Re: Low power FM discussion

[Bob Nelson <bluesradio_99@yahoo.com>]

- ---"Gavin B. Burt" <prospect@email.msn.com> wrote:
> I live just outside of Albany, N.Y., and I am so disgusted with
local radio in my market 
>If some of these local stations are angry about having
> added competition, then maybe they should try to be a little more
exciting
> with their programming.  

Exciting? No, they'd rather play it safe with established formats and
songs (or talkradio topics).
I have an edition of "Over the Edge", a free-form 
"live mix" show from KPFA in Berkeley, CA, which is devoted to a
different topic each show. Their show "Radio Wars" played some
excerpts from a "Larry King (Radio) Show" at an NAB convention. It was
said on that show that radio stations cost so much that the owners
have no choice but to go to "safe" programming.
Why take a chance and suffer in the ratings?

I hate to admit it, but radio is giving the people
what they want. The same limited-playlist classic
rock (or oldies, or country, or rock...). The same
syndicated talk hosts (Rush, Dr. Laura, etc.)
The same fast-paced (not in-depth) news radio.
And so on. Maybe we can also blame the Telecommunications Bill (Bob
Bittner: cue the
toilet flush that you use on LTAR). Fewer owners,
less exciting programming.

You can only hope that college radio or, yes, pirates
can provide more interesting programming. I wish
more people would be more eclectic in their radio
tastes. Given the choice between a high-powered
classic rock station and a low-powered college
station offering new artists and a wider variety of
music, whom would most radio listeners pick?

The tried and true. The boring. 

>Radio is no longer a public
> medium.  It is a medium for some folks to fill their pockets. 

True. In my post yesterday, by the way, I forgot to
mention that TV also has a way for people to do local
or offbeat programming--the public-access channel.
(Shades of "Wayne's World"...) But getting back to
radio, let's see if LPFM makes it through...

Bob Nelson
On the air at WMWM (Salem,MA) since March of 1981

_________________________________________________________
DO YOU YAHOO!?
Get your free @yahoo.com address at http://mail.yahoo.com

------------------------------