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| Has Commercial Radio Finally Gone Limp? |
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 The ad to the left appeared in the October issue of Blender magazine on page 52. It depicts a huge Viagra™ pill as a pictograph representing the various percentages of artists who are likely to get your parents hot (The Righteous Brothers beating out The Foo Fighters, Audioslave and The Killers by a landslide). The text at the bottom of the ad reads: 'Tons of Artists. Zillions of Songs. And oh yeah, it's free. Radio. Brought to you by America's 13,000 local radio stations that play artists like these every day.' This ad begs the question: In an era of "pod-safe" independent music, has commercial radio finally gone limp?
With the increasing use of independent music on satellite radio, in films, television advertising and podcasting, commercial radio stations across the country are presumably feeling the pinch on their advertising budgets (not often, if evern, have we see a full-page ad in a major magazine defending the utility of commercial radio). New technology has finally given listeners a choice and many are opting to tune-out.
But with the conglomeration and homogenization of radio stations across the country by behemoths like Clear Channel and Viacom, and controversial payola-like practices by so-called "independent promoters" placing the same handful of major-label artists in seemingly perpetual rotation, the radio industry, like the record industry, has come under increasing criticism for ignoring their listeners - particulary when it comes to including popular independent local artists in their regular music rotation or including community news in their broadcast at a convenient time.
The use of voice-tracking software, such as PROPHET, to insert the name of YOUR TOWN from anywhere on the globe into a story, in our opinion, is no substitution for the responsible use of a local public asset for the local public good.
Recent political victories for the inclusion of Low Power FM stations in Michigan (thanks in a large part to a local activist, formerly known as Tom Ness) has been very slow in coming due to the seeming collusion between the FCC and the extremely well-funded commercial radio lobby including The Michigan Association of Broadcasters.
So we put the conversation into your hands, MB members:
Are you celebrating the demise of commercial radio with your iPod or are you still an avid radio listener? Have you abandoned traditional radio for commercial-free satellite radio? Can commercial radio ever win you back or is it high-time they made room on the dial for LPFM stations? Are there enough opportunities on local radio for independent artists or should there be more? Will the demise of free commercial radio go the way of free commercial television - where you pay to hear commercials?
Please USE THE COMMENTS BUTTON to join in the conversation with anything RELATED to this story. We will allow anonymous postings for this article, but we prefer you log in and use your account for the sake of facilitating conversation.
- Mitch
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No Comments Allowed for Anonymous, please register |
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Re: Has Commercial Radio Finally Gone Limp? (Score: 0)
by Anonymous on Sunday, October 09, 2005 @ 13:58:32 MDT | | "Local Radio" hasn't done much for local artists. |
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Clear Channel Is Listening (Score: 1)
by Mitch on Sunday, October 09, 2005 @ 15:51:38 MDT
(User Info | Send a Message | Journal) http://www.michiganbands.com | | It seems that, in fact, Clear Channel is listening to it's diminishing audience by responding with their Less Is More [www.clearchannel.com] campaign to scale back the length of commercials and commercial breaks. |
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Michigan Association of Broadcasters: Competition Over-Hyped (Score: 1)
by Mitch on Sunday, October 09, 2005 @ 20:35:07 MDT
(User Info | Send a Message | Journal) http://www.michiganbands.com | | An radio industry study conducted by the Communications Research Institute (CRI) of East Lansing found that competitioin from satellite radio and iPod type devices is over-hyped and radio listnership remains strong. See MAB study PDF [www.michmab.com] |
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Re: Has Commercial Radio Finally Gone Limp? (Score: 0)
by Anonymous on Monday, October 10, 2005 @ 05:50:29 MDT | Five Words: January First Two Thousand Six
Four Words: six o'clock that morning
Three Words: Douche one hundred
Two Words: Sirius Satellite
One Word: Howard
Toss the last bit of dirt on the grave of AM and get ready to kiss FM good bye! |
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Re: Has Commercial Radio Finally Gone Limp? (Score: 1)
by SonicDisturbance on Monday, October 10, 2005 @ 14:05:40 MDT
(User Info | Send a Message) http://www.myspace.com/sonicdisturbance | Finaly Gone Limp?
It has been Limp for years.
The best indicator of what new music will be played on the Radio is the Top-100 from iTunes.
I am up and down the radio dial everyday in the car, but while not in the car, No Radio.
Let's Face It,
No Money = No Radio Play.
There was a time, a long time ago, when DJ's played what they wanted to play, now it is in the hands of the Promgram Directors, and we have all heard about what Sony does for Program Directors.
Indy / Local Artists are better Off Up Loading their music to the Web, Gigging and Giving out CDs.
What good is the Homeboy Show if No One is listening? If you really want to support Local Bands, play them Side By Side with Majors in Prime Time... Oh, but what about our Advertising Dollars, we will have none of that...
Everyheard of Moby - Electronic Artist...
For One Album he did 200 Product Endorsements to side step the Radio, it turned into 12 Milion in sales.
For the follow-up album, he did no such deals, and it did A Mill or Two in Sales. So if you can't get the radio / it is about TV Ads., Movie Soundtracks, Video Game Soundtracks and Getting on a Major Tour.
How come Radio and The Record Industry do not work out a Regional and a Local Farm System? No Big Ad Money, that's why.
Buy My Cars, Buy My Jeans, Buy My Soft / Hard Drinks, they are cool, the music in the background Defines the Demographic they are chasing, the Radio follows Suit.
If I play this music, you will listen, if you listen you will then buy the products that use that music in their ads.
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Re: Has Commercial Radio Finally Gone Limp? (Score: 0)
by Anonymous on Monday, October 10, 2005 @ 18:57:32 MDT | | It's always been limp... But for a brief time in the 80's new Detroit radio kicked some ass... That was just before all the sophomore jocks started to make real money... And then came the follow the leader mentality of play it and I'll get paid and then the SHIT ran down hill... Oh let us not forget the limp 90's with the regurgitated I sing like shit music they pounded down our throats so they could still get paid... Got to pay for all the excesses of the 80's in the 90's as well as a few good divorces to boot.... Thank God for Motley Crue... |
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