[BC] Underground = Classic

Tue Jan 10 10:59:30 CST 2006

Don't shoot the messinger, Kent. I'm glad that Milwaukee is such a great radio
town....now about those other 265 markets...

I'm dealing in facts, Kent - and the facts are that radio listening is WAY
DOWN! Don't believe me though - ask Arbitron.

The average person listens to free radio about 17 hours a week now - down from
well over 21 hours a few years ago. That's a 20% + decline. Pretty significant
if you ask me.

Radio listening TANKS after 8 PM too.

Why do you think that so many people bought Sirius radios lately? They want to
hear Howard Stern. They WANT to listen to something that used to be available
on free radio but isn't any more.

What's radio's response? Jack-FM???!!! That's the best they can do?

By the way, Jack originated on the Internet - it was created by a former FM
program director who was tired of the restrictions under which he worked. So,
he created his own format - NOT on radio (they play it too safe with FM to try
anything new) but on the 'net.

Recently, a friend of mine left as PD of a major market station owned by
Infinity. He tried for FOUR YEARS to convince management to try different
things. He was rebuffed at practically every turn. Yet, when the ratings
sucked, HE was blamed. Finally he said: "enough!" and walked.
Is that what Program Directors have become? Scapegoats for inept management? I
always believed their job was to DIRECT PROGRAMMING!

It's not just him, Kent...I'm sure that 1000 other people here have similar
stories....

Oh and let's not forget the pecking order, Kent. Engineers are scapegoats for
(inept) Program Directors!

I stand by my comments. Radio had better WAKE UP or it will become irrelevant.

-D

------ Original Message ------
Received: Tue, 10 Jan 2006 05:38:44 AM PST
From: "Kent Winrich, K9EZ" <kwinrich at gmail.com>
To: Broadcast Radio Mailing List <broadcast at radiolists.net>,
kwinrich at gmail.comCc: 
Subject: Re: [BC] Underground = Classic

Steve wrote:

>Hi Kent:
>
>----- Original Message ----- 
>From: "Kent Winrich, K9EZ" <kwinrich at gmail.com>
>To: "Broadcast Radio Mailing List" <broadcast at radiolists.net>
>Sent: Monday, January 09, 2006 4:43 PM
>Subject: Re: [BC] Underground = Classic
>
>
>  
>
>>OK Dana, what do you propose as creative?  It is SO easy to say that
>>there is no creativity as an arm chair quarterback... oh sorry I guess
>>that was a used line and not creative.
>>
>>Lets see some examples of what YOU find creative.  Or are you just
>>ripping on people for the sake of ripping on them?
>>
>>BTW all of the people I know at CC dont even wear suits.
>>    
>>
>
>I would like to add something to this for what it's worth. I don't think I
>want to get into the Creative fight but I might. One of my best friends from
>my college days (now out of the biz and has his own production studio he
>operates out of his home) and I came to the conclusion many years ago that
>people seemed happier when they had LESS choices. I know this sounds crazy
>but I would just like to throw that one on the table. Think about it, life
>was much easier when we had the 3 networks the one or two independents and
>the PBS station in town. Yes, that's a TO.VS.. example (we were talking
>about the entry of cable at the time of our discussion) but I think the same
>goes for radio but for a different reason. Ergo....
>
>I can understand Dana's point of view. It's really all a part of what I said
>above. I believe, albeit slowly, the lines between talent and management
>became blurred. To add to the blurring we add into the mix the guy who's
>very guts are ripped out because his creativity is now being tested at warp
>speeds. Now he has to be creative and attempt to focus on many stations
>rather than one. I really think many creative types simply got murdered by
>the hodge podge of it all. Crank it out no matter what the cost. (money and
>health..mental and physical) To hell with creativity. Now this ties into the
>era many of us went through when the bean counters (part of the blurring)
>started coming out of their offices and stepping where they didn't belong.
>This is when the erosion started. After that? Well, I've already stated that
>with the example of the creative guy. Of course I was talking about the
>clusters. Those who followed (carefully stepping over the burnt out bodies
>in the hallways) inherited what they could BUT it's like the old generation
>loss when you copied a tape then you copied the copy. You remember the
>sound. DULL.
>
>So.....this is where I believe we are today. Many have NOT gone through the
>necessary steps (Oh, yes...there are some Mozarts out there and there always
>will be) so we don't have as many as we used to and on top of that we don't
>need many because the burning continues and more choices have become
>available and on and on ad nausium.
>
>See? We WERE happier when there were less choices and when broadcasting was
>considered an art. Art is fun.
>
>In closing, I think Dana is simply showing the frustration any broadcaster
>who came through the mud would show. Yes, yes I know Carly Simon's
>song...."These ARE the good ole days"....well, she's probably right but
>that's another book. Now we have those who just jump from the street to the
>shower to the production room or to the P.D. chair....but his/her mind is
>like that tape I spoke of above. DULL. So, here we are in the age of
>mediocrity but digital will save the day. Not to worry. :)
>
>Steve
>Steve Walker Productions
>
>  
>
I must be lucky then..... 

We have creative types that do nothing but crank out creative work.  Our 
creatives share amongst themselves, bounce ideas off each other, work 
with each other....  The PD does, well.... PD work.  They may come up 
with a few ideas now and again, but it is up to the creatives to make it 
happen.  Are they busy?  HELL YES!  That is because we want to keep 
thing fresh. 

<rant>
I find it quite disappointing to hear all of you "broadcast types" so 
negative on this industry.  People are so willing to rip on radio, but 
yet do nothing about it (not directed at you Steve).  It is so easy to 
sit back and say RADIO SUCKS.  But what have YOU (all of us) done to 
change that?  Can you say that YOU have added to the creativity of 
radio?  What have you done to improve radio?  Have YOU come up with any 
ideas lately?  Or are you just sitting there whining about the "Good Ole 
Days"?  Get off your DUFF and get to work, else find another line of 
employment! 

Steve you say that broadcasters have been through the mud.  Well thats 
fine, but it is what you do after being through the mud.  Do you stay 
there and whine about it?  Or do you pick yourself up, shake the mud 
off, and get back at it.  I have been knocked down MANY times in my 
life.  But I keep telling myself, it doesnt matter how many times you 
get knocked down (or dragged through the mud), but how quickly you get 
back on your feet.  Do you keep the same pissed off attitude?  Or do you 
adjust your attitude and get to what is important?  It is so easy to be 
an arm chair quarterback.  That is the easy way out.

I LOVED radio in the late 60's/early 70's.  I was glued to WLS, KAAY, 
WOWO, WABC, WOKY, CKLW, ya da ya da. But I have a feeling that my memory 
of those days are little biased.  Things always seem better in the "Good 
Ole Days".

There are some boring station out there.  No doubt.  But we still have 
some great locals.... we have a small station that plays polka and has 
local "Help your neighbor" shows.  Could that play in bigger markets?  
Doubt it.  Too diverse of an audience.  BUT, if you cover local issues 
on the talkers, and GET OUT TO THE LISTENERS on the music stations, you 
should do just fine.

Out of all of the people that claim that we are stale or boring, I have 
yet to hear one instance of a way to improve our business.  I am all 
ears folks!  Frankly I dont need a whole lot of input as I have a TON of 
ideas, and generate new ones daily.  Some are short term, some are long 
term.  If you think radio is stuck in a rut, perhaps it is not radio 
stuck in a rut.  Perhaps it is YOU (again, in general, not directed at 
anyone specific).

I have a great group of people that I work with.  NOT ONCE have anyone 
stopped an employee from offering creative ideas and working them 
through.  Do all of the ideas get implemented?  Nope, that is to be 
expected.  We do however, push each other for new ideas, and feel 
totally comfortable in offering them.

I LOVE radio!  If you dont have the enthusiasm for radio, then perhaps 
radio is not for you.  If you have lost the edge, perhaps a new line of 
work is due.  If  you cant offer ideas to help radio, then move along 
l'il dogie.  Dont bring down the rest of us that are busting our butts.  
I have no time for that.

I am off to practice my art of BROADCASTING......

</rant>

Kent Winrich
DoE
Clear Channel Milwaukee

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