper ads like was seen 
in years/decades past. As my Mother used to say: "if you don't knock, nobody
will answer. How true Mother.  So, here they are...245 million people wanting
to listen, now it's Radio's turn to steer them in the right direction-YOUR
direction. Here's my new version of the old "knock-knock" joke:

#1   "Knock Knock!"
#2   "Who's there?" 
#1   "Radio."
#2   "Radio who?"
 That's what I want to know.  And That's my RadiOpinion..what's yours?

                               LAST RITES OR LAST STAND FOR AM RADIO?

I read recently an article online by Bobby Owsinski dealing with what many have
 been thinking that sadly, the days of AM radio may be coming to a close. Here's 
some of what Owsinski said:

"One of the reasons is that electric cars like the Tesla Model X or BMW i3 don't 
install them since the AM reception is impossible due to the internal electrical noise
 of the car. That said, the demand for AM has been way down as almost everywhere
in the country AM stations are almost always at the bottom of the Arbitron ratings. 
It's now the place for news, talk radio and sports, but not music. In fact, even sports
is abandoning the band for FM.

In Europe, AM stations are being rapidly shut down on a national scale. Norway and
Germany have discontinued all AM broadcasting, and even perennial heavyweights 
like Radio Luxembourg and Armed Forces Radio have shut down their AM signals.

In some cases, even FM may go dark as many countries opt for  
Digital Audio Broadcasting instead."

Yes, how sad, that the medium that used to play the hit music, 
and break the hit music-AM Radio-is on Life Support. It didn't
(or doesn't) have to be this way or this certain. In my view, 
programmers, and radio people gave up trying to resuscitate a 
dying entity. It just was "accepted" that AM could only survive on a diet of news, talk 
or sports. Radio gave up on it's local viability that AM used to provide. 
As Bobby Owsinski went on to say in his article for www.hypebot.com... 
"losing the local musical flavor of radio is a sad twist of fate that will ultimately be bad 
for musicians, artists and bands everywhere. The cultivation of local talent and the 
ability to give them that first break will be sorely missed".

 Why is it we always seem to want to discard the old and/or the out of date?   
AM radio CAN be restored to it's near original form just like a '55 Chevy or a 
Les Paul guitar. So, before that last gasp of air (time) for AM Radio comes, someone 
step forward-maybe you-pinch it's nose, then breathe some air into it's electronic lungs..
.to let those "hits keep on a comin'" again. 
Yes, the new technology is here, but it can't replace history. Technology has not 
changed the shape of a clarinet, a trumpet, a violin or most guitars; or the great music 
and sounds they produce.
Likewise, a radio station can't be changed by gigabytes or digital devices. 
High tech also can not replace the special sound of live radio stations-AM or FM-and 
the sounds they produce. 
Best of all, listening to radio is FREE! No data to buy, no long contracts to sign. 
In America, that's the best price of all...to be FREE. Hold off radio's requiem for now. 
Stop the Last Rites! It's time to make AM radio's Last Stand.  
That's my RadiOpinion...what's yours?    

 

                          ARE THERE(or were there) ANY RADIO "GENIUSES" ?

I have always thought that there are few geniuses in the Radio business. Most of the time it's usually

opportunity intersecting with timing. In the case of Todd Storz and Gordon McLendon, they were

innovators and "inventors" of a format style never tried before. Think how opportunity and timing

came together for Chuck Blore, Bill Stewart and the like. They were among the first to be on hand

when Todd & Gordon started their experiment with Top 40. What fortunate timing to be at a station with good dial position, good power, good call letters, good air personalities, great owners, who bet their lives on promotion and persistence. All of the "Birth Of Top 40 Radio" was built on timing and opportunity too. Let's put the whole era in some historical context. Our country was coming off WW 2 plus the Korean Conflict(remember it was not a "war"). This was the mid 1950's. Those children born just before the start of WW 2 and during, were becoming teenagers. Servicemen were now home and getting their G I Bills to go to college, to buy their first homes. Times were good in the mid 1950's. Everything seemed to be booming with innovation. Super highways were being built, the new cars were stylish and futuristic looking, Broadway began a long stream of major musicals, Movies had Cinerama, James Dean & Marilyn Monroe. Edward R. Murrow and Walter Cronkite were still viable, relevant and still on the air. Baseball was alive with Mickey Mantle, Ted Williams and Joe DiMaggio; Joe Louis and Rocky Marciano were still boxing's greatest heavyweight champions. In football Paul Brown was about to unleash Jim Brown to the gridiron as Vince Lombardi was about to become the  Green Bay Packers' coach and icon for the ages. The Atomic Bombs' ending of the war with Japan made the U.S. the World's super power. "Ike" Eisenhower was President, and all seemed right with the World...well, except for Radio. Radio's "Golden Age" was fast becoming the "Olden Age" to many teenagers. These kids were ready for something new, something exciting. These '50's kids wanted to break out and feel "free". Everyone, adults and kids alike", were ready to break out of the doldrums of war and sacrifice. It was time to LIVE! But when they turned on the radio, it was soap operas, silly shows and comedy from another decade or two. The '30's & '40's were THEN, the new jet propelled teens of the 1950's wanted NOW!  But what would Radio do? Especially now that this new thing called Television had just come on the scene. Most predicted doom for the Radio industry. How could "voice only" compete with pictures AND voice? Suddenly, another invention came out of this amazing period. It was called: The Transistor!

This breakthrough enabled portable and smaller radios to be produced to take with you wherever you

wanted to go. But what would come out of these new marvels? Well, kids being kids, and somewhat

rebellious by nature, would find a station like WLAC in Nashville with a guy on the air who played what was called "race music". Rhythm and Blues it was. Others found Country stations which aired shows that featured what was described as "Rockabilly". Most of these shows were on at night, and why couldn't anyone get them in the day time, all the time?  Then jukeboxes started getting some new songs and records with a strong back beat to them. Teens of the day flocked to hear these 78 & 45 RPM records by the thousands, only to spend their parents' allowance money to buy these songs to play at home. So it's now, we re-enter Todd Storz and Gordon McLendon back into this backdrop. After watching people feed the jukeboxes to hear mostly the same several songs over and over, the idea came to fruition that maybe this is what the people now want. Storz and McLendon saw opportunity...and the timing seemed right. Let's give people what they want: Music, News and Sports. Throw in a little creative fun, some hip disc jockeys, and Voila! Top 40(or mass appeal) radio was born.

 No question, The 1st "Golden Era" of Radio was about 1935-1955. This was Radio's first entertainment and information "Star". It was LIVE, and for the most part, they got it right. 

Now, it was time for The "2nd Golden Era"-1955-1975! I think they got it almost right again. And when Elvis, Chuck Berry, Little Richard and Jerry Lee Lewis invaded the airwaves it was all over for the "1st Golden Era" of Radio.

Yeah, it was opportunity intersecting with timing alright...but when given that opportunity, Radio and

it's effect on the public awareness, was forever changed. All of the radio stations and formats since

are mere clones of that perfect timing back in the mid 1950's. Genius? Perhaps. The REAL genius is in the "People"...they made it happen. All it took was a couple of guys with radio stations, to recognize and understand...it's the people...listen to the people...they'll tell if it's right or not. 

That's MY RadiOpinion...what's yours?