Will Air America Start Asking For Donations?
New Way To Raise Funds?With radio-advertising revenue down 9% last year and on track for a dismal 2009, writes TODAY's WALL STREET JOURNAL, some commercial stations are borrowing a tactic from public radio: asking listeners for donations. Until lately, the paper reports, "the practice has been limited to quirky local stations with low profiles and eccentric owners. Now, however, AIR AMERICA RADIO is considering putting out the begging bowl. The for-profit liberal-talk radio network, whose financial problems included a 2006 bankruptcy filing, may soon launch a membership program, with top donors getting access to AIR AMERICA talent and tickets to special events." "NPR isn't pleased about the new competition. 'There's plenty of opportunity for confusion,' says spokeswoman DANA REHM, who fears the 'audience may not discern the differences between public and for-profit operations.' "Indeed, at WJIB, a commercially licensed oldies station in CAMBRIDGE, MA, that supports itself entirely with donations, a listener once sent a check with the subject line marked "WGBH" -- a prominent local public-radio station. Owner BOB BITTNER says he sent the check back. "AIR AMERICA says it is weighing a fee-based membership program, even though it is on the path to profitability. CHARLIE KIREKER, a VERMONT venture capitalist, now heads the company's board, former CLEAR CHANNEL COMMUNICATIONS INC. executives are running the business, and fresh programming like a show from MONTEL WILLIAMS is filling out its roster. 'AIR AMERICA has a very passionate audience,' said Chief Executive BENNETT ZIER. 'They want to get more involved.' ZIER says the company would never represent itself as a nonprofit."
Pathetic, Awful, Laughable... Air America has dropped to a new low (because the ratings can't get any worse) Air America made a huge mistake that companies like XM, CBS, and Clear Channel all made at about the same time... They gushed money at no talent/big named celebs and gave them 3 hours a day to say what ever they wanted... Two problems, 1. They had NOTHING to say... 2. Even if they did have something to say I wouldn't want to listen to it because I like to see them act or sing that has nothing to do with their political views. What happened to radio people doing radio? There isn't a real minor league of radio right now... It use to be that the smaller markets get you ready for the bigs... But now the smaller markets tend to pipe in shows from big cities and the music stations voice track... That's how you get David Lee Roth and Whoopie... Now back to the meat of the article, Air America has their hands out like bums... Asking for change (literally)... If you wanted to pay for radio their are services for it... Lets make money the old way... selling commercials on good shows, that people want to listen to, because they are invested in a true talent...
Not a sermon, just a thought
Monday, April 20, 2009
Friday, April 10, 2009
Issue #0007
From http://www.radioink.com/
Survey: 'Net Radio Grows, But Terrestrial Radio Holds Steady
CHARLESTON, SC -- April 9, 2009: A new survey from American Media Services finds that the popularity of Internet-only radio is growing, with 27 percent of Americans saying they've listened to 'Net-only radio from a website. The figure is higher for 18-24s -- 47 percent -- and for those under 50, at 34 percent.
But, says AMS, regular radio is maintaining its audience. Seventy-three percent of those surveyed said they are listening to radio about the same amount or more than than they did five years ago.
"Our latest survey shows the continued vibrancy of radio," says AMS Chairman Edward Seeger. "Online radio is an increasingly important medium. Regular radio is holding its own. The two media offer choices that are compatible and complementary of each other."
The survey also found that more than half of American homes have WiFi, up from 37 percent in the September 2008 survey to 48 percent in the latest study. And Americans want to take the 'Net on the road, with 46 percent saying they'd like to have Internet service in their cars, up from 37 percent in September '08.
Among those who have listened to Internet radio, 46 percent expect to be able to listen to it in their cars in the future, and 74 percent say they would listen to 'Net-only radio more if their vehicles had an Internet hookup. And even those who have never listened to Internet-only radio like the idea of hearing it in the car: Forty-eight percent said they would be prompted to listen if they had an Internet connection in their vehicles.
Most of those surveyed, unsurprisingly, like their Internet-only radio free. But 23 percent said they would be willing to pay $8 or less a month for commercial-free listening.
The poll of 1,005 adults was conducted for AMS by Omnitel over the weekend of March 27-29, and is accurate to within plus or minus 3 percentage points.
No matter what, radio some how makes it through all of the changes in media. Why? it's cheap, accessible, and when done right it's very entertaining. It is the cockroach of the media... When TV came around people said radio is dead. But, radio abandoned the radio plays and leaned heavier on News, information, and music. Each and every time a new form of playing music comes around that you can play in your car (Cassettes, CDs, MP3's) people say "radio is dead, I can just listen to my own music". In a way it hurt radio but radio leaned to it's personality even on the music end of things. If you have a good DJ you will get people listening that would normally listen to a CD but that CD can't entertain you in a way a good radio personality can (emphasis on good). If you listen to satellite radio (and I do) they constantly pound in your head how "terrestrial" radio is dead. No matter how much I love Opie and Anthony, Ron and Fez, Howard Stern, and NFL radio my XM is just an extension of my "terrestrial" radio. It's just a few extra stations that I jump to while I drive and has actually expanded my scanning on "terrestrial" radio.
Will radio ever die? It can absolutely die, but the only thing that can kill radio is it's own content. We are flirting with suicide in this business as long as attorneys are controlling our content. In radio when ever you want to do anything... ANYTHING... that involves listeners, women, language, or interns you have to run it through the lawyers. So you send the idea to a lawyer that is paid to say no... If he says yes it either means the idea sucks or he made so many changes to the idea that it isn't any good anymore. Radio has relied on content to get it through every change and distraction to its audience and with out quality content radio will die.
Not a sermon just a thought
Survey: 'Net Radio Grows, But Terrestrial Radio Holds Steady
CHARLESTON, SC -- April 9, 2009: A new survey from American Media Services finds that the popularity of Internet-only radio is growing, with 27 percent of Americans saying they've listened to 'Net-only radio from a website. The figure is higher for 18-24s -- 47 percent -- and for those under 50, at 34 percent.
But, says AMS, regular radio is maintaining its audience. Seventy-three percent of those surveyed said they are listening to radio about the same amount or more than than they did five years ago.
"Our latest survey shows the continued vibrancy of radio," says AMS Chairman Edward Seeger. "Online radio is an increasingly important medium. Regular radio is holding its own. The two media offer choices that are compatible and complementary of each other."
The survey also found that more than half of American homes have WiFi, up from 37 percent in the September 2008 survey to 48 percent in the latest study. And Americans want to take the 'Net on the road, with 46 percent saying they'd like to have Internet service in their cars, up from 37 percent in September '08.
Among those who have listened to Internet radio, 46 percent expect to be able to listen to it in their cars in the future, and 74 percent say they would listen to 'Net-only radio more if their vehicles had an Internet hookup. And even those who have never listened to Internet-only radio like the idea of hearing it in the car: Forty-eight percent said they would be prompted to listen if they had an Internet connection in their vehicles.
Most of those surveyed, unsurprisingly, like their Internet-only radio free. But 23 percent said they would be willing to pay $8 or less a month for commercial-free listening.
The poll of 1,005 adults was conducted for AMS by Omnitel over the weekend of March 27-29, and is accurate to within plus or minus 3 percentage points.
No matter what, radio some how makes it through all of the changes in media. Why? it's cheap, accessible, and when done right it's very entertaining. It is the cockroach of the media... When TV came around people said radio is dead. But, radio abandoned the radio plays and leaned heavier on News, information, and music. Each and every time a new form of playing music comes around that you can play in your car (Cassettes, CDs, MP3's) people say "radio is dead, I can just listen to my own music". In a way it hurt radio but radio leaned to it's personality even on the music end of things. If you have a good DJ you will get people listening that would normally listen to a CD but that CD can't entertain you in a way a good radio personality can (emphasis on good). If you listen to satellite radio (and I do) they constantly pound in your head how "terrestrial" radio is dead. No matter how much I love Opie and Anthony, Ron and Fez, Howard Stern, and NFL radio my XM is just an extension of my "terrestrial" radio. It's just a few extra stations that I jump to while I drive and has actually expanded my scanning on "terrestrial" radio.
Will radio ever die? It can absolutely die, but the only thing that can kill radio is it's own content. We are flirting with suicide in this business as long as attorneys are controlling our content. In radio when ever you want to do anything... ANYTHING... that involves listeners, women, language, or interns you have to run it through the lawyers. So you send the idea to a lawyer that is paid to say no... If he says yes it either means the idea sucks or he made so many changes to the idea that it isn't any good anymore. Radio has relied on content to get it through every change and distraction to its audience and with out quality content radio will die.
Not a sermon just a thought
Monday, April 6, 2009
Issue 0006
Talk About A Come Back
All over the country radio station are subscribing to a new way of gauging how many people are listening, for what reason, and for how long. It's called PPM, these are little devices that electronically take note of what station is on instead of the old terrible way of relying on people to write down all of their listening habits with great detail. The biggest beneficiaries of PPM have been News and Talk stations the biggest casualties are Urban stations. This is very good for my side of the business, it could mean a resurgence in FM talk and more live and local talkers hired across the country. That would be a terrific turn to a format that was in a lot of trouble. Of course the urban stations have started screaming racism and are taking the data to court. Why is it every time the "urban community" doesn't get the greatest end of a fair stick they scream racism and clog our courts with frivolous whining. President Obama even supported this poppycock when he was on the campaign trail. If urban stations keep sliding in the PPM ratings we may have all of the "Power""Jamz""Hott" stations on the steps of the White House begging for a 4 ratings point bail out... I am serious. Obama is in the back pockets of the people who want to keep minority radio in the majority of the air waves and can not wait to pass the fairness doctrine. Keep an eye on this situation and you will see it become a mainstream issue.
Justin Johnson Reporting
All over the country radio station are subscribing to a new way of gauging how many people are listening, for what reason, and for how long. It's called PPM, these are little devices that electronically take note of what station is on instead of the old terrible way of relying on people to write down all of their listening habits with great detail. The biggest beneficiaries of PPM have been News and Talk stations the biggest casualties are Urban stations. This is very good for my side of the business, it could mean a resurgence in FM talk and more live and local talkers hired across the country. That would be a terrific turn to a format that was in a lot of trouble. Of course the urban stations have started screaming racism and are taking the data to court. Why is it every time the "urban community" doesn't get the greatest end of a fair stick they scream racism and clog our courts with frivolous whining. President Obama even supported this poppycock when he was on the campaign trail. If urban stations keep sliding in the PPM ratings we may have all of the "Power""Jamz""Hott" stations on the steps of the White House begging for a 4 ratings point bail out... I am serious. Obama is in the back pockets of the people who want to keep minority radio in the majority of the air waves and can not wait to pass the fairness doctrine. Keep an eye on this situation and you will see it become a mainstream issue.
Justin Johnson Reporting
Saturday, April 4, 2009
Issue 0005
From http://www.radio-info.com/
Emmis will keep paying Rick Dees through September
That’s the end of his three-year contract with “MOViN' 93.9”, and it may be one reason why Emmis stuck with the rhythmic AC format which never got to a 2.0-share. Dees tells Gary Lycan of the Orange County Register that he’s philosophical about losing his daily morning show in L.A.: “It’s the way the business is right now. Emmis is a great company…[but] it will be sad to not go in and do a regular show. Our trends were going up and we were on a roll the last couple of months.” In fact MOViN' has moved up in the five PPM monthlies starting in November: 1.2 to 1.4 to 1.5 to 1.5 to 1.8. Dees still does his three Weekly Top 40 countdown syndicated shows, and he’s now promoting his own new “young-centric top 40 radio” online channel at AllNumber1Hits.com, set to launch on April 13.
Movin 93.9 has been bought by a Mexican broadcast company... I can't really slam them on that seeing that I sold out to south of the border for a while. But Rick Dees (creator of the classic Disco Duck) is out of radio (for the most part)... Thank f'n god! The age of Wolfman Jack, Dr. Demento, and Rick Dees have long been over... Who gives a shit about your count down with I-Pods and the Internet... I remember one of my instructors at Specs Howard School of Broadcast Arts has a signed picture of him in his office and I asked him why he liked Rick Dees... He said... because he is Rick Dees ... he had nothing. Not one reason on what makes Rick Dees famous... Rick you have stolen your last check... Disco Duck stinks and so does Rick Dees... Hit the bricks
From http://www.allaccess.com/
Congress Honors Paul Harvey
Paul HarveyCongress honored PAUL HARVEY on WEDNESDAY with the passage of a resolution celebrating HARVEY's life and career. The resolution, H.Res.223, was introduced by Rep. JOHN SULLIVAN (R-OK). HARVEY, born in TULSA, became a radio legend over a 70-year career before his passing last month at 90. He was awarded the Presidential Medal of Freedom in 2005.
Paul Harvey... I do not have one bad thing to say about Paul Harvey. "The rest of the story" is a staple in my childhood... Sure the last 4 or 5 years of his career were painful to listen to at times but after 70 years of broadcasting he deserves a few mulligans.
From http://www.allaccess.com/
WMMS Pays Tribute To Rock Hall Inductee Metallica
All Metallica, All Weekend CLEAR CHANNEL Rock WMMS will pay homage to 2009 ROCK HALL Inductee, METALLICA, with a special musically themed weekend featuring only their music. The sound-track for the legendary band begins FRIDAY evening. All METALLICA, All Weekend was designed to not only pay homage to the band, but to also welcome them to CLEVELAND for their induction to the ROCK AND ROLL HALL OF FAME AND MUSEUM. The ceremony takes place on SATURDAY evening inside CLEVELAND’s PUBLIC HALL and from that point forward, METALLICA will be forever enshrined in the HALL OF FAME.
UHG... I understand that Metallica has achieved a lot but ENOUGH. Manditory Metallica and all of the other Metallica gimmicks are just boring at this point... I kinda liked Metallica when I was 12 but now when I hear them I can not turn the station quick enough... It's not some kind of "you sold out maaaaan" mentality at all... I just have never been moved or entertained with their music or antics ... I can't understand it and it leaves me confused and frightened.
Emmis will keep paying Rick Dees through September
That’s the end of his three-year contract with “MOViN' 93.9”, and it may be one reason why Emmis stuck with the rhythmic AC format which never got to a 2.0-share. Dees tells Gary Lycan of the Orange County Register that he’s philosophical about losing his daily morning show in L.A.: “It’s the way the business is right now. Emmis is a great company…[but] it will be sad to not go in and do a regular show. Our trends were going up and we were on a roll the last couple of months.” In fact MOViN' has moved up in the five PPM monthlies starting in November: 1.2 to 1.4 to 1.5 to 1.5 to 1.8. Dees still does his three Weekly Top 40 countdown syndicated shows, and he’s now promoting his own new “young-centric top 40 radio” online channel at AllNumber1Hits.com, set to launch on April 13.
Movin 93.9 has been bought by a Mexican broadcast company... I can't really slam them on that seeing that I sold out to south of the border for a while. But Rick Dees (creator of the classic Disco Duck) is out of radio (for the most part)... Thank f'n god! The age of Wolfman Jack, Dr. Demento, and Rick Dees have long been over... Who gives a shit about your count down with I-Pods and the Internet... I remember one of my instructors at Specs Howard School of Broadcast Arts has a signed picture of him in his office and I asked him why he liked Rick Dees... He said... because he is Rick Dees ... he had nothing. Not one reason on what makes Rick Dees famous... Rick you have stolen your last check... Disco Duck stinks and so does Rick Dees... Hit the bricks
From http://www.allaccess.com/
Congress Honors Paul Harvey
Paul HarveyCongress honored PAUL HARVEY on WEDNESDAY with the passage of a resolution celebrating HARVEY's life and career. The resolution, H.Res.223, was introduced by Rep. JOHN SULLIVAN (R-OK). HARVEY, born in TULSA, became a radio legend over a 70-year career before his passing last month at 90. He was awarded the Presidential Medal of Freedom in 2005.
Paul Harvey... I do not have one bad thing to say about Paul Harvey. "The rest of the story" is a staple in my childhood... Sure the last 4 or 5 years of his career were painful to listen to at times but after 70 years of broadcasting he deserves a few mulligans.
From http://www.allaccess.com/
WMMS Pays Tribute To Rock Hall Inductee Metallica
All Metallica, All Weekend CLEAR CHANNEL Rock WMMS will pay homage to 2009 ROCK HALL Inductee, METALLICA, with a special musically themed weekend featuring only their music. The sound-track for the legendary band begins FRIDAY evening. All METALLICA, All Weekend was designed to not only pay homage to the band, but to also welcome them to CLEVELAND for their induction to the ROCK AND ROLL HALL OF FAME AND MUSEUM. The ceremony takes place on SATURDAY evening inside CLEVELAND’s PUBLIC HALL and from that point forward, METALLICA will be forever enshrined in the HALL OF FAME.
UHG... I understand that Metallica has achieved a lot but ENOUGH. Manditory Metallica and all of the other Metallica gimmicks are just boring at this point... I kinda liked Metallica when I was 12 but now when I hear them I can not turn the station quick enough... It's not some kind of "you sold out maaaaan" mentality at all... I just have never been moved or entertained with their music or antics ... I can't understand it and it leaves me confused and frightened.
Wednesday, April 1, 2009
Issue 0004
From http://www.radio-info.com/
Early April Fool's stunts include Boston rocker WBCN going CHR as "Power"
But the stunt – conducted by morning show Toucher & Rich – ended at 9am, and the station has returned to being “the Rock of Boston” and “the home of the Patriots Rock Radio Network.” The Boston board at Radio-Info.com had fun with the gag that played on the rumors of just such a flip – from rock to CHR, against Clear Channel’s “Kiss 108” WXKS-FM. The Boston board is here. Another reported to Radio-Info – The Baltimore “Jack” WQSR is playing karaoke versions of the hits.
This kind of stuff begs the question... How dumb are listeners? EVERY year on April fools shows pull this crap and it works EVERY time... Let me tell you a little secret. If a station flips formats and all of the DJs are the same... It's B-S! If you hear a PD on the air apologizing that there morning guy went "over the line" and he is suspended ... It's B.S. especially if it happens in the summer or winter (non-rated vacation books)... If you hear a "stunt" boy doing a "dangerous" stunt in a remote area where no listener can go... It's B.S! If you hear a DJ say "You will never believe what happened to me" ... there is a good reason why you "will never believe" ... It's B.S! If you hear "prank calls""war of the roses" or any other thing that would involve them calling someone and putting them on the air with out them knowing ... It's yea you get it... But in the end you (the listener) are to blame because the general audience eats that up... Until listeners demand decent radio and wise up we will have to deal with fake April fools B.S
Early April Fool's stunts include Boston rocker WBCN going CHR as "Power"
But the stunt – conducted by morning show Toucher & Rich – ended at 9am, and the station has returned to being “the Rock of Boston” and “the home of the Patriots Rock Radio Network.” The Boston board at Radio-Info.com had fun with the gag that played on the rumors of just such a flip – from rock to CHR, against Clear Channel’s “Kiss 108” WXKS-FM. The Boston board is here. Another reported to Radio-Info – The Baltimore “Jack” WQSR is playing karaoke versions of the hits.
This kind of stuff begs the question... How dumb are listeners? EVERY year on April fools shows pull this crap and it works EVERY time... Let me tell you a little secret. If a station flips formats and all of the DJs are the same... It's B-S! If you hear a PD on the air apologizing that there morning guy went "over the line" and he is suspended ... It's B.S. especially if it happens in the summer or winter (non-rated vacation books)... If you hear a "stunt" boy doing a "dangerous" stunt in a remote area where no listener can go... It's B.S! If you hear a DJ say "You will never believe what happened to me" ... there is a good reason why you "will never believe" ... It's B.S! If you hear "prank calls""war of the roses" or any other thing that would involve them calling someone and putting them on the air with out them knowing ... It's yea you get it... But in the end you (the listener) are to blame because the general audience eats that up... Until listeners demand decent radio and wise up we will have to deal with fake April fools B.S
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