[BC] Loudness redux

[Sid Schweiger]

Jim Graham sayeth: "I feel the public doesn't understand what we're doing to be louder than each other and the fact that we do it is ridiculous (to me)."

Every single time I have gotten into this discussion with a PD, GM or owner, I have asked for verifiable proof that louder is better from a ratings standpoint.  Of course, none of them had such proof.  I have then asked why we would deliberately distort our signal, thus increasing listening fatigue (which HAS been proven to shorten TSL), in pursuit of loudness, when it has no provable effect on ratings?  It's at that point that I usually start hearing crickets.

These are, of course, the same people who never seem to believe that the FCC rule on legal IDs means what it says, and run the legal at :50 past the hour, buried under some sound effects.

Sid Schweiger
IT Manager, Entercom New England
20 Guest St / 3d Floor
Brighton MA  02135-2040